loved us he was pleased to make us vessels of grace and mercy when he might have made us vessels of wrath That ever the Lord should have thoughts of mercy on such sinful creatures such vile wretches worse than worms or Toads They have poyson in them but no enmity against God Oh that God should give his Christ for us to us and faith in Christ both work it and preserve it in us Yea he was one that lived by faith and he is gone to receive the end of it the salvation of his soul 3 ly He was no Solifidian but being sanctified in part truly righteous 1. Having infused habits of grace and righteousness in him light and love faith and hope inclining him to walk in new obedience and worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing 1. Knowledg without which the heart is not good he knew the grace of God in truth and through grace had treasured up a large stock of saving solid practical experimental knowledg which furnished him with great abilities not only to convince gain-sayers which crept in as new lights of their broaching old errors but wherein he did most delight to give knowledg and discretion to weaker Christians and to illuminate and instruct the righteous Many able Ministers loved to sit at his feet for they received by one Sermon of his those instructions which they could not get by many Books or Sermons of others His heat and zeal for the honour of God and the good of souls was proportioned to his light he was as much a burning as a shining light 2 ly As for his sparkling love he had bowels of compassion for sinners to snatch them out of the flames and for Saints to direct them into the love of Christ of holiness and righteousness I need not speak unto you of his Preaching How oft went he to children of light walking in darkness to cheer and revive them with cordials wherewith the Lord had usually refreshed him This great Physician of souls had great practice and was rarely found out of his study where he was commonly immured five days in the week twelve hours each of those days I will not say as some to make one Sermon I know he had other work there unless gone to visit and relieve his Patients 3. For his Hope he might appeal to God and say with David Lord I have hoped for thy salvation the great and glorious the promised rewards eternal life and glory and so have done thy commandment as the righteous have he had hopes in his death 'T was his longing desire and his hopes were that he should shortly be in that sinless estate in Heaven where there is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the perfection of grace and holiness Hypocrites fancying something they know not what of the glory and happiness of that place I believe sometimes have desires to go to Heaven when they die and hopes they shall go thinking themselves too good for hell and better than many others but sure they would reach and pursue more after holiness and perfection were their desires after and hopes for Heaven real and sincere but as to Mr. Charnock these gracious dispositions inclin'd him 1 ly To love righteousness to cherish countenance and encourage holiness and to hate iniquity to reprove sin where he found it thouâ—h in his dearest friends imitating his Father in Heaven who is not only an all seeing God that espies sin where ever it is but so holy pure and perfect that he hates sin where ever he finds it yet his reproofs never brake the head but heal'd the heart went down smoothly like precious oyl being compounded of such ingredients much Christian meekness prudence compassion love as well as zeal Yea 2. Grace in the heart set his hands at work the work of righteousness made him only mind that work and so much abound in it Should you bring me many eminent Saints choice Ministers yet I believe I may say without adulation Mr. Charnock did labour more than them all I am sure though I do not particularize them his works will be had in remembrance and praise him in the gates So I question not but the Lord did accept him 3 ly As Righteous in his own eye though I say it may be you observed some failings in him That which I wishly looked for and am perswaded I found in him for so far as 't is in man to judg it seemed to me the most sparkling Jewel in the Crown of Glory which he wore upon his head was sincerity he would give God his own himself soul and body a living and an acceptable sacrifice his whole heart his life which he spent in the service of God and of the faith of his people I remember if I mistake not something he reply'd to one that told him If he studied so much 't would cost him his life to this effect Why it cost Christ his life to redeem and save me His time which he husbanded best to that end his Talents Parts Gifts and Graces He was careful to watch over his heart that he knew too well to trust and against spiritual pride 'T was apparent he had frequently been with God in the Mount especially at Sacramâ—nt-seasons when Christ is as it were transfigured lively crucified