mature consideration finds this to be best for him Phil. 1.23 An heathen may take some satisfaction in reflecting upon his life past with Vixi et quem dederat cursum natura peregi I have lived and filled up the station wherein nature hath placed me But this comes short of the stable confidence of the Apostles when in leaving the world he could say I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judg shall give me in that day 2 Tim. 4.7 8. A Socrates from principles of Philosophy might conclude the immortality of the soul and consider his wages in some sort An opera nostra sit probaturus Deus nescio certe sedulò conati sumns ut ei placerent Est mihi tamen certa spes conatus nostros eum fore accepturum But by what means imperfect good works could obtain acceptation with the strict justice of God and how sin could obtain pardon with him this Philosophy could not teach them But the Scripture tells us that God will own his people in the day when he maketh up his jewels and will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him Mal. 3.17 That with the Lord there is mercy and with him there is plenteous redemption and that he shall deliver Israel from all their sins Psal 130.18 So that we may say Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who of his abundant mercy hath begotten us again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead 1 Pet. 1.3 and hath hereby given us comfort through faith in our conflict with this last and mortal enemy Secondly If a true Christian is conqueror over death why then should he fear it The spirit of a man will help him to sustain his infirmities or bodily pains Prov. 18.14 Manly courage should help to bear us up under outward trials And the Spirit of God bearing witness with our spirits that we are the children of God Rom. 8.16 will help us to master the fear of death as an enemy to the soul Why then should we fear that Serpent that is disarmed of his sting that Lion whose mouth is shut and his jaw-teeth pulled out that adversary whose weapons are taken from him It is enough for them that know no better place to go unto to to be affraid and unwilling to leave the world enough for them that have not a God to support them to sink under pains and sickness enough for them that do not beleeve themselves to have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous who is a propitiation for their sins 1 Joh. 2.1 to be affraid to appear before Gods tribunal Christian religion hath taught better things to all that duly embrace it And therefore let us comfort our selves therewith and with joy draw water out of these wells of salvation Isa 12.3 Thirdly If we have overcome death why should we sink under the fear of any other troubles Death is called the King of terrours Job 18.14 in the same sence as the Lion is called King among the beasts and the Eagle among birds because it is the chief of all the rest And if the leader of terrors be overcome why should we fear those that follow and are less formidable The uttermost that can be threatned by any worldly misery is to bring us to death under disadvantageous and dreadful circumstances And if this be conquered what need we fear that which can but threaten to bring us thither Therefore let us not fear these fears nor be afraid but sanctifie the Lord of hosts himself and let him be our fear and our dread Isa 8.12 13. Let us with chearfulness expect and with patience endure all the troubles of this life because we have victory over the last enemy Death Thus much for the joyful report of this victory which was propounded as the first general to be considered The Second general in the Text is the thankful resentment of this victory vouchsafed to us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thanks be to him that giveth it to us How thankfully every good man should and doth resent the victory vouchsafed unto him over Death will appear by considering how great a priviledg this is And that will be evident to him that considers on the one hand the miserable estate of him that lyes under the dominion of Death and at its mercy and on the other the happy estate of him that through Gods mercy hath obtained this victory First for the misery of those that are in subjection to Death whose tender mercies are cruelty this will appear if we take notice of their estate either when Death is apprehended at a distance and under a remote prospect or when it is at hand and comes to do execution upon them First let us take notice of them when Death is apprehended at a distance and under a remote prospect and so the thoughts of Death as victorious over them do First allay the generosity and abate the sweetness of all worldly comforts He that duly considers that his time is in Gods hands Psal 31.15 and that himself is not master of the next moment that is to pass by that man goeth down to his grave and returneth no more and if a man dye shall he live again Job 14.14 What a cooler doth this afford to his spirits when warmed and made brisk with the enjoyment of worldly affluence This is apt to make a man despair of all his labour under the Sun and to reckon all but vanity and vexation of spirit Eccles 2.20 Considering that the riches