Obser 4 To be rightly informed in the doctrine of the power and interest which Jesus Christ hath in the resurrection and the life is an especiall meanes to cure the ignorance and to prevent the errours we are apt to be corrupted withall conceruing the power and Godhead of Christ That which hath been already spoken in the handling of the first observation I suppose may save me the labour and the time that otherwise might have been employed in inlarging upon this There you have heard that Jesus Christ is the author or efficient cause of the resurrection and the life And in the application we made use of it for the confirming of our faith in the Godhead of Christ I shall therefore adde no more for the proof or application of this point but only this That he which doth know and believe that Jesus Christ is the author and efficient cause of the resurrection and the life cannot doubt but that the fullness of the Godhead dwelleth in him bodily or substantially 2 From the words in relation to the context Whereas Jesus Christ for the moderating quieting and comforting of Martha's spirit now apt to exceed in mourning and grieving for the death of her brother doth especially make choise of and insist upon the doctrine of the resurrection and the life and the informing her in and affecting her with his absolute power in it and Soveraignty over it Obser 5 The observation is this Rightly to be informed in and to be affected with the doctrine of the resurrection and the life and of Christs power in it is of especiall use to comfort the sorrowfull and mourning friends of such as die in the faith I say to be informed to exclude ignorance and to be rightly informed to avoid errour I say first to be informed in it and then to be affected with it Because the information of the judgment must go before the motions of the will and that not only as a guide to conduct unto the right end but also as a counseller to advise unto the proper meanes and also as Gods minister in some sort to command that is not by any power or authority of its own but by manifesting what is the will of God whereunto our wills are to be subject and by proposing the promises and threats either to quicken the dullnesse or to check the unrulinesse of our affections And I say both to be rightly informed and affected because both are necessary To have the mind inlightned and the heart not affected is to have light without life and much affection without knowledge is but distempered passion Jam. 3.6 not unlike to hell fire which hath much heat but no light There is neither profit nor comfort in the want of either But to have the mind rightly informed in the truth of the docrine of the resurrection and the life and of Christs power and interest in it and to have the heart sincerely affected with it quiets the minde and revives the spirit And he that layeth his friend in the grave being perswaded of his interest in Christ will have his fears so tempered with hope and his grief with patience as it is with the husbandman Amos 9.13 in a time of peace when the plowman overtakes the reaper and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed Jam. 1.2 The believer is allwayes sowing and reaping together he reaps good out of evil and comforts from crosses and joy in temptations The life of a christian is much like unto that of those Troglodites in Ethiopia amongst whom it is said toto anno seritur ac metitur All the year they are sowing and reaping Scalig. Exercit 249. distinct 2. The use of this piont is to shew the vast difference that is between the sunerall mournings of Christians and heathens The heathens indeed made death a Goddesse because of her power beatting down all before her but yet they gave her no divine honours nor temple nor priest nor altar nor sacrifice nor festivall dayes because they looked upon her as one that did them all the mischief and from whom they hoped for no good And for a like reason they crowned Pluto by whom they signified death or the grave with the leaves of the Cypress tree The like is said of the Piâ—e tree which also for that cause is used by some for an emblem of death which as they say is a tree of that nature that being once cut down never buds nor grows again And therefore it is not to be marvelled at if they exceeded in sorrow for their dead Since it is manifest they were men without hope But for Christians it ought not to be so with them To such the Apostle speaks Brethren I would not have you to sorrow even as others which have no hope 1 Thes 4.13 Eph. 2.12 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him 1 Thes 4.13 14. They that die in the faith die in the Lord they sleep in Jesus Christ is still their head and they his members and if he be risen they must needs rise also As long as the head is above water the members cannot be drowned The heathen complaind that their dead were ingratefull Flebant Ver. Aeued l. 6. cineri ingrato suprema ferebant Though they cryed never so loud yet there was no reply though they performed never so many rites and services yet there was no return but for believers their faith speakes when they are dead Heb. 11.4 Their faith in God their covenant with God their prayers to him and all that ever they did or suffered for God are written in Gods book and are as so many speaking remembrancers before the Lord. Exod. 17.14 1 Sam. 15.2 Isa 37.35 Exod. 20.5 6. Deut. 9.27 Wicked mens evill works speak also but it is for vengeance upon their wicked off-spring the speaking of believers is for good to their posterity that walke in the same faith 2. Use This shewes what they are concerning whom their friends may thus comfort themselves in their death they are beliâ—â—â—rs and none but they None but such as believe in Jesus do sleep in Jesus and none but such as sleep in Jesus will God bring with him If ever we desire that our friends may have any thing to comfort themselves withall concerning us when we are dead we must be of the number of those that die in the faith otherwise we leave our friends comfortlesse and to mourn without hope But here it may be questioned 1 What is it to die in the faith 2 Who are they that as we may judge do die in the faith For answer 1 To die in the faith is to die in a constant dependance and reliance on the truth and faithfullnesse of God in the promises for remission of sins and life eternal in Christ in whom all the proses are yea and amen that is made and