before his people and looks with a most amiable countenance white and ruddy his face then and after his conversation shone in holâ—nâ—ss yet such was his humility he himself took no notice of it though others did observe it with admiration he would adhere to Christ observe his Ordinances according to his prescription And his main care was always to worship God in spirit and in truth 2 ly As to himself he watched and kept his garments as he kept himself unspotted from the world 3 ly He gave others their due one instance whereof he was a Preacher of Righteousness He or rather Christ in him by the blessed Spirit preached in season and out of season sometimes to such as would not be perswaded But 4 ly Especially to his Flock whether many others came flocking like Doves unto the windows that he might better fulfill this righteousness of his Office He did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which as Plato affirms 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or rather as the Apostle exhorts he did study to be quiet and to mind and do his own business and all his care was to work out the salvation of himself and of his people Indeed not long after he had received light himself when the Lord by his blessing on his endeavours had qualified him for it such such was his love he gave forth light unto others inviting them and saying Come and see Jesus 1. In Southwark where seven or eight in that little time Providence continued him there owned their conversion under God to his Ministry and were the seal and Letters Testimonial thereof Then in the University of Oxford and adjacent parts After in Dublin where it might be said of
ΕΚΛΑΜΨΙΑ ΤΩΠΔΙΚΑΙΩΠOR THE Shining forth of the RIGHTEOUS A SERMON PREACHED Partly upon the death of that Reverend and Excellent Divine Mr. STEPHEN CHARNOCK And in part At the Funeral of a godly Friend By JOHN JOHNSON M. A. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Nyssen Orat. de Mortuis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys hom in Matt. 49. Cum a propriâ ingenita Corruptione immunes ab ascittiâ improborum inquinatione separati non tum ut alim sicut Luna quae suâ Luce mutabilis est sed ut ipse Sol infinito fulgore fulgebunt Cartwr in Mat 13.43 LONDON Printed for the Author and are to be sold by Tho. Parkhurst Will. Miller and Benj. Alsop at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside at the Acorn in St. Pauls Church-Yard and at the Angel and Bible in the Poultry 1680. TO THE READER Courteous Reader I Thought when it was told me that my only bosom-friend amongst the Ministers that excellent Divine Mr. Stephen Charnock 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lay a dying that I heard a Voice from Heaven which whispered to him Go up and Die but spake aloud to us Do the Prophets live for ever It awakened me to review a Sermon which I had preached at the request of some godly friends in Leicestershire upon a Text given by their Father the day before his Death and to repeat it to some very few of Mr. Charnocks Hearers My intent in publishing of it is not so much to gratifie them both as to endeavour some small benefit to the souls of some weaker Christians as well as theirs before I go hence and be no more May not a little milk be handed by me to new born babes but one or another must think strange of it What if they should I leave it to others to seed strong men with stronger meat This prevails with me Mr. Charnock is dead I 'm a dying Some other reasons I have acquainted him with who knows my thoughts afar off Here 's nothing of an Elogium on my Country friend that I delivered formerly to his Relations little concerning Mr. Charnock I should have said at least attempted much more but I heard a Narrative of his Life will be drawn by an able hand All my skill could not have done it to the life If this Sermon beyond my intention should fall into the hands of any Ministers besides some few my acquaintance and Juniors who may challenge it from me I shall add only this following character taken out of several of the Fathers Writings more applicable I dare avouch it to Mr. Charnock than those to whom they affixed it I cite not the places they are known to Scholars He was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I pray they may be delivered into this expressed form as these lines were into their Types and commend them and the following Discourse to the blessing of our good God and rest Thine in our Lord John Johnson THE Importunity of some constraâ—ns me to render into English the Character in the Epistle to the Reader though far short of the copiousness and elegancy of the Greek Language i. e. He was as to manners and comportment venerable and grave like an aged person from his youth Then well train'd up and learned in all the wisdom couched under exotick and foreign languages In his skill in both the Originals of Sacred Writ the wisdom taught by the holy languages was he instructed and so