Decemb. 2. 1648. I Have perused the precedent Discourse of the Life and Death of a vertuous and godly Christian entitled Faith and Experience and a Pious and profitable Sermon preached at the solemnizing of her Funerall and approve them both very worthy the Printing and Publishing Iohn Downame FAITH EXPERIENCE OR A short Narration of the holy Life and Death of Mary Simpson late of Gregories Parish in the City of NORVVICH Who dyed Anno 1647. In or about the thirtieth yeare of her age after 3 yeares sicknesse and upwards CONTAINING A Confession of her Faith and Relation of her Experience taken from her owne mouth To which is added A Sermon preached at her Funerall upon Rom. 14. 6 7. By John Collings M. A. Phil. 1. 23. For I am in a strait betwixt two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better Ver. 21. For to me to live is Christ and to dye is gaine LONDON Printed for Richard Tomlins and are to be sold at his house at the Signe of the Sun and Bible in Pye-corner 1649. To the Glory of her Sex AND Excellency of her AGE The truly Noble and Vertuous Gentlewoman Mrs Philip Hobart daughter to Sir John Hobart Knight and Baronet late of NORFFOLKE Noblest Lady IF it were nothing but the daily Engagement I stand in to that root of which you are a branch and to your selfe as a Member of this Family It were enough I trust to claime a pardon for this Dedication and I might rather seeme to deserve a check for my so long negligence than my present presumption But the sutablenesse of the subject in these sheets is such that I dare be confident you will be pleased not only to patronize but also practise it in what you see it yet leading you further to perfection It holds out unto you a precious Example of one that began so soone to live to God that she is already living with him Lady It is a record of the life and death of one not unknown in her latter dayes unto you one far below you in respect of birth and greatnesse while she was here but infinitely more above you now And of one who I dare say thirsted not so much afrer your greatnesse then as you doe after her grace and glory now What vanities are the excelling things of this life They have a scantnesse in their fulnesse a glut in their enjoyment and a short time to live The greatest riches is in the truest poverty and to be nothing is to be most I am confident Noblest Lady that you have in some measure learned not to call the Proud Blessed nor think that true happinesse consists in worldly greatnesse It were sweet if we could learne to eye the creatures as God eyes them and judge them greatest that are most gracious How the world valued this deceased Saint I know not Sure I am it was done unto her as God useth to do to them whom he delighteth to honour Why should not we look as God looketh and not judge the Peacocke better meat than the Partridge because he hath gayer feathers Read here Noble Lady the love Christ beares to his Lambs and learne from hence what it is to seeke the Lord early How many of Gods precious ones attaine not so much peace in threescore as she had in thirty yeares We use to say more worke is done in two houres in the morning than in the rest of the day She set out early to seek him and she quickly found him whom her soule loved She quickly redeemed her lost time because she had not lost much A young Saint and an old Devill is Satans slander of the way of the Lord which the Wise man saith is strength to the upright Learne hence also Noblest Lady the benefit which you will in time reap from your begun practice of seeking the Lord in secret How often did this removed Saint meet with God when she was alone in the Mount God speaks his mind more freely to us and so we may also do to him when he and we are alone Let those whose God is their pleasure or belly spend the time in painting and dressing which you are better spending in seeking the face of him who will be found of them that seek him You will find your face will shine more than theirs and what but this hath made it already to doe it I cannot but thankfully admire the goodnesse of God which hath already so taken off your Infant-yeares from the Vanities of youth and I trust fully perswaded you of the truth of that which the world cals Heresie That those are most excellent who are most holy The follies of dresses and paints and dances are so far under Religion that they are below a spirit that is but truly Noble And I rejoyce to say it below yours Lady we are not sent hither to eat and drinke and rise up to play we needed not a rationall soule for such sensuall emploiments You will yea I dare say you have found more sweetnesse in an houre spent with God than in many spent in such company as doe no good and such discourses as administer no grace to the hearers Pursue Interests and designes as Noble as your spirit is remember alwayes that it is a designe too base for a divine soule to pursue Creature-Contentments Why should we court the world that is made for our servant and wait upon a vanity that will Weary us to serve it but never satisfie the expectation of them that pursue it Goe on Rarest Jewell to make Religion your businesse and above all be much in seeking God You have the key of Heaven if you have but the gift and grace of praying Let it be your designe now as much to excell the Saints as it hath been hitherto to excell the companions of your age pursue it as your worke to get as much love from Christ as you have honour from the witnesses of your accomplishments Let not your ambition rest in indearing your selfe to creatures but as you are already the crowne of your noble Parents and the honour of those that labour for your soule so still goe on and rest not till you be a jewell set in Christs diademe As you have been a Noble Example to this Family in teaching them it is no dishonour to learne the Principles of Religion by which as I dare say your humilitie hath excelled the most of your Equals if not in age yet in greatnesse who too usually can be content to be ignorant so no body knowes it So you have also discovered more perfection of Knowledge at thirteen than the most can boast of at threescore So now haste on to perfection and labour to excell as gloriously in a strict walking with God Remember Noblest Lady those that walke nearest the Sun have most light and heate Perfect the joy of your Noble surviving Parent And to this end Let me humbly crave that you would continue to
of many beholders at the point of death not expecting to live many dayes I apprehended God sending Her impatience of staying here forth two messengers the one was the grim serjeant Death with a commission from God to arest the body I apprehended that the rest of the body should but set the soule at liberty The other messenger sent from God was the Angell of God with a commission from God to carry the soule to the place of Iust men made perfect so that I was perswaded to bid adue to all creature ingagements onely I was to work while it was called to day the works of God for the night was at hand when I should no more work with the Saints on earth It was such a refreshment to my soule that my time was at hand that I was glad to be uncloathed that I might be cloathed upon So that I could say oh death where is thy sting oh hell where is thy victory I was taken up much 2 or 3 Her care to dye to the Lord. dayes in the work of exhortation of friends that came to visit me then the Lord sent a messenger of his who made a new report again of my Fathers house which was much illustrated to me by an instrument of his I could not but expresse to them who came to visit me what great things were to be injoyed in my fathers house said oh that they might come to me and to the Instrument I said if God had sent him to make a report of these things to my eares I bid him speake on for I was willing to heare what God would speake to me by him I was much conversant in the meditation of these things for twenty four houres or there about but before