perfected so that such as neither the multitude nor greatness of their sins or miseries can overthrow their faith But that they can and do believe that though they die yet that in Christ they shall live and that eternally may be said to die in the faith Thus it is said of Abraham and Sarah and Isaack and Jacob and their posterity that though they received not the promise that is the accomplishment of the grace promised whether it concerned their Salvation by the Messiah or the possession of the land of Canaan which was but a type of their inheritance in heaven yet they died in a stedfast belief and expectation of it and therefore it is said they all died in the faith Hebr. 11.13 And thus all that die in a firm perswasion of the remission of their sins and of eternal life in and thorough the merits and mediation of Christ may be said to die in the faith and such as do so inseparably cleave unto the Lord that death cannot separate them may be said to die in the Lord. And such are pronounced blessed Rev. 14.13 Such as do not thus die in the faith die in their sins If ye believe not that I am he ye shall die in your sins Jo. 8.24 And as there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.1 that is by faith so there remaines nothing but condemnation to such as die without it But since all our comfort concerning our deceased friends depends upon their dying in the faith or at least upon our judging of them to be such I shall therefore in answer to the second Question endeavour to shew who they are that as we may judge do die in the faith And they are as I humbly conceive such as these 1 They that die in a sound and serious profession of the doctrin of faith He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ he hath both the father and the son 2 ep Joh. 9. Piscat in loc id est verum Deum novit ac proinde vitae aeternae particeps est He hath knows the true God and therefore is partaker of eternall life Joh. 17.3 2 They that die in a professed serious denyall and renouncing of their own righteousnesse Philip. 3.9 3 They that die in a serious profession of an unfained repentance of their sins and of all their aberrations from the rule of faith and life He that hath given us a command concerning him that shall trespasse against us seven times in a day and seven times in a day turn again to us saing I do repent that we should forgive him doth thereby manifest how charitable he would have us to be in judging of offenders when they professe repentance neither is the Lord lesse gracious towards sinners himself I said faith the Psalmist I will confesse my transgression unto the Lord and thou gavest the iniquity of my sin Psalm 32.5 4 Those that die in a serious profession of love and affection to God and his wayes and servants owning and approving of them and perswading others to the same duty 1 Joh. 4.7 12. Thus Abraham and Isaack and Jacob when they were on their beds or near dying gave such evident testimonies of their love to God and his wayes they have this testimony given them that they died in the faith 5 They who so stedfastly lay hold upon the mercy and grace of God in Christ for life and salvation that neither the temptations of Satan nor the allurements of the world nor the troubles of life nor terrour of death can cause them to faint or fall from the faith which they have professed but that they persevere therein unto the end These as I conceive we may and ought to judge that they die in the faith Infidells and reprobates are not wont to die thus See the difference between the penitent and impenitent thief the one dies owning and honoting of Christ the other up braiding reproaching and railing upon him Luk. 23.39 c. In our judging in these cases these or the like cautions are to be observed 1 We must know that we cannot judge of the finall estate of others by a judgment of faith or infallibility we have nothing revealed to warrant us in so doing and therefore our judgment being only conjecturall or at best but a probable opinion and no certain knowledge that it may be as indeed it ought to be a judgment of Charity it becomes us to be sober and moderate in judging of others and to that end we are to consider 2 What cautions the spirit of God speaking in the word hath given us against rash judgment Jam. 4.11 12. Why doest thou set at naught thy brother We shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Every one of us shall give an account of himself to God Let us not therefore judge one another any more Rom. 14.10 12 13. Again judge nothing before the time untill the Lord come who both will bring to light the hidden things of darknesse and will make manifest the counsells of the heart 1 Cor. 4.5 The judgeing of the dead is indeed a a finall judgment which belongs not unto us but unto Jesus Christ It is true the saints shall judge the world that is they shall be present with and approvers of and consenters unto the judgment of Christ not that their judgment shall prevent but follow after the judgment of Christ 3 Our judging of others in our own thoughts must be such as we will be willing should come under the judgment of God how often do we find Christ bringing the Pharisees to shame for their evil and mis-judging thoughts See Matth. 9.4 and 12.25 Luke 7.39 c. We must judge of others as we would be judged our selves for with what judgment we judge we shall be judged Mat. 7.1 2. and with what measure we mete it shall be measured to us again whether it be in mercy or justice 4 If we manifest our judgment to others we must be sure that it be according to truth and also that the manifesting of it is for the glory of God the edification of our neighbour and in discharge of our own duty that we have a call to it and that it is either necessary or very expedient and seasonable and that we shall be at least in danger of sin if we do it not Let us therefore take heed to our wayes that we sin not with our tongues Let us first commune with our own hearts and say to our selves every one apart is this my duty is this according to the rule what good shall I do in so doing have I a call to it at this time in this place and in this company And here the sad occasion of this solemnity may have its place to be spoken to And were I to speake of one that rather needed an Apology to excuse him then deserved an Elogy in his commendations I should require no more but to confine mine
righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption his meaning is that Jesus Christ is he that doth make us wise and righteous and holy c. So here when Christ saith I am the resurrection it is as if he had said I am he that doth raise the dead Martha had said concerning her brother I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day And Christ replyeth in effect Thou mayest as well believe that he may be raised now Per quem tunc resurget po test modo quia ego sum resurrectio August since he is present by whom he shall be raised then for saith he I am the resurrection and I can as easily do it now as then I am the resurrection and the life first the resurrection and then the life quia prior est restitutio a morte in vitam quam vitae status Calvin the restoring from death to life is before the state of life The resurrection from the death of sin must go before the life of grace and the resurrection both from death temporall and death spirituall must go before a full enjoyment of the life of glory This may suffice for the opening of the terms of the first proposition I come now unto the Second He that believeth in me shall live In which proposition we have the proper subject of the resurrection and the life He that believeth the act that qualifieth and diposeth that subject and that is faith The object that gives life and virtue to that act and that is Christ he that believeth in me And lastly the grace that is promised to reward and crown it and that is life He that believeth in me shall live The subject of the resurrection in generall is that which is fallen as hath been said The subject of the resurrection at the day of judgement are the dead bodies universally both of good and bad The subject of the resurrection and the life or from the death of sin to life spirituall and eternall are all and only the elect which the father hath given unto Christ for all they and only they do come unto him by faith Joh. 6.35 37 39 40 44 47 53 54. All and only they do performe that act whereby they become fitly qualified and disposed to partake of such a grace And that not only in generall way as they are a body but every one for himself every one that is thus to be raised by Christ is to believe for himself The just shall live by faith Therefore he saith He that believeth in me And yet he spakes indefinitly so that it is all one as if he had said every one that believeth in me as Joh. 6.40 or whosoever believeth in me as in the next verse after the text Which notes also the object of faith Jesus Christ And to receive and rest upon him as the Christ the son of God as the only author of life and Salvation is to belive in him as appears by Martha in her answer v. 27. which is also the same with Peters Mat. 16.16 And He that beliveth in Christ is every one that by a true faith doth lay hold and rest upon Christ for life and salvation And he that thus believeth in him shall live that is shall live spiritually and eternally He shall forthwith receive that life which shall never have an end He shall never die that is spiritually and eternally This also may serve for the unfolding of the terms of the second proposition I come in the third place to the amplification of the power of Christ in these words Though he were dead yet shall he live Wherein he sets forth the exceeding greatnesse of his power in regard of the extent of it and that 1 In respect of the quantity or number of those that are to be raised up be their multitude never so great howsoever dispersed of whatsoever nation kinred or tribe whether Jews or Gentiles Barbarians Scythians bond or free 2 In respect of their quality be their condition never so desperate yet he that believeth whosoever believeth every one that believeth Though he were dead yet shall he live That is say some Though he were dead in the body Piscat in loc yet shall he live again the body unto life eternall Menoch in loc as he that believeth not shall rise again but unto death eternall Or though he were dead Cartw. Metaph. in loc yet seing I am the resurrection and the life if it be for the glory of God I can and will as often as I please restore him unto life again nether need I stay for the last day There are others that understand it especially of the spiritual death of the soul Calvin Maldonat or of the souls being dead in sin and by the power of Christ to be quickned to a new and spirituall life yet not without respect to the body which though dead naturally yet by his power should be raised up again But which way soever of these two the words are to be understood there may arise a doubt 1 If Christ speakes of the death of the body how doth he require faith of the dead can the dead believe The dead praise not the Lord neither any that go down into silence Psal 115.17 And as they can not praise him so neither can they believe in him In death there is no remembrance of him Psal 6.5 They that goe downe into the pit cannot hope for thy truth Isaiah 38.18 2 If he speake of the spiritual death of the soul by sin and of the raising up of such to the life of grace what is this to the businesse in hand The question is of restoring life to Lazarus his dead body and he speaks of giving life to the soul that is dead in sin For answer unto these there is no doubt but that Christ's answer to Martha is both proper and pertinent though every one may not so readily apprehend it But to the doubts themselves To the first we may say that he doth not require faith of the dead sensu composito that is that those that are dead in body should believe but of the living as if he should have said He that while he liveth doth believe in me though he were even now dead yet shall he be raised up again and live in the body and that eternally and thus he seemes to explain himself in the very next words where he saith whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die Again when he saith though he were dead yet shall he live it is to note either his omnipotency in that he can and will give life unto him and cause even the dead to live Or that although he be dead in respect of us yet he is still alive in respect of Christ in whom all believers live and shall never die And thus he is to be understood when he saith of Lazarus his sicknesse that was not unto death v. 4. and