augmented and grew ripe as in years even to perfection and became not only the lively representation but the original it self of humanity love and kindness towards the sons of men Keeping no consort but only grace and vertue He was the Rational house of God Christs spiritual building the Temple of the Holy Ghost framed made up of Orthodox Doctrines and good works A person really transformed into the very Image of God himself Always serving the only true and living God as becomes such a God All the work wherein he employed and exercised himself with diligence skill and constancy was love to God and souls His life he examined and squared until it was in every thing exact according to the rule of the Word His Gravity not affected in the least his very silence was more efficacious many times than his own very often than the speech of others But all his Ministerial service always such as brought down fire from Heaven upon the spiritual Sacrifices He being a fountain of Divine Truth a larger beam of great light which always carries much warmth and heat as well as light along with it He was the very mouth by which the Lord Christ spake and a genuine Interpreter of the Holy Ghost of his mind in the words of his meaning in the Doctrines of the Gospel That Golden Urn in the Ark of God that preserved Divine Manna and was fill'd to the brim with Coelestial food to nourish souls in spiritual unto eternal life his heart ever-flowing and over-flowing love and grace abundantly poured round his lips The Doctrines he set forth before his Hearers for food and physick were most Divine whom he never directed into any way of truth wherein he had not walked before them Christs most fruitful Vine over-spread the walls of his Auditory well hung with lovely clusters and flourishing with pleasant fruit of all the salutiferous Doctrines of the Gospel whence Ministers others carried home baskets full to rejoice the hearts of new-born babes which they were to bring up for Christ Herein lay his Eminency he had resigned all into the hands of his Lord and Saviour that had received him viz. his Estate Reputation Health Life and what ever might be for his comfortable being here even his Learning and Learned Discourses enjoying only thus much of all these things that he over-looked them and had wherewith he might make it appear how much he pre-esteemed Christ before them MAT. 13.43 Then shall the Righteous shine forth as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father OUR Lord in this and the two precedent verses ascertains us what Discrimination at the end of the world shall be of Saints and Sinners They can hardly be distinguisht here In the Lords field pure corn grows and also tares i. e. not such noisome and noxious weeds as cockle darnel c. openly known notorious sinners such should be weeded out But as the Learned Brederodius after him Scultetus and others do expound it burnt or blasted corn which cannot be extirpated before Harvest without endangering the plucking up good corn with it From the same root I have observed blasted ears sprang up-must then since 't would sully and damage the good corn Amongst the truly righteous Hypocrites grow up which are but 1. Things that offend i. e. not Dissenters they are persons scandalized offended Nor 2. only men Heterodox or Hereticks that lay Traps to ensnare others But 3. All such as lay or lye themselves as stumbling-blocks and snares in the
Adam being made partakers of the Divine Nature and receiving of the Lord Christs fulness Grace for grace In Regeneration the principles and seeds of grace in Sanctification gracious dispositions and habits are infus'd and wrought He is a sinner that wanting original rectitude hath corruption of nature in lieu of it Evil dispositions inclining him instead of fearing serving and glorifying God as God to cast off the fear of God to sin against and dishonour him and instead of loving his neighbour as himself his righteous neighbour best with such a love to hate others as his enemies so he becomes more like a beast than a man and the godly most of all So he is more like a child of the Devil than a child of God So he is righteous who being created over again hath such habitual grace and good dispositions wrought in him as incline and facilitate him to serve the Lord 1. In Holiness 2. In righteousness Luk. 1.75 both in acts of piety towards God and Justice towards man and fill him with love to God and all that bear his image and to all that have as Bucer spake any thing of Christ in them So 1 Pet. 4.18 the righteous are opposed to the ungodly and sinners unrighteous ones that have not the fear of God before their eyes not the love of God in their hearts nor grace to live and act justly and honestly towards themselves or others Rom 1.29 c. Hence 2. they love righteousness as their Lord Jesus did to whose Image they were predestinated to be conformed He being perfectly righteous did perfectly love righteousness and hate inquity