Balaams Wish OR The Reward of Righteousness in and after Death Considered and explicated by occasion of the Late Decease of M rs BARBARA WHITEFOOT Late of HAPTON in the County of NORFOLK Who Deceased April 9. and was Interred April 11 1667. By JOHN HORNE Preacher of the Gospel in former times in the Parish of Lin-Allhallows in the same County Rev. 14.13 Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord from henceforth Yea saith the Spirit for they rest from their labors and their works follow them Psal 31.19 Oh how great is thy goodness which thou hast laid up for those that fear thee which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men Prov. 12.26 The righteous is more excellent than his neighbor but the way of the wicked seduceth them Quid prodest cum magnis difficultatibus cultum Dei tenere quae est summa virtus nisi eum Divinum Praemium Beatitudinis subsequatur Lactan. Divin Institut lib. 7. De Divino Praemio cap. 1. LONDON Printed in the Year 1667. To Mr. Daniel Whitefoote and Mrs. Barbara Waller the onely Son and Daughter of the Deceased Mrs. Barbara Whitefoote late of Hapton Mercy Grace and Peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ be extended and multiplyed Dear Friends I Have you may see though with some reluctancy as being conscious to my self of my own weakness in speaking to the great things of God and Christ accomplished your desires for publishing what was upon my thoughts and as to some Heads thereof was spoken to and in the Family of your Deceased Mother by occasion of her Death and Burial I pray God add his blessing with it that it may provoke some at least yea all that read it if it may be to consider their ways whether they be good and righteous and what the end toward which they tend so that they that believe and live amiss may be there-through awakened to repentance and to seek after righteousness even the righteousness which is of God by Faith not resting with Balaam in good Wishes and Desires or rather in Wishes and Desires of Good so as to miss as he did of the good they wish but that awakening from sin to righteousnesse and following after it in seeking the Lord they may both desire and attain what is truly good and that they that are in the way of righteousness may through the consideration of its good and glorious end and reward hold on their way to the end So should my labour herein be well bestowed And oh that both I and you may our selves do what we desire and have herein in some measure endeavoured for others that while we seek their good we also minding the good way may share with all that are good or get good hereby in the reward This briefly in General Besides which I would adde a word to either of you Severally And First to you Mr. Daniel let me say Remember the good and grave counsel and advice of your Dear deceased Mother especially her dying farewell and endeavour so to seek after the Lord read and mind his good word believe his love and grace toward mankind in his Son and yield up your self to obey and follow his heavenly Counsels preferring the Gospel as your good Mother advised you not onely above the pleasures of sin for a season and what vain Companions sports and pastimes can afford or vain persons entice you to but also above your worldly estate and so adhere to the good advice of such as be sober staid and godly friends that she may at least reap the fruit of all her serious wishes desires prayers and tears for your good and of all her tender affectionate love to you in her receiving you in the resurrection of the just at the comming of the Lord in the lot and state of the righteous and holy Saints and servants of God You are young and need help and direction I would have you think so and be sober minded not thinking your self so wise as that you may chuse for your self your ways and need none to guide and counsel you mind Solomons saying Prov. 27.10 And thine own friend and thy Mothers friend forsake thou not Not taking any for your friends that would flatter you into vain courses to follow your will and pleasures to your ruine in all things mind Gods word and call upon him for his grace and blessing in and through Christ Jesus and he will bless you and do you good Seriously peruse also this Treatise and let its contents be ever with you And the Lord bless it to you That 's all I shall say to you at present As for thee Dear Sister thou hast cause to bless God for the good he hath done to you and the mercy and grace he hath shewed you both in your self and in your Dear deceased Mother Oh let not his goodness ever be forgotten by you or slip out of your heart follow yet on after righteousness and seek the Lord the prize is before you and ascertained in Christ to you in following after it onely watch and take heed of what may divert or subvert you from it especially of knowing your self in what you know and in the gifts God hath bestowed on you and so of being puffed up with any spiritual pride Though not of that only but also of every way of the world or sinful temptation by which the adversary will not be wanting to endeavour your harm and whereof this Treatise also affords some notice and warning but that 's one main temptation he uses against such as are going on the right way to make them reflect so upon their own beauty put upon them by Christ as there-through to adulterate from Christ as in Ezek. 16.14 15 16 17 c. It was probably the way he fell himself the looking upon and falling in love with his own created excellencies and thence lifting up himself to desire that that was proper to the Creator and its the way he sets upon many persons knowing persons especially to corrupt them from the simplicity of Christ and an humble faithful dependance on him and walking in the fâ—â—â— of God through him in whom all their fulness and safety is But I hope he that hath called you by and into his grace will keep you through his grace from that and every other evil thing and so cleanse sanctifie and make you perfect in every good thing as that you shall without fail attain to the glory and glorious kingdom that he hath prepared for and promised to them that love him And in that hope and perswasion for you I commit you to him and to his blessing And so taking my leave of you both and desiring that this treatise may further both your happinesses I rest Your truly Loving Friend JOHN HORNE From my House in Lin Regis Jan. 6. 1667. ERRATA Courteous Reader thou art desired with thy Pen to correct these ensuing escapes of