A SERMON Preached at the FUNERAL OF THE Honourable Colonel Robert Rolle of Heanton Sachville in the County of Devon Esq By William Trevethick M.A. and Pastor of Petrockstow in the same County Hier. Ad Marcellam de laudibus Asseilae Nemo reprehendat quod in Epistolis aliquos aut laudamus aut carpimus cum in arguendis malis sit correptio caeterorum in optimis praedicandis bonorum ad virtutem studia concitentur LONDON Printed by T. R. for Edward Brewster at the Crane in Pauls Church-yard 1661. TO THE Noble and hopefull young Gentleman Mr. SAMUEL ROLLE the only Son and Heir of the Honourable Colonel Robert Rolle of Heanton Sachville in the County of Devon Esq late deceased SIR THE honour and esteem which I have born unto your family ever since I had the happiness to be acquainted with it together with the many favours which I have received from it and especially from your Parents of happy memory have sufficiently ingaged me with all readiness to lay hold upon any opportunity of giving testimony thereof in the best manner that I can In order whereunto I was not unwilling to answer the call to the performance of that last though sad office of waiting on the funeral Solemnities of that worthy Gentleman your dear father and my honoured Patron An account whereof since you could not be a hearer that you might have a sight of it is here presented to your view It was hard for me to think any thing of mine worthy of such publick notice and it was no less difficult to withstand the desires of such as with me are able to command Such as it is I here humbly submit it to your ingenuity and candor not doubting although there were little in it that might merit your acceptance but that any remembrance of such a father to such a son will â—nd some favourable entertainment And now Sir If with your good leave at least upon this occasion I may use the liberty of being your remembrancer that the Lord in his wise and holy providence hath deprived you of both your parents It is to give you to learn betimes to have your dependance on him alone who is your heavenly father who ever liveth and careth for you whose eye you are alwayes under where ever you go and whatever you do if you cleave unto him he will never leave you Psa 17 10 Isa 49 15 nor forsake you When my father and my mother forsake me saith the Psalmist then the Lord will take me up That you have so early as it were in your first setting forth met with the cross it may seem tedious at present but yet I trust it will be for your profit hereafter Et mage principio grata coronis erit Martial The Lord is a wise Father That son whom he loves Pro. 13.24 he chasteneth betimes He knows how apt our minds are to be corrupted especially in youth with ease and prosperity Luxuriant animi rebus plerunque secundis It is therefore good saith the Prophet for a man that he bear the yoak in his youth Lam. 3.27 Quam utile est ad usum secundorum per adversa venisse Plin. Paneg ad Trajan If the Lord begin to teach you in your youth I trust when you are old he will not forsake you Esteem that I beseech you the best breeding to be bred up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord Account no gain like to the gain of wisdom and godliness no loss like to the loss of the favour of God and your time Titus the Emperor who for his humanity and moral vertues was stiled Deliciae humani generis if any day had passed without doing of some good Pezel mellif hist part 2. p. 174. was wont 〈◊〉 complain Amici diem perdidi my friends I have lost a day The eyes of all your friends and relations are upon you hoping to find their loss in their honoured and beloved friends your dearest parents to be made up in you And that their expectations may not be frustrated Now is your time to furnish your self with those abilities by which you may become serviceable to your God and your King an honour and ornament to your Country and family and a rejoycing to all that love you and desire your happiness Let neither those endowments of nature nor these principles of education and grace which the Lord in a gracious measure hath blessed you withal be either lost or corrupted The truth is you are in the midst of a world of temptations and snares ready to beset you on every side But alas what is the world with all the pleasures and allurements thereof but vanity and vexation of spirit like Creusa's Ghost Par levibus ventis volucrique simillima somno Virgil. Aenid l. 2. What is the pleasure of Hawks and hounds but a mungril pleasure What are gaming 's at Cards and Dice but the firebrands of passion and the consumption of treasure and time What is there in rioting and drunkenness in chambering and wantonness but the impoverishing of the Estate the distempring and weakâ—ing of the body and without repentance the ruine both of body and soul unto eternity Those that are the first with Abner to call forth the young men thus to arise and play will be the first with him to cry out at length 2 Sam. 2.14.26 This will be bitterness in the latter end He that will not be warned of them in time will mourn at last when his flesh and his body are consumed and say How have I hated instruction and my heart despised reproof Prov. 5.11 12 13. and have not obeyed the voice of my teachers nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me Let it not seem tedious or grievous unto you that for a time your condition requires that you be subject to Tutors and Governours It is but to this end that by learning first how to govern your self you may be the better qalified to rule and govern others and the readiest way to know how to command is first to learn how to obey If you perswade your self as I am apt to believe you do that those your worthy friends and relations to whose care and inspection the Lord by your father hath committed you are both faithfull and wise and will omit nothing that in conscience towards God and Love towards you they judge necessary nor advise you to any thing inexpedient or superfluous and that their affections towards you are so real and tender that nothing will be more their grief then your not profiting nor rejoycing then when they shall see through the blessing of God upon their endeavours that as you grow in years and in stature so as is said of our Saviour that you increase in wisdom and favour with God and man This will incourage you to attend unto them with patience and content and to observe and practise their councels and prescriptions with