for which he hath toiled and about which he hath disturbed himself the pleasures in which he hath delighted to wallow the honours to which he hath aspired and climbed up by such a steep and slippery ascent shall then cease from affording him any more satisfaction And withall that he is not within the prospect of a better enjoyment that may recompence his loss of these present good things but must go naked out of the world in all respects as he came naked in and so lye down in eternal misery Secondly this abates the lively and generous actings of the soul and dismays it for any noble designs and attempts When a man seriously considers all his endeavours under the the Sun to be like Spiders webs spun with a great deal of painful labour and exenterating care and contrivance and after this in a moment swept down and destroyed by the besom of Death that when mans breath goeth forth he returneth to his earth and in the same day all his thoughts perish Psal 146.4 And if withall there be not a greater and more noble design which such a man hath proposed to himself and hath attained probable hopes of the accomplishment of it this is apt to make him conclude that truly man walketh in a vain shadow verily
his own body there before us This Unicorn by dipping his own horn before-hand hath rendred these waters safe and wholsome So that we shall rest in our graves as in beds every man that hath walk'd before him in his uprightness Isa 57.2 Fourthly he hath vanquished the power of death by his resurrection Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who of his abundant mercy hath begotten us again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead 1 Pet. 1.3 Hereby he shewed to the World that he had by death overcome him that had the power of death even the Devil Heb. 2.14 Yea that he hath not only commanded a passage for himself whom death could not possibly hold any longer than was necessary for the satisfying of Divine Justice Acts 2.24 but hath also taken away the keys of power from this surly Porter and made way for his own people to follow him And because I live ye shall live also Joh. 14.19 Fifthly he killed the Hopes of death by his Ascension Thereby he made it evident that he had fully accomplished his mediatory Function upon earth and that Christ being risen from the dead dieth no more death must have no more dominion over him Rom. 6.9 that he should no more submit to take on him the form of a servant and to be obedient to death Phil. 2.8 And consequently it may encourage Believers that as it is appointed for men once to die Heb. 9.27 so this trouble shall be dispatched at once so that they that have part in the first resurrection over them the second death shall have no power Rev. 20.6 Sixthly he shall destroy the very being of death at the last day Death hath its commission extended to the end of this World and then the rod that hath so long been used for the trial and chastisement of mankind shall it self be cast into the fire The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death 1 Cor. 15.26 Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written I will ransom them from the power of the grave I will redeem them from death O death I will be thy plagues O grave I will be thy destruction repentance is hid from mine eyes Hos 13.14 As consequents of this that hath been last spoken First we may consider how glorious was the Conquest of Christ in his sufferings Well might it be said that he was made perfect by them Heb. 2.10 For he obtained by dearh a most compleat victory over death in all its circumstances and over him that had the power of death both for himself and also for all his people Secondly therefore how great was God's love in sending his Son into the World Joh. 3.16 So God loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son Scarcely for a righteous man would one die Yet peradventure for a good or useful man some might be found that would even dare to dye But God commended his love to us in that when we were so far from being good and useful men that we were not so much as righteous and innocent men yet in due time Christ dyed even for the ungodly Rom. 5.7 8. Thirdly let us hence learn to fly unto Christ and to secure our interest in him This is the way to have a right to that comfort that flows from his incarnation and death and thereby to have satisfaction and comfort both in our life time and at our death to be secure under the preapprehensions of it and to entertain it with joy and comfort when it cometh If his wrath be kindled yea but a little blessed are all they that put their trust in him therefore let us kiss the Son Psal 2.11 12. and give all diligence to make our calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 let us examine our selves whether we be in the faith and prove and know our own selves whether Christ Jesus be formed in us 2 Cor. 13.5 that when death shall summon us to an encounter we may be victorious over it Fourthly let the redeemed of the Lord walk with joy and thankfulness before him as in a sense of all other his mercies so particularly of this blessed fruit of our Saviours death and resurrection the glorious victory thereby obtained for