they receiving of his fulness do it in their measure and degree which they manifest by a constant serious purpose and endeavour to follow after holiness and righteousness exercising themselves herein to keep a conscience void of offence towards God and man and to depart from iniquity Though through remainders of corruption they may sometimes omit some duties or fail in the performance of them or be overcome and fall into the commission of some sins yet as to the constant frame of their hearts they love righteousness and as to their course 3. They do righteousness and do no iniquity Sinners being void of all grace filled with all unrighteousness commit sin work and do mischief are workers of iniquity Mat. 25. Sin-makers by the Trade they drive you may know their calling They do nothing else but sin and manifest themselves to be ungodly unrighteous by their ungodly and unjust practices By their actings they shew themselves to be men not only of loose and licentious but flagitious lives living in gross open and scandalous sins They sin like the Devil who from the first never ceased to sin was a lyar a murtherer from the beginning is and will be so 1 Joh. 1.6 c. 3.4.6.8 Es 59.6 So 1 Joh. 1.7 c. 2.29 c. 3.6 9 10. They are righteous that work righteousness making it the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the main business and employment of their lives 4. They that are righteous by acceptation in the Lords though not the Laws account i. e. though they are not legally absolutely and most compleatly righteous so as they might challenge from God and by the Law justification and life upon account of personal and perfect obedience yet are righteous Evangelically in a Gospel sense yea through the Lords gracious acceptation in Gods own account God accepts them that are truly and really righteous though they be not absolutely perfect and dignifies them with that title of honour upon account of their uprightness and sincerity which is a Jewel in the Lords eye yea all in all in his account so were Abel Noah Zachariah and Elizabeth righteous before God whereas Hypocrites are only seemingly righteous and that before men in appearance outward shew and profession Righteousness usually is defined to be a constant and perpetual desire purpose and will to give unto every one his own Observe wherein Noahs Righteousness lay when he was the only righteous person in the age wherein he lived and you 'l see what that righteousness is which God approves and accepts through Christ and the New Covenant 1. He gave to God his own that faith fear love obedience that internal and external worship which was due unto him when Gen. 6.12 All flesh had corrupted their way i. e. in worshipping God and turn'd Idolaters as the Hebrew phrase oft intends Exod. 32.7 Deut. 32.5 he knew 't was just the great the good God His God should be served in the first place most and best served by him always according to his own will 2. He gave unto others their due when Gen. 6.18 the earth was filled with violence i. e. Injustice cousenage and oppression He took what care he could for the good the preservation and Salvation of others especially of his Family as well as of himself 3. He was perfect i. e. upright amongst a world of hypocrites his heart right with God and he was righteous before him what he did for God or others he did all as under Gods eye as in his presence Gen 6.9 4. He was righteous in his faithful discharge of duty in that office and station which God set him in as a Master of a Family a Father a Preacher of Righteousness Gen. 6.22 'T is rare but the most amiable sight to see persons Mat. 3 1◠fulfilling all righteousness in their particular callings John had need as he said to be baptized of Christ but Christ had not entred on his office John had and his office was to baptize so Christ saith Suffer it now it becomes us to fulfill all righteousness 2. As to their preferment Note 2 ly The righteous shall be glorified being regenerate justified and sanctified they walk uprightly and work righteousness They shall be taken up and admitted into the Kingdom of their Father and shall dwell there Psal 15 1 2 And 1 There they shall shine They were darkness but God bespoke them out of it and they were made light in the Lord Eph. 5.8 as in the first so in their new Creation 2 Cor. 4 6. God said Let there be light and there was light Light immediately sprang up out of darkness into their understandings and they appeared as Luminaries in the World Phil. 2.15 and gave light to others Mat 5 15 16 but they do only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appear sometimes then they shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 always shine and shine bright Here their light is a little twinkling glimmering light as the light of here and there a Star at distance one from another in a pitchy dark night look wishly and you may see here and there a Saint in his Conversation holding forth the word of life but then being fixed as thick as they can stand one by another all together an innumerable company will shine bright in one Constellation giving out their light In heaven none but Saints are