somewhat sensible that while I have been pleading for others I may be thought to need an Apology in the behalf of my self for that I have presumed so far upon the patience of the reader who may be apt to blame me for making the porch too large for the house or for prefixing such large Epistles to a single Sermon But for this I shall say That the sin of uncharitablenesse is great and spreading and we cannot lightly raise the feuce too high against it And for both I shall say no more but this That when we speake or write or hear or read for God or our souls to caution against sin or to quicken to duty we should not easily suffer our selves to complain of tediousnesse The Apostles of Christ though their Epistles be not very short yet say they had written breifly in few words as to shew the excellency of the matter and their zeal to their duty so also to intimate that as themselves had not been weary in writing Hebr. 13 22 1 Pet. 5.12 so neither should they to whom they had writen be weary in reading If that which is here tendred thou shalt receive and use with profit neither of us shall have cause to repent of our labour And that it may be so I shall make this my only request Isa 48.17 that we may mutually commend each other to him who hath said that he is the Lord our God which reacheth us to profit Thine in the service of Christ William Trevethick JOHN 11.25 Jesus said unto her I am the resurrection and the life he that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he live THe historicall narration of Christs miraculous raising Lazarus from the dead as also of the preparations to it and the consequents of it are the main subject matter of the Evangelists discourse in this chapter That we may know who this Lazarus was he is set forth v. 1. by the indisposition of his body he was sick and also by the place of his abode he was of Bethany Which place is described 1. By some others of its inhabitants as it seemes better known to the disciples then Lazarus was It was the Town of Mary and her sister Martha 2. By its Scituation it was nigh unto Jerusalem about fifteen furlongs off v. 18. At this time the condition of the place was suitable to its name Bethany according to the notation of the word signifying a house of sorrow or mourning Lazarus a noted man of the town is dead and there is much sorrow and many mourners Mary and Martha his sisters are weeping the Jews also that came to comfort them weep yea even Jesus Christ himself wept v. 33 35. Here was a great mourning at Lazarus his grave We read of one Lazarus mentioned by Jesus Christ Luke 16.20 But whether that discourse be parabolicall as a Theophilact Justin q. 60. Theophilus Antiochen l. 4. Allâ—gor Eucher in quaest in Lucam Alius preterea nemo quod sciam Quin om â—â—s alii auctores historiam esse dicunt inquit Maldonâ—t in loc some or historicall as b Tertull an l. de anima c. 2. Ambrâ—s Jren. l. 2. c. 62. plures alâ—â— apud Mal donat Calvin in loc most of the ancients affirm c Tertullian adversus Marcionem l. 4. p. 274. edit Basil 1562. d Pet. Martyr in 1 lib. Sâ—m c. 28. p. 161. Some of which understanding by the rich man to be meant Herod and by Lazarus John the Baptist supposing as it seemes that Christ conceald their proper nam 's to avoid the odium of the times Or whether that be a mixt discourse partly historicall and partly parabolicall as a Maldon in loc Menoch in loc others conceive however otherwayes they differ they generally agree that Lazarus spoken of there was not the same with him whom Jesus raised from the dead As it may also farther a pear by his outward estate and condition in the world Lazarus spoken of in Luke is said to have been a poor miserable begger ready to perish through want But this whom Christ raised again was no way likely to be such His sisters whose affection towards him sufficiently manifected in this discourse would not fuffer them to see him beg seem to be persons of wealth and repute to omit the conjectures of b Vid Calvin Maldon Menoch in loc some even by that magnificent act of Mary in powring that precious ointment on the head of Christ which Judas said might have been sold for c 300 pence after the rate of 7 d. ob the value of their penny amounts to 9 l. 07 s. 06 sterling Bunting Itinerarium p. 391. 300 pence Joh. 12.5 yea and for more Mar. 14.5 An act so graciously accepted and so highly honoured by Christ Mat. 26.13 that it is followed with a memorial of as larg extent and of as long continuance as the preaching of the Gospel Sufficient to argue her condition was not very mean Besides the great concourse of the citizens of Jerusalem to visit and comfort them which was saith Maldonat propter Marthae Mariaeque nobilitatem aliasque virtutes Mos erat JudaeoruÌ„ mortuos praesertim honorabiliores in Sepeluncis Sepelire for the respect they did bear to their nobility and other vitues And also the manner of his interment being buryed in a cave or vault which as is said was most usual for such as were more honourable and of the better sort But to passe by those things which are of the lowest concernment There are other intimations given by the Evangelist by which they are rendred more truly remarkable and of eminent worth and note to us which are 1 Their mutuall love manifested each to other by their cohabitation or dwelling together not only in the same town but also as it seemes in the same house And farther by their mutuall care for each other as here when Lazarus was sick their first and chief care was to send for Jesus Christ the great physitian both of soul and body 2 Their love to Jesus Christ evidenced by their frequent attending on him and entertaining of him taken notice of and commended in all the Evangelists Matth. 26.6 c. Mark 14.3 c. Luke 10.38 39. Joh. 12.2 3. 3 Jesus Christ his love to them all as is expressed in the fifth ver of this chapter where it is said that Jesus loved Mary and her sister and Lazarus Which he also makes manifest by his sympathizing with them in their sorrowes instructing them where they are ignorant strengthening their faith comforting them in their afflictions raising up again of Lazarus from the dead c. Thus they that love Christ and love one another are beloved of Christ The preparatory acts that go before this miracle are 1 the message which his sisters sent to Christ to acquaint him with his sicknesse That they went not themselves but sent might proceed from the regard they
