it v. 55. O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory Which he further amplifieth by representing the length and strength of Deaths weapons v. 56. The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law And concludes with this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or song of triumph in the words I have chosen to insist upon But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ Wherein we have this blessed Apostle expressing the courage and yet the humility of a Christian His confidence through Faith and withal the lowly deference that he owns to Almighty God through our Lord Jesus Christ Or more particularly we have the true Christians victory over Death First joyfully reported 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a victory to us Christians over Death Secondly thankfully resented 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thanks be to him that giveth us this victory Thirdly the Author of it acknowledged and magnified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thanks be to God Fourthly the procuring or meritorious cause of this victory signified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through our Lord Jesus Christ I begin with the joyful report of this victory over Death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This word victory is a martial term and intimateth First that Death is an Enemy There may be an obliging victory in the friendly contests of Lovers who endeavour to outstrip each other in offices of kindness and good-will But this victory is of another nature it is like the battel of the warriour with confused noise and garments rolled in blood Isa 9.5 It is the overcoming of a great and formidable enemy Such is Death and that First To the natural concerns of man To destroy either the Soul or Body of man is a work beyond the reach of Death or any other on this side that infinite power that made them both But what Death aims at is the separating of these old friends and dissolving the union that was so intimate between them And this is that which Nature so industriously endeavoureth to maintain that the dissolution must be an act of great violence to it To maintain this union Nature is not only forward to gratifie sense by eating and drinking what is pleasant and delightful but sometimes content to affront and annoy it by submitting to severe abstinences laborious exercises ungrateful and nauseous doses of Physick To maintain this the most greedy Mammonist will break off some pieces of his adored Idol employing his bags to compass this greatest purchase of continued health Yea the industrious Merchant will discharge his Ship of the most promising return to secure what he accounts the most precious thing aboard his life To continue this union how many are content to undergo the tediousness of a lingering distemper and chuse a dying life before death it self To maintain this how many do meet force with force and make their neighbours life a commutation for their own Yea for this end how oft do men expose and sometimes yeild to part with some of the less useful members of their own bodies to secure by composition the health of the whole All which sheweth how earnest desires and what diligent care Nature hath inspired us with of maintaining this union of Soul and Body and perpetuating it as far as may be And consequently what an enemy Death is in attempting the dissolution thereof Secondly to a man in his moral concerns Death is an enemy Even a criminal while he can escape the arrest of the Law thinks the best of his own condition and a sinner while he can hold up his head in the land of the living is apt to bless himself in his own sanguine conceits and to laugh at the doctrine of a Judgment to come But look what an enemy the Malefactor esteems him that hales him before an earthly Tribunal or a Debtor him that calls him to account for his scores such an enemy doth every man that knows himself to have offended and hath not sued out his pardon every man that hath run in score to Gods justice and hath not applied himself to that Surety that so graciously offers to pay his debts esteems Death that comes to bring him before Almighty God as a righteous Judg from whom he may expect a dreadful sentence and the great Creditor to whom he knows himself not responsible Secondly this term Victory supposeth a conflict Over a Coward that dares not to fight or a Town that surrenders upon summons we are not ordinarily said to obtain a victory This is properly the effect of strugling and striving for mastery And with this enemy Death every man hath a great conflict And that both First Eminùs at a distance when it threatens us and thus it begetteth fear which is a passion that commonly makes impression especially upon persons of soft and tender natures not inferiour to those that attend the approaches of evil Especially O death how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that lives peaceably in the enjoyment of his friends to him that is quiet and prosperous in his business and to him that hath an appetite and can relish his meat Ecclus 41.1 This is such a conflict as doth quietos sollicitare disquiets those that are at ease in Sion and disturbs them that are setled upon their Lees. To think that this healthy body must e're long be distempered with diseases that those pleasures that have been the darlings of their souls must everlastingly forsake them that those riches for which they have toiled and laboured must take themselves wings and for ever fly away yea that this stately and beautiful structure of the body must yeild to dissolution and which is more dreadful than all the rest that when the dust shall return to the earth the spirit shall return to God that gave it Eccl. 12.7 to pass an account of the things which it hath done in the body and to receive a reward according to them whether they be good or evil 2 Cor. 5.10 This is that terror of the Lord through which so many are all their life time subject to bondage Heb. 2.16 Secondly and especially Cominùs when Death comes to conflict with us hand to hand when the battel is set in array and pila minantia pilis Can thy heart endure or thy hands be strong in the day when God thus dealeth with thee Ezek. 22.14 When Death is represented in its most ordinary habit this ghastly Skeleton armed with Scyth and Spade beset with the skulls and bones of dead men as trophyes of its multiplied conquests how dismally doth it look how far from the aspect of one that designs to court delicate Ladies yea more like to a Mormo designed to affright mankind But especially when it clothes it self in an habit of extraordinary terror when it appears in the scarlet cloak of a violent calenture in the purple robes of a pestilential feaver when it enamels its weapons with the stone or stains them