I was out of heaven in my thoughts I felt a thorue in my flesh Satan buffeting of me arguing thus against Gods proceedings by reason of the dispensation of God changing my bodily condition promising me some continuance in the Land of the living for a season here I found the rebellion of the flesh with the opposition of Satan to quarell against God being unwilling to abide in the flesh notwithstanding God saw it was better for me to be in the body for a time I desire whatever A sweet frame of spirit seem good to God may not seeme grievous to me I had no quiet nor rest in my soul till I saw this distemper my unwillingnes to submit to the wil of God wrought out and for that the Lord made me to seeke him earnestly and he was found in the day of my affliction I said within my self what good would my life doe me if God did not take away the evill of sin my affliction was nothing but my sin was my affliction and the Lord harkned and heard and took away my sin then I found my affliction nothing though greater than formerly yet Affliction easie as easie as ever then the Lord put me upon it to consider why he delaid his coming in that way wherin I apprehended he was about to Come I apprehended these to be the ends First To let me see the evill Her holy interpretation of Gods dealings towards her of my heart what I was in my selfe refractory rebellious another end was that I might see the worke of Gods grace in the hearts of some and be instrumentall to doe some thing for their good if God pleased to incline me for the helping forward of that work of his for I apprehend I shall work no more for the Saints after this life though Iesus Christ worke for the Saints in Heaven as well as when he was on earth yet the Saints work for the Saints only in this life The other end was as I apprehend that I might live to take care for a Child and to engage some honest man to take him which is partly effected Another end I apprehend was that I might take notice of the answer of the prayers of others Againe having been taken up in my thoughts more than ordinary in and about the differences of the times among the Saints in these late yeares in and about some Circumstances about Religion as I apprehend and I Her opinion concerning the differences of the present time was perswaded that the circumstance was nothing in comparison of the substance some said this was the way and some said that was the way some were for a separated Church others for a mixt Church First this I was perswaded that Iesus Christ was the only way to salvation by a worke of grace in the hearts of his people But I apprehending that the society of Gods people was very usefull and that those of the Independent society as they are called did make an improvement of the society of the Saints more than those that were out of that way did for the present It made me to have some inclination to that way and thereupon to apply my selfe to God for his direction in it what to doe then I saw that the Independent society went into their way in and by a covenant which I could not see any ground for whereupon I desired their grounds but found little or no satisfaction Their scriptures were Exod. 19. 6. Ezek. 16. 6 7 8. Jer. 50. 5. Acts 5. 13. Eph. 4. 3. Be Exod. 19. 6. Ezek. 16. 6 7 8. Jer. 50. 5. Acts 5. 13. Epes 4. 3. knit together in love which say they implies a covenant but I could not see by their light but did apprehend that that scripture was directed to the Saints in generall and not to Congregations in particular then they said they prest not their covenant as absolutely Her opinion concerning entring into Church-fellowship by a Covenant necessary but left it as a voluntary act then I began to think whether a voluntary vow were lawfull to be taken in matters of Religion which I find lawfull in scripture as David did vow against his sin and it s put upon record in scripture that if we vow to God we must not deferr to pay it then I began to think that the society of Gods people was vsefull and if it could not be injoyed Note without covenanting its just with God to give us up to covenanting for the hardnesse of our hearts who would not willingly do it without this And I conceive that David could not come up to duty as he would till he came to covenanting but I began to think wheher this covenant so much prest was my duty viz. to joyne in a way of Covenant for the injoyment of the society of the Saints and after seeking of God he gave me this place If thou doest not vow thou doest not Her determination upon it sin and it satisfied me that I might injoy the society with the Saints out of the way and therefore saw no necessity of ingaging my selfe in the way And he also gave me these places to satisfie me further be ye followers
habit will not live from her when she dyes to the world she hath drest her head and then is more lovely in his Eye but by that time the day of judgment comes she wil be wholy and compleatly drest to come out to Dinner and everlasting banquetting in the chambers of love with the King of Glory Lastly When he dyes he is the Lords by neare Relation this is an undoubted consequence of the other but yet a little more Death breaks all Relations but the Relation that is betwixt God the beleeving soule and its knife is not sharp enough to cut this asunder see this but in two instances 1 Josh 2. God sayes Moses my servant is dead Dead yet my servant we cannot say such a one my servant is dead or if we doe say so it is but an improper phrase of speach for if he be dead he is not my servant he does me no worke he takes none of my wages We can say such a one that was my servant is dead but if the person be dead the cord of our Relation is broken Job speaking of death Job 3. sayes There the servant is free from his Master But God sayes Moses my servant is dead though he be dead yet he is my servant And we may say concerning any holy man or woman concerning this remarkable Saint such a one Gods deare Servant is dead Dead yet Gods servant she hath changed her room and work yea and her wages too but not her Master she is but taken to be his chambermaid in glory from being his Kitchin-maid in the world her work was before below staires now it is above Take but one instance more it is Joh. 11. 11. Christ sayes Our friend Lazarus sleeps he sleeps yet he is Our friend O sweet we say when such a one dyes we have lost a deare friend But God loseth not his relation by his Saints death he is our friend then more than ever and so are we his And thus I have gone through the severall branches of the Doctrine And now what a sweet doctrine were here for application if I had any time but I must but hint at things and lay the letters and leave them to God to stampe upon your hearts I will apply it or rather shew you how you may apply it by way of Instruction Reprehension Exhortation and consolation First of all by way of Instruction Use 1 and so it might be very profitable 1. To shew you the infinite love of God to poor dust and ashes That he will be pleased to owne us in life and death to come and dwell in houses made of clay nay not in all the houses of clay neither some he will not bestow the paines to make them cleane and tenantable for himselfe some great famous built houses built of free stoned Nobility Gentry learning and honour adorned with parts and esteem in the world he leaves to be an habitation for Owles and Ostriches and comes and dwels in the poor Cottages of his Elect ones The poore of this world hath God chosen God loves the house well in which he will dwell you only have I knowne above all the Nations of the Earth c. O mercy that God should say to one that it may be hath not a rag to cover him with nor a place where to lay downe his head Here is the soule in which I have chose to dwell to pitch my name there who are we that Our Lord should come to us we have not a room either in head or heart fit for to entertaine him If he will come he must bring his stoole to sit down on and be