us over death Bless the Lord O our souls and all that is within us bless his holy name Bless the Lord our souls and forget not all his benefits Who forgiveth all our iniquities who healeth all our diseases Who redeemeth our life from destruction who crowneth us with loving-kindness and tender mercies Psal 103.1 2 3 4. And let us walk chearfully before God in a sense of our great priviledg amongst all the troubles of the world that accompany us in our abode here and under the thoughts of leaving this world at last forasmuch as this last enemy is vanquished let us not fear any thing else but under our dependencies let us call up our souls to a more comfortable and chearful temper let us chide away dejectedness and drooping and say why art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou disquieted within me Hope in God for I shall yet praise him who is the help of my countenance and my God Ps 42.11 And that I may come to a closer application of the point and pass à thesi ad hypothesin this victory over death which I might have been representing unto you from the words of the Apostle as attainable by a Christian and his singular priviledg was no doubt the acquisition and priviledg of our dear and reverend Brother whose Remains we are now assembled to inter And for that reason I have insisted upon this subject to press us all to imitate him in fighting for the same victory The name of the wicked shall rot saith the wise man but the memory of the just shall be blessed Pr. 10.7 Of wicked Jehoram it is said he departed without being desired 2 Chr. 21.20 But of good Jehoiadah and I am now speaking of a Priest though not an High Priest that the people did him honour at his death because he had done good in Israel ch 24.16 The wicked leaves the world like a filthy Lamp leaving an offensive stench in the Nostrils of all that knew him but a Good man ends his dayes like a Wax-taper that exchangeth its pleasant and useful light for the grateful scent it leaves behind it The Psalmist tells us That precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Ps 116.15 And our Lord Jesus Christ when he conversed with men on earth when Lazarus a good man was dead although as man he believed his Soul to be removed to present Bliss and as God he knew that he should return to life again in this world being free from those turbulent Passions that are our sin and at once our burden it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jo. 11.33 He troubled himself and expressed his trouble of mind by
it v. 55. O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory Which he further amplifieth by representing the length and strength of Deaths weapons v. 56. The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law And concludes with this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or song of triumph in the words I have chosen to insist upon But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ Wherein we have this blessed Apostle expressing the courage and yet the humility of a Christian His confidence through Faith and withal the lowly deference that he owns to Almighty God through our Lord Jesus Christ Or more particularly we have the true Christians victory over Death First joyfully reported 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a victory to us Christians over Death Secondly thankfully resented 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thanks be to him that giveth us this victory Thirdly the Author of it acknowledged and magnified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thanks be to God Fourthly the procuring or meritorious cause of this victory signified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through our Lord Jesus Christ I begin with the joyful report of this victory over Death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This word victory is a martial term and intimateth First that Death is an Enemy There may be an obliging victory in the friendly contests of Lovers who endeavour to outstrip each other in offices of kindness and good-will But this victory is of another nature it is like the battel of the warriour with confused noise and garments rolled in blood Isa 9.5 It is the overcoming of a great and formidable enemy Such is Death and that First To the natural concerns of man To destroy either the Soul or Body of man is a work beyond the reach of Death or any other on this side that infinite power that made them both But what Death aims at is the separating of these old friends and dissolving the union that was so intimate between them And this is that which Nature so industriously endeavoureth to maintain that the dissolution must be an act of great violence to it To maintain this union Nature is not only forward to gratifie sense by eating and drinking what is pleasant and delightful but sometimes content to affront and annoy it by submitting to severe abstinences laborious exercises ungrateful and nauseous doses of Physick To maintain this the most greedy Mammonist will break off some pieces of his adored Idol employing his bags to compass this greatest purchase of continued health Yea the industrious Merchant will discharge his Ship of the