be an aftertime is requisite and necessary and that it shall be so is most certain For 1. The righteousness and stedfastness of his Law and Doctrine his love of righteousness and hatred of iniquity and his righteousness in rewarding vertue and punishing sin and wickedness must be declared 2 Thes 1.4 5 6. Heb. 6.10 11. He is the righteous Lord that loveth righteousness Psal 11.7 And He is not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. pâ— Ajax Flag but hates all the workers of iniquity Psal 5.4 5 6. And therefore hath in his Law and Doctrine promised and proposed great rewards and blessings to the righteous and threatned great wrath and punishment to the wicked Levit. 26. Deut. 28. But 2. This Time is not the time in which these things are sufficiently manifested and fulfilled This is but the time of workings not of recompencing and rewarding All the time of this life is a time of work and labor and therefore there must be another time of reward For here neither are the righteous evidently rewarded with or enjoy the promised blessings Heb. 11.13 nor the wicked punished according to their wickedness so as may either sufficiently evidence Gods love and faithfulness to the one or his wrath and hatred against the other the truth of his threatnings True it is that God doth give some rewards or rather encouragements to goodness here in inward peace and comfort and oft-times in outward and signal preservations and deliverances from dangers and benefits conferred Especially to Societies and Companies of men as Cities and Nations doing righteously and cleaving to it For otherwise there would be no encouragements here to serve God and walk in his wayes that might induce the world thereto or such as are chiefly yet sensual But his service must needs be a sad and uncomfortable exercise and especially in communities or common bodies as Kingdoms Cities and Common-wealths as such which as one well observes shall never be restored into their publick capacities again to be as such rewarded Nor would it be known by experience or rationally thought that the giving such benefits here appertained to God or that he takes notice of mens righteous or evil doings if God should give such mercies to none that ask or desire them or that fear and serve him And again on the other hand true it is that some wicked men and especially Nations and Common-wealths for the reason above noted are punished here with severe and smart judgments for their wickedness as Egipt De civ Dei lib. 1 cap. 8. Si nulium peccatum nunc punires aperte diviniâ—as nulla esse divina providentia crederetur Babilon Jerusalem Pharaoh Saul Haman c. otherwise as St. Augustine also notes men would believe no Divine providence nor have sufficient evidence of Gods anger against wickedness to move them to beware of it and fear the judgements further threatned But yet neither are the encouragements here given to the righteous persons especially in their personal considerations such as either answer or evidence the greatness of Gods love to them or come up to such promises as The meek shall inherit the earth and delight themselves in the abundance of Peace Psal 37.11 that they are blessed of the Lord and shall endure before him for ever And many the like nor are they common or general to all of them as to such at least as are outwardly and visibly testifyed Many of them in the eye of the world and to their own sense as some of themselves oftimes complain being plagued all the day long and afflicted every morning Mala corporis bona sunt anim Lact lib. 5. cap 7. So as they are ready to say and others to think that they in vain cleanse their hearts and wash their hands in innocency Psal 73.13 14. being as the Scripture saith else where oftimes killed all the day long and made as Sheep for the slaughter Rom. 8.36 Yea seem to the world to die miserably and receive no reward here for their love to righteousness and to God and Christ testified in their death As on the other hand the wicked oftimes prosper all their lives become old and grow great in power have none or no remarkable wrath testified against them either in their life their houses being safe from fear and they prospering in the world or in their Death having no bonds therein as Psal 73.3 4 5-12 Job 21.6 7 8 c. Yea and they of them that are punished here are not punished beyond what some one of their innumerable sins may deserve nay little more than what lays upon all good and bad commonly befalls them For what had Pharoah more than Josiah in being Drowned or Saul in being killed in the Battel or Haman in being hanged more than ordinarily is felt in men dying except the suddainness the frightfulness publickness and shame therein or some such concomitant making their falls exemplary and testimonies of vengeance Many a man that dies on his bed of the Colick or Stone or Strangury endures more torment yea and many righteous persons endure as suddain violent and shameful Deaths even for righteousness as many Martyrs and those mentioned Heb. 11.35 36 37. St. Lawrence on the Gridiron endured as much for Christ as Ahab and Keliah for Idolatry and Adultery whom the King of Babylon roasted in the Fire Jer. 29.22 23. as to what was visible Here all things happen to the outward eye promiscuously and to all alike as to the evil so to the good as to him that feareth the Lord so to him that feareth him not God now causing his Sun to shine on good and bad and his rain to fall on the just and on the unjust Matth. 