propriae Dies venerit incunctantèr libentèr ad Dominum ipso vocante veniamus Let us shew our selves to be the same in our life that we are in our Faith that we may not over-mourne for our dearest friends and when the appointed day of Gods sending to any one of us shall come Come let us goe without delay and willingly to the Lord who himselfe cals us Here after that Father before I fall into him againe I can quickly tell you all that Oecumenius doth on my Text 't is to interpret my Text by those foregoing words of St Paul that yee sorrow not even as others that have no hope i. As the Heathen that had no hope of the Resurrection {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Oecumenius holds it proper for such onely to grieve excessively for the dead who have no hope of the Resurrection and how doth it traduce hopefull Christians as hopelesse men when we bewaile as utterly lost and extinct those whom we professe to live with God To this purpose that elegant tongu'd Father v Fidem quam sermone voce depromimus cordis pectoris testimonio non probemus Spei nostrae ac fidei praevaricatores sumus simulata ficta fucata videntur esse quae dicimus nil prodest verbis praeferre virtutem factis destruere veritatem The Profession of our hope of the Resurrection to life is but varnished over and dissembled because we destroy it more with our actions then we doe preferre it by our words else why doe we take on in such a grievous manner when God takes our Friends away from us I know that where hearts have been knit together by God they cannot be rent a sunder without exceeding great griefe as Iacobs could not from Rachel nor Davids heart from Ionathan I also know that our Lord and Master himselfe wept for Lazarus x I finde no fault with naturall affection much lesse with Christian compassion let Nature have her course but let Religion set her bounds let us water our plants of sincere affection and compassion but not drowne them by sorrowing as others doe that have no hope I finde no other fault but that St Paul findes in the proofe of the Doctrine of which my Text is the use when mourning exceeds Christian proportion and all true Measure Ioseph loved his Father better then the Egyptians did yet Ioseph wept but the tithe that the Egyptians did They mourned 70. dayes Gen. 50. 3. he but seven dayes vers. 10. All that I speak is to condemne those who are too little like Rachel in serving the living God but too much like Rachel in weeping for the dead She would not bee comforted but these hopelesse Mourners cannot truly urge the Reason that Rachel did because they are not for we know that they are living with God that dye in the Lord we know that the good theefe was on the day of his death with Christ the Lord in Paradise and as 't is a comfort to know where they are so 't is a further comfort to know what they doe they follow the Lambe wheresoever he goes and is it not a height of comfort to know what they say they cease not to cry day and night Holy Holy Holy they are still a singing Halleluiah and shall not we give over weeping on Earth for them who shall never give over singing in Heaven shall we refuse to be comforted because they are not on earth who are and enjoy all the comforts in Heaven Wherefore comfort one another with these words and with the words of that judicious Father y Contristamur in nostrorum mortibus necessitate amittendi sed cum Spe recipiendi inde angimur hinc consolamur inde infirmitas afficit hinc fides reficit The necessity of loosing our friends that cuts us but the hope of receiving them againe this heales us that is our griefe this is our comfort wherefore against the losse of our deerest friends comfort one another with these words As Apothecaries make singular use even of the dust of gold so the Jewish Rabbins those Apothecaries of the Hebrew simples make profession that great Mountaines hang upon the smallest Jods in the Bible Then surely a discourse like a Mountaine for largenesse but above a Mountaine for fruitfulnesse may be raised from this conjunctive particle in my Text {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Itaque Wherefore and to make it so I passe from the particular relation of these words to S. Pauls former Doctrine I passe unto the generall Relation of these words to the whole Word of God Pars pro toto comfort one another with these words or with any the like words of Comfort out of Gods Word In the Greek {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} these Ratiocinations Arguments rather then bare words so it is that Scripture words are the strongest Reasons to evince and perswade Comfort the true Hearts ease growes only in Gods Paradise in Gods Word There may be some Tulip of Comfort some colour bark or flowre in the words and writings of men but the very pith and marrow of comfort effectuall for all the soules Maladies is no where to be found but in the Word of God in these words As it was said of the words spoken by the Word God Christ Jesus that Hee taught with Authoritie and not us the Scribes z the Scribes taught poore jejune heartlesse matter unprofitable uncomfortable and their forme of teaching