absolute power in it and over it Obser 5 Rightly to be informed in and to be affected with the doctrin of the resurrection and the life and of Christs power in it is of especiall use to comfort the sorrowfull and mourning friends of such as die in the faith 3 Whereas Jesus Christ doth take occasion to moderate and improve Martha's mourning over her brothers dead body and her desire of having it raised up again to life temporall to minde her of the true and effectuall meanes of quickning and raising up her own dead soul to life spirituall and eternall Obser 6 When any are apt to exceed in mourning over their friends dead body wishing it might be restored again to life temporall It is seasonable to mind them of the most effectuall meanes of raising up their own dead souls to life spiritual and eternal The words of the text are few but fruitfull I may compare them to those few loaves and fishes which in the hands of the disciples seemed unto them by much too little to satisfy so many thousand hungry stomacks as then stood in need of refreshment But being blessed and broken by Christ they multiply so exceedingly that they become enough for all and to spare In like maner these words of Christ lookt upon with a carnal eie or as only in the hands of a man what are they among so many that every one should have his portion But if Christ by his spirit do blesse and dispense them in the way of his ordinance they will multiply and be enough for all Yea such is the nature of this food that every one may carry away the whole and yet never a one have ever the lesse To each of the observations I shall speake particularly but very briefly The first is this Obser 1 Jesus Christ is the author of the resurrection and the life Or Jesus Christ is the author and efficient cause both of the resurrection of the body and of the life both spirituall and eternall 1 That he is so is manifest in the text and therefore needs not any farther proof neither shall I adde any more but only this that we have Jesus Christ asserting his power and efficiency in the resurrection four several times in one and the same chapter viz. Joh. 6.39 40 44 54. and in the life both spirituall and eternall no lesse John 5.21 22 24 25 26. 2 How he is so I shall shew in these particulars 1 Jesus Christ is the author and efficient cause of the resurrection and the life as he is God not excluding the father or the spirit For it is said that the father raiseth up the dead and quickneth them Joh. 5.21 1 Cor. 6.14 And also that the spirit raiseth and quickneth the dead Rom. 8.11 The father by the son and through the spirit 2 Cor. 4.14 Opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indivisa As he is the judge of the world so he is the resurrection both of the elect and reprobate Joh. 5.27 28. Even as the opening of the prison dores and the bringing forth of the prisoners is by the power and authority of the Judge So the opening of the graves and the raising of the dead is by the power and authority of Jesus Christ 3 As mediatour and so he is the author of the resurrection and the life of believers only And that 1 By his merit 1 Cor. 15 21 22. since by man came death that is by the merit of mans sin even by the sin of the first Adam By man came also the resurrection of the dead that is by the merit of the righteousnesse of Christ who is the second Adam 2 By his efficacy power and virtue whereby he quickneth whom he will He shall change our vile body Joh. 5.21 that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself Phil. 3.21 3 By inchoation Christ is risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that slept 1 Cor. 15.20 that is of believers Christ is to believers as the firsts fruit to all the rest of the fruits be and therefore if all the fruits sanctified through the Sanctification of the first fruits then so shall all believers be raised by the resurrection of Christ The use of this point is to confirm our faith in the doctrin of the Godhead of Christ None can raise the dead of himself and in his own name and by his own power but God only And hence by his raising up of himself he is said to have been declared to be the son of God with power Rom. 1.4 And this was one of those signes by which he evidenced himself to be the Christ to John's disciples Math. 11.5 in that by him the dead were raised up And as the resurrection of the dead is one of those principles or fundamentalls of the doctrine of Christ which are most necessary for all Christians to know and believe Hebr. 6.1 2. So to know and believe that Christ is the author or principall efficient cause of it is no lesse the duty of all that professe to believe Jesus Christ to be the son of God which is another article of our faith And therefore to the end that Jesus Christ might fully confirm Martha in the faith of his Godhead he thoroughly instructs her concerning his power and efficency in the resurrection which if she should receive she must also necessarily believe him to be God And accordingly it followes when Christ puts her to the question ver 26. Believest thou this she readily answers ver 27. Yea Lord I believe that thou art the Christ the son of God The truth is the doctrin of the resurrection is a difficult point Durius creditur resurrectio carnis quam una divinitas saith Tertulians That is the rection of the body is harder to be believed thence it is saith he that hereticks commonly begin l. de resurrectione carnis p. 46. n. 2. with the resurrection of the body and thence having shaken the hope of the resurrection they ascend at length to the questioning of the Deity Which is the reason he gives for his dealing first with that subject That so the saithfull being Sufficiently confirmed in this they might be the better grounded in all the rest As if they should be weakned in this they would be doubtfull in all the rest Fiducia christianorum ibid. p. 45. resurrectio mortuorum saith the same Author The hope of a christian is the resurrection of the dead Tolle spem resurrectionis resoluta est observantia omnis pietatis Chrisostom in Mat. 22. Take away the hope of the resurrection and all esteem of religion is vain If there be no resurrection of the dead saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 15. then is Christ not risen if Christ be not risen then is our preaching vain and your faith is also vain and ye are yet in your sins ver 13. c.