welcomed with his own meat and yet he will come and be a father an husband a friend and call us his servants his children his spouse yea his members Think O think what honour it is to be allied to the family of Heaven yea incorporated in it It is a big word amongst men when they can say my Cosen of Essex or Norfolk c. to be allied to Earles Dukes c. We think we mightily speak our honour when he can speake it is it not a far greater when we can say My brother of heaven nay my Father my Lord my husband c Such honour have all his Saints Secondly It might instruct us Inst 2 of the happinesse of beleevers both in life and death we are the Lords possession there is no feare of a bad Landlord Are we his purchase his redeemed ones no feare of any slavery then his yoke is easy his burthen is light his service a perfect freedome Is he our Father our Master our Husband our friend we have then one that is able to help us willing to succour us ready to pitty us a kind father a loving husband a carefull master The Lord is our Shepheard what can we want Surely nothing that All-sufficiency can help us to We are the Lords in our life Nor is our portion in this life Whether we live or dye we are the Lords we are yet his friends his servants Jos 1. 2. Joh. 11. 11. We are yet his temple in which he doth more manifest his glory than in our tabernacle while it comes to be dissolved we are yet his purchased possession Eph. 1. 16. Dying loseth us not that friend O happy truly happy and Blessed are they that dye in the Lord for they rest from their labours It was a lesson that John was commanded to write do you remember it It was written for your Instruction and comfort Whether ye live or die ye are the Lords Thirdly this may Instruct us Instit 3 that there are but a very few that are true beleevers that in death shall be the Lords No more then those that live to the Lord and dye to the Lord. And ah how few those are 1. What shall become of all prophane wretches all drunkards swearers adulterers all those rabbles of wretches Rev. 20. v. 8. Eph. 5. 5. 1 Cor. 6. 8 10. that in stead of living to the Lord live to the Devill to their base lusts and corruptions and all their study is how to obey the flesh in the lusts of it Ah Lord what will become of these poor wretches when they dye when you shall cry out Animula quo vadis poore soule whither goest thou It was a dreadfull passage I lately heard to have been the dying breath of such an one Now goes my prore soule to pay all its debts 2. What shall become of all those that live to the world and make their gain the End of their life whose whole life sounds nothing else But what shall we eat or what shall we drink or what shall we put on What will you gaine friends when to gaine the world you shall weep over your lost poore soules how will you ransome your selves from the pit And so for any other that make any thing below God the End of their lives And ah where shall we find a man concerning
should be exalted above measure she had a thorn in the flesh given to buffet her God visited her with a long and tedious affliction how she demeaned her selfe in the beginning of it what she met with how she conquered you may take from her owne mouth in the precedent Relation I shall only supply the Chronicle of her dayes where her owne Relation ceased We commonly say Affliction is a spending time it was not a beginning to her but it was a growing time of grace The first time I came to visit her when I was but a stranger to her and to this City I remember her first question was Sir I beseech you tell me how I may glorify God in my affliction I told her either by patient submitting to his hand and quieting our selves in his will acknowledging his righteousnesse c. Or by Speaking to his glory to others c. For the passive part it was a lesson she had so well learned that no discontent could either be read in her carriage or countenance nor a repining word be heard from her lipps And it was no light Affliction for a young and Active body in its strength to have Gods fetters laid upon it and to be kept so close a prisoner as she was so long a time But her God had subdued her spirit to the feet of his owne will The latter and Active part she so practised that her chamber was as a room of paradise none came in there but went away Instructed or Satisfied or quickned or some way or other bettred The greatest part of her work was Angelicall a speaking well of God admiring and exalting his free grace telling what he had done for her soule yet she remembred that while she was in the body she had a duty to doe to others and never did any labour more for God with the soules of others than this pretious one Grace had made her eloquent her birth and breeding was meane but the Lord had given her the tongue of the excellent O the abundance of grace that was powred out into her lipps I appeale to you did not your hearts burne within you when you heard her speak the Excellency of sense spirituall sense I somtimes as my occasions permitted went to visit her and while I thought to speak my eares silenced my tongue and gave her leave to be the preacher for the gain of those in the room and that I my self might learn Righteousnes who ever heard her mentioning her affliction discoursing of any worldly thing O that my tongue were so sanctified she seemed to have lost all sense of Affliction and while she was in the body to have been out of it she would often call upon those yong ones that were babes of grace and came frequently to visit her to labour after more communion with God I remember one thing she would often Vrge and I beseech you to remember it viz. The excellency of the benefit the soule might reape by private prayer She told you for this what was her and if you be not your owne foes may also be your experience To make my discourse short The time of her life grew short and as she grew nearer the Earth so she grew more heavenly in her Hallelujahs making of it then her onely work to Glorify God by admiring his grace and exalting his name I went to visit her the day before the Lord took her to himself I found her bereaved of most of her senses but yet God gave her the liberty of speech which she ceased not to improve to his glory Many of her friends were weeping over her she was discoursing of the Creators Excellency and the Creatures vanity and that in such language that one would have thought she had had the tongue of the Eloquent as well as the Excellent And so incessant was she in that her spirituall worke that she would speake even till she had lost her speech and pawsing a little to recover her selfe renewed her discourse to the admiration of my selfe and those others that heard her she had so far lost her understanding that upon such pawses she ordinarily forgat what she had said and renewing her discourse would either beg the help of the standers by or goe on upon some new but as heavenly discourse to give thee a tast thereof take what I took that day from her own mouth Her words were these I tell you friends if any Christian sit down short of Christ he shall faile what is your duties your righteousnes but a menstruous cloath loathsome to your selves abominable to God Our boasting is excluded we can doe nothing what should we stay in any thing that we cannot doe O set up nothing of your own Let God have all your selves are nothing I will tell you my friends my own experience I have found the creature is nothing God is an Ocean c. Here her speech failed and pawsing till she had recovered her self she was not able to remember what she spake last but went on O the depth the height the length the breadth of Gods eternall decrees of love Of his love in Christ to poore creatures Study that Ocean It may be some of you have known what that Fountaine that Ocean of love is Now whatsoever the soule sets up or esteems besides that is but a shadow a fancy Let a man sit never so long by a shadow when he removeth he cannot carry it away with him If