5.45 he desiring the Death of none no not of the wicked invites them by his goodness long-suffering and forbearance to repentance And some of them doubtless are led to repent thereby though others harden their hearts there-against and in their impenitency treasure up wrath against the day of wrath and revelations of the righteous judgment of God Matth. 11.21.23 and 12.41 Rom. 2.4 5. and on the other side God often corrects both good and bad that he might exercise the faith of the one and more purifie and prepare them for his glory making them therethrough partakers of his holiness and that he might admonish and awaken the other to repentance that his soul might be kept from going down to the pit c. Job 33.29 and some are awakened thereby to repentance though some when Gods hand is lifted up will not see Deus non exclusit mala ut ratio virtutis constare posset Lact. Isa 26 9 10. though indeed the righteous have the greatest share of troubles and evils here for the greater evidencing and adding worth and luster to their faith and obedience And also for the preparing them for and magnifying or inhancing their after-rewards Their light and momentany
this is signifyed by the white robes to be given them Rev. 6.11 whether they die a natural death and quietly in their beds or a violent sharp or shameful death all is one dying in Christ they die in Gods love and favour even as he did Thence it was the great desire of the Apostle Paul to win Christ and be found in him Philip. 3 8 9. knowing that otherwise it could not be well with him but in him he should be found of God in peace and without blame before him 2 Cor. 5.9 2 Pet. 3.14 15. Coll. 1.22 23. 3. They die in Covenant with God for Christ is given for a Covenant to the people an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure Isa 42.6 7. and 49.8 and 55.3 2 Sam. 23.5 and so he is still their God even in death Psal 48.14 God having ingaged himself to Christ and to all in him to be their God and to own them for his peculiar ones and to do good to all in Christ according to the greatness of his love and mercy for Christs sake They that are Christs are Abrahams seed and heirs according to promise or to the Covenant made with Abraham the summe whereof was that he would be his God and the God of his seed after him Gal. 3.29 Gen. 17.7 Covenant and promise signifying one and the same thing with the Apostle Gal. 3.15.16.29 and the being Christs is a consequent of being in the faith of Christ and of having thereby put on Christ Ver. 26 27 28 29. So as that dying in Christ or in the faith of him they must needs be in the Covenant of God 4. They die in hope or have hope in their death Prov. 14.32 the righteous hath hope in his death by vertue of Christ Jesus who is our hope the heir of all the promises and blessings of God and the Covenant of them to us dying in him heires of God and his promises there must needs be great hope for them even of the injoyment of all the good that is promised and by Christs death and mediation assured and secured which respect the state after death and in the life or world to come for also in Christ 5. They are holy to God he being made holiness to them 1 Cor. 1.30 they are Gods portion as well in death as in life his Saints Psal 116.15 and God is not ashamed to be called their God the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob in their dying as well as in their living and therefore from and in all these 6. They are blessed in their Death Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord Rev. 14.13 that is they are happy they are delivered from their sins for blessed the man whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered Blessed the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin Psal 32.1 2. they have nothing to be charged further upon them nay all blessing is theirs a happy and most desireable state 2. Exceeding great too are their advantages thereby as to say 1. Their fight is fought their labour and work finished and their race run they have now no more to do that may be looked upon as any condition to be performed by them upon which the promises of God and their injoyment of happiness is in any wise suspended while we live here there is yet an If upon us some thing to be done by us upon which our happiness is in a sort suspended so as in failing therein we may pull judgment upon our selves as in Coll. 1.22 23. Christ will present you blameless if you continue in the faith rooted and grounded and be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel Heb. 3.6 whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoycing of the hope firm to the end 1 Cor. 9.24 So run that ye may obtain If we die with him we shall live with him if we suffer with him we shall reign with him 2 Tim. 2.11 12. But now when death comes and passes upon the righteous they may say with Christ it is finished or as Joh. 17.4 I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do or as the Apostle Paul I have fought