assurance of their salvation and alas what woâ—ul uncertainties are men content to be at here I hope well saith one I trust saith another God is merciful saith a third and I shall doe as well as others saith a fourth Surely he that is no better ensured in worldly matters then thus I hope and I trust is but a weak man and in a very poor case we think Alas that we should be so Politick for our bodies and so silly and simple for our Souls that men should seek so much to make that sure which they are sure to forgoe and seek after no assurance of their Eternal condition unless it be to make their damnation sure as many wicked men are as diligent about this as the children of God are to make their salvation sure doing quite contrary to these commands and councels in 2 Pet. 1. 5. 2 Phil. 12. Heb. 2 Pet. 1. 5. 2 Phil. 12. Heb. 3. 15. 3. 15. these men are as far from faith and grace as they are from the assurance of faith and grace as far from salvation it self as from the assurance of it salvation is far from the wicked for they seek not thy statutes 2. Branch of this use is to reprove those who because assurance may be had and many of Gods children have it think they have it too Yea they that have none at all pretend to it most of all carnall men and hypocrites who never rightly sought it nor are subjects rightly qualified for it being unhumbled unbroken impenitent unbelieving sensual not having the Spirit All graces and so assurance how their counterfeits Solomon speaks of some boasting of a false gift Pro. 14. 25. so many boast Pro. 14. 25. 2 Rom. 71. 23. of assurance and have it not 2 Rom. 17. 23. thou makest thy boast of God and art confident so many boast that God is their God Christ their Saviour and that God loves them with his special love but their confidence is groundless like that of Solomons foole Pro. 14. 16. and Pro. 14. 16. Rev. 3. 17. the Laodicean Angel Rev. 3. 17. and of these there are diverse sorts 1. Such as say they are perswaded God loves them and it shall goe well with them and take it for granted 't is so because their own hearts tell them so and can give no other reason of their hope and perswasion but this my mind gives me so c. But this perswasion is a delusion of Satan and thy own deceitful heart this perswasion comes not from the spirit of God for then it would be grounded upon the word of God but arising meerly from thine own spirit without the word it is a delusion and a presumption no true perswasion or assurance Prov. 28. 26. he that Pro. 28. 26. trusteth his own heart is a foole for that is deceitful above all things and is always a false Prophet speaking peace when no peace is and the false spirit works effectually in the hearts of such this false assurance Luk. 11. 21. Luk. 11. 21. 2. Such as say they are assured because they never doubted they have always believed God loves them and that they shall be saved they never doubted of going to Heaven when they dye they have ever taken it for an axiome never to be called in question or denyed that they shall be saved Friends this is a false assurance for take this for an infallible truth he that never doubted never believed and he that never believed never had a sound assurance of his salvation true faith is accompanied with doubts why art thou disquieted and cast down oh my Soul Psal 42. 5. and Psa 42. 5. O thou of little faith wherefore dost thou doubt Mat. 14. 31. Assurance is never Mat. 14. 31. so perfect as to exclude all doubting at all times St. Paul saith of himself who had this assurance without were doubtings within were fears 2 Cor. 7. 5. that is doubtings 2 Cor. 7. 5. and infidelity yea God who brings good out of evil and light out of darkness brings assurance out of doubtings and fears for first these doubtings and fears stir up a Christian to be diligent in the use of means whereby he may come to be assured Yea secondly these doubts and fears doe use to end in true peace and sound assurance as Davids did Psal 42. 5. and the last Psal 42. 5. and last Verse whereas they that never had them and are thereupon confident of their good Estates this false assurance of theirs will end in great fearâ— and desperate terrours Job 18. Job 14. 18. 14. His confidence saith Bildod shall be rooted out of his Tabernacle and shall bring him to the King of terrours If then thou thinkest thou art assured because thou never doubtest wondering at others full of doubts and fears in this respect then know thy perswasion is a false perswasion a false assurance no assurance of Gods people no assurance of faith which doth not exclude all doubting It is a bastard assurance it was born and bred with thee 't is a Counterfeit a very delusion of the Devil And I may apply to thee that saying of Eliphaz Job 15. 31. let not Job 15. 31. him that is deceived trust in vanity for vanity shall be his recompence Your assurance thus built is but vanity and it shall have no other recompence but frustration and disapointment 3. A third sort are perswaded God loves them and so consequently that they shall be saved because God blesseth them with common mercies and it goes well with them in this life they receive many testimonies of Gods love and favour towards them as health wealth prosperity and a good name like those the Prophet Micah mentions Micah 3. 