we get the substance that will also carry the shadow with it If you get the Lord Iesus Christ you get both substance and shadow whatever you have without him is but the shadow without the substance follow not after shadowes pursue them not strive after Christ and you shall in time see much of God Sit not still because you see some difficulties in the pursuance of this there is scarce any of you but if you knew where to get 5 or 20 shillings but would rise up early and worke hard to get it O why are not Christians covetous why should not they be ambitious Aas the work is small why wil you sit still But take heed of resting in your performances doe them but rest not in them Do not think of going to publike Ordinances and duties enough Alas what are publike Ordinances and duties if they be not followed on by private prayer and seeking God in secret O seek him in secret so you shall find him and that shall make you love him more But when you have done thus rest not in it for I tell you again if you sit downe any where short of Christ you lose all whatsoever you think you enjoy look higher then your selves than your bare performances c. And if you looke well into them you will see nothing in them but abundance of cause to be ashamed Nothing short of Christ I tell you againe can make you acceptable or amiable to God It hath in it the basenesse of our corrupted flesh What if
thus made him and all things else for his use and service I believe That all that God made amongst which was man was exceeding good and whatsoever was afterward not good was through the defect of the Creature I believe That man being thus made and engaged to serve his God yet was made liable to fall Concerning the Fall of man VI. I believe That Man fell and that wholly from God and that being thus fallen God might justly have taken advantage upon fallen man and have cast him and his posterity off to all Eternity as hee did the fallen Angels Concerning Gods workes of grace 1. Of Election VII I believe There is an Election of Grace and that according to that Election there shall be but a few that shall participate of the way of recovery by Iesus Christ. Concerning the work of Redemption and Reconciliation VIII I believe That there was no cause in man being fallen to move God to recover him from that fallen estate but onely he was moved from his owne bowells I believe being moved so from himselfe hee found out a way himselfe for mans Recovery I believe That the way so found out and the meanes by which alone fallen man can be restored was by a Mediator taking upon him our Nature that so he might pacifie the wrath of God for the sinne of our Nature that wee might thereby be fit to live with God in our Nature Concerning Originall sinne IX I believe That our Nature was sinfull and that the sin of our Nature was the cause of all our sorrowes temporall and Eternall we dyed spiritually at the instant of the fall and all shall certainly dye a temporall death and only some shall be delivered from dying eternally Further. Concerning the worke of Redemption and Reconciliation the sole Redeemer the fruit of Redemption the mysterie of conveyance c. X. I believe That as the whole Trinity did worke in the Creation of the world so they did also equally worke in the worke of our Redemption God the Father and the Holy Ghost sending and the Son being sent and comming But I believe that Christ hath alone performed the worke of redemption and reconciliation fully satisfying the Iustice of God to the utmost for all his I believe also that every man in the world is beholding to God for Iesus Christ for the enjoyment of their lives and of the creatures and that for the present they are reprieved from hell and damnation I believe That Reconciliation is to be found in no other but in Iesus Christ who is the alone great Reconciler betwixt God and his people I believe That the worke of Redemption is a great mysterie for the divine Nature to take upon him the humane nature O it is a great Mysterie I believe also That it is a great Mysterie in regard of the way of its particular conveyance And that Christ hath not onely purchased this salvation but also makes a particular Declaration of it 1. By his Word 2. By the Worke of his spirit on the soule And 3. By the witnesse of the spirit I believe That in this worke Jesus Christ purchased strength for every beleever to withstand Sin Death and Hell Concerning Perseverance in Grace XI I believe That by the Lord Jesus Christ there is power purchased for every Believer to withstand Sinne Death and Hell Notwithstanding that the fallen Angels the Devils as they were the first occasion of the fall so they are great hinderers of this worke of Grace and Restauration they having us at such an advantage Concerning Death and the Resurrection and the Immortality of the soule XII I believe That all men according to Gods appointment must dye and continue in the Grave The bodies I meane of every Man and Woman that so they might be made fit for eternity some for eternall wrath others for eternall glory I believe That the soules of all immediately after death goe to God that gave them there to give an account for what they have done in the flesh I believe that the Resurrection of the Saints to grace here and glory hereafter is purchased by the Death Resurrection and Ascensian of Jesus Christ I believe That the same bodies both for substance and forme every joint and limbe shall rise againe and not a bone shall be wanting A substantiall body both for flesh and bones that I prove by Christs resurrection who was raised with the same body Object But you will say Christs body lay but three dayes in the Grave and so his body was not rotted in the dust but ours will lye so long that our bodies shall be turned into dust Ans I Answer The same power that made the body of Adam out of the dust the same power can raise our bodies again although turned to dust So that the worke of Resurrection is a curious worke and secretly wrought in the wombe of the earth as the child is secretly wrought in the womb of the mother There shall be the same matter to make the bodies of in the Resurrection at the last day that there was when God first formed the body of Adam viz. The Dust of the earth The same power shall raise all our bodies though turned to dust Concerning the day of Iudgement XII I believe That Christ shall come personally to judge the world and that with an audible voice by the word of his mouth he shall raise the dead And that at the day of judgement all the sins of the godly shall be laid upon Iesus Christ. They here in the world accuse themselves for sinne and so shall be excused at the last day It is the office of conscience to accuse here or hereafter Conscience having done its office there shall be nothing objected against them at that day But they shall heare that blessed Sentence Come ye blessed of my Father Concerning Glorification heaven XIV I believe The godly at the day of Iudgement shall heare that blessed Sentence Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you before the beginning of the world I believe In Heaven there shall be no Infant of dayes nor old man of yeares The corruptible life of of the creature shall not inherit eternall life there shall no weaknesse no deformity what ever accompany that life there shall be no eating nor drinking in it but singing Hallelujahs to God for ever I will conclude with the Psalmist Psalm 139. I will praise the Lord for I am fearefully and wonderfully made marvellous are thy works and that my soule knowes right well Reader Thou hast thus far read her Faith now hear her Storie that was faithfully taken from her own mouth And so also was this that followes being the Relation of Gods dealings with her Psalm 34. 8. Taste and see how good the Lord is Psalm 66. 16. Come and I will tell you what God hath done for my soule I shall speake nothing but what God hath done in me and for me THe