most promising return to secure what he accounts the most precious thing aboard his life To continue this union how many are content to undergo the tediousness of a lingering distemper and chuse a dying life before death it self To maintain this how many do meet force with force and make their neighbours life a commutation for their own Yea for this end how oft do men expose and sometimes yeild to part with some of the less useful members of their own bodies to secure by composition the health of the whole All which sheweth how earnest desires and what diligent care Nature hath inspired us with of maintaining this union of Soul and Body and perpetuating it as far as may be And consequently what an enemy Death is in attempting the dissolution thereof Secondly to a man in his moral concerns Death is an enemy Even a criminal while he can escape the arrest of the Law thinks the best of his own condition and a sinner while he can hold up his head in the land of the living is apt to bless himself in his own sanguine conceits and to laugh at the doctrine of a Judgment to come But look what an enemy the Malefactor esteems him that hales him before an earthly Tribunal or a Debtor him that calls him to account for his scores such an enemy doth every man that knows himself to have offended and hath not sued out his pardon every man that hath run in score to Gods justice and hath not applied himself to that Surety that so graciously offers to pay his debts esteems Death that comes to bring him before Almighty God as a righteous Judg from whom he may expect a dreadful sentence and the great Creditor to whom he knows himself not responsible Secondly this term Victory supposeth a conflict Over a Coward that dares not to fight or a Town that surrenders upon summons we are not ordinarily said to obtain a victory This is properly the effect of strugling and striving for mastery And with this enemy Death every man hath a great conflict And that both First Eminùs at a distance when it threatens us and thus it begetteth fear which is a passion that commonly makes impression especially upon persons of soft and tender natures not inferiour to those that attend the approaches of evil Especially O death how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that lives peaceably in the enjoyment of his friends to him that is quiet and prosperous in his business and to him that hath an appetite and can relish his meat Ecclus 41.1 This is such a conflict as doth quietos sollicitare disquiets those that are at ease in Sion and disturbs them that are setled upon their Lees. To think that this healthy body must e're long be distempered with diseases that those pleasures that have been the darlings of their souls must everlastingly forsake them that those riches for which they have toiled and laboured must take themselves wings and for ever fly away yea that this stately and beautiful structure of the body must yeild to dissolution and which is more dreadful than all the rest that when the dust shall return to the earth the spirit shall return to God that gave it Eccl. 12.7 to pass an account of the things which it hath done in the body and to receive a reward according to them whether they be good or evil 2 Cor. 5.10 This is that terror of the Lord through which so many are all their life time subject to bondage Heb. 2.16 Secondly and especially Cominùs when Death comes to conflict with us hand to hand when the battel is set in array and pila minantia pilis Can thy heart endure or thy hands be strong in the day when God thus dealeth with thee Ezek. 22.14 When Death is represented in its most ordinary habit this ghastly Skeleton armed with Scyth and Spade beset with the skulls and bones of dead men as trophyes of its multiplied conquests how dismally doth it look how far from the aspect of one that designs to court delicate Ladies yea more like to a Mormo designed to affright mankind But especially when it clothes it self in an habit of extraordinary terror when it appears in the scarlet cloak of a violent calenture in the purple robes of a pestilential feaver when it enamels its weapons with the stone or stains them
behave himself aright in it It is an hard matter in the day of prosperity to rejoice in the Lord and to carry that full Cup so evenly as not to spill it And it is as hard in the day of adversity to consider Eccl. 7.14 to be mindful that we ought thankfully to receive evil as well as good from the hand of God Job 2.10 To keep from despising the chastening of the Lord also from fainting when we are corrected by him Heb. 12.5 Now nothing will better teach us these hard lessons than a true victory over death This will moderate our joy in prosperity and make us rejoice with trembling and as though we rejoiced not because the time is short 1 Cor. 7.29 It will moderate our sorrow in the time of trouble as considering that these are light afflictions and endure but for a moment and that they work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 So every way happy is that couragious Christian that hath obtained victory over this last enemy The greatness of this priviledge hath in some sort been represented to oblige us to