goeth out Now thy dominion over these is in the hands of Jesus Christ he hath them all in his power and at his dispose He hath vanquished all these enemies and triumphed over them And by death destroyed him that had the power of death that is the devil And delivered them who through fear of death were all their life time subject unto bondage Heb. 2.14 15. He hath led captivity captive And he must raign till he hath put all his enemies under his feet 1 Cor. 15.25 He shall have a full and absolute conquest over them They shall be so thoroughly subdued that they shall never rise again 2 As he can remove all hinderances and oppositions that nothing may resist him So he can command all helps furtherance what ever may be requisite He can command the sea to give up the dead that are in it and death and hell to deliver up the dead that are in them Rev. 20.13 even with more ease and better successe then a conquerour can command his captives that are at his mercy He can give power to all meanes that they shall be effectuall if he speake but the word it shall be done By the word of the Lord were the heavens made and all the hosts of them by the breath of his mouth and all power both in heaven and earth is in his hands as was shewed even now And if this be so that the power of raising of believers from death to life spirituall and eternall be so fully and absolutly in the hands of Jesus Christ then how much doth this commend and magnify the priviledge and happinesse of believers He that is their Lord and Master their brother and friend head and husband who is so inseparably and unchangably theirs and hath loved them better then his own life hath all things in his own power life and death both temporal and eternall are in his hands and he can dispose of them at his pleasure so that they may boast and glory in this saying with the Psalmist He that is our God is the God of salvation Ps 68.20 And I may say unto every believer as the women said unto Neomy Blessed be the Lord which hath not left thee this day whithout a kinsman who shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life and a nourisher of thine old age for thy daughter in law which loveth thee which is better to thee then seven sonnes hath born him And blessed be God for Jesus Christ whom he hath given unto thee and who hath loved thee better then his own life behold even he it is that hath the power in his own hands to be the restorer of thy life yea the raiser of thee up unto eternal life And it is better that it is in the hands of Christ then in the hands of any friend in the world were there but such a power put into the hands of a father or brother or kinsman or friend we should be apt to rejoyce in it and to esteem it a great priviledge and yet it is possible they might faile us But it is impossible that Christ should faile Yea it is better then if it were in our own hands for had we such a priviledge and were but left to the liberty of our wills as Adam was we should be as apt to commit a forfeiture as he was And therefore that the foundetion of God might stand sure and that the Lord might know who are â—is He hath reserved it in a surer hand God hath raised up the Lord and will also raise up us by his own power 1 Cor. 6.14 and 2 Cor. 4.14 But here it may be Questioned that if there be such a full and absolute power in the hands of Christ of raising up believers when he please and that to life spiritual and eternal in respect of all the degrees of it even a full power of raising them up from the death of sin to the life of grace and of recovering them after all their relapses the raising them up to higher degrees and at last to raise them from death naturall to life eternall and from the grave to glory Quest 1 1 Why should Jesus Christ suffer so many of those whom the farther hath given him to lye so long dead in their sins before he raise them up to live the life of grace Quest 2 2 Why should it be so long ere he raise them up to perfection in grace Quest 3 3 Why should he suffer the bodies of believers which are holy the temples of the holy ghost and members of his own body to lie so long in their graves to corrupt and putrify and that there should be no difference between the condition of the believer and unbeliever neither that their dust shall be capable of being distinguished the one from the others For answer unto these though there were no other reason to be given but this in generall that it is the will and good pleasure of God to have it so yet that were sufficient to set bounds to our curiosity in inquiring after the reasons of his dispensations But yet it may be farther said though all that I shall adde will be in order to the better understanding of that Ans 1 To the first That Jesus Christ doth suffer many of those whom the father hath given him to lie long dead in their sins before he raiseth them up unto the life of grace I answer first Negatively 1 He doth not do so by all some are sanctified and raised up in the very womb 〈◊〉 1.15 Jer. 1.5 and from the womb Some in their youth and some not untill they are ready to drop into the grave 2 That he raiseth up some sooner or more early then others doth not proceed from any worthiness that is in one more then another either in respect of birth that one is born of better and more gracious parents then another or that one hath had better education then the other or that the one hath better natural or acquired parts or hath had better means or opportunities or naturally had better inclinations to be wrought upon Manasseh the son of good Hezekiah who in all likelihood as he had the priviledge to be born of a very Sincere and gracious father who doubtlesse was not wanting in the duty of a father either in precepts example or prayers besides other good meanes were not wanting neither for any thing that appears did he want parts to apprehend and approve them And yet we see it was long ere he was raised up Josiah the son of wicked Amon in a worse time and under lesse means and yet he is raised up betimes 2 Chron. 34.3 3 I answer affirmatively It is 1 To manifest the liberty and power of his own will in the dispensation of his grace It is in his power to do with his own as he please Neither have they that were called in at the first hour reason to boast of themselves or to envy at
