death where is thy sting they may take this all-devouring serpent without any hurt at all into their bosomes they that have their debts paid dare go out of doores and are not afraid to meet the Sergeant they dare looke on death and welcome him as the King of heavens officer to give them possession of an everlasting-inheritance wee feare our friends when they have a vizour on their faces but put it off and we rejoyce in them Excellent was the speech of S. Ambrose to the Nobles of his city which with threats and flatteries were sent to him by the Count Stilico to perswade him to pray unto GOD for the continuance of his life which when the holy Bishop heard he answered divinely J have not so lived amongst you that I am ashamed to live longer nor am J afraid to die because we have a good Lord. Doubtlesse had we beloved brethren as much faith on earth as there is joy in heaven we would not be afraid of death this is the narrow passage betwixt this life and our countrie on this side the bridge we have many troubles many sins many feares many temptations of the Divel which should make us think the worse of our lives and very willing to leave them but on the other side we shall be freed from all trouble from all sin from al molestation of the divel and shall be filled with all the joy our hearts can possibly desire So that hitherto we may apply Sampsons riddle Out of the enter came forth meat and out of the strong came forth sweetnesse Secondly this may serve to moderate our excessive mourning for our friends which die we hope in the LORD David exceeded in his sorrow for Absalon and was there not a cause He did not so at the death of the infant Let us rejoyce Saint Chrysostome saith for the just both living and dead because they are happy let us not in an unseemely manner bewaile them by pulling off our haires baring our armes tearing our faces or putting on mourning garments so saith the father and I say happy are they which have exchanged a base earthly tabernacle for a princely Pallace sorrowes for joy and earth for heaven and me thinkes our blessed brother now deceased if he had intercourse with us mortall creatures would say to his deare wife lying in her teares children and friends as our Saviour did to those pious women that followed him Daughters of Ierusalem weepe not for me but weepe for your sâ—lves you know my fastings my meditations my watchings and know you brethren that godly Ministers do purposely watch and meditate for you when you are or would be a sleep You know my griefe for my owne calamities and for the calamities of GODS Church and by your owne experience you may know what sharpe combats I have had with that raging enemie the Divell and what wounds I have received in the conflict now do I feare no perils on the land or sea no perils in the house or in the field now am J victorious over Satan and have trampled him under my feet and now he hath nothing at all in mee and now am J crowned with glorie and would you my deare friends be so unkind to me to wish me alive againe and to run the former hazards Kings and Queenes are willing to marrie their daughters to forraine Princes and never looke to set their eyes onthem againe and should we mourne too much for his absence and not rather rejoyce with him for his happier estate then this earth can afford When Iacob heard that his beloved Ioseph was alive and governour over all the Land of Aegypt his fainting heart revived no lesse ought the consideration of the glorie of departed servants of GOD cheere up our drooping and sad hearts for them and excite us to desire the fruition of the same glorie And this is my next point to be handled I desire saith S. Paul to be dissolved and to be with CHRIST It 's the fore-sight of heavenly glory and being with CHRIST that makes a man desire to die Some men indeed would die because there is nothing in this world for them to expect but miserie and shame and these do little lesse sometimes then call for the rocks to fall upon them that they might end their wretched daies as Iob saith they long for death and dig for it more then for hid treasure which rejoyce exceedingly and are glad when they can finde the grave this motive swaied not Saint Paul but onely this that he might be with CHRIST I grant to desire death simply as death is against the Law of GOD and the law of nature death is our enemie and is not from GOD creationes by creation though it be truly from him ultione to revenge the sins of man saith Florus de praedest or as others say it is from him ordinatione because in justice he ordained death corporall as one part of the punishment which was due for the sinne of man and hence our Saviour CHRIST himselfe who knew no sin at all viewing death as it is in it selfe considered declined it let this cup passe and so did Saint Paul too we will not saith he be uncloathed the parting of these good friends body and soule without some further end is a grievous separation this harmelesse innocent nature teacheth and as death is further a meanes to cut off all possibility to profit others and to helpe the poore