thankfullness That this is a priviledg attainable was shewed upon the former general head But there is something required in and from us that conduceth much to the gaining of this victory viz. Courage strength and Skil First Courage or Christian resolution faint-heartedness weakneth the hands disappointeth contrivance and frustrateth endeavours Let us therefore arm our selves with the same mind that was in Christ when he suffered in the flesh for us 1 Pet. 4.1 that same mind wherewith he endured the cross and despised the shame Heb. 12.2 Let us manfully resolve to leave the World with willingness and joy not lingring in it like Lot in Sodom nor looking back with his Wife as unwilling to leave it Gen. 19 16 26. But duly considering that in Heaven we have a better and a more enduring substance Heb 10.34 Let the spirit of a man help us to bear the infirmities and pains of our body Prov. 18.14 And as Christians let us consider that it is God's hand and that this is the passage he hath appointed to eternal joys Let us not be afraid of God's Tribunal as knowing that we have an Advocate with the Father 1 Joh. 2.1 Secondly Strength without which Courage doth bestow it self to little purpose Let us not go forth in our strength but in the strength of the Lord and encounter this Philistine in the name of the Lord of Hosts 1 Sam. 17.45 from him let us derive strength by prayer even the prayer of Faith For this is the victory that overcometh death as well as the world even our Faith 1 Joh. 5.4 even that Faith which is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 Let us by Faith look unto Christ's death and resurrection as that whereby he hath overcome death for us and to the joys that are before us In this strength let us encounter death Thirdly Shill without which courage will make use of strength unhappily Let us acquaint our selves with death and be at peace so shall it be well with us Set not only God but Death also always before our eyes and in this sense die daily 1 Cor 15.31 Let us exercise our selves in velitations and skirmishes with the thoughts of death in the time of our health and strength Consider what death is in all its notions and then its approach will be familiar and no ways dreadful unto us Hereby we shall succesfully prelude to that last conflict and conquest To conclude this head let those that are so happy as to live in the comfortable sense of their having obtained this blessed victory over Death be careful to walk as children of the Kingdom First in holiness and righteousness before God Because thou hast delivered my soul from death mine eyes from tears and my feet from falling I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living Psal 116.8.19 Seeing that all these things must be dissolved and we know so much and are not affraid to know and consider it what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness And seeing we look for such things a great conflict and a glorious victory over a formidable enemy let us be diligent that we may be found of him in peace at that day without spot and blameless 2 Pet. 3.11.16 Those that fight or run for victory do diet themselves and are temperate in all things Now they do it to obtain a corruptible Crown but we observe rules that we may obtain that which is incorruptible 1 Cor. 9.25 Well may we then be content to deny our selves to keep under our bodies and bring them into subjection that the sensual appetite being subdued may not clog us in that great congress Secondly let our temper savour of Heaven If ye be risen with Christ and have a sense of the benefit of his death and resurrection in order to the overcoming of death seek those things that are above Set your affections on things above not on things out he earth Col. 3.1 2. Let those that believe death to be the end of all pleasure and comfort give themselves up wholly to enjoy the good things that are present but let us declare plainly that we seek a Countrey Heb. 11.14 Thirdly let us walk humbly with our God Mic. 6.8 Let us say Not unto us O Lord not unto us but to thy name be the glory of this victory Psal 115.1 Let us be duly sensible that it is the Lord that delivereth us from the paw of the Lion and of the Bear and from this great Goliah Let us not arrogantly peark up our heads like empty boughs or blasted ears of corn but like those that are loaden with good fruit let us stoop toward the earth in a thankful sense of the great obligations that God hath laid upon us Which leads me from this second general head of Discourse to the Third general in the Text the Author of this victory acknowledged and magnified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thanks be to God that giveth us this victory The hand that reacheth out a favour doth many times add very much to that which is conferred upon us Now this is a princely favour bestowed by the royal hand of the King of glory it is Gods gift For First as all good things do come from God so in particular all spiritual gifts all the graces and comforts of a Christian are the products of his favour and bounty Every good gift and every perfect gift cometh down from above even from the Father of lights James 1.17 even from that supreme being and first cause of all things in whom we live and move and have our being Acts 17.28 Particularly he it is that blesseth us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things in Christ Eph. 1.3 He is called the God of all Grace that God who hath