the good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth no more work to do but only to go to God and the Crown is reserved and laid up for them to be given them at the day of Christ 2 Tim. 4.8 their labour is at an end their warfare accomplished and they go to rest And so 2. Their sufferings and sorrows are at an end too here they have laboured and suffered reproach and many afflictions are while they are here endured by them through much affliction and tribulation we must enter the Kingdom Act. 14.22 Ye shall weep and lament saith our Saviour to his Disciples and ye shall have tribulation Joh. 16.20 21 22 33. This is their seed-time when they go forth weeping bearing forth their precious seed Psal 126.6 now they are in heaviness through manifold temptations if need be 1 Pet. 1.7 grapling sometimes with their own corruptions Wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this Death the Law in their members warring against the Law of their mind Rom. 7.23 24. they have lusts warring against their souls that they must abstain from and strive against 1 Pet. 2.11 Heb. 12. 3 4 sometimes with Satan winnowing tempting buffetting and every way playing their adversary 1 Pet. 5 8. Eph. 6.12 13 14. Luc. 22.31 2 Cor. 12.7 8. Sometimes with the world frowning threatning opposing persecuting them in sundry and divers sorts Joh. 15.16.19 1 Joh. 3.2 2 Tim. 3.12 13. Sometimes under the righteous and merciful hand of God afflicting and rebuking and sometimes more sharply scourging and filling with bitterness Heb. 12.6 7. Pro. 3.11 12. Job 19.21 Many are the afflictions of the righteous here Psal 34.19 But now in their death all these are at an end they then are delivered from the evil so as no more to be under the grief or vexation thereof Isa 57.1 neither evil men nor evil spirits shall any more afflict or exercise them nor will Gods hand go any further upon them to afflict them They rest from their labours in both senses even from their labouring under pains taking and sorrows too and hear the voice of the Oppressor no more Job 3.17 18. 3. Their dangers are now all past they are past the danger of sinning offending and provoking God to displeasure which they are in so long as they live there is need of watching and praying alwayes till that day be come Luc. 21.36 but in their yeilding up their spirits to God they are past those snares that before they were among then the Devil hath no more power to tempt them nor are they any more in danger to be tempted by him or overcome of him or of any of the flatteries or threats of the world the persons or things therein their
race is run their goal is obtained no further danger now of fainting failing or starting aside the Devil or world can no more now come at them to touch them for their spirits go to God and are in his hand and dispose and their state from henceforth fixed so as they are in no danger of going to hell now being therefrom exempted and otherwise disposed of for ever Luc. 16.27 And surely this is a most desirable condition to be out of all labour sorrows and danger which this world is full of perpetually Yea 4. Now they go home to be with Christ in his presence and sure protection as at home with him and in the enjoyment of him in their spirits where it is better to be than any where here Philip. 1.23 2 Cor. 5.8 But that leads us to the next particular viz. The latter end of the righteous 4. The after-state or latter end of the righteous what that is and what its excellency The very discovery of it will shew its excellency abundantly and its considerable in three Branches Bran. 1. In the seperate or dead state 1. As to body In the state of separation of soul and body after Death and that 1. In respect of their body indeed as to its visible appearing condition it differs nothing from the state of the body of the wicked for they both are of the dust and both go to the dust even Christ himself made his grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death Isa 53.9 yea many times in that respect the wicked have the advantage they get honorable Burials when the bodies of the Saints sometimes get none at all or very mean ones We read that the wicked rich man whose soul went to hell yet as to his body it after death had a burial Luc. 16.22 which in many wicked rich men is very honorable but as for poor Lazarus though after his death carried into Abrahams bosome yet we read of no burial afforded him Nay we read of many of the Saints that their dead bodies have been given for meat to the sowls of heaven and their flesh to the beasts of the earth Psal 79. 2 3 But yet for all this the bodies of the righteous are in a better state after death than the bodies of the wicked let the wicked do what they can or will to and with them for not an hair of their heads shall perish Luc. 21.18 Yea their bodies be happy because they be their bodies who are in Covenant with God and in his favour in their death and their death puts not an end to their being so whence God is called the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob after they were dead and buried and long before the time of their resurrection Exod. 3. and that pertains not to their spirits only but to their bodies also for by that our Saviour proves the resurrection of the dead which is properly of the body as the Apostle shews clearly in 1 Cor. 15.57 This corruptible shall put on incorruption and this mortal shall put on immortality and he shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned to the likeness of his glorious body Philip. 3.21 I say our Saviour proves by that his being the God of Abraham c. that the dead shall rise as implying that he is God of their bodies also Mat. 22. 