Church of CHRIST with our labours â—â—…us piety and grace may move them to pray with David LORD let my soule live These cautions are premised to prevent mistaking in the point but now which is to my purpose Consider death as it is a way meanes to bring us to the presence of CHRIST so it may be holily desired our Saviour CHRIST who said let this cup passe said also as his death was our life I have a Baptisme to be baptized withall and how am I pained till it be accomplished and nót only I Paul but we that are faithfull that are in this tabernacle do groane earnestly ver 2. not for that we would be uncloathed but cloathed upon that mortality might be swallowed up of life and after we are willing rather to be absent from the body and present with the LORD It s the love that a child should be borne into the world not the love of paine that makes the mother desire the travell in child-birth excellently saith Saint Basil properanti ad coebestem paetriam c. to him that makes hast to the countrey which is above the stay in the body is more grievous then any paine or any prison and it is said that Peter and Andrew welcomed their crosses as they were wont to doe their dearest friends and imbraced them in their armes and saluted them with kisses of peace Ignatius encouraged wild beasts to devoure him that he might be
in hell could have but another life in this world nay if those which have but seene them or rather as I believe in my instance the strong imagination of such a terrible sight I would not wonder if they proved the greatest Saints on earth Venerable Bede tels as he thinks a true story of one Drithelme by name the man lived in Northumberland who was raised from death to life and reported wondrous things which he had heard and seene both of joy and paine which wrought this great effect as there is chronicled that he utterly detested this present life and abandoned all worldly cares chastised his old impotent body with daily fasting plunging himselfe in Winter season into the cold water singing of Psalmes and devoutly praying and when the beholders said Brother Drithelme this is a marvellous thing that you can possibly suffer such bitter and sharp cold marvell not saith he for I have seene places colder then these Let this move thee to seeke the LORD while he may be found the benefit of this life you cannot long enjoy and when it is once past it is ever past you cannot recover it though you had in your power a thousand worlds to give to redeeme it And as for us fellow souldiers and deare Christians let us hold fast that goodnesse which we have let us play the men let us be couragious constant and never weary of well-doing let neither divell nor man take our crownes away from us never looke to enjoy a state which is best of all without much opposition Pharaoh will pursue you with all his power to bring you back into servitude but do you like stout Champions repell the temptations of the divell as Gregory Nyssen instructeth you Avant thou cursed and unhappy creature I am a dead man a dead man loves not bodily pleasures a dead man is not caught with riches a dead man slandereth not a dead man is no lier c now have I another kinde of life and another rule of life then formerly I had I have learned to contemne earthly things and to set my mind on heavenly things That which Saint Hierom spoke of judgement we may apply to the joyes of heaven let them be painted on the walls of our houses and in every corner thereof that they may be alwaies before our eyes as Captaines do encourage their Souldiers to fight for their country lives profession c. so doe I say to you brethren it is the LORD of Hosts whose battailes you fight it is your own salvation which is in hazard your enemies would rob you of grace and deprive you of happinesse if you give up your weapons you are undone and firebrands of hell be valiant therefore and keepe this treasure this pretious treasure which CHRIST saith S. Bernard did judge to be more pretious then his owne blood if I had kept the blood of CHRIST which dropped from him as he hanged on the Crosse in a glasse how carefull should I be to keep it and must I not be carefull of my soule which is a pretious treasure kept in an earthen vessell if thou art poore in thine outward estate and CHRIST be thy portion thou art rich enough care not for outward poverty be the LORDS servant now thou shalt be with CHRIST hereafter which is best of all If thou art afflicted in thy body with any grievous disease care not for that if afflictions work kindly to mortifie thy sinne now thou shalt be with CHRIST hereafter which is best of all if thou art basely esteemed and persecuted by wicked men care not for that if this be for righteousnesse and out of a desire to keep a good conscience thou shalt be with CHRIST hereafter which is best of all If thou hast but weake indeavours and a litle strength to goodnes if thou strivest to be better art a conquering thy sin be not daunted hereat thou shalt be with CHRIST hereafter which is best of all And to reflect upon our deceased brother now hast thou happy soule