Christ. Secondly to satisfie us on the contrary concerning the dejectedness and despondency wherewith some men do meet death from whom yet better things might have been expected Men of strong bodies athletick constitution happy education great parts much reading how fearful have they been to look death in the face yea a good man when God hides the light of his countenance from him doth tremble to think of death and judgment of this a reason is easily given from what hath been spoken the Author of so great a blessing with-holds it where it doth not seem good to his infinite wisdom to bestow it Thrirdly this directs us whether to apply our selves to obtain strength in the last encounter We must not trust to our selves to natural or acquired gifts but we must go forth in the strength of the Lord and make mention of his name even of his only Psal 71.16 On him let us call by prayer him let us sollicite by acting faith on him who giveth power to the faint and to them that have no might he encreaseth strength Isa 40.29 Fourthly what thanks and obedienâ—e can be sufficient for a just acknowledgment to God from them to whom he hath vouchsafed this glorious triumph over death It is the greatest victory that can be imagined to conquer this king of terrors the greatest gift we can think of imploring the divine favour to bestow upon us in this world that he will furnish us with that strength and resolution that will make us not afraid to leave the world It is one of the blessed fruits of our Saviours meritorious sufferings and obedience And therefore what shall we return unto the Lord for this and all other his benefits What thanks offering can be of due value to present unto him what fruit of the lips what obedience of heart and life can be sufficient to express 〈◊〉 râ—sâ—â—ment of this favour O give thanks unto the Lord for he is God 〈◊〉 hâ—â— meâ—â—y â—â—duâ—â—eth for ever Let the redeemed of the Lâ—â—d 〈◊〉 whom he hâ—â—h redeemed from the hand of the enemy O 〈◊〉 would praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wâ—nderful worâ—s towards the sons of men Psal 107.1 2 8. But from the Author of this victory which was proposed as the third thing considerable let us advance to the Fourth General to be considered in the Text the procuring cause of this victory by whom it was acquired and purchased for us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through our Lord Jesus Christ. The main argument whereby the Apostle had established that great Article of our Faith the resurrection of the body in the precedent part of this Chapter was grounded upon the resurrection of Christ from the dead Who not only shewed that it was neither impossible nor yet incredible that God should raise the dead Acts 26.8 because he himself overcome the sharpness of death and broke its bonds but also by rising as a publick person the second Adam the first-fruits from the dead hath made way for us also to follow him in the resurrection of our bodies And this expression in the Text seems to be the Epiphonema or close of that discourse and arguing It is in Christ that God blesseth us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things Eph. 1.3 And particularly this blessed victory over death is derived unto us through Christ several ways hath Christ overcome death and made way for our being victorious over it First he hath destroyed the sting of death even sin by his merits and sufferings The sting is the most formidable part in those animals that are arm'd therewith And sin which rendred us obnoxious to the wrath of God and curse of the Law was the chief thing that made death dreadful to mankind as arresting us in order to bringing us before the Judg of all the earth who will render to every man according to his works Rom. 2.6 But this sting hath Christ plucked out from death by his voluntary and meritorious obedience answering the exaction of the Law and by his unparallel'd and meritorious sufferings enduring the malediction thereof So that there is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.1 As a great High Priest he hath by one offering perfected for ever them that are sanctified Heb. 10.14 As our surety he hath paid our debts and cancelled the hand-writing that was against us As our God he hath redeemed us not with corruptible things as silver and gold but with his own most pretious blood 1 Pet. 1.19 And in each respect God is just and yet the justifier of the ungodly when he believeth in Jesus Rom. 3.26 In him mercy and truth are met together righteousness and peace have kissed each other Psal 85.10 Secondly he hath overcome the pains of death by his example and promises By his example who as the Captain of our Salvation was made perfect through sufferings Heb. 2.10 He suffered perfectly all that the Law of God could exact or the rage of his enemies inflict And he was perfect under his sufferings so as not to entrench the least upon the bounds of