32 33. So that the bodies of the righteous even when in the grave are Gods to take care of and in Covenant with him to bring in his due time as the members of Christ to the enjoyment of his blessing even as the body of our Lord Jesus Christ when dead had the denomination of the Lord 1 Cor. 6.16 17 because his body that was and is the Lord and in union with the Deity though then dead Mat. 28.6 Come see the place where the Lord lay So also the bodies of the Saints have the denomination of the Saints whose bodies they were and are and so have interest in the Covenant and Christ in which and in whom they are though dead So Davids body and Abrahams and Isaacs and Jacobs are called by their names in the Scriptures These were the dayes of the years of the life of Abraham and he dyed and his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him that is his body Gen. 25.8 the like is said of Sarah Abraham buried Sarah his wife Gen. 23.19 and so it s said of Isaac Gen. 35.28 and of Jacob Gen. 50 1.13 and this relation of their bodies as being their bodies intitles them in and through Christ to all the future happiness of them But 2. In repect of the spirit departed 2. As to Spirit their state is exceeding good and desirable for 1. It is and abides in its separated state in Christ and in and through him in a state of bless for so it is said Blessed are the Dead that die in the Lord not only blessed in their death but when dead also all those things said before of their state in death being and continuing to be their portion even to the Resurrection also Rev. 14.13 being clearly and for ever delivered and at rest from all their labours griefs fears dangers and in a state of quiet repose and safe rest whence it is said They rest from their labours and their works follow them and that they must rest for a little season Rev. 6.11 and they shall enter into peace into a quiet setled perfect state so as they may be capable of it in their state of separation they shall rest in their beds each one walking in his uprightness Isa 57.2 being clearly and fully discharged of all their sins and arrayed in the perfect righteousness of Christ as in white robes in the presence of God all that time of their rest Rev. 6. 11 12. 2. In an impossibility of failing of the reward promised to and prepared for them there being no passing now from them and their state to a state of misery as was noted before nay their works do follow them not only shall they are in possession of some and that no inconsiderable fruit and recompence of their good works in this state being so at rest and at home as no more any trouble to pass upon them no other Purgatory no not so much as for the Malefactor that died with Christ on a Cross for his offences he was that day to be in a better place For 3. The spirit of the righteous goeth forthwith upward to God and is disposed by him in a state of welfare exprest by Abraham's bosome as being under the enjoyment of the Covenant and the promises made with him as it is capable in that separated state Luc. 16.21 and is said to be as the Malefactor above-mentioned in Paradise This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Luc. 23. 43. which signifies a state or place of exceeding delight or pleasure its Notion in the Greek being that of a delightful
many years and of noted zeal and fervency in what she apprehended to be the truth and right way of God walking for diverse years with and of good note among some people called Independants amongst whom her love and liberality zeal and diligence in seeking after God according to their principles were conspicuous and her yet remaining works for them and their entertainment speak yet for her But it pleased God in process of time to open her understanding in the Scriptures of truth and righter way of the Lord in giving her to perceive his Grace in Christ to all mankind according to the received doctrine of the Church of England and freeness to impart it to all and interest any of all there-through in his everlasting Covenant in coming to him and to bring her into acquaintance with a people believing and walking therein Chiefly I think by means of her son in law Mr Jeremy Coleman Minister of Hethersest in Norfolke a man of a sweet and excellent spirit and usefully precious in his generation who some years before her though young was taken away as a chastisement to many yet surviving How readily she received the Testimony of the Grace of God in its extent and how well she relisht it and retained it and how blamelesly and uprightly she walked in it for divers years before her decease and untill her decease I suppose many can Testifie And so that she was so far as men may judge a truly righteous person because seeking and accepting of the Lord Jesus Christ only to be her righteousness in her generation to her capacities which were none of the meanest Her constancy in the faith of Christ her love to it her charity and liberality her blamelesness c. yet live in the memories of diverse though she be dead now some time since and long may they there live A woman she was that had a close therefore better than his that died unlamented and indeed worthy to be lamented in respect of others though to be rejoiced in in behalfe of her self The loss many have and will have of her is to be bewailed by us for as she was good and useful to many while she lived so now being dead that usefulness cannot but be missed Chiefly her onely son hath a loss of her whom she had a most motherly and affectionate care of being as yet in his minority and a little too much indulgence for his sake and to have seen