that which thou hast so much longed for thy death is the death of all thy defects the beginning of everlasting happinesse thy faithfullnesse thy integrity thy zeale have procured to thee a crowne of glory now hast thou thy fill of happinesse O blessed art thou that maist see the LORD face to face that thou maist enjoy the happy sight of thy sweet Saviour thou beholdest thousands of Angels the Assembly of our first Parents the seates of the Apostles the tribunals of the Prophets the scepters of the Patriarkes the crownes of the Martyrs and the praises of all just men made perfect as Saint Basil saith VER 24. Neverthelesse to abide in the flesh is more needfull for you Our Apostle hath made it knowne unto us why in respect of himself he desired to die and of this I have already spoken now doth he in this verse acquaint us with the reason why he should desire to live because his life made more for the profit and advantage of the Philippians then his death could doe For making the way to the maine point which I doe onely aime at five things are to be cleared 1. What is meant by Flesh the mortall body in which the soule dwelleth by a Synecdoche flesh being a conspicuous part thereof 2. What is it to live in the flesh it is to live a naturall life preserved by naturall meanes as eating drinking sleeping c. we walke in the flesh though we do not warre after the flesh yet take him not as if he meant to abide alwaies in the flesh and by a priviledge to be exempted from death which is appointed for all men but he meanes deliverance from those present bonds and the continuance of his life for a time to the furtherance of their faith and joy 3. Marke here and in the former verse that our Apostle speakes as if his soule was himselfe and as if his body was no essentiall part of man this is not true in propriety of speech and therefore is to be taken improperly by a Synecdoche Integri promembro the whole is put for a part here for a principall part of Paul the same trope in the like phrases touching our Saviour CHRIST is by a kind of Appropriation called by Divines the Communication of properties and these arousefull termes happily invented to cleare these and many obscure Texts of Scripture touching our Saviour But to returne to our Apostle Saint Paul consisteth of flesh and spirit or soule and body and yet Saint Paul saith for him to abide in the flesh is more profitable for them When hee died he was with CHRIST how not with his body but with his soule Saint Paul is dead and hath seene corruption How in body not in soule Saint Paul in propriety of speech abideth not in the flesh but his spirit a principall part of Paul that is it which during
the having saving graces in truth that assures us of GODS gratious acceptation of us in this world so doe they also by GODS free promise obtaine reward in heaven instantly upon the dissolution as Saint Cyprian spoke to Demetrian us though a blasphemous Ethnick that if he would at the end of his life pray to GOD for the pardon of his sins beleeve and confesse him he should be translated sub ipsa morte to immortality why not the soule being purged clearely from the impurity and staine of sin by the completion state of grace which gets full dominion in the very moment of her departure out of the body as Alexander Halensis Durandus and other learned Schoolemen have resolved and it is not defined in that Church whether the deordination of the will and whether vitious affections as too much love to wife and children remaine in the soule saith Estius yet doe we grant this to be true that the more gracious any man is in this world the more is he now respected of GOD the more glorious shall he be hereafter The point it self is clearly proved by the New Testament There is no condemnation to such as are in CHRIST JESVS None and therfore not to purgatory paines For the name damnation extendeth to Purgatory saith Th. in 4. Senten dist 45. q. 2. Sixtus Senensis l. 6. Annotat 47. No condemnation saith the Apostle yes that there is damnation to the fire of Purgatory saith the Jesuite Malon Whether will you beleeve againe Wee know that if the earthly house of this our tabernacle shall be destroyed we have a building not made with hands but eternall in the heavens S. Chrysostome rendreth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when to note the time immediatly after death he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we have not I know not after how many years we shall have which may further appeare by the Apostles scope which was to administer consolation to the afflicted as appeares by the end of the former Chapter that they should after death goe to an eternall house statim post mortem acquirenda forthwith to be possessed after death as Estius sheweth out of Photius Anselme and Thomas which else could be but small comfort unto them if they believed they should be detained in a fiery prison farre hotter and more intollerable then any punishment in this world can be and that the soules of the faithfull were in a state of happines before the Ascension of CHRIST into