the wayes of his worship seeking to him for strength in every estate and condition what ever he put me into whether spirituall or temporall When Satan saw that I indeavored to be holy and strict he set before me a patterne of perfection by his shewing of me perfection I by the strength of Gods grace had such a sight of imperfection that I was Satans policy lost in my owne apprehension and concluded that there was no grace because there was so much imperfection and then God was pleased for to make me apprehend that Jesus Christ must come and take away the imperfections of our duties the defilement of sinne as well as the guilt which he did by revealing those promises which he caused me to rest upon in that 2 Cor. 5. 21. for 2 Cor. 5. 21. he had made him to be sinne for us who knew no sinne that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him Mat. 1. 21. He shall save his Mat. 1. 21. people from their sins which I beleeved should be done for the future though they were not done for the present so that I saw Christ to be of use to clense me Sanctification seene before Justification before I saw him Iustifying my person which was a great refreshment to my Spirit then I began to make use of those weapons that the Apostle speaks of which are not carnall but mighty through God for the pulling downe strong holds c. and the Lord did give me much sweetnesse by communion with himselfe so that I could goe to him more The spirit of Adoption freely then to any creature under heaven and the more communion I had with him the more strength I had against temptation and corruption I found it to be The benefit of frequent prayer the most excellent means under heaven the more frequent the more familiar with God and now I began in some measure to apprehended what a temptation was in a time of temptation which was halfe a deliverance out of it this through the mercy of God in Christ Jesus I found by experience in prayer and about prayer I found first the subtilty of Satans temptations wherein I found him Sathans malice against the worke of prayer to be as great hinderer of that work of prayer as of any other if he cannot keep from it he will afflict and discourage in it and notwithstanding all this I was by Satan put upon it to question my Condition againe but God gave me a word at the same time to stay my Soule upon it was Gods token to know Paul by behold he prayes from which words I saw God took special notice of those that praid and waited upon him and when the Devill saw me bent upon prayer then he put me upon prayer which in time I saw was his work and in time it proved greatly to the Devils disadvantage and much for my incouragement I found by experience that he is like an Ape imitating what ever good God does in the Soule and there is need of much of God to discern his policy in this particular he hath counterfeit grace as well as God hath true grace and he hath evill Ioy as God hath Soule-refreshing reviving and sweet consolation he will have scriptures as well as God only his are to discourage from duties and Gods to incourage all the wayes of Satan are evill and all the Note wayes of God are exceeding good and his paths are very pleasant When Satan saw he could not defile my soule by one temptation he sets upon me by another and with manifold temptations all at once So that he put my Soule into a darke mist by his temptations and I walked sadly for some Dayes together to the wonderment of my friends that were about me I could not expresse my selfe in any thing because my temptations and tumults in my spirit were so high in many things but the Lord at that time did much stay and refresh my spirit with the word Isay 50. 10. whereby Isa 50. 10. I saw that my condition at that time was no other then was incident to Gods owne people and so the Lord carried me on from one condition to another in straights and revealed no more to me for the present then this that my condition was such as was incident to the Saints The next thing I saw was that Iesus More Illumination Christ was the Iustifier of his people and that Iustification was conveyed to the soule in a way of beleeving and then my Soule said oh that I could beleeve on him that Iustifies the ungodly The more understanding I had of God in that way the more I saw of mine owne filthinesse I saw filthinesse in the holy things of God as performed by me so that I found that word of the Apostle good That in me that is in my flesh dwells no good thing but to will is by the Rom. 7. grace of God present with me but how to doe good I found not which through the grace of God wrought in my Soule a restlesse desire after a Christ in a way of beleeving that so I might fetch strength from Christ for the subduing of every corruption that I might know whether I were in a state of Iustification this I found that the more Satan tempted me that his temptations were as a weapon put into my hand to fight against himselfe withall through the mighty operation of God his strength was made knowne in my weaknesse Still Faith hard God put into my Soule such a restlesse disposition that I could not be satisfied without Christ so that I said within my selfe give me a Christ or I dy and the disposition to beleeving I found very difficult and hard when God set me upon it a work too hard for me without the power of an Omnipotent God which The way of obtaining it made me the more eagarly to persue it at the hands of him who was able to give it God when his set time was come wrought every disposition in me sutable to the grace that hee was about to convey to my Soule and then I saw nothing in any thing either in heaven or earth that could doe me good but the revealing Iesus Christ to my Soule Duties would not justify no inherent grace was no Iustification in it selfe though a fruit of Iustification yet no cause of it Iesus Christ was the all in all both for Sanctification 2 Cor. 3. last and Iustification and there I saw a way to make use of Christ by way of Iustification I saw more fully then before that all my righteousnesse was imperfect but in Christ it was compleate when the love of God was thus discovered to my Soule then it did constraine me to work out of a higher principle then before I thought with my selfe were there no hell to punish nor Heaven to reward yet there was comfort enough in God and in the
of me as I am of Christ That is in this that I desire to know nothing but Iesus Christ and him crucified and this Scripture this is eternall life to know God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent and this of the Apostle Brethren have fellowship with us for truly we have fellowship with the Father and the Son the Lord Iesus Christ Then I could not but break forth into blessing of God that I have had much fellowship with the sonne the Lord Iesus and as much as God hath seene good for me with the Saints so that I have cause to blesse God and to trust in God who hath given me society with the Saints out of the way as much as in the way so that that which God gives is not in reference to the way but to his owne love I see nothing in the way but what hath been injoyed out of the way and therefore not to be so much lifted up as it hath been and is by some I pray God that while others ingage themselves by covenant to watch over so many soules in a congregation which is a great work they be not to negligent in watching over themselves FINIS THE LIFE DEATH OF A true CHRISTIAN Deciphered in a Sermon Preached upon the 14 Rom. 6 7 Vers At the Buriall of Mary Simpson a Religious young Maid lately living in the City of Norwich BY JOHN COLLINGS Mr of Arts and Preacher of Gods Word to Saviours Parish in the said City 2 Cor. Ch. 5. v. 2. For in this we groan earnestly desiring to be cloathed upon with our house which is from heaven Verse 3. If so that being cloathed we bee not found naked London Printed for Rich. Tomlins 1649. The Life and Death of a true Christian. Rom. 14. ver 7 8. For none of us liveth to himselfe And no man dies to himselfe but