11. Or as Ephraim Hos Micah 3. 11. Hos 12. 8. 12. 8. I am become rich I have found me out substance in all my labours they shall find no iniquity in me But this is a false perswasion or assurance which is grounded only upon the fruits of Gods common bounty not of his special love and mercy things that God gives to his very enemies crums that are often cast to dogs and no man can know love or hatred by these things here below 4. A fourth sort are perswaded well of themselves and of their everlasting Estates because their Neighbours yea Ministers and good people think well of them Thus the Church of Laodicea because well thought of by other Churches thought well of her self and Judas very like thought his condition good because the rest of the disciples did so But that assurance only is good that is built upon the word of God not the word of man they that rest upon every bodies good word can assure themselves of nothing but that heavy woe in Luk 6. 26. woe unto you Luk 6. 26. when all men speak well of you and therefore saith the Apostle Gal. 6. 4. Gal. 6. 4. let every man prove his own work
So this riches of assurance makes the life of a Christian comfortable put that joy into the heart that all the riches of the world cannot Psal 4. 6. Now to Psal 4. 6. shew you how sweet and comfortable this assurance will be I might be very large but may not the time preventing me tast it a little briefly what sweet thoughts mightest thou have of God when thou art assured of his love and thine own salvation All that greatness jealousy and Justice in God which is the terror of others will be matter of incouragment and joy to thee as the Son of a King doth rejoyce in his fathers magnificence and power which is the awe of subjects and terror of rebels When the thunder roars the lightning flashes the Earth quakes and the signes of Gods dreadful omnipotency appear then thou canst say all this is the effect of my Fathers power So how sweet may every thought of Christ be of the blood that he hath shed and the benefits he hath procured be to thee who hast got this assurance when thou canst put thy finger into his side and say with Thomas my Lord and my God or as St. Paul who loved me and gave himself for me now the name of a Saviour will be a sweet name indeed Yea every passage of the word will now afford the comfort how sweet will the promises be to thee when thou art assured they are thine own the Gospel will now be glad tydings indeed the very threatnings will occasion thy comfort to remember thou hast escaped them thou wilt now cry with David O how I love thy Law it is sweeter then the honey and the honey combe it is better to me then thousands of Silver and Gold and wilt say with Luther that thou wilt not take all the world for one leaf in the Bible and for the ministry of the word thou wilt account their feet beautiful that bring the glad tydings of good things Rom. Rom. 10. 15. 10. 15. O what sweetness doth this assurance put into the ordinanes of God Into prayer when thou canst say our Father with full assurance and knowest thou art welcome and accepted in Christ and hast a promise to be heard Into the Sacrament gives it a sweet relish makes it a feast of fat things a refreshing banquet indeed This assurance will sweteen every mercy to thee yea multiply the sweetness of every mercy when thou art sure they all proceed from love and are the beginings and earnest of everlasting mercies thou maist now take comfort in them and with David stile them loving kindnesses and tender mercies that come from the very bowels of a loving and tender Father thou wilt now take more comfort in a morsel of bread then the worldling hath in the greatest abundance of all things Yea this assurance will make bitter things sweet afflictions when thou knowest they are for thy profit that God means thee no hurt by them and will bring good to the out of them Rom. 8. 28. It will make death Rom. 8. 28. it self sweet which is called a bitter thing a sweet sleep the grave a sweet bed when thou art assured it shall not seperate thee from but bring thee to the full injoyment of him who hath loved thee and dyed for thee sweet when you know the day of your desolution shall be the day of sins destruction the Souls absolution coronation and glorification Oh labour for this assurance which is so comfortable and will sweeten to thee all things and all conditions mercies promises thretnings duty ordinances afflictions losses death it self 5. Mot. This assurance as t is comfortable so very profitable It will put life into all thy affections and graces it will help thee to repent and melt over thy sins when thou knowest how dearly God loved thee even then when thou didst abuse his mercy It will inflame thy heart with love to God when thou knowest thy near relation to him and how tenderly affected he is to thee Psal 18. 1 2. Psal 18. 1 2. Psal 116. 1. Psal 116. 1. It will quicken thy desires after him it will confirm and strengthen thy trust in him Psal Psal 46. 