Heaven is cleare though neither they nor the Angels were so happy for degree as after the incarnation of our Saviour is generally concluded and by cleare demonstrations confirmed the point I say is cleare I build not my faith on the book of Wisdome though it binds Papists to the beliefe thereof that saith the soules of the righteous are in the hands of GOD and there shall no torment touch them no torment then not the torment of Purgatory but behold a crystall streame which is able to quench the flames of Purgatory if a wicked man will turne from all his sinnes c. he shall surely live he shall not die all his transgressions that he hath committed shall not be mentioned to him How doth he not remember if he doth so severely punish that it passeth the imagination of man to conceive the greatnesse thereof can there be a back reckoning for that which shall never be remembred and saying that not a few but al his sins shall be forgotten will he yet punish them to satisfie for any sins at all and is it not an easie thing unto the LORD in the day of death to reward a man according to his waies Call you this a reward for a good man to be thrust into a place of torment this present life is a time of working striving running sowing and godly living after death is the time of reaping of receiving wages garlands and crownes an unjust thing it is to detaine the labourers wages which reason I suppose is as strong against Purgatory as against those Armenians whom our Adversaries do worthily confute and how is it imaginable that if he good in the old Law supposed then dead went first to torment that they did not tremble for feare of death how could they as they did depart in peace and how is it imaginable that GOD who appointed sacrifices for all sorts of sins and pollutions should appoint neither expiation nor sacrifice nor satisfaction to be made for the soules of the dead surely there appeares not to us any token of any such thing and therefore we may fairely conclude that all the soules of the righteous then were translated into a state of happinesse This Doctrine being thus briefly cleared we may from hence draw many conclusions Hence it followeth that the soule dieth not with the body as the Sadduces that pestiferous sect amongst the Jewes did damnably maintaine for as they denied the resurrection and the being of Angels so did they say there was no spirit no spirituall substance at all saith Scaliger which without all doubt is the truth in the judgement of Scultetus so grosse were these Sadduces in their apprehensions and as a wicked branch of this sottish stock of Sadduces there sprung up certaine Arabians which held that the soule perished together with the body as witnesseth Eusebius A fit doctrine for enlarging the kingdome of the divell but that the soule is immortall my Text proveth how else could it part from the body and be with CHRIST unlesse it was a seperable substance sith the body is not with CHRIST till after the generall resurrection whence is there is naturall confcience that accusing power for sin that feare of wrath but from this principle that the soule is immortall never make any question of this when thou diest thy soule which is thy better part dieth not but is taken out of thy body as a candle out of a lanthorne and immediatly placed either in blisse or in torment Hence may we in the second place conclude against the Anabaptists and Socinians which though they went not so far as the Sadduces to deny the resurrection yet did these fantastiques dreame that the soule sleepeth till Doomes day and is in a state of incensibility like some creatures in Winter insecta till they be quickned and revived by the heat of the Sun so they of soules till they be raised by the power of the LORD at the last day but how then could Saint Paul be with CHRIST but to say no more against these silly dreamers I proceed In the third place that conceit also falls to the ground which prevailed with many of the antient Fathers and with some later writers that the soules of the righteous see not GOD till the last day but are kept in certaine receptacles in expectation therof
Christian that desires to have all his sinnes unbowelled and discovered shall find the losse of a gracious soule-searching Minister he that would have rules to avoid particular sins and to make progresse in all vertues shall find the losse of a copious and experienced directour he that is wounded in conscience shall find the losse of a skilfull Surgeon who in that art was one of a thousand to restore righteousnesse the vertuous rich and humble poore Christians that feared GOD shall find the losse of a loving friend and a gracious supporter those that are in wants and truly religious shall find to my knowledge the losse of a liberall reliever and comforter nay poore condemned Christians shall find the losse of a charitable instructour and what shall I say more the whole Land shall find the losse of a zealous pillar and of a powerfull prevailer with GOD for the continuance of our happinesse so that all had cause to pray not as the dresser of the