whether we live we live unto the Lord or whether we dye we dye unto the Lord Whether therefore we live or dye we are the Lords COncerning the Author of this Epistle none is so ignorant but knowes it is Paul It was written to the beleeving Romans For the subject matter of it it is an Elaborate discourse clearing up the Doctrine of Iustification that 's the subject of the doctrinall part of it in the eleven first chapters the ensuing part of it is more practicall in which the Apostle gives severall precepts to the beleeving Romans whether in publicke Offices or in private relations Instructing them how to carry themselves towards God and each towards another In this Chapter he instructs them how to demeane themselves towards their dissenting weak brethren In those primitive times there were some Christians that were stumbled at the present abrogation of the ceremoniall law and were not so fully as others instructed in the Doctrine of Christian liberty purchased by the comming and suffering of the Lord Iesus Christ Upon this from the too rigid Censoriousnesse of other Christians there grew a division and as I am apt to beleeve a separation in the Church It seemeth the stumble was concerning two points of the ceremoniall law First The eating of meats Vnclean by the law Secondly the other the Observation of such dayes as according to the Iewish law were to be kept holy Those Christians that were well instructed in the Doctrine of the liberty purchased by Jesus Christ from those Iewish ceremonies rightly conceived that First Those beasts which were Vncleane to the Iews were not now Vncleane It was since then that God had given leave to Peter to kill and eate with a command to him to call nothing Common or Vncleane which he had sanctified And I conceive that piece of the Ceremonall law did typifie the Uncleanenesse of the Gentiles till the Partition wall was pulled downe and 2. They knew that under the Gospell Christians were by no morall precept engaged to keep any day holy but the Lords day yet the other Christians not seeing with so cleare a light as they saw durst not doe these things but still persisted in abstaining from some meats and the observation of some holy dayes which needed not had they been but well instructed But as the consciences of these were too scrupulous and Superstitious So the spirits of the other were too rigid and censorious presently upon this to refuse communion with them The Apostle therefore in this Chapter writes to them to mind them how to carry themselves towards their weak brethren First He gives a generall precept To receive them but wisely Not to doubtful disputations and negatively Through the weaknes of their faith v. 2. not to despise them we ought not to despise but brotherly to Receive those that differ not from us in fundamentals though they cannot agree with us in circumstantialls For I conceive that the difference was not here a thing indifferent it was utterly unlawfull and superstitious to keep Jewish holydayes by vertue of an obligation from the Ceremoniall law It was unlawfull for them to account those creatures Common or uncleane which the Lord had Sanctified yet saith the Apostle be tender of them First despise them not Secondly puzzle them not in doubtful disputations Thirdly do not judge or condemne them Fourthly Receive them into your hearts by love and piety and affection toward them Into your Congregations not refusing communion with them Now having given them this generall Lesson of Exhortation he presseth it in the ensuing verses by severall Arguments The first is laid downe v. 3. God hath Received him Received him how he hath loved his soule in Jesus Christ and united him to himself will ye reject whom God receiveth doth God think him worthy of his heart and doe not you think him worthy of yours will God receive him to everlasting communion with himselfe and is he not worthy to be received into the Communion of your Congregations Secondly from the very law of Nature who art thou that condemnest another mans servant he stands or fals to his own master This is spoken to disswade them from censuring or judging why saith the Apostle he is Gods servant not yours who bids you judge him leave him to his owne master and doe not you exercise a rigid unwarrantable Mastery over him Thirdly from the love of God to him Yea he shall be established God that hath shined in with some light of knowledge and faith into him will in his due time saith the Apostle shine with more that though he seemes to be now weak yet he shall be strong though he be a little staggering now for the present yet he shall be setled and established and this is proved from the two strongest Arguments in the world to assure to a true Christian the accomplishing of any promise for the carrying on any work of grace First Gods power v. 4. He is able to make him stand Secondly Gods love he will doe to his utmost for him he shall be established The word is passive to denote
the freenesse of Gods act in it A fourth Argument is drawne from the joint designe that these dissenting Christians and that in this very businesse carried on with those whose Spirits were more cleare in the thing viz. The glory of God Indeed if they were such base prophane wretches as kept up these ceremonies out of a superstitious humour Holy dayes meerly to eat and drink in and rise up to play in to be dayes of prophannesse c. or if they kept up these meerly to disturbe the Church of Christ or to deny Christ to be come in the flesh then it were something but being the case is so that they are such persons as truly aime at the glory of God in this action and dissent because they are not yet fully convinced that they are freed from these ceremonies and think they should dishonour God in disobeying his command if they should not Beare with them Yea may some say but how should we know this First the Apostle proves it 1. From the manner of their observation of these dayes and eating these meats 1. They observed them to the Lord. They ate to the Lord giving God thanks they did not barely observe the Ceremonies but with a great deale of holinesse that the shell and the kernell went together Secondly he proveth it from the generall scope and aime of every true Christian both in his life and death For none of us liveth to himself c. They are some of us saith the Apostle true beleevers in whom the grace of God dwells Now None of us liveth to himselfe and No man dieth to himselfe For whether we live we live unto the Lord and whether we die we die unto the Lord whether we live therefore or die we are the Lords Thus I have brought you to my text which is a short Account of a Christians Pilgrimage The life and death of a Saint In it consider First The particular of a Christians Life and Death Secondly The Summa totalis of it The particular of it is set down first Negativè None of us liveth to himselfe and no man dieth to himselfe Secondly Affirmativè Whether we live we live unto the Lord and whether we die we die unto the Lord. Then there 's the Totall summe Whether therefore we live or die we are the Lords Or if you please Here 's the doctrine No beleever lives to himselfe nor dies to himselfe but if he lives he lives to the Lord and if he dies he dies to the Lord. Secondly Here is an Inference from the Doctrine a Consolatory Application whether therefore we live or dy we are the Lords Or as a learned Commentator Pareus ad locum well notes here 's a Reason of the Doctrine why we should in our life live unto the Lord and in our death dye unto the Lord Because in life and death we are the Lords There is no great matter difficult in the words that which is to be opened about them I shall open in the Doctrine And that I may contract all as short as may be I shall summe up both the verses in this one Proposition of Doctrine Doct. That all beleevers who while they live live not to themselves and if they dye dye not to themselves but whiles they live they live to the Lord and when they dye they dye to the Lord whether they live or dye are the Lords and because in life or death they are the Lords It is their duty not to live nor dye to themselves but to live and dye to the Lord. It is large but easy to be remembred because in the words of the text For my better proceeding in the handling of it and for the helping of your memory I shall branch the doctrine into these four particulars which I will handle distinctly and apply joyntly 1. That the beleever in his life is the Lords 2. That because of it he ought not to live to himselfe but to the Lord. 3. That when he dyes he dyes not to himselfe but unto God 4. That in death he also is and shall be the Lords First of the first 1. That the true beleever in his life is the Lords I shal open it and shew you in what respects and prove the particulars as I passe them by shortly I shall open it but in three particulars 1. He is the Lords by purchase 2. He is the Lords by Possession 3. He is the Lords by neare Relation First of all He is the Lords The Lords Purchase by purchase and a deare purchase he hath purchased them with his owne blood Acts 20. 