1 2 3. 46. 1 2 3. It will fill thy heart with thankfulness and heavenly mindedness and exceedingly tend to thy perseverance It will put courage into thee in all thy works and duties and make thee rejoyce to work righteousness It will be Oyl to the wheels and wind to the Sayles With what courage wilt thou run when thou knowest thou shalt have the prize and fight when thou knowest thou shalt conquer and work when thou knowest thy labour is not in vaine and endure all things when thou art assured of the recompence of reward Thus having heard thus much of assurance me thinks every one of you should desire it and inquire after the means to attaine it which are briefly these I shall but name them 1. Labour to be humbled to see your sin and to sorrow for it 2. Seek after faith in Christ and the Spirit to renew and sanctifie thee 3. Be much in self examination self probation to know thy self this assurance is called knowledge of our selves 2 Cor. 13. 5. and that thou maist not be deceived in proving thy self let thy examination be 1. Frequent and often 2. Regular by the word 3. Painful and diligent 4. Constant and continued 4. Means is serious meditation on the offers of the Gospel the promises of the Gospel and performances of the Gospel meditation on thee freeness of Gods mercy the fulness of Christs merits and the firmness of the covenant of grace 5. Diligently and skilfully improve those notable assuring ordinances the word the Lords supper and prayer 6. Endeavour to keep a good conscience and conversation towards God and men this is an excellent means to obtain this assurance For 1. This hath the promise of assurance Psal 50. 24. last Verse Psal 50. 24. 2. This produceth assurance as the cause the effect Isa 32. 17. Isa 32. 17. 3. St. Paul found this fruit of a good conscience Act. 24. 15 10. 2 Cor. 1. 12. Act. 24. 15 16. 2 Cor. 1. 12. Rom. 5. 4. 6. Make use of experiences for experience breeds hope and hope assurance Rom. 5. 4. The experience you have of Gods goodness all your days experience of Gods goodness to you in spirituals The experience of the fruits of Gods grace in you take notice of all these register them recal them read them over and repeat them to thy Soul and that for this very cause because experience breeds hope and that upon this ground because though we be variable yet Gods love is unchangable whom he once loves he ever loves Jam. 1. 17. Oh Christians labour by these and all other means to attain this assurance of Gods love and your own salvation if you once have it it will repay you for all your pains and if once thou art
earnestly call for a Bible with these words come come death approcheth let us gather some flowers to comfort this heart in this hour and turning with his own hand to the 8. Chapt. to the Romans he gave it to a Minister present and bad him read and at the end of every Verse Mr. Holland made a Pause gave the sense of it and so continued his meditation and exposition for two hours On the suddain he said to the Minister that was reading to him O stay your reading what brightness is that I see have you lighted any Candles to whom was answered no it is the Sun shine Sun shine saith he nay my Saviours shine now farewel world welcome Heaven the Day-star from on high hath visited my heart O speak it when I am gone and Preach it at my funeral God dealeth familiarly with men I see his mercy I see his Majesty whether in the body or out of the body I cannot tell but God knows I see things unutterable And a little before he dyed ravished in Spirit he raised himself up and shut up his blessed life with these blessed words Oh what an happy change shall I make from darkness to light from night to day from death to life from sorrow to sollace from a sinful world to an heavenly Being O my dear Brethren Sisters and Friends iâ— pittys me to leave you behind yet remember my death when I am gone and what I now feel I hope you shall feel ere you dye that God doth and will deal familiarly with men And now ye blessed Angels bear me O bear me into the bosome of my best beloved Amen Amen come Lord Jesus come quickly and so fell asleep in the Lord. So Mr. Bolton boasted at his death to a friend what he felt in his Soul I am said he by the wonderful mercies of God as full of comfort as my heart can hold and feel nothing in my Soul but Christ with whom I heartily desire to be So Mrs. Catherine Britterge a Holly woman said at her death O my sweet Saviour dost thou so love me who am but dust and ashes O how wonderful how wonderful is thy love O thee joyes the joyes that I feel in my Soul they be wonderful they be wonderful Many like examples might be given of Saints dying as full of the sense of Gods love as heart could hold and more then their tongues could express I shall instance but in one more and it is in this pretious servant of Jesus Christ whose funerals we solemnize this day her death did not separate her from the sense and feeling of Gods love how sweetly did shee apply the promises for her comfort and in her greatest weakness by the shength of her faith drow those brests of consolation