barren fig-tree but as for a fruitfull tree LORD let it stand one yeare nay many yeares longer but the greater our losse is of him the greater is the gaine unto himselfe and as he is crowned with glory in heaven so his remembrance to many of us will be like that of Iosias to the Jewes It is sweet as honie in all mouthes and as musicke at a banquet of wine This consideration may be of good use for GODS people First that they would set a high price on good Ministers and afford them a singular measure of love as to spirituall fathers GOD honouring them so highly as joyning them with himselfe as co-workers in the regeneration and salvation of his people against whom Satan and his instruments are most enraged towards such let the affections of GODS people be most enflamed though their persons may be contemptible yet in regard of their high calling as they are CHRISTS Ambassadours they are venerable they are deare unto GOD you cannot contemne nor reverence them but this reacheth unto heaven and in the last resolution reflects on CHRIST himselfe CHRIST is interessed both in the contempt and in the respect you shew towards them Secondly it should teach them another duty to pray heartily to GOD for them that GOD would give his Vrim and his Thummim to his holy ones this was the prayer of Moses for the Tribe of Levi think of them as Saint Iames said of Elias That they are men subject to like passions that you are conceive us not to be of Laodicean temper to stand in need of nothing we are no better nor so good as Saint Paul and yet good Saint Paul is frequent in his exhortations to the people to pray for him brethren we had need of your prayers none more need then we something it is that Saint Paul in his prayer for the Churches useth this forme Grace be unto you and peace but when he writes to Timothy and to Titus separated for the service of GOD he prayes for Grace Mercy and Peace for them They in speciall manner it seemes do stand in need of GODS mercy pray for such then and for their continuance that they may live be guides to the blind lights to them that sit in darkenesse Instructors of the ignorant and by a godly life examples to the flocke over which the LORD hath made them Over-seers Get now all the good you can from profitable Ministers while you enjoy them heare them every LORDS day as though it was the last day you should heare them whiles the yeares of plenty last store up with good Ioseph provision which may preserve your lives if a dearth should come like the shel-fish sucke in that moisture while you are in the waters which may preserve you on the dry land When Nilus over-flowed the bankes the Egyptians were so wise to dig pits to retaine the water to serve their turne when the water of the river returned into its channell Doe thou so for thy soule in regard of the waters of life store now thy selfe with the bread of heaven least thou finde to thy griefe the greatnesse of a benefit in the losse thereof unwise they are that know not the true worth of blessings but by wanting them which wisemen had rather learne by keeping them O carry thy selfe towards them as Saint Irenaeus did towards that blessed Martyr Polycarpus many yeares after he did keep fresh in memory the disputations of Polycarpus his goings out and commings in his manner of life the shape of his body his Sermons to the people how he conversed with Saint Iohn the Apostle and with others which saw the LORD he could recite what he reported as spoken by them c. such a deepe impression in his soule there was left many yeares after Polycarpe was a glorious Saint in heaven and I beleeve that this our brothers unaffected gravity his wise carriage and many of his gracious speeches are written with the pen of an adamant in some Christians which will be legible in them so long as they live Lastly let us of the Clergie while we live do all the good we can and put forth our selves with all laboriousnesse before the day of harvest the gifts of the Spirit are given to profit withall Gods gives these ministeriall talents to this end and let us imploy our talents to attaine this end while we continue in this Tabernacle let us not cease to put men in mind of their duty as Saint Peter professed he would doe let us pity the case of all disobedient persons let other fishers if they thinke good fish for riches or for vaine applauses but let our chiefe aime be to deliver a sinner from the pit of destruction and rather to speake five words in compassion to save a soule then five thousand for any sinister end whatsoever the soule of the poorest man is very pretious and the losse of it cannot be redeemed with a world it is sinne that looseth the soule O how unhappy are all sinners how miserable which would make GODS servants shed rivers of teares if they thought advisedly thereof and mourne over them as our Saviour did over Ierusalem when he beheld their present security and foresaw their future ruine If thou hadst knowne these things that concerne thy peace how happy hadst thou then beene let us then be faithfull and laborious and so much the rather now ought we to be laborious to make up this breach for the losse of our brother if GOD enables us the LORD himselfe is the heavenly teacher of this lesson by a just proportion in a like case Moses my servant is dead now therefore arise Ioshuah be strong and of a good courage this our brother GODS servant is dead let us therefore who doe by the goodnesse of GOD remaine yet alive in a better degree then formerly be faithfull in our callings let us be more industrious