this kinde though probably he might be able to give better excuses then any of these forementioned yet nothing would satisfiy till God did speake pardon and peace In his relation to the Church he shewed himself to be a true member by his compassionating of the missereies and relieving the necessities of the members even of forrein Churches when oportunities were offered and also by his lamenting the divisions and fearing the dangers of our own Church at home He was a lover of good men and especially of good ministers that for their work sake And in testimony thereof it was his desire and endeavour that in all places either in Church or Common-wealth that were in his power to dispose of there might be such set up as be judged able and like to do good in them Neither was he willing that this affection should die with him But he commended it as one of his last charges to him whom he desired to be an heir to God and his grace as well as to him and his estate In his relation to the commonwealth I meane the common good of his country He was a resolute assertor of his countries liberties not fearing to reprove or withstand the irregular actings of any to their prejudice How much was he grieved at his countries sufferings How earnestly did he desire the hastning of her deliverance How sorry that the way and meanes of deliverance were so much and so often obstructed His judgment was as he was pleased with some freedom to expresse himself even in the greatest excesse of all the actings to the contrary that the only person under heaven that was likely to heal our breaches was he whom we trust the Lord in mercy hath made to be such indeed even our gracious soveraign And whereas some have been apt to conceive some prejudice against him because he suffered not himself to be perswaded into that height of action which was expected when they thought it seasonable I doubt not but that he did concurre with them in their generall end but might not be so well satisfied in the meanes It was not I am assured through want of will and readiness to do his Country service but because the wayes proposed appeared to him more likely to increase then ease her burdens There is none that knew him laying but their passions aside that would easily judge it to be sloth or cowardise that he was not more apt to hearken but rather prudent warinesse Decipi non potest qui non est facilis audire He is hard to be deceived that is not easie of belief The simple believeth every word but the prudent man looketh well to his going Prov. 30.6 Peritia est non segnities quum sensum miles veteranus accendit It ought to be esteemed wisedom or skillfullnesse when an experienced soldier doth stir up and awaken his sense to looke before he leap He was not apt to be rash in undertaking but what ever he undertook for the service of his country he was resolved to go thorough with it with all faithfullness and integrity professing himself ready to loose all but a good conscience Yet even then when others were censuring of him he was not wanting to do his country good and that in such wayes as were more safe and sure And doubtlesse a wise patient will preferre the leysurely working of a skillfull Physitian in a way that is safe before the violent attempts of such as may pretend to a speedier cure As knowing that violent actings are even hazardous and doe but seldom prosper In his relations to his family friends and neighbours he was not wanting in any respects that might belong unto them As to his compassionating of and liberality towards the poor in relieving them in their necessities I cannot deny him this testimony that in requests of that nature I have not only obtained what I desired but also thanks for the motion His sobriety temperance and moderation in his health his meeknesse and patience in his sicknesse were known to all that converst with him In a word he was such a one as deserved to be honoured in his life and to be lamented in his death Be therefore sensible all ye his relations and lament your losse Children you have lost a dear and tender father who as his expression was feared nothing more then that he should love you too much Brethren and sisters I nead not mind you who may be apt to be more then enough sensible of the reality and constancy of his love towards you and delight in you even unto the last Kinred and friends and neigbours rich and poor I need say no more but that you have lost a great friend and truly that is a great losse Servants you have lost a master that loved you while he lived and was not unmindfull to make some provision for you when he was preparing for death I shall adde no more but this The Church hath lost a generous and an uncorrupted patron and his country a constant and a faithfull patriot But yet if any there be that shall be ambitious of adding to their own praise by detracting from his or of extenuating their own errours by aggravating of his I know detractors may be apt to mutter and whisper saying it were well if all this were true and it were well if somthing else were not true And why are not his failings censured as well as his virtues praised Such I shall answer as our Saviour doth those importunate Jewes who were so severe in demanding justice upon others He that is without sin let him cast the first stone at him Joh. 8.7 There is no doubt but he had his failings and sins yea and if you will hear and believe him bearing witnesse against himself They were many and great But yet this is the manner of Gods proceedings 1 Cor. 11.31 such as judge and condemn themselves shall not be judged nor condemned of the Lord. And shall mortall man be more just then God shall a man be more pure then his maker Job 4.17 Yea but peardventure some good men may be troubled because he did no more good Brethren It is desireable that good should be done by others But it is more profitable for us to be found doing of good our selves I have said that I have often found him ready to do good and willing to communicate and had the Lord given him but a little more time I have reason to believe that he would have done much more good and that he did no more I cannot but in part impute the blame unto my self in that in some respect I had not been his remembrancer more seasonably The truth is in great men it is something to find some good and not rare to find much evill their actions are subjest to many observers if they do well they lose no praise if they do evill no reproach If Jeroboams son hath but some good thing found in him towards the Lord