28. The mother that hath had a painefull travell sayes to the child A deare child thou hast been to me and Zipporah to Moses surely a bloody husband hast thou been to me God may say Bellevers Children you have been deare Children bloody children unto me you have cost me my owne heart blood a great ransome They are called the Purchased possession Eph. 1. 14. And a dear purchase too that cost the owners heart blood Christians speak truth doe you not think you cost Christ more then ye are worth bodyes and scules and all It is true to purpose too that the Apostle sayes 1 Cor. 6. 20. For ye are bought with a price therefore c. a price indeed yet neither silver nor gold of that Christ had none but what he had he gave you and gave for you even his own life for a ransome for the sins of many never was there so deare a bargaine and yet never fewer words spent about one He bought them of the Father Joh. 10. 29. and Joh. 17. Indeed there it is called giving but he gave his blood for them and yet there was an act of grace in the Father giving the Elect to Christ It is true you may say that they were the Devills Captives Eph. 2. v. 2 3. But I answer that the Devill was but Gods jayler hee keeps them by nature in a Captivity but it is for a debt due to the Fathers justice Now God gave them to Christ paying such a price One would wonder to think he should meddle with so hard and unprofitable a bargaine but yet he did and with such alacrity that there was scarce too words betwixt his Father and him about it The Father writ downe in his book If you will have them that 's the price you shall goe and doe my will which is taking upon you their nature Suffering Dying c. Christ presently subscribed Done and by such a day it shall be all paid Psal 40. v. 7. Heb. 10. 8. In the Volume of thy book it is written of me Lo I come to doe thy will O God! There shall no more words be made of it saith Christ I will doe it Thus there was a Covenant stroke betwixt the Father and the Son for The purchased possession Thus they are the Lords by Purchase Pretium Sanguinis the price of his owne deare heart blood They are the Lords
whom we may pronounce this text while he lived he lived to the Lord and when he dyed he dyed to the Lord And yet this must be pronounced of all those that when they dy shall be the Lords O remember your latter end 4. This may instruct us in the right way to dye comfortably He that knowes he is the Lords cannot dye sadly now wouldst thou find this while thou livest live to the Lord when thou dyest dye to the Lord. O the sweetnesse of perfumed death to the Saint I remember I have heard of an holy man that when he was about to dye profest to this effect Now saith he were all the honors pleasures and contentments of the world on one hand and death on the other I would scorne them and imbrace this O get your hearts into such a frame which cannot be without making the Lord while you live the end of your life and actions Fiftly this may further instruct Inst 5 us Of the great difference betwixt the wicked and the Godly in their deaths and of the Reason of it The worldling lives to himselfe and dyes to himselfe perhaps he makes away himselfe or dyes murmuringly and blasphemes God he cannot give God a good word at the last The beleever could be content to be present with the Lord yet he waites Gods leasure and patiently submits to what death God will have him dye whether it be Naturall or Violent sad or joyfull short or tedious and whatever his death be he dyes joyfully The One is loth to dye and cannot abide to think of shaking hands with so many Gods as he hath here below the other dyes cheerfully and in his death gives glory to God The Reason of this difference is plain Enough The Saint 1. Hath lived to God 2. Desires to dye unto the Lord. 3. In death as well as in his life aimes at the glory of God 4. Knowes that in death he shall be the Lords The other hath lived to himselfe 2. Aimes at nothing in dying but himselfe 3. Knowes that if he dyes his soule sinks in hell for ever can you blame the man for being loth to goe into Everlasting Burnings The second use may be Terror Use 2 to those that neither regard while they live to live to the Lord nor when they dye to dye to the Lord all those mentioned in the former use that live to their lusts and pleasures to the world c. Should here be deeply reproved Take only two places to reprove you Isa 50. 11. Eccl. 11. v. 9. 3. This doctrine may be applyed by way of Exhortation And O that I could perswade for God this day some or other to begin a life to him every one sayes O that I might dye the death of the Righteous that my latter end might be like his but alas who is there that lives according to his wish wouldst thou bee the Lords when thou dyest live not then to thy selfe but to the Lord Live not according to thy owne lusts live not to thy owne ends but live by Gods law and to Gods glory who would be the Lords when he dyes he must be so while he lives if God dwell with thy soule in life thy soul shall dwell with him in death O leave trading for your selves you spend your strength for nothing and your money for that which will not profit What shall it profit thee to gaine all the world and lose thy owne poore soule Or what wilt thou give in Exchange for it But I passe on my time being expired and the whole doctrine being practicall 2. Let every beleever look upon this as an Engagement of his soule to God that In life and death he is the Lords And from hence learne while he lives to live to the Lord and when he dyes to dye to the Lord. To whom should the servant live but to the master the wife but to the husband the child but to the father and the Saint but to his Saviour O quicken up your soules to this life from this principle your engagments to God are high let your life be answerable lay out the talents he hath given you for his advantage drive on his Interest pursue his ends You are bought with a price Bloody friends have you been to Christ who in this hath excel'd the love of men that while you were yet enemies he dyed for you that by his death you might be reconciled to God Let God never complain concerning you as he once complained of his Israelites Isa 1. 2. I have nourished children but not to my selfe I have brought them up but they have rebelled against me O let your conversation be such as becometh the Gospell of Iesus Christ You live in God live also unto God For none of us liveth to himselfe c. Lastly it may be applyed by way of Consolation and so I shall apply it more generally or more particularly relating to this occasion 1. Generally It may administer comfort unto us concerning our owne deaths 2. Concerning our friends deaths 1. Concerning our owne death What art thou afraid to dye Christian To let thy soule returne to God that gave it Consider first Hast thou not lived to God Hast thou been his factor and art thou afraid to see him his child and art thou afraid of returning to thy Fathers house can the faithfull Servant feare a returne to his Master Consider secondly Hath it not been thy desire to glorify God as he pleaseth to be glorified Thou hast finished thy course runne thy race done thy work God hath had his desired glory of thee in thy life and now his will is that thou shouldst glorify him by dying to him 3. Remember that in death thou art the Lords To dye to me is gaine saith the Apostle While we Phil. 1. 