in reading in meditating in conscionable preaching and in a holy walking in the feare of GOD that so we may repaire what we may our great losse by the death of him and truly we have great encouragements so to do for as GOD was with Moses and promised to be with Ioshuah so will the same GOD if we continue so doing make the same word good unto us he will be with us He will never leave us nor forsake us and when this short uncertaine vaine and wretched life is ended we are already assured that every one of us shall heare to our everlasting comfort that blessed sentence Well done thou good and faithfull servant thou hast beene faithfull over a few things I will make thee ruler over many things enter thou into the joy of thy LORD Which he for his mercy sake grant unto us all Amen FINIS The losse of a good Minister Pauls strait 2 Sam 24. 14. Summe Parts Exposition Luk. 12. 36. Doct. 1. Death cannot be avoided 2 Cor. 2. 5. 2 Sam. 14. 14. Eccles 8. 8. Psal 62. 8 9. Life swift Iob. 9. 26. v. 25 Job 3. 14 19. Cyprian de mortal Benefits of short life Chrysost one observes it as a worke of mercy to sinners to die spee dy Hom lib. 29. in Gen. Quo eâ—â—â—t vita diuturnior co fieret culpa numerosior Amb. de Bono Mortis c. 4 longe illis plus damnatio profuisset ne incrementa facerent peccatorum idem ca 7. ejusdem libri Heb. 10. 34. 37. Vse 1. Mortality fits for Heaven Psal 90. 12. Psal 39 4. Esay 40. Zach. 1. 5. Esay 56. 12. Esay 22. 13. Wisd 2. 6. 2. A vanity to depend on mortall men Psal 136. 3. Iob. 8. 13. Ezek. 10. 19. Psal 146. 4. Fox Acts page 1480. 3. Vaine-glory checked Greg. Nyss in Mat. 5. Beati pauperes spiritu Ser. de Beat. 4. Covetousnesse checked Job 1. 20. Knolls Turkish Hist p. 73. Mat. 16. 26. 5. Deserre not repentance Aug. Conf l. 8. c. 7. c. 11. Acts 18. Renew Repentance speedily 1 King 16. 9. 6. Take the opportunity of doing good Gal. 5. 10. Joh. 9. Eccl. 9. 10. Jer. 8. 7. Apoc 12. 12. Basil 3. Ser. iâ— Hexaem 7. Short life a ground of patience Rom. 13. 11. 1 Cor 2. 9. 2 Cor. 4. 17. How Saints are with Christ Phil 3. 20. Colos 2. 5. John 17. 24. 2 Cor. 5. 6. Mat. 28. 20. Luk. 23. 43. Doctrine 2. Saints immediatly ascend after death to Christ 2 Cor 11. 23. Cypr. de mortalit ad finem fere Lib. 4. dist 21. Sect. 3. Rom. 8. 1. Against Purgatory Malen against B. Vsher p. 493 2 Cor. 5. 1. Lib. 4. dist 25. Sect. 2. Wisdome 4. 1 2 3. Ezek. 18. 22. Eccles 11. 26. Alphonso à Castro contra baer baer 5. Bell. l. 1. de beat c. 3. Vse 1. The soule immortall Acts 23 8. Exercilat Evaâ—g l. 1. c. 23 Euseb Eccles Hist l. 3. c. 36. 2. The seule sleeps not as the body Bullinger coÌ„tra Anaba l. 4. c. 10 3. Soules departed immediately see God Sixtus Senensis bibl San. lib. 6. Annotat. 345. 4. Christ absent in body 2 Cor. 5. 8. Hannius tracta de personâ Christi p. 12. Philip Nichol. l. 1. de omnipraesentia bominis Christi c. 6. 5. Against Purgatory Discipulus de tempore ser 60. litera B. Apoc. 9. 5. Pro. 17 8. Fox Acts pag. 249. 6. Against praying for the dead Balthaesar Lydius Nota in disputat Taber pag. 202. Mat. 12 36. Vse of Instruction 1. Death not to be feared Heb. 2. 15. Iob. 18. 14. 1 Cor. 15. Paulinus in vita Ambrosij ad B. August Judg. 14. 14. 2. Mourne not immoderatly for the dead Chrys in locum 2 Sam. 12. 23. Luk. 23. 28. Gen. 45. 27. Doctrine 3. Foresight of being with Christ makes willing to dâ—e Iob. 3. 21 23. Death simply not desired Florus cited by B Vsher in hist Gotesol p 132. 2 Cor. 5. 4. Psal 119. 175. Luk. 12. 50. 2 Cor. 5. 4. Ver. 8. Basil de laudibus Iustitiae 2 Sam. 10. 22. Ioh. 8. 56. Luk. 1. 44. Luk. 10. 24. Vse 1. Wicked ones cannot bee with Christ Jer. 18. 22. 2 King 6. 26 27. Gen 42. 12. Psal 50. 21. 2 King 9 33. 2. Get assurance of Christ 1. Faith gives assurance of Christ Heb. 3. 6. 1 Sam. 17. 45. 2. Assurance of being with Christ what it works Mat 5. 25. Ezek. 33. 15. Iob. 31. 38. 3. Spiritual watch Mar. 13 37. Mat 24. 42. Gen 32. Iudg 16. 19 20 4. Frequent meditation on death Lamen 1. 9. Mat. 24. 48. Deut. 32. 29. 5. Continuall prayer Psal 39. 21. 90. 12. Luk 2. 32. Sozom lib. 1. Histor cap 13. 6. Sincerity Esay 55. 7. 7. Thankes for Redemption from death Plutar. in vita Flami Florus Hist Rom. li. 2 7. Euseb lib. 1 de vita Const c. 33 34. What comforts in death Esay 38. 3. Note Quest How it is best to be with Christ Sol. Aquin. 1 2. q. 3 art 8. sine contradictione Doctrine 4. Christs glorious presence the best 2 Sam. 14. Reason I. Sin in the best on earth Aug. de natura gratia c. 36. 1 Joh. 1. 8. 2. Death freeth from all crosses 3. Death freeth from all feare 4. Death freeth from all temptations 2 Tim. 4. 8. Zach. 3. 1. 