was without Majesty without any command but our Saviours both Matter and Forme of teaching carried Authority with it the unusuall unheard of Majesty of the words accompanyed with matter most profitable and most comfortable did command his Auditors Now Christ hath still left the same Matter to us 't is true of all the Word of God that it comforts as having Authority and not as the Scribes not as humane writers who would usurpe upon this Authority which is the absolute Prerogative of Gods Word so that the maine point is this Only Gods Word hath full power and Authority to comfort mans heart 1. à Causa 2. à Subjecto 3. à Doctrinae certitudine 1. From the Efficient cause the Scriptures Authority of comforting is the same with Gods Spirit dictating both matter and words the saving worke of the Holy Ghost the Comforter that also goes along with the Word of God Gods Spirit and Gods Word goe together by way of Covenant Isaiah 59. 21. This is my Covenant with them saith the Lord My Spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth where Gods Word is the Counsellor Gods Spirit is the Comforter 2. à Subjecto the Subject of Gods Word carries with it the greatest and most infallible Authority of Comforting because 't is the onely Store-house of true Comfort in it is that supreme Treasure the Mediator Christ Jesus that dyed to reconcile us to God Rom. 5. 10.
have a curing vertue in them strengthning and corroborating the heart there are words even those words in my text that are Cordialls against all faintings of spirit they will beget new spirits in a man Wherefore comfort one another with such words Every relation wherein we stand towards others are so many bonds and sinewes whereby one member of Christ is fitted to derive comfort to another through love the bond of Perfection Col. 3. 14. we can attaine to no perfection of comforting without love if ye love one another ye will comfort one another yee are of relation neere enough that is the chiefe enforcement of this duty from our Christian Sympathy Now very briefly of other Perswasives which have their force too and no doubt but if they all concenter and meet together in our practise there will quickly be comfort sealed up to one anothers soules 2. Perswasive others may comfort us as much another time when we may suffer what others now feele wherefore comfort one another 3. Sorrow is a gulfe in which many are swallowed up for want of comfort and if God commands us to pull an oxe out of the pit and to cover the pit that the oxe fall not into it againe doth God take care for oxen and not we for one another 4. We receive comfort from God to this very end that we might be able to comfort one another 2 Cor. 1. 4. Let us give to others as we receive from God 5. By comforting others we emprove the stock of our own comfort 't is not empaired but encreased by giving it to others the heate of comfort by warming others is not abated but enflamed In strengthning others we strengthen our selves at the same time with the same acte this should encourage us to comfort one another Lastly we derive upon our selves the blessing pronounced on those that consider the needy Psal. 41. 1. the Hebrew signifies the needinesse of the soule as well as of the body Depauperari to be any way empoverished now the want of comfort is a miserable poverty of the soule better be a beggar then need comfort and 't is better to give spirituall almes then any other they may doe more good Now 't will be our comfort here and crowne hereafter a double recompence God and man shall blesse us if we comfort one another thus blessed is the man that gives comfort to them that need and if I cannot perswade you to be happy give me leave to passe from the Perswasives to the Disswasives The Disswasives from the neglect of going forward with the Building of Comfort 1. 'T is a vilifying and slighting of an Ambassador sent from Heaven his Ambassie is this waighty businesse in the Text of mutuall comfort any neglect of an Ambassador is a disrespect to the Master if yee care little for Saint Pauls exhortation yee despite despite yee the Holy Spirit dictating to St Paul and what shall we be guilty of if we will not come in by faire entreaty when St Paul exhorts us but to doe our Duty 2. 'T is no lesse then high Treason a revolting from our God yee may read this heavy imputation on those that comforted not the weake Ezek. 34. 4. and Iob 6. 