him well disposed of and much more truly well disposed she could have been glad if God had pleased to have lived here yet a little longer otherwise for her self content to be dissolved and to be with Christ How gravely and graciously as I was informed I being then not there she did instruct and admonish him when her sickness began to seize on her and she thought death approached some yet can well rememberâ— and I pray God he himself may not forget it but may follow her good admonitions advise and practises as long aâ— he lives A loâ—â— the town and neighborhood had of her who may w◠〈◊〉 lament that one so useful to and among them 〈…〉 The good relief the poor had and the good 〈…〉 and matters of health the sick and 〈…〉 the good opportunities such as would had and more also might have had for receiving instructions in the Gospel and truth of God for their souls by her means as a countenancer and promoter thereof speak for lamentations upon her death her freinds and relations have the want and loss of her company and acquaintance (a) Chiefly her ouâ— Daughter 〈…〉 of Yaâ—moâ—h but she we trust is above the reach of loss and wants as to her self In many respects therefore her Death is greatly to be lamented but in respect of her death it self and in respect of her self in and by death cause of gladness and much rejoycing That she did well while she lived and lived so long as she did considering her weak body much craziness and often infirmities to do so much good as she did and that she dyed in the faith of Christ and hope of his glory to be revealed upon her and injoyed by her at the appearing again of the Lord Jesus these are matters to be rejoyced in and for Her righteous doing here is at and end but her righteousness in which she was righteous and which in that righteousness she did endureth for ever for she was righteous in that sense of righteousness too as it is taken for mercy and almsdeeds so that it might be said of her she dispersed and gave to the poor her righteouâ—ness endureth for ever and therefore her hâ—rn shall be exalted with honor Psal 112.7 The consideration of the goodness of her life but much more of the happiness of her death and of her state as dead put me in minde of what Balaam wisht and put me upon explicating it in order to the consideration of the desirableness of what he wished and desired Well she is gone and gone to the best place we trust that she could go to even to the presence of the Lord Jesus in whom and through whose grace she and what she did had allowance and acceptance and with whom she is above our wishing and praying for any thing more for her except that Gods Kingdom may come and therein the accomplishment of hers and all our happiness Being a woman that feared God and wrought righteousness as she was accepted of God so she may be praised of men for favour is deceitful and beauty is vain but a woman that feareth the Lord she shall be praised and though I cannot say of her in all things as was said of that unparalel'd woman Prov. 31. yet we may say in her commendations she was doubtless among the daughters that did vertuously though I will not say that she eâ—â—elled all the rest Prov. 31 30 31. Let us also imitate whatsoever was truly praise-worthy in her giving diligence that we may die the death of the righteous by living their life that our latter end may be like hers ADieu adieu dear Friend that state possess Wherein the upright Souls have endless bless What others but desired thou hast gain'd What we yet pray for thou hast now obtain'd Freed from all earthly dross and worldly cares Thou hast that peace now which nothing impairs Thy righteousness which here thou followdst after Like Sarahs womb hath brought forth only laughter For nought but joy and happiness attends The Soul that on the Lord alone depends Who trusting in him doth what 's good how well He speeds at last no mortals tongue can tell But thou in part injoyst what we below Can see but glimmerings of not fully know Thy Race is run thy Goal's obtain'd and thou Art far above the reach of danger now Oh happy Soul But blest for ever be That precious Lamb of God that made thee free Free him to close with and believe on here Free now from sin
nations for their sins yet they ever dwell as it were by themselves as a distinct people or nation from all those among whom they dwell not reckoning themselves with them and their dispersions all over notwithstanding the (b) Bishop Usher reckons up in his Annals as slain of them in sundry places in the wars under Titus and Vespasian 254490 besides in the siege of Jerusalem 1100000 in all 1354490 and Nâ—cephorus tells of millions of them destroyed in Adrians time yea 53 wyriads in one dey besides what were slain in the tumults in Traâ—ans time numerous multitudes of them that have at sundry times been in divers places slaughtered testifie their number to be exceeding great and such as Balaam might well say of them here Who can count their dust In the words of the Text we may consider 1. Who he was that spake the words Not Israel but Balaam It s he that 's meant of in the word me or my soul 2. The matter spoken And that is considerable 1. In general A good Wish or Desire 2. In particular That he might die the death of the righteous c. 1. From the first of these The person wishing Balaam a bad man we may briefly note Note 1. That good words may sometimes be in bad mens mouâ—hs As the Greek Proverb is Oftimes (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fool may speak seasonable sayings God is the Lord of Hosts All creatures are his And as in the former Chapter he put a mans voice into an Asses mouth as if she had had