of the calamities which befell the Jews under Antiochus at that very time the Church shall have an eminent Temporal deliverance a pledg of one more glorious eternal Salvation by the coming of the great Prince Michael the eternal Son of God Who is like him the Lord of hosts that standeth on his Churches side against the Devil and all in confederacy with him So in the Antiparallel Rev. 20.8 when the City is begirt assaulted battered and storm'd the Lord Christ the Captain-General comes in to its relief works such a deliverance as soon ends in everlasting salvation for then many all an innumerable companies of Saints whose bodies slept in the dust shall arise unto an eternal life in glory as appears by its being opposed to that shame and everlasting contempt the rest shall awake unto Isa 66.24 and stand as statues of ignominy to all eternity 1 Joh. 3.2 Now we are and shine as the children of God in grace but it appears not what we shall be and how we shall shine in glory hereafter The Excellencies of the righteous innate light Grace Holiness and righteousness of Truth appear only to a few Some Philosophers unwise as they are have gone about to number the Stars but Gen. 15.15 Jer. 32. God only Psal 147.4 all don't appear at all time to all persons nor to any at the first view and at too great a distance They that have the best eye-sight and longest and most carefully view them observe most In the Church some Saints give forth more light and are very conspicuous 2 Cor. 8.18 Some less which yet is well discerned by such as take an exact view of them and as near as they can true grace will shine where ever it is but some persons graces are little observed by others that think they have none Some cast out a very little light which is seen only by those that have the spirit of discerning after long observation and some do not go for Saints which would appear such if exactly viewed and not at too great a distance and will be approved at the day of Judgment 1 Cor 4.6 2 Tim. 2.19 1 Joh. 3.1 But as to the blind world Saints shine not they that are most eminent for grace holiness seem mean obscure very contemptible in the eyes of the generality both sinners and hypocrites especially of your Don Illustrissimo's and Virtuoso's in the world 2. That instant when the Excellencies of Saints shall shine forth is opposed to that moment of time when the Tares all hypocrites unrighteous ones shall be thrown head-long by the Angels into the flaming fiery furnace that deep yea bottomless pit of far worse than Egyptian darkness when the world was drowned Noah and his family were saved and when God will not spare hypocrites but give them their portion Mat. 24.51 immerse them in a deluge of everlasting fire Mat. 25.41 46. Then Mal. 3.17 18. they shall appear most glorious when the childten of the Devil shall be tormented and seeing the children of God thus dignified advanced shall envying them and their happiness fume and fret and for rage and madness gnash their teeth which it seems will be their posture and guise to all eternity For the demonstration of this truth the foregoing Scripture-exposition of the subject affords us these undeniable arguments for satisfaction of our judgment and confirmation of our belief of it 1. Because they are the children of God he hath designed them for future for eternal glory 1. He has chosen them in Christ that they should be holy and shining in grace here and most happy and glorious hereafter to the praise of his own glorious grace Eph. 1.3 4 6 11. 2. In pursuance thereof God hath out of his electing love through his abundant mercy regenerated them Now consider 1. The Kingdom of Heaven is his and the power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the right to confer it on as many and whom he pleaseth and Luk. 12.13 't is his good pleasure to bestow it upon all the righteous and only upon them Amongst men the eldest son goes away with the Inheritance the younger with Portions only the regenerate as children of men may not be born to any great matters but as they are the children of God they are born to the glorious Kingdom of their Father in Heaven 2. All the glory of and in Heaven is Gods own and at his sole disposal Rom. 5.2 He loves the righteous whom he hath made so near and dear to himself as that he will confer it on them An earthly King can bestow his Kingdom only upon the Prince his eldest Son but the God of glory hath Phil. 4.19 riches in glory enough for the Prince and all his other children whom he makes coheirs with Christ of that incorruptible inheritance even heirs of God himself This is not gotten by them but they are begotten to it by a mighty work of God upon their hearts and that according to his abundant mercy 1 Pet. 1.3 out of meer grace and love