14. if we neglect to pay this due debt of comforting each other marke the heavy censure 't is no lesse then the forsaking of the feare of the Almighty oh fearefull Revolt they feare not God that comfort not men in misery Thus 't is when men will not owne men in trouble but as the heard of deare forsake and push away the wounded deere from them they will turne their backs and only cry God comfort thee indeed immediate comforts from God are the sweetest yet for the most part the Sunne of Righteousnesse that hath this healing in his wings conveigheth the Beames of comfort by the help of others and he is an unworthy Servant that thinks scorne to carry a message of comfort from his Master to any one of his Fellow-Servants Now if yee love to flie such an heavy imputation and censure from God and man or if yee love the blessing of God and man or if yee love the encrease of your owne comfort or if yee love to attaine to the end of Gods comforting you or if ye love to keep others or to be kept your selves out of the gulfe of sorrow or if yee love to carry your selves as fellow-travellors to heaven as members of Christ and as good Christians neglect not this Apostolicall exhortation Wherefore comfort one another with these words The materialls of this Building these words in the Text We must use the right and lawfull meanes of comfort {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} these words Either in the particular relation of these words to St Pauls former Doctrine or in the generall relation to the whole Word of God Pars prototo comfort one another with these words or any the like words of comfort out of Gods Word 1. These words in the particular relation to St Pauls former Doctrine the first word of the Note of Illation {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Wherefore is St Pauls inference of a good use of Consolation raised from his former Doctrine touching the estate of the dead in Christ a blessed change they make that dye in the Lord that 's our Christian Hope Give hopelesse menleave to tremble at Death whose portion is in this life let Gods children lift up their heads for joy towards their dissolution and solace themselves on their death-beds as Simeon sings his Nunc Dimittis quasi necesitate teneretur in hac vitâ non voluntate St Ambrose descants r as if the Childe of God staide in this life of necessity and not by his good will sure I am St Paul by his good will would faine be with Christ which is much more the better Phil. 1. 23. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} by farre very farre much more and very much more the better both simply in it selfe and in respect of St Paul himselfe had there been no necessity of his living in respect of others For as St Cyprian reasons it in his Book to this purpose s Cum mundus oderit Christianum quid amas eum qui te odit non magis sequeris Christum qui te redemit diligit The World hates a Christian Christ doth not command us to love the World that hates us but rather to follow Christ who is our Redeemer and best Lover too Wherefore if yee be Christians comfort one another as not to feare the death of your selves so not to mourne immoderately for the death of others though never so neare to us that dye in the Lord Here I shall trouble you to cite the forenamed Father t Hoc nos oftendamus esse quod credimus ut neque Charorum lugeamus excessum cum accersitionis
great Estimate according to the very waight of the Sanctuary My knowledge of it is now doubled tà m carendo quà m fruendo for eleven yeares and halfe I enjoyed a rare Religious Piece of Gods making and now God hath made up this his Iewell fit for His own Cabinet 't is most fit that I should want it And to my wants this is added that I want words to tell others what I want I want my Fellow-Helper my Bosome-Comforter my second Heart which did command my first Heart in a Religious way 1. Her Faith was founded upon the Rocke Christ Iesus witnesse Her every Dayes taske which was to say by Heart and in Her Heart the eight chapter to the Romans which chapter alone in it selfe is a compleat Confectionarie of spirituall Comfort beginning with No condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus and ending with No Separation from the Love of God in Christ Iesus 2. Her Hope and Trust was fixed upon Her God witnesse that answer She gave me the last Day that She lived out in this World Now what is my Hope my Hope is in thee ô Lord d There was in her an admirable mixture of Godly sorrow for sinne and holy Ioy for that Sorrow which Ioy I perceived to be back'd by her Hope to get the upperhand though S. Ierome summes up the devout soules private carriage with God in these words Dolet de dolore gaudet Surely 't was her Practise to sorrow after a godly manner and to rejoyce for that Sorrow 3. Her love to man let all that knew her speak it Her love to God I judge it sincere by the most cleare Expressions of it She loved his house so dearely that the large distance of her Habitation from Church nigh a mile was no Remora to keep her at home the last Lords Day She lived She was twice at Church She prayed Constantly eight severall times every Day I knew it to be most true who was nearest to her when she drew neare to her Father in secret She had by heart a distinct Prayer for every Evening and Morning in the seven dayes of the weeke besides other Prayers for other times What a loving Mistris She was to her servants they would quickly speak if they could for crying How transcendent her love was to me her Husband my tongue would faile because my heart is readie to faint for want of such love and faint it might had not Gods Spirit brought to my remembrance how earnestly on her Death-bed She desired me not to grieve so immoderately for her for we should meete in Heaven and 't is my Hope that as we were Caro una on Earth we shall be sydus unum in Heaven e of that