which are then sweetest when death is nearest How comfortably did she speak to her Relations and friends weeping about her desiring them not to mourn for her but to rejoyce rather because the time of her redemption was at hand redemption from sin from sorrow from sickness and pain which she had long suffered What a plerophory and full perswasion she had of her salvation and future happiness appears by her words to my self which were these I know in whom I have believed and will not cast away my confidence And also by her last and remarkable words to her dear and disconsolate Husband which she uttered a little before she breathed out her Soul into the bosom of her best beloved alluding to the words of her Saviour she said I goe to my Father and thy Father to my God and thy God By all these instances you may see death cannot separate a believer from the sense of Gods love much less from his love Thus you have the doctrinal part a few words by way of Application Use 1. If death cannot separate the faithful from the love of God thâ—s then is a sweet comfort to Gods Children against the fear of death of what sort soever in what manner soever Though there be many separaâ—â—ons in death terrible to flesh and blood dreadful to nature as 1. It is a separation from our dear friends and relations from husband wife and children from Father and Mother death plucks us from all these at once this is dreadful to nature but yet no separation from Gods love It only takes us from friends on Earth to friends in Heaven it brings us to the general assembly of the first born to Jesus the mediaâ—our to Angels and the Spirits of just men made perfect So that by this separation we doe but change our place not our company and our faithful friends which we leave behind us shall shortly follow after us co 〈…〉 to us and we and them shall ever be with the Lord. 2. The death of the body is a separation from all our Earthly comforts from all our worldly injoyments and accommodations and this is uncomfortable to nature too He that hath House and Land Money and Stock flocks and heards riches and honours high dignities and great preferments in the world must take a final farewel of all these when death comes The Fool and his full Barns rich stores and goods for many years must suddenly and ever lastingly part when death aproacheth and this is sad to him that hath nothing in store in another world But such a separation is not terrible or uncomfortable to a Child of God because he is assured though these things leave him yet God loves him which is better to him then all the comforts of life and will bring him ever by death to better comforts to a building an house in Heaven to inherit all things to a rich and glorious purchase to an everlasting Kingdom to joyes unspeakable felicity inconcevable and to Rivers of pleasures at Gods right hand for evermore 3. The death of the body is the separation of the Soul from thee body which is most terrible to nature that the body and Soul these old friends must now part the body to return to the dust as it was and the Soul to God that gave it and Oh with what bitterness with what throbs and groans with what sighs and tears with what pangs and pains do these long and intimate acquaintance usually part But though death part Soul and body yet neither the Soul nor the body of a Saint from the love of God Psal 116. 15. Pretious Psal 116. 15. in the sight of the Lord is the death of all his Saints A poor Child of God lying upon his death bed bemoans himself his friends also grieve and mourn for him and in the sight of the world he is in a grievous and miserable Estate but in the sight and estimation of God his death is very pretious and dear the Lord loves him loves his Soul in its separation from the body and receives it as a pretious Jewel into the very besome of his love He loves his dead body yea his very dust and will raise it again out
of the dust to glory at the last day And as the death of a Saint is pretious to God so 't is very gainful and advantagious to the Saint himself for 1. It separates him from all his sins corruptions impurities imperfections from his body of death 2. From this vile and wicked world as the Angels separated Lot from Sodom 3. From all failings and weakness from all afflictions and temptations from all Crosses and grief whatever This is a pretious separation but it never separates him from the love of God in Christ Jesus so far is it from this that it brings him to the immediate and full fruition of God and his love to see him face to face and so to be satisfied with his love and likeness Why then should a believer fear death let death be their fear and dread who are out of Gods favour and have no interest in the love of God in Christ Jesus but let not the beloved of the Lord fear it which is so much their friend because God loves them as to bring them into the bosome of his love and to a present and perfect Union with himself which was the reason why Job so little feared it and St. Paul so Job 3 14 15. Phil. 1. 