will he freely confer it on them 2 Because they are one with Christ here and shall have a more perfect indissoluble union with him hereafter Christ doth therefore all that are by faith united to him shall shine in glory 1 Tim. 3.16 he was re assumed into glory not only received assumed and taken up into glory So Saints that never were in Heaven shall be received or assumed Psal 49.15 after God has guided them with his counsel he will receive them to glory i e. assume and take them up into a copartnership to have their share in it every one his proportion but Christ that came down from Heaven was again received or assumed into glory according to his prayer Joh. 17.5 Christ was glorious within both as God and man here but his glory did not shine out only the few that were near and had an exact view of him Joh. 1.14 he was covered with a vail of flesh as to humane infirmities in the likeness of sinful flesh which darkened his glory A world of contumelies yea blasphemies cast on him did more obscure it That which did eclâ—pse it was Divine desertion when under the sense of Divine wrath for our sins laid upon him with a great skreik he gave up the Ghost when the Sun also in the Firmament as it were in sympathy put on mourning and seemed a meer lump of darkness which made the Philosopher that observed it cry out Either the God of Nature suffers or the world will be dissolved Christ abased himself and emptied himself of his glory during the state of Humiliation At his glorious Ascension into Heaven he shone forth as God with the glory he had with God from eternity and the humane nature sharing with the Divine according to its capacity as God man he is glorified with God himself and shines forth in the glory of the Father What he suffered was as our surety as a publick
light of the world 'T is but an hour The Church once said This is the day of Jacob's trouble She is still militant under the Cross eclipsed with a cloud 'T is but for a day then more gloriously will her light shine forth The Pageantry of sinners will soon be over They come on the stage dazzle spectators eyes the scene will alter such as acted the part of Nobles e're long will appear as they are meer Beggars nay in a worse condition when called to account for what they profusely spent on their lust and when thrown into Hell that most hideous prison from whence there is no redemption In this vale of tears I sit down and cry Few and evil have my days been The Church said Though I am comely look not upon me I am scorched Sun-burnt and much discoloured thereby Nay all my days have been one night In perils oft and too much in fears of them 'T will be day what 's this to eternal life What 's time to eternity What 's this moment to the five thousand years past since the Creation yet that and all the time that shall be which the Lord only knows till the end of the World is nothing to Eternity all that endless eternity shall I shine forth in glory 2. At the day of Judgment when scandals they that do iniquity some that created me much disquiet and discomfort in the world shall be cast into Hell shall all my sorrow be turned into joy and my disgrace into glory Let Antiochus be Epiphanes here was not he eaten up of lice or worms and will not that greedy worm of Conscience gripe gnaw and feed upon his soul to all eternity Let Herod for his gorgeous apparel be most illustrious had not he the same Exit Act. 12 22 23. But v. 24. The word of God grew and multiplied Let Bishops at Rome come forth in their Pontificalibus and their Olympia's in gold and silver in all their gallantry and too many of our professing Gentlewomen to their shame for Ladies generally are more modest in their apish French Modes and fashions they have little else to set themselves out with Was not Dives one day clothed in fine linnen in purple clad in scarletrobes which the sumptuary Laws of the Romans allowed only the chief Magistrates to wear the next in Hell and when out of curiosity he had looked for but found not Lazarus did he not lift up his eyes and espy Abraham in Heaven with Lazarus in his bosom in his lap on his knee leaning on his bosom cheering him Thou wast as thy Saviour some time in the world and receivedst didst patiently take from the â—ands of others since thou lawest the hand of God in it and didst not bring upon thy self thine evil things thou hadst hard measure scarce a rag to thy back a crust for thy belly yonder 's one lies that had enough to spare might and ought to have relieved thee but had no heart to do it he had more respect for his hounds than a child of God Look now he 's in torments thou art and shall be comforted for ever Thy Father hath called thee into this his Kingdom of Heaven with everlasting consolation to comfort thee here shalt thou shine in glory for ever So shall shine when many Diveses shall be cast into Hell to be tormented for ever weeping wailing and gnashing of their teeth 2. 