23. 1 Cor. 5. 6. are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. At home doth the Apostle call it a strange home where we have neither father nor brethren nor scarce so much as a friend By death thou doest but returne like the sunbeame into the body of the Sun Thou art yet the Lords friend 2. It may comfort us concerning the death of such our friends as while they lived lived to the Lord. Hast thou a beleeving friend dead 1. Consider that he or she is where they would be it is the desire of every Saint to glorify God in that manner that he desires to be glorified by them to serve him any where whether in the Kitchin or the Parlour it makes no matter to them giving glory to him is that they desire Gods will is revealed when thy friend dyes that he would have them come and serve at court Why weepest thou Thy friend hath his wish she desired to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is best of all Nay 2. Consider thy friend hath not only his wish but his greatest happinesse thy friend is the Lords and that in a more speciall and
first worke that God ever wrought in my soule was a worke of conviction He convinced my soul of the sin of Sabboth-breaking I found much opposition to that worke and it was some space of time before I could get strength against that sinne but ever and anon I was given up to the sinne againe which was yet a burthen to my soule I had no Observe Gods first worke in conversion strength against it for the present till at length the Lord was pleased to discover another strength than that I had from my selfe which was the strength of Iesus Christ to overcome this corruption A sight Conviction of sinne without a sight of Christ Note is not saving of it self But a sight of sin wrought by God God leaving not the worke till hee hath shewne the soule the sight of Christ That I conceive is a saving work One time me thought my fancy in the night presented to me sinne in a lump with a sight of that Christ which afterwards I saw more perfectly It was thus me Conviction thought I saw sin set out in a market upon a stall The commodity was vended to none but it brought shame and confusion of face to those that set it forth to Sale and me thought I saw likewise Christ comming owning the owner of the commodity which in time I saw he fully did in me and it was a refreshing for the present to my spirit that I saw he would do it for me though he came not presently The next thing I apprehended according to the truth of the word was that A Christ was come to doe such things as are declared in the word This I no sooner apprehended Illumination but I was set upon with temptations To question whether there was a Christ or no c. Satan wrought Secretly and Subtilly I being ignorant of his mysteries was for a certaine time given up to Sathans subtilty the temptation But as Satan wrought secretly and subtilly so God wrought invisibly and mightily to the suppressing of him For assoon as God delivered me out of the temptation I discovered a Christ fully according as he is revealed in the word to be the Christ the son of God my Saviour then I could see my great deliverance out of the temptation and not till then then I saw that if God had deliverd me finally up to the temptation I had denyed God and his Christ and his word and whatsoever he is necessary to be known by The next thing after I apprehended a Christ come was how he should be made knowne to his people to be their Iesus which in time by the ministry of the word God was pleased to make known unto me viz. that God gave Christ to dwell in the hearts of his people by grace and then my soule began to be panged with the desires of that grace of Regeneration I no sooner had a desire of grace but I fell to question the truth of Satans subtilty Grace where the Devill was subtill as in any temptation but the Lord by his mighty power overcame him for me where the wisedome of God appeared to me in Gods goodnesse Note wher it was she met with God the time as well as in the strait I attended much upon hearing the word by which God answered all my doubts and repelled Satans temptations Then Satan tempted me to doubt of the truth of Gods word I said Blessed be God! if that word be truth and no sooner was I from under the noise of the preacher but I was as full of doubting as before God took me out of that condition by putting me into another trouble which was Satans subtilty by Gods permission for my good The Devill implyed Instruments to taint my soule with monstrous and grosse errours But God of his infinite mercy would not suffer me to speak against the truth with those Instruments of Satan though I could not plead for it The Errours insinuated were these 1 That there is free will Observe her sanctified judgment of some of our new Truths in man to doe good 2 That there is no Electtion 3 That none are irreconcilably lost 4 That Christ was not come in the flesh 5 That most of the Scriptures were to be understood in an allegory These opinions they were very diligent to draw my soule to I being weake in my selfe had fallen from the truth had it not beene for the power of God and his rich condescention to me I told the parties if I did not give them arguments in one week that then I would not speake against but for that which they held and then the Lord set me abundantly to study the divine Scriptures which through ignorance or misunderstanding I thought some thing in the word was for them and something against them while I thought to attaine it only by reading but when I saw it was too hard then the Lord was pleased to help mee by meditation Observe the right way to profit by reading and prayer and strong cryes and then and not till then did I know what it was to pray out of an apprehension of wants I A right frame of spirit in seeking direction tooke the truth and errour with an equall hand neither cleaving in my affections to the one nor to the other till God was pleased to reveale it to me but I desired God to shew me which was the truth and he did accordingly Those Scriptures I apprehended made against the truth he shewed me they made for the truth Now when the Lord had revealed himselfe in this to me I was earnest with God that I might not only know these truths but I might be able to hold out these truths so as to stop the mouths of gainsayers 2 dayes after Gods revealing himselfe these parties came and God gave me to speak that they were not able to answer and at that time God gave me a promise Joh. 1. 50. Iesus answered Joh. 1. 50. and said unto him because I said unto thee I saw thee under the figtree beleevest thou thou shalt see greater A particular promise applyed generally things then these with which my Soule stood a little amazed what should be the greater things that should be revealed I found then that they should be these truths made known by experience to my Soule I went away rejoying in hope to obtaine it from this work of God I concluded that there was a work of grace begun which he would carry on to perfection The next thing I thought upon was to set downe to account the losse it would cost me to hold out these truths to the utmost which was the losse of the favour of friends disingagment to creatures but there was an ingagement to God which made me resolute to stick to the truth whatsoever it cost in the strength of God and then I saw a necessity of walking more close Her Progresse in Piety with God in