a mans understanding in her bruitish heart and a mans wit in her dull head So in this and the following Chapter he put divine words words of truth into the mouth of a wicked man As Satan can transform himself into an Angel of light so his ministers may be sometimes transformed into ministers of righteousness not onely through evil design of their own but also sometime by Gods over-ruling power and providence So the Spirit of God came upon Saul and he prophesied even when he was in his persecutions of David 1 Sam. 19.20 23. and Caiaphas spake by the instinct of the Holy Ghost in saving It behoved one man to die for the Nation c. John 11.50 51. Yea as sometime Satan may insinuate his words into good mens mouths as when Peter bid Christ favor himself So also God sometimes puts good words into evil mens mouthes And that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Origen in Gels lib. 7. This is God bieng a lover of mankinde hath made known the truth and what is to be known of him not eâ—lâ—y to those that are addicted to him but also to such 〈◊〉 are without his sincere worship or godlinâ—ss towards him though sâ—me doing things nâ—w â—hy of that knowledge live ungodlily 1. Because God is good to all and Christ the true Light that lighteth every one coming into the world and his Spirit judging or striving in man that they might be turned in to God and be saved As it is said God would have all men saved and come to the knowledge of the truth for there is one God and one Mediator of God and man the Man Christ Jesus who gave himself a ransom for all a testimony in due time 1 Tim. 2.4 5 6. Whence it is said Doth not wisdom cry and understanding lift up her voice As if he would say Can that be denyed or doubted of Prov. 8.1 2 4 5 c. Thence it is said That the heathen with-held the truth in unrighteousness for what was to be known of God was manifest in them for God shewed it them Though when they knew God they glorified him not as God nor were thankful but became vain in their imaginations letting in something of Gods light though rejecting the life and power of it and obeyed it nor Thence we finde good speeches in the Heathen though they liked not to be made good by Gods light and goodness discovered We may instance one in Juvenal to this purpose Permittes ipsis expendere numinibus quid Conveniat nobis rebusque sit utile nostris Nam pro jâ—cundis aptissima quaeque dubunt Dii Charior est illis homo quam sibi c. Leave 't to the Powers above to judge what 's meet They 'l give what 's good in stead of what seems sweet They love man better than man himself loves But this was still more evident in the Jews as is to be seen in Rom. 2.17 18 19 20 21 c. They knew and could speak of many excellent things though they that so spake abode still wicked and so the Gospel is as a Draw-net that being cast into the sea catches fishes good and bad Whence many receiving its light may speak well though not receiving its life and power they live ill Math. 13.47 48. and fail of the grace that God afforded them receiving it in vain Heb. 12.15 2 Cor. 6.1 2. For a testimony to others that they might have means of understanding and help in the way of God And so as Balaams Ass spake with a mans voice for his Masters sake so might Balaam have those divine Raptures and speak the language of Gods true Prophets for Moabs sake That they knowing who was the true God and seeing his great goodness to and the good condition of his people and who they were might have opportunity of joyning themselves to them and enjoying their happiness with them And it is thought by many Vident Chaldaei in Coelis qued Balaam reliquit in Scripturis orietur Stella ex Jacob c. Bern. in Concep B. Mariae Ipsa veritas cogente naturaetiam ab invilis pecteribus erampâ—t Laâ— lib. 2. cap. 1. that the Prophecies of this man out of the mountaines of the East preserved amongst the children of those Eastern Countreys gave that understanding to the Wise-men out of the East that are said upon the Birth of Christ to have seen his star and to come and worship him Mat. 2.1 2. 3. For the greater testimony to God and his truth while they have such force and evidence as to gain a confession from those that love them not but are their enemies As its an evidence of the strength of a mans Cause when the adversary cannot but acknowledge it An evidence of the righteousness of Gods Cause when he appeals to mens Consciences to be Judges in it Isa 5.3 4 Their Rock is not as our Rock saith Moses of the Nations our Adversaries themselves being Judges Deut. 32.31 4. In extraordinary Cases such as this was it is for the good and advantage of Gods choice people And so it is affirmed in Deut. 23.4 5. The Lord would not hearken unto Balaam but turned the Curse into a Blessing Because the Lord their God loved his people And in Josh 24.10 I would not hearken unto Balaam but he altogether blessed you and I delivered you out of his hand Whence also the Prophet Micah bids Israel remember what Balaam