5. Death freeth from ill company Psal 120. 5. Vse 1. Cyril de vita B. Hieronymi ad finem Epist B. Hieron Ester 7 4. Guliel Melmes Continuator Bedae c 3. Beda Hist or Aug l. 5. c. 13. Courage against death Gregor Nyssen Sancto Bapti Oratio Hier Epist ad Eustachium Bernard ser 3. de Adventu Dom. Basil de Bapt. fol. 147. Coherence Exposition 2 Cor. 10. 3. Phil. 1. 12. John 3. 13. John 6. 62. Acts 20 28. Good Shepheards preferre the welfare of their sheep to their own glory Chrysost in locun Doctrine 5. A Ministers life more profitable then his death Rom. 15. 19. Mat. 24 27. Psal 19. 6. Coloss 1. 6. Tertul adversus Iudaeos 2 Cor. 10. 5. 2 King 18. 39. 1. 1. Ministers convert soules 2 Thess 2. 14. Rom. 10. 14. Mat. 5. 13. 2 Cor. 3. 8. Ephes 4 11. 2. Ministers restraine mens corruptions See Bradward de causa Dei l. 2. c. 3. 2 Chro. 24. 21. 2 Chron. 26. 5. Iob 29. 8 9 10 2. 3. Ministers mortifie reliques of sinne Pro. 20. 9. Jer. 23. 29. 4. Minâ—ster discover secret sins Psal 19. 12. Basil institutio aspiran ad vitam perfectam 1 Cor. 14. 25. Heb. 4. 12. Ephes 3. 10. 5. Ministers revoke men into the right way Iam. 3. 2. 6. Ministers confirme grace begun Mat. 5. 13. Hiero in Amos. 7. Ministers increase grace Hiero. ad Demetrium Reason 3. Ministers cause blessings 1 Kings 2. 12. 2 Kings 13. 14 Exod. 32. 25. Num. 16. 47. Iustin Martyr Apog 1. pro Christianâ— Theod Sanctor Patrum historia Iacobus Esay 3. 2. Esay 57. 1. Cum aliquis vulâ—u specie gravitatis reverendus decidit afficior quia destituitur grex juvenum muro senili deâ—ique periturae urbis aut malorum imminentium vel futura labis hoc primum indicium est c. S. Amb. de Cain Abel l. 2 c 3. Vse 1. Against invocation of Saints Ioh. 14 13. 16. 23. Rom. 8. 34. Heb. 9. 6 7 c. Rollok on Col. fol. 17 1 lin 9. 2. Losse of Ministers not regarded by many Hos 7. 11. Pro. 13. 35. Ier. 5. 3. 3. Hatred of powerfull Ministers blamed Acts 20. 27. Ignat. Epist ad Trallian 4. The death of good Ministers to be lamented Ester 4 2. Acts 8. 2. Bradford Master Boultons life * Sometimes a Cantabrigian and student in Christs Colledge Epistle Dedicatory to Sir Robert Carre Note Philemon 19. Luke 13. 8. Eccles 49. 1. Vses to be made of the death of Ministers Ministers to be highly prized 1 Thess 5. 12 13. 1 Cor 3. 9. Luke 10. 16. 2. Ministers to be prayed for Deut. 33. 8. Iam. 5. 17. Revel 3. 17. 3. All the good that may be to be reaped from Ministers Euseb Eccl Hist l. 5. c. 18. 4. Doe good while the day last 1 Cor. 12. 7. 2 Pet. 1. 12 19 Luke 19 41. Mat. 23. Iosh 1. 2 6. Iosh 1. 5. Heb. 13. 5. Mat. 26. 23.
the terme of his naturall life abideth in the flesh or body 4. More necessary This is not spoken simply but comparatively it was not absolutely necessary for the Church that S. Paul should live for GOD could even then as after his departure he did provide other Instructours to build his Church and House but yet it was more necessary for their profit that he should live then die 5. For you But why more necessary was it not because his appointed time to die was not yet come this is true but personall He mentioneth that which concernes the Philippians that they might take notice how carefull he was for them and how thankfull they ought to be to GOD for him My life is more needfull for you for the furtherance of your faith and piety Q. Did Saint Paul desire to live only for the good of the Philippians Sol. He neither saith it nor thinketh it He saith his life was more needfull for the Philippians so it was but he saith not only for them Q. Why then doth he only name them Answ Because he only writeth to them Behold a patterne of admirable love in a Shepheard to the sheep of CHRIST preferring their welfare to his own present glory What Merchant saith Saint Chrysostome having his vessell fraught with rich commodities if he could safely arrive at a haven would doubt to do so rather then be still tossed in the sea What Champion would-strive for the mastery when he might weare the corruptible crowne What Commander when he might rest at home in glory after a triumphant victory would rather still continue the fight to the hazard of his life and honour and yet this is S. Pauls choise wherein he resembles a woman that hath husband children her husband is in a far country she is with her children she may go to him whom her soule doth chiefely love and there she shall be abundantly provided for but then she must leave her children behind her and what then will become of you my poore children it would be better indeed for me to be with my husband but it would be worse with you then now it is for your sakes therefore it is that I neglect mine owne present honour to do you good Leaving this discourse the words do naturally yeeld us this Doctrine which I will handle being pertinent to our present purpose The life of a faithfull Minister doth more good and is more profitable for GODS people then his death This doth S. Paul witnesse of himselfe yet from this particular and worthy example the grounds and reasons of his assertion being common and the same in others that they were in him the doctrine is