23. much dâ—â—ired it having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better yea best of all Use 2. This doctrine speaks terror to the wicked You may think it strange that I should draw terror out of so comfortable a truth but consider this comfort belongs only to those that are in Christ Jesus as for those that are out of Christ they are out of the love and favour of God both in life and in death For the present the case of a wicked man is sad in death it will be worse 1. 'T is sad in this life because they live without God out of the love and favour of God in a state of enmity and wrath and all outward blessings they injoy are no signs of Gods special love 2. In death 't is worse 't is bad and sad enough to live out of Gods favour but worse and more sad to dye out of it for then they dye eternally and death to them will be a sad separation for it separates them 1. From their presumptuous conceit hopes and belief of their interest in the love and favour of God What is the hope of the Hypocrite when God taketh away his Soul Now he hopes he is in the love of God but when God by death separates his Soul from his body he separates him also from all his hopes these dye with him and he and his hopes of being in the love of God perish together Prov. 11. 7. Prov. 11. 7. 2. Death separates the wicked from that common and general love of God wherewith he loveth all his creatures especially mankind manifested by his patience and long sufferings by many blessings and comforts of life by his ordinances and many Church priviledges yea and common gifts and graces now death separates them from this common and general love of God and all the forenamed fruits of it Death puts an end to Gods patience separates them from Gods protection from all things that were good and comfortable to them here in this life from all Gods ordinances and from those common graces they have the oyl which they had in their Lamps goeth out when death comes 3. It separates them not only from this general love of God and all that good that is in it but it separates them to everlasting punishment from the presence of the Lord God will say to them then depart from me I never knew you I never loved you Go ye cursed that never had any interest in my everlasting love into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and for his Angels Use 3. If death it self cannot separate the faithful from the love of God in Christ Jesus then as you desire comfort at death labour to get an interest in and an assurance of this love If the arms of Gods love have once embraced thee neither death nor Hell can get the thence for ever the Sanctuary to which thou art fled is inviolate the rock impregnable the City invincible and thou art safe layed up to all eternity This assurance will make thee triumph over death as an enemy that cannot hurt thee a Serpent that cannot sting thee a privation that cannot deprive thee of Gods love O death thou maist say where is thy sting O Grave where is thy Victory for neither the one nor the other can separate thee from Gods love O this will sweeten death which is a bitter thing make death a sweet sleep and the Grave an easy Bed to rest in when we know that it shall not feparate us from but bring us to the full injoyment of him who hath loved us and whom we have loved and longed for O then strive after this assurance in the diligent use of all means search for it seek for it hear it pray for it and wait for it its worth seeking for if once attained you will be so far from fearing death that you will say with old Simeon Lord mine eyes have seen thy Luk. 2. 29 30. salvation my Soul is assured of thy love therefore now let thy Servant depart in peace And here I may set before you as an example to follow this pretious Saint whose sad funerals we now celebrate who by the use of means servent prayer self examination search of the Scriptures meditation on the promises and long patience had attained this assurance this full and certain perswasion of Gods love for when death approched she could say I know in whom I have believed and I go to my God and Father that the time of her redemption was at hand redemption from pain and sickness from sorrow and fin It is not indeed my manner often in this place to make Encomiums of the dead and the Jews have a saying that non facienda sunt monumenta justis monuments are not to be made for the righteous whose words and works are their best monuments and which praise as the righteous man so the vertuous woman in the Gates Prov. 31. 31. In this respect our deceased Pro. 31. 31. friend needs no monument to perpetuate the memory of her worth Her own works will Publish her praise to posterity Yet that I may not seem by silence to bury her vertues with her Ashes give me leave for a few words and that for these two reasons 1. That God may have the glory whilst we shew forth the praises of this Saint whom he long since called from darkness to light in his Kingdom of grace and hath now translated into his Kingdom of Glory 2. That the world may have the benefit of so worthy a pattern and example And though I might inlarge much on this subject yet take what I shall say of her in a few words 1. More generally She was richly