compleat patience Jam. 1.2 He was led as a lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before the shearers is dumb so he opened not his mouth Isa 53.7 When he was reviled he reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not 1 Pet. 2.23 Further by his sufferings he perfected the work of our Redemption and fully satisfied Divine Justice And hereby he hath engaged and encouraged us to arm our selves likewise with the same mind because Christ hath suffered in the flesh for us 1 Pet. 4.1 And by his promises he hath encouraged us telling us that this strait way leadeth to life that in the mean time he will never fail us nor forsake us Heb. 13.5 But when we pass through the fire and water he will be with us Isa 43.1 2 and that these light afflictions that endure but for a season do work for us a far more excellent and eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 Thirdly he hath wiped away the scandal of death by his leading the way in suffering death and lying in the grave It is a great affront to this stately piece of well-formed earth to own kindred with corruption and worms Job 17.14 But Christ the best of men yea the Son of God hath led us on the way to Golgotha and we need not be ashamed to follow him in the steps he hath troden He suffered before he was glorified he endured the cross and digested the shame of that scandalous death before he set down at the right hand of the Majesty on high Heb. 12.3 And therefore it is no disgrace to us to die and be laid in the grave Yea it was a far bitterer cup that he drank off for us than what God useth to put into the hands of his people and therefore we should not scruple at drinking our own portion He hath perfumed the grave by laying
as the God of love and peace Add to this his natural and unaffected gravity which as it prevented his years in the beginning so it favoured not of pride or furliness but was a very good ornament to ministerial Authority and left no man just reason to despise him Thirdly let us look upon him in a yet more enlarged capacity as a Christian or a member of the Church of God and thus he left matter of commendation to himself and of imitation to us by his singular sobriety and temperance Wherein possibly through his great self-denial he might have needed St. Paul's advice to Timothy to drink oftner a little Wine for his stomacks sake and his many infirmities 1 Tim. 5.23 Yet certainly his great abstemiousness gave a check to the unhappy fault in others in his presence And yet neither the retiredness and abstemiousness of St. John Baptist nor the sociableness and free conversation of our Saviour shall exempt them from scandal who are set to reprove the sins of a generation of vipers But wisdom is justified of all her children Matth. 11.19 He was also a peaceable man and a peacemaker and therefore answered his title of an Embassador of Peace who is entrusted to dispence that fruit of the lips which is peace peace He was faithful in adhering to the Church of England of which he was a member and a Son as I can witness from what he spake to me not long before his end and as was evident in his earnest desire to receive the Lord's Supper when he apprehended his end to draw nigh But his piety and devotion was so eminent that therein he exceeded most of his age which his private Books will testify Wherein he recorded God's eminent mercies especially spiritual vouchsafed to him and his and also contrary passages of providence in the series of his whole life with pious reflections and ejaculations attending each particular His exemplary diligence in religious duties both retiredly by himself privately with his Wife and also with his Family as also his seriousness in publick exercises will shew that Holiness was his temper Religion his business and Heaven his end and aim And thither let us follow him at least for the present let us attend him to the mount of corruption his sick-bed from whence he took his ascent thither And the relation of God's dealings with him there and of his behaviour under God's hand I must preface with the words of David Mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace Psal 37.37 Or with this comparison As the Rivers when they draw near the Ocean into which they discharge themselves begin to receive more of its savour it meeting them upon the way with its brackish waves so this River that had so long made glad the City of God when it was about to disembogue it self into the Ocean of Eternity was vouchsafed to have Heaven to meet it upon the way in the blessed anticipation of an heavenly temper and fruition Witness First his singular patience which had its perfect work in him when exercised under the tediousness and faintness of a lingring distemper attended with failing and nauseousness of appetite interruption of sleep yea and great and exquisite pains which at sometimes he endured towards his later end All which he suffered with great perseverance of patience expressing some jealousie over himself left he should seem to discover the least of impatience in bearing the hand of God Secondly the strength of his Faith whereby he gave glory to God Rom. 4.10 Not staggering at those promises through