one Holy Companie of Starres attending the Sun of Righteousnesse And here I cannot but fixe my Contemplation on those rayes of divine Beautie which shined in her soule for She mightilie delighted to set before her Solomons Copie of a good wife Prov. 31. They that knew her may easily compare her life written according to that exact Copie Sure I am her Sisters child whom She educated can rise up and call her blessed Her Husband also praiseth her Prov. 31. vers. 28. How why thus in Solomons style Favour is deceitfull and Beauty is vaine but a Woman that feareth the Lord She shall be praised Vers 30. the Pronowne {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Emphatically argues a Negation of any other Woman worthy to be praised but She that feareth the Lord She shall be praised the garland of praise only to be set on her head This is her Remuneration therfore Solomons last vers shall be mine Give her of the fruit of her hands and let her owne workes praise her in the Gates that is in publique This This is the Woman the Woman to whom I Subscribe William Gilbert perdidit Invenit nullus super teram Recepit Deus in coelum TO THE SEEKER OF COMFORT NOT READER ONLY MOST sorry I am for the Occasion f that induced me to Preach and now moved me to Print but the Providence of God being the First Mover may not onely command bounds to my Sorrow Hither and no further but also give me a licence as to Preach so to Print it both for the Commemoration of the Dead and Consolation of the Living What though I lye open to some Exceptions I had rather doe it in this partlcular then not doe all the Right I can to the Dead and wish all true Comfort to the Living who shall read this Art of Building Comfort not to censure one another but to Comfort one another according to this Apostolicall Exhortation which is my Text 1 Thes. 4. 18. Wherefore Comfort one another with these words which if thou dost I am Thine in Christ the Fountaine of Comfort William Gilbert A GENERALL REPRESENTATION OF THE Method of this Manuell a or rather Cordiall of Comfort containing the Ingredients of Five Sermons 1. THe Accommodation of the Text to the Times calling for comfort p. 1. 3. 2. 4. 5 2. The Division following the Metaphore of Building in the eight Parts of it p. 6. 1. The Specificall Difference of this from other Buildings p. 7. 8. 2. The Necessity of this Building in a Christian Common-wealth p. 9. 10. 11. 12. 3. Perswasives inducing to goe about this Building and to studie this Art of Divine Comfort p. 13. 14. 4. Disswasives from the Neglect of going forward with it p. 15. 5. The Materialls of this Building These words in the Text 1. In a particular Relation to S. Pauls former Doctrine p. 16. 17 18. 19. 2. In a generall Relation to Gods Word p. 20. 21. 22. 23. 6. The Habituall Ability to make good use of this Art of Comforting p. 24. 25. 7. The Actuall Abilitie to make good use of it in the Platforme of Comfort set up according to the exact Rule of Gods Word p. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 8. The Strength and Duration of this Building where yee shall see p. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 1. The Contignation and Knitting of the Building of Comfort by five Attributes of God Wisdome p. 36. Power p. 37. Iustice p. 38. Mercy ibid. Truth p. 39. 2. The Butteresses of the Building set up by three Duties of man 1. Submission to Gods Will p. 40. 2. Right Reason sanctified p. 41. 3. Prayer for strength and Continuance of Comfort p. 42. c. 1 Thes. 4. 18. Wherefore Comfort one another with these words MAY it please your Attention to begin with the accommodation of the Text to the Times which like a woman in Labour cry out for Comfort sickly Times most uncomfortable Times God knowes a rare thing even an house without one or other sicke in it if not dead out of it Is it not Time then to exhort you to comfort one another The Naturalists write of a pretious Stone a called b Ceraunias that is found
my Hope my Hope is in thee m Hope thou in God and this charge to hope in God is grounded upon confidence of better times to come times of praising God for I shall yet praise him this small word Adhuc yet 't is the strong voyce of confidence after a long combat 1. Vox anhelantis the voyce of David breathing and panting under the conflict of troubles and disquietments what though I am thus now for the present I shall yet praise him 2. Vox triumphantis the voyce of David getting the victory over all his troubles and triumphing with this voyce of Joy uttered with confidence I shall yet praise him And this confidence is strengthned by his Experience that God is the Health of his countenance Omnimodam Salutum faciei meae he is all of the Salvations of my Countenance the Countenance is as the glasse of the heart in it yee may see the naked Face of the heart God first speakes saving health to the inward Man of the heart which he causeth to shine forth in the cheerefulnesse of the outward man of the countenance Lastly this experience is well backed by the interest David had in God my God anima mea quid perstrepis in me Trem. significantly if God be my God why makest thou such a