the son of Beor answered unto Balak That they might know the righteousness of the Lord. That is his faithfulness to his people Mich. 6.5 So Sauls prophecying was that David might escape him Vse And this commends the goodness of the Lord both as he is the Savior of all men and as especially of those that believe though it condemn the badness of men that abuse his goodness who could not abuse his goodness were he not so good to them and would not abuse it and rest short of his gracious good end in extending it if they were not so bad 2. It instructs us as not to receive every word that good men may say for sin and corruption in them and Satan getting advantage thereby may sometime mis-lead them to speak amiss as Peter to our Lord in Math. 16.23 〈…〉 Whence the Apostle next to his direction Not to despise prophecying adds Try all things and hold fast that that is good And thence also good men sometime un-say what they have foresaid and vary from it as Austin had his Book of Retractations So also not to reject all that may be said by evil men because evil men at least not to reject Gods savings and good counsels from them though no body would wisely go to seek the Lord or enquire after his minde by them when better means are afforded The Scribes and Pharisees saith our Saviour sit in Moses Chair all therefore whatsoever they bid you do namely as holding forth and setting forward Moses Law that observe and do Math. 23.2 3. And its observable that after our Savior had testified against Judas John 13.19 he immediately adds Verily verily I say unto you he that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me As implying that what Judas had preached by his Mission of him was never the less to be regarded by others though he himself miscarryed Gods words are Gods words and in themselves have the same truth and holiness though in a wicked mans mouth nor doth he disown his Statutes though an evil man declare them but onely the evil man that declares them Psal 50.16 17. Even as Christ saith not he never knew his Name when evil men prophesied in it and thereby cast out devils but he knew not the men though doing such things therein that wrought iniquity and abode in evil Math. 7.22.23 St. Paul cites sometimes the sayings of Heathen Poets and hath made them Canonical Scripture by his citing them and it cost a good man his life that he neglected to hear counsel from God by a heathen 2 Chron. 35.22 Josuâ—h was slain in battel not hearing or hearkning to the words of Necho King of Egypt from the mouth of God Bern. de 206 Disâ— 3. Audivit Balaam sermones Dei visâ—â—â—s omnipotentis intuiâ—â— est sed cadebâ—t opertis coeulis sic multos videtis had estudentes Seâ—s â—atâ— c Again let no man lift up himself in having knowlegde and ability to preach and speak Gods word and give good language to or of Gods people seeing that 's a gift a bad man may have and be never the better but the worse for it Not every one that saith Lord Lord shall inherit the Kingdom but he that doth the will of God that hears the word of God and keeps it Better to be but a hearer and a doer than a Preacher and no doer of the word of God As many might help to build Noahs Ark that not entring it perisht in the Flood So it is here Mat. 7.21 22. 2. As to the matter of the words in general They are a wish a good wish or desire such a wish as a good man may wish Thence note 1. Gods dispensations to men may beget good things in them that yet are not made good by them So here what God said and shewed to Balaam produced in him an enlightned understanding an apprehension and perswasion that Israel was a righteous and a good people and that continuing so they should have a good Death and a desirable End and therefore he also commends and blesses them as a happy people and had good desires that his soul might dye their death and his latter end be like to his Yea this note is further confirmed if we view other expressions of what was begot in him as a resolution to obey God and an actual obedience too in many things when God said Thou shalt not go with them the Messengers of Balak thou shalt not curse the people for they are blessed though it made him not good yet he was so far obedient that he did not go with them nor do the evil God forbad him Numb 22.12 13. and when Balak sent more and more honourable Messengers with proffers of greater honours and rewards he had such an awe of God upon his spirit that he tells them Though Balak would give him his house full of Silver and Gold he could not go beyond the word of the Lord his God both calling God his God and protesting his adâ—aering to his word And when he see the Angel standing in the way against him because his way was perverse before God yet he so far submits himself as to say if it displeased him he would go back again and God permitting him to go on he told Balak the word that God put in his mouth that should he speak vers 38. and Chap. 23.12 Must I not take heed to speak that which the Lord hath put into my mouth and justifying himself against Balak angry with and faulting him for not curring but blessing Israel he saith Told I not thee that all that the Lord speaketh that I must do all that and nothing but that What obedience and constancy in his obedience is here and Chap. 24.12 13. Spake I not to thy Messengers which thou sent est to me saying if Balak would give me his house full of Silver and Gold I cannot go beyond the Commandement of the Lord to do good or evil of mine own mind but what the Lord saith that I will speak as resolving and holding fast his resolution to obey God whatever honour and preferment he thereby lost though a house full yea Balak's house full of Silver and Gold and Balak being a King his house sure was a great house a Palace I fear a few handfuls of such metal would tempt many now adays to revile the fearers of God and to turn Men-pleasers therein especially if such men as Balak was Yet Balaam stood so to his tackling that he will not be tempted by a house full of Gold and Silver Yea he makes Balak stamp and clap his hands at him and bad him flee to his place he thought to have promoted him to great honour but now the Lord had kept him back from honour Chap. 24 10 11. How far may a man go and yet be a bad man a false Prophet for all that Balaam seemed here to outstrip St. Peter at some