and neglected in the grave keeping an everlasting fast yea instead of faring deliciously every day it self must afford a meal to the worms and say to corruption thou art my father Job 17.14 But this is not all nor the worst yet Sixthly Death sends the Soul to be a prey to the worm that never dyes Here is the Morral of Prometheus his Vulture the preying of the Conscience upon it self with the ungrateful and corroding remembrance of the pleasures of this life when they are to part as never to return of the sins of a mans life for which God doth now bring him into judgment of the day of grace which he neglected being like the fool that had a price put into his hands to get wisdom but had no heart to make use of it Prov. 17.16 This is a vengeance worthy of God a punishment suitable to the nature of a separate Soul when it hath not the company of the Body to partake of the other torment the fire that never shall be quenched Mar. 9.44 To this torment death sends the soul as judgmet shall hereafter send the body to the other This is the unhappiness of those that so live as to fear death and justly to fear it because under its power and dominion in the worst and severest sense But as we have seen the dark side let us also take a view of the bright side of the cloud let us Secondly consider the happy and comfortable condition of those that have attained a blessed victory over death and and live in the enjoyment of the sense thereof and so it will appear to be matter of thankfull resentment and worthy of giving praise to the author thereof For First such a man enjoys more comfort in the world then another man doth or can God as a bountiful Creator hath given us variety of comforts in the things of this world and it is his will that we should serve him with gladness and cheerfullness of heart in the abundance of all things Deut. 28.47 And he is best able to rejoyce and take comfort in the fruits of Gods goodness who hath overcome the danger and fear of Death For First This sets his Aflections above the world It is most certain that whatsoever we have of worldly enjoyments either imperat aut servit to some the world is a master to others a servant And as it is a very useful and obsequious servant when it is kept under so it is a very imperious and tyranical master when we subject our selves to it Now he only is a truly free man who hath placed his most lively affections upon better things this frees him from those eager desires after getting more which like a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the body do gnaw the mind with perpetuall unquietness from those distracting sollicitudes about worldly matters which keep the soul continually upon the Rack drawing it this way and that way And in the affluence of the things desired this prevents that puffing up with pride which like a status in the Hippocondries or a tumor in any part of the body renders the mind subject to an uneasy calendure that pinching greediness in keeping together the heap which like a compressed vessel in nature hindring the free motion of the blood and spirits bindeth the soul and hinders it from a comfortable enjoyment of its portion This dischargeth the mind from that anxiety as to losing these things which in many takes away the pleasure they should reap from the enjoyment of them and finally so suits the spirit to a compliance with the Divine Providence that it reckons the lines fallen to it in a pleasant place Psal 16.8 and shakes off that repining and discontent which like an unfit shooe makes a man step uneasily in the condition wherein he walketh Now this is the victory whereby we overcome the World even our Faith 1 Joh. 5.4 This raiseth the heart above it when we with comfort look on our selves as strangers and pilgrims in it and such as seek a better Countrey that is an heavenly Heb. 11.16 Secondly this satisfies a mans mind that his main concerns are secured and the greatest of fears overcome Go thy way eat thy bread drink thy drink with a merry heart for God accepteth thy works Eccl. 9.7 In worldly matters then are we at ease and can enjoy a friend or take satisfaction in any other comfort when our greatest concerns are secured and our main business over And especially in spiritual affairs then do a mans morsels go down sweetly and he doth sleep with freedom and security when the fear of God's wrath is removed and an interest in his love and favour secured This is bread that the World knows not of hidden Manna Rev. 2.17 such joy as a stranger intermedleth not with Prov. 14.10 Such is the sweetness and satisfaction that this affords that the like is in vain sought for in worldly acquisitions Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us And this puts gladness into our hearts more than the men of the World have in the time when their Corn and Wine and Oil encreaseth Ps 4. 6 7. Secondly such a man goes along in the way of his duty with vigour and delight It is a great happiness as well as a duty to cut with a keen edge in doing the will of God to proceed with vigour and to take delight and complacency in doing well And there is nothing so much conduceth to work in us this temper of mind as confidence of a reward added to a conscientious sense of God's command Be not weary of well-doing knowing that in due time ye shall reap if ye faint not Gal. 6.7 Be stedfast unmovable always abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15.58 Thirdly he will pass through the difficulties of a Christian course with courage and serenity of spirit The Apostle tells us that we have need of patience that after we have done the will of God we may inherit the promises Heb. 10.36 because through much tribulation we pass into the kingdom of heaven Act. 14.22 And if we faint in the day of adversity it sheweth our strength to be small Prov. 24.10 Now this consideration that death will put an end to all these troubles and a confident perswasion that death shall be an happy change to us will help us to hold out with courage and chearfulness in opposition to fainting or fretting at the difficulty of the way Thus Moses chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin because he had respect to the rceompence of reward Heb. 11.25 26. Yea the master of that house in which Moses was faithful as a Servant was by the joy that was set before him encouraged to endure the cross and despise the shame Heb. 12.2 Fourthly he will be fit for every condition and know how to