'T is time for me to beseech the concern of your comfort at present and future happiness calls you to try whether ye be righteous and shall be glorified 1. Are you born of the Word of the Spirit of God himself 1. Of the Word was you ever by the Gospel read or preached brought out of the Kingdom of Satan the World into the Church militant Has the Word of God been the power of God to your conversion Were you by any Ministers preaching Christ brought over to Christ so as you gave up your selves and your heart souls and bodies to the Lords Anointed the Messiah the Christ the great Prophet the only King Head and Saviour of his Body the Church to be taught governed and saved by him How shall ye know this why 1. If you v. 23. received the seed the Gospel into good ground I would not give you my own much less other mens but the Lord Christs characters of the Regenerate i. e. you heard the Word and understood it it made such impression and took deep root in your hearts as made you leave the world and cleave to Christ with full purpose of heart at least to be as desirous and sollicitous to be Subjects of the Kingdom of Christ in grace as to have a lot and share with the righteous in the Kingdom of glory You have known and learnt from the Word and Spirit something of Christ of his Grace and Truth and of the life and immortality that he brought to light by the Gospel Whereas the first the worst sort of hearers are all ignorant careless willfully ignorant hearers such as hear the Word without attention affect on understanding do not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their minds go along with the Word till they understand it and get grace spiritual light and wisdom by it they resisting the motions of the good Spirit God suffers the evil one to beguile them of it by casting vain at least unseasonable thoughts into their minds God gives encrease to the conscientious careful attentive hearer which he denies to the careless and negligent that will not attend and regard but thinks to give the Minister the hearing is enough to stop the mouth of Conscience to save his credit with professors yea to save his soul such a cheat he puts upon himself 2. Are you born of the Spirit how shall you clear that why if v. 23. you bear fruit as good corn doth in a fertile soil which grows and comes up in a hundred where many ears spring from the same root or sixty where fewer or thirty where the fewest corns for one as persons are wrought upon by the Word and Spirit some in and after hearing are made as much more spiritual in their thoughts meditations desires than others And yet there are some that herein very much exceed them yet all that are regenerate bear fruit Act. 20.32 of the same kind and nature with the seed sown fruits of Grace resembling the Spirit of Grace gracious thoughts desires purposes resolutions spiritual meditations holy affections gracious words and discourse the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 Love joy peace long suffering gentleness goodness faith Conformity to Christ which are fruits unto holiness Rom. 6.22 Good works works of Piety Religious acts works of honesty righteous dealings works of mercy and charity In a word all the fruits of righteousness Phil. 1.11 The Word works a wonderful change 1. In their hearts 2. In their lives and conversations coming up like Isaac's seed Gen. 26.12 in some an hundred fold Whereas the
his as it was of the Lords preaching in the land of Zebulon The people which sat in darkness saw great light and to them which sat in the region of the shadow of death light sprang up And lastly in this great City where his sphere being not spacious enough for so great a light was enlarged Here he intended to have given forth a compleat body of Divinity but alas after he had demonstrated the Being and Existence of God this Sun set before he had gone over half of his transcendent Excellencies and Perfâ—ctions The last subject he treated on and finished was the Patience of God He was looking what to say next of the Mercy Grace and Goodness of God which he is gone to see and to admire for he found that which he most looked and longed for The mercy of our Lord Jesus unto eternal life in heaven where he shines now Indeed all the while he was upon the Attributes of God he moved with that extraordinary strength and celerity 't was an argument of his near approach unto his center his everlosting Rest and if it be true as some say that the Soul doth prominere in Morte his words were too true Predictions and from his Soul when he said that concerning Divine patience would be his last Sermon which the Lord grant may prove Salvation to all that heard him Let me advise you dry your eyes he is translated to Heaven to shine forth Here your Timothy was something obscured by manifold infirmities a crazy Body weak Eyes one dark the other dim a Hand that would shake sometimes an infirm Stomack an aking Head a fugitive memory which after it had failed him sometimes he would never trust again