troublesome noyse within me oh my soule why art thou grumbling and complaining of this or that As once Seneca told the Roman Courtier that mourned for his sonnes death Non fas tibi salvo Caesare de Fortuna queri in illo omnia Much more Salvo Salvatore nos salvante as long as God is our Saviour we must not be cast down with any thing in illo omnia Friends Sonnes Husbands Wifes health wealth all things in my God my God saith David Deus meus omnia saith that confident one n As bold as a Lion God my God and all things mine If God be with me what can be against me so farre as to disquiet me whatsoever is against me it will be with me for my good if God be but my God which is the 2d thing in the Building of Spirituall Comfort the laying of a sure Foundation and that is no other then God to be our God alone Psal. 73. 25. Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee This is an expression of our Faith whom have we in heaven but thee to rely upon in all our necessities this is an expression of our affection whom have we in heaven but thee to love the Giver of all things to be beloved whom but thee to feare the Disposer of all things to be feared whom but thee to desire the Satisfier of all lawfull desires the Foundation must be but One whom but thee and none on earth besides thee Yet with a difference other Foundations are laid deep in the Earth this must be laid high in Heaven Whom in heaven but thee and none on Earth besides thee as the Foundation of Comfort but we may desire other things besides God as the meanes of comfort as Gods Ordinances and blessings spirituall and temporall the fat Calfe must be killed for the Prodigall a temporall blessing too must be had but take that too as from God for whatsoever is desiderable in any creature they are but drops of sweetnesse let fall from the Fountaine of Comfort God Whom have I in heaven but thee for my sole Refuge and Trust or whom have I in heaven but thee for my chiefe Joy and whole hearts-delight yet the soule that is thus wedded to God may love what God loves and what God commands her love for him and in him but not as him in so doing She would play the Harlot Adultera Christo as St Cyprian speaks but the soule as a most loyall wife must cast no part of her conjugall affection upon any but God above him without him besides him I love nothing but all things in him and for him 't is St Augustines Confession Cum quo solo de quo solo in quo solo anima intellectualis verè beata est With God alone and from God alone and in God alone the understanding soule is truly happy whom to love freely is a due debt whom to embrace is chastity whom to marry is virginity whom to serve is liberty whom to imitate is Perfection whom to desire on Earth is contentment whom to enjoy in heaven is everlasting Happinesse Now Lord let me live out of the world with thee in Heaven but let me not live in the world without thee on Earth For whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none on Earth that I desire besides thee The Devoute soule that layes so good a Foundation as this may goe on and prosper with the Building of Comfort even to raise the Body of the worke to that height of Comfort that David doth Psal. 94. 19. In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soule My perplexed thoughts that are wreathed one within another with the many sorrowes of my heart so the Sept {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Though there be a great multitude of vexing griefes in my heart yet the plaister is large enough for the sore thy comforts proportionable to my Sorrowes {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} according to the multitude of my Sorrowes thou dost proportion out thy comforts be my Sorrowes what they will for quantity or quality thy comforts can extricate and rid me of them all be they neere so intricate and enwrapped as branches of trees returning back are blended and entangled so the Hebrew in the Text for our thoughts in Hebrew come from {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Redundare to rebound and returne back and wrap themselves one within another nothing can set our thoughts free but thy comforts oh God The comforts of thy Providence as a Faithfull Creator and Preserver The comforts of thy providing and protecting care as a loving Father and Redeemer providing all good grace mercy and favour protecting from all evill sinne Satan death the grave and hell our loving Father will not suffer us to want any thing that is good our deere Redeemer will not suffer any thing that is evill to come neere us but for our good These thy comforts delight my soule saith David These or nothing can truly and really delight the soule earthly things may delight the body that is made of earth but the spirituall soule must have spirituall things to delight it worldly things delight not the soule within a man the worldly man may draw a curtain betwixt the world and his heart and seeme the only merry man in the world when there is many a bitter pull in the heart vides laetitiam in ore St Ambrose yee may heare shouting from his tongue but aske what cheere within like a poore Taverne