tears flowing from his eyes ver 35. to shew us that we may so now and ought to do it even for them that sleep in Jesus but not as they that have no hope this Sorrow I encourage and yet that it may not swell beyond its just banks this Hope I am about to establish concerning this our worthy Brother In speaking of whom though a passionate Friend and true Lover I shall speak nothing but the words of truth and soberness either known to be true by my own personal acquaintance with him or attested by them that will not be ashamed to own their own testimony And if we begin in digging to the rock whence he was hewen he was a Prophet the Son and Grand-son and Nephew of a Prophet a Priestly Family from which the former Generation sent two and this last Generation four to serve at Gods Altar a sign of worthy and truly Christian bloud running in their veins when they could value the Gospel of Christ and that Office that employs us in the dispensation of it though attended God knows with great troubles above those riches that might have flow'n into them in greater plenty and with more ease in other Employments a true token that they were not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ which they found to be the power of God unto Salvation to those that believe Rom. 1.16 Aâ— câ—â—â—ain conviction of that vulgar Error that boads ill success to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Clergy men when in two Generations the Posterity of such men was blessed Nor need others despair of the like happiness if they be not wanting to themselves in drawing down Gods blessing upon their Families An happy and graceful Ornament to the Church when Coals kindled in the Sanctuary it self produce burning and shining Lights John 5.35 and Bezaleel and Aholiab train up workmen that need not to be ashamed of their work 2 Tim. 2.15 Though Nature doth not alwayes send forth boughes answering the qualities of the root and of the Seed that was sown yet that Cultivation which in the productions of the Earth doth either advance the natural Fruit by melioration or alter the Tree by grafting more generous Off-springs upon the root doth also in Spiritual productions conduce much to make the Branches as well as the Root holy His promoting to the Schools of the Prophets was owing to the care of good Parents The happy proficiency he shewed in his studies there to God's blessing upon his own great industry in tilling that rich soil that fell to his lot Which when it had brought to perfection that plentiful crop that betimes began to groan for the hook invited hungry souls to desire to be fed therewith and brought him to be an early Shepherd in feeding Christ's sheep and lambs Which will lead me on to consider him First in his Preaching and so we find him feeding the flock of God amongst which he was taking the oversight thereof not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind not as lording it over God's heritage but as being an example to the flock 1 Pet. 5.2.3 Preaching the word being instant in season out of season reproving rebuking exhorting with all long-suffering and doctrin 2 Tim. 4.2 And though I am far from being so bold or presumptuous as to censure my brethren who do not think it their duty bis venire ad mulctram yet give me leave to pay due honour to the labours of such who in so doing cannot be suspected to seek any thing else than the benefit of the souls committed to their care For his own part he did willingly spend and was spent for his Flock 2 Cor. 12.15 and burnt our his taper the sooner in humane probability by lighting it as we say at both ends Pertinaciously continuing in his Lord's work even then when himself did by his providence call him off as thinking that Imperatorem decet stentem mori concionatorem concionantem And endeavouring to emulate the industry of some worthy men before him whom death found employed in the ministerial work He had prepared what he was not able to communicate in the Pulpit such instructions as should have helped you in keeping this last Passover so soon after which he went to keep the Feast in Heaven Secondly let us consider him in his life and in this sense whether a Clergy-man Preach more or less in the Church he ought to preach every day to the people by being an example to the Flock 1 Pet. 5.3 and to the Believers a pattern in Word in Conversation in Charity in Faith in Purity Here let us consider him First as the Master of a Family and as the Apostle saith He that knoweth not how to rule his own house how shall he take care of the Church of God 1 Tim. 3.3 In this he was an example to the flock and to other shepherds also In his singular love and tenderness to his Wife manifested as all along so chiefly at last in his fervent prayers for her and her children and his earnest recommending of them to the love and care of surviving friends In his fatherly love and care for his children As to their bodies and the concerns of this life manifest in his denying himself in several respects that he might make a comfortable provision for them As to their souls both in their moral concerns shewed in the good education he afforded them to the qualifying of them in some respects beyond most of their neighbours And in their spiritual concerns manifest in the diligence he used in instructing them by word when they were with him by letters when they were removed from him to remember their Creator to make conscience of their ways and to take care of their souls in the first place and finally by the fervent prayers whereby he recommended them to God at last And I hope I may truly say it as to what hath appeared already and that they will still give me occasion to speak it by what shall appear for the future that his labours of this nature have not been in vain in the Lord. And that herein he hath not only afforded an example to others in doing his duty but also hath left them encouragement to expect that the doing of it shall not want good success in their Families Secondly let us look upon him in a little larger capacity as a neighbour and friend And here we cannot mention without great commendation the perfect concord and tender love that continued between him and his near relations though placed under the disadvantage of some circumstances that might have interrupted that union had not grace and well-tempered spirits continued the cement Beside this his loving and friendly carriage toward all men but especially those of the houshold of Faith did commend him both as a desirable member of Society and as a man adoring that Ministerial Function which employs us in preaching the Gospel of Peace and commending God unto the World