unbelief of which he had endeavoured to beget a belief in others no not then when the hope of the hypocrite doth perish This vessel of grace was brimful of consolation to use his own expression not in an airy or enthusiastical sense but as the fruit of a stedfast Faith built upon a rock and the accomplishment of those gracious discoveries of his love which God had formerly vouchsafed him in the time of his health especially after great zeal expressed in religious exercises Thirdly His Devotion did not flag or languish in publick he was a burning and shining light even then when he was so far spent as to be advanced to a Prolonger He spent all his Oyl in giving light in the Church of God all his strength was laid out in his Masters work When restrained from Officiating in publick by a Super-sedeas from Heaven yet still in his own person or with the assistance of Christian Friends he continued instant in Prayer yea even then when he was not able to cry or speak till at last he wasted up his Soul to Heaven upon the wings of Prayer And this zealous Elijah was thither Translated as in a Fiery Chariot conducted by those Angels that rejoyce in one Member added either to the Militant or Triumphant Church And now to conclude First give me leave to speak a few words to you my Reverend Brethren of the Clergy and make bold to joyn my self also as an unworthy Brother Let us take my Brethren the Prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord for an example Jam. 5.10 We are taught by our Church devoutly to bless God for all his servants departed this life in his faith and fear and to beseech him to give us grace so to follow their good examples that at last we may inherit his heavenly kingdom We have in this our Reverend Brother an eminent example of piety industry zeal gravity love peaceableness gentleness and usefulness in his Family and amongst all his Relatives such as I will not say to you but to my self I must confess hath afforded matter of regret and shame to consider that in my attainments and the management of my self in my Office I have come far shorter of him then in years Certainly his zeal may help to provoke and kindle Zeal for God in all of us Secondly to you of his Family I would not have you I know you are not ignorant of him that is asleep that you sorrow not as others that have no hope for if ye believe that Jesus dyed and rose again even so him and all others that sleep in Jesus shall God bring with him wherefore comfort one another with these Words 1 Thes 4.13 14 18. Let his memory be always precious with you and his love warm in your hearts let his Example be still before your eyes and the good things that he hath left upon record for your satisfaction and encouragement as to his Eternal estate let them be as Nails and as Goads to you to settle you in goodness and to provoke you to go forward in the wayes of true Piety And though God hath in great mercy placed you above the necessity of a miraculous provision yet I dare boldly say that sooner would God work a Miracle then that the Family of such a Prophet living as becomes such a mans Family should come to want Thirdly Lastly to you of this Parish it is remarkable that God hath blessed you with Able and Worthy men to be Guides to your Souls at least as long as the Eldest of you can remember and which is another mercy that God hath lengthened out their lives among you so that though there have been Removes yet not one Minister of this Parish hath dyed here in above Seventy years last past Here stand still and consider what God could have done more to this his Vineyard which he hath not done But what Fruit hath it brought forth by way of Return I charge not nor censure you in the least but Examine I beseech you your own selves whether you be in the Faith prove your selves Whether Christ be formed in you Let every man prove his own Works Again Let the memory of Gods faithful Ministers be pretious among you especially of this Worthy Person now with God Be not of them that hate and malign them that reprove in the Gate Pray God to raise you up a Pastor after his own heart a Faithful and able man that may feed this people with the words of wholsom doctrine and lead them by the pattern of an holy and exemplary life Remember them that have spoken to you in the name of the Lord whose Faith follow knowing the end of their conversation Heb. 13.7 For your Fathers where are they and the Prophets do they live for ever but Gods Word and his Statutes which he commanded his servants the Prophets did they not take hold on your Fathers and will they not take hold on you Zech. 1.5 6. Be ye not therefore slothful but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the Promises that when the last Enemy that is to be destroyed shall assault you it may come disarmed of a Sting that ye may be able to say triumphantly O Death where is thy Sting O Grave where is thy Victory thanks be to God that giveth us the Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ Which God of his Mercy grant through the Merits of him who through Death overcame him that had power of Death even the Devil Now to the Blessed Trinity be Glory and Dominion for ever and ever Amen FINIS