but verbatim pen'd and read all his Notes whereas till of late years in Preaching he never look'd within them more by a little Passion or choler which through grace he turned into the right channel most of all by foul and false Aspersions cast upon him as if he was Melancholly Reserv'd Unsociable to which all his acquaintance will give a character of him diametrically opposite How cheerful free loving sweet-disposition'd was he in all Companies where he could take delight He was their Love their Delights Well your Stephen has seen the Glory of God and Jesus at his right hand in the Glory of the Father and now he shines forth as a Star as the Sun it self for ever and ever I know it the Word of God is Truth They that turn many to righteousness shall shine as the stars for ever Dan. 12.3 As a Learned Rabbin comments upon the Words They that in their life-time followed the righteousness of God and were the adjuvant causes to make others to work and do righteousness shall attain to a more eminent degree of light and glory from the brightness of the Shechinah or the Divine Presence and their faces shall shine as the face of Moses did when he had been long fed with and lived upon the Divine-light and that for ever for they shall sin no more as here as oft as they sinned they lost degrees of the excellency of their dignity but shall with an absolute perfection be made perfect Then also whatever did let and oppress their shining forth viz. the Captivity we may say Temptations to sin or their being in part carnal and sold under sin Satan and the evil figment or remainders of corruption shall cease And you know that your Sun which is now set did follow after holiness and rejoyced as a strong man a Giant to run that race the light of his Doctrine was pure perfect sure right enlightning the eyes converting the soul making wise the simple and rejoycing the heart Your Teacher was though not a perfect man a perfect Minister thorowly accomplish'd by the Spirit and the Word of Truth the Old and New Testament I never in all my life knew any that had attained near unto that skill he he had in both their Originals except Mr. Thomas Cawton unto all those four good works of the Ministry 2 Tim. 3.16 1. Doctrine i. e. clearly to Expound 1. the Promise the Covenant of Grace the Gospel 2. The Law and so to Preach over the Apostles whole System of Divinity Faith and Love which is in Christ In this which is the only true Divinity he was a most judicious solid and sound Divine As for 2. Reproof he was an able and an Orthodox Divine a Professor in Divinity able to convince of every sin to refute every error to demonstrate the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of each Antichristian or other false opinion 3. For correction and restauration of any that through infirmity or temptation had fallen into sin to the wounding of his Conscience he was an excellent Casuist a most experimental Preacher a most discreet and experienced Divine 4. For instruction in righteousness he knew the way to Heaven and how to conduct and take his Hearers along with him He was a most Powerful and Practical Preacher He was so but now he is not He is not so to you All that I speak I see doth but renew your grief but moderate your sorrows Yea sorrow not Read what Dr. Bates in his Funeral-Sermon on Dr. Manton cites out of Chrysostom pag. 47. yea read the Text 1 Thes 3. from v. 13. to the end Mr. Charnock his soul is gone his body will be raised to be for ever with the Lord. You 'l say you weep for your selves truly well you may yet think not because he hath left you that you are left of God I own it your loss is so great that it cannot be repaired but by God himself Continue in Prayers that God would please to raise you up a Pastor by whose Ministry you may be called more and more effectually to the obtaining of the Glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Were I to speak to Mr. Charnock's people I should beg of them to be most circumspect and prudent in calling one to establish you if they could meet with to chuse such a one as he was a powerful Preacher a good Casuist a judicious Divine a Doctor yea Professor in Divinity I know not what more to advise pray I will since a Chariot of fire hath parted Mr. Charnock and you that a double portion of his Spirit may be and rest on him whom the Lord shall chuse and direct you to pitch upon to succeed him that whilst you are crying my Father my Father the Chariots of Israel and the Horsemen thereof the enemy may not pursue your Souls break in upon rout scatter and divide and so ruine you and your Congregation Amen! Amen! FINIS Pictores P. Ichram absolutámq faciem rarò nis in pejus effingunt Plin. sec lib. 5. c. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stumbling-blocks Traps 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only as Justin and Gr. Nyssen cite it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 G Nazian Orat. 1â— Rom. 3.10 c. Splendida