generally true of every faithfull Pastour that they doe more good to the living Saints while they themselves doe live then when they are dead The Word of GOD in the mouthes of the Ministers is not weake but mighty in operation able to cast downe strong holds and whatsoever opposeth it selfe to it though Satan be the strong man that keeps possession yet the LORD is stronger and can cast him out See the efficacy and wonderfull working of the Gospell that Saint Paul could say for his part only that from Ierusalem round about unto Illyricum he had fully preached the Gospell of CHRIST and as the lightening commeth out of the East and shineth to the West and as the Suns going forth is from the ends of the heaven and his circuit to the ends of it and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof so in Saint Pauls time the Gospell was come into all the knowne parts of the world and brought forth fruit as it did amongst the Colossians thus did the Gospell strangely spread it selfe by the preaching of GODS servants even while Saint Paul himselfe was alive and after the Apostles by their Successours as they were Pastours as the soule in the body so were Christians dispersed in the world even the Getulians Moores Spaniards Galls and the Britans the Sarmatians also Germanes and Scythians do believe in CHRIST before whom the gates of all Cities are throwne open and none are shut against him before whom also the iron locks are broken and the brazen gates are opened i. e. the hearts of very many that were holden fast locked by the divell are now unlocked by the faith of CHRIST saith Tertullian What instrument was ever too weake to effect GODS will if he tooke it in hand though the Apostles presence was but weak and their speech rude and their words distastfull and unwelcome to the world yet did they prevaile or if they had been to preach to Infants and children not seasoned with inveterate idolatry it had beene no great mastery to have brought them to the faith of CHRIST as it was no great glory to the Spaniard to vanquish the Indians when Benzo the Italian reported that he durst be one of the 25. that would fight with ten thousand nay with twenty thousand of that naked people but the case is altered now for 1. The Apostles were but few for number and of no great reckoning in the world 2. For the same men to teach a strange doctrine to believe on CHRIST crucified and to be ready to lay downe their lives for him if they looked to go to heaven 3. To preach to the world when many of them did seeke after wisdome and secular Philosophy as did the Grecians many after state policy and war as did the Romans and all of them trained up in a long continued will-worship and damnable idolatry of a deepe die yet the Gospell by the preaching of it as Aarons rod amongst the serpents of the Magicians devoured them all and brought them to acknowledge allegiance to it surely this should make us cry out as the people did upon the proofe that Elias made the LORD he is GOD the LORD he is GOD. Now the LORD doth this great worke by the Ministery of living men and sometimes by weake men that the excellency of the power may be ascribed to GOD and not to man and thus you see in generall the great profit which accompanies the work of the Preachers in the plantation and foundation of Churches let us consider some particular benefits which redound to them which are actuall members of a visible Church and they are either 1 in regard of the bad or 2 in regard of those that are good or 3 in regard of all sorts both good and bad First I say their life is more needfull in regard of those that are actually as yet in the state of unregeneration and that in a double respect First to be a powerfull meanes of converting the Elect and to bring them to all the degrees of salvation other professions do aime at the good of this life the Physician at the health of the body the Lawyer is for the right of his Client but the end of the Ministery alone is chiefely to
save mens soules Vocation that is by the preaching of the Gospell Justification another degree of salvation that is for CHRIST his sake by faith which is given by hearing the Minister Sanctification another degree of salvation in this life is by preaching of the Word in regard of dying to sin the Minister is as the salt of the earth in regard of living to righteousnes it s the Word of grace by which we are sanctified What had become of Paulus Sergius of Onesimus of Lydia and of many Churches if they had not beene called to GOD by the preaching of S. Paul who restored those to life saith S. Chrysostome which had sixe hundred ulcers by sin but what need I instance in particulars the consciences of millions converted can witnesse that Ministers have beene their spirituall fathers their preaching hath beene the key to open the Kingdome of Heaven and they are appointed by GOD for the gathering of the Saints Secondly their life is profitable if not to convert yet to civilize people and to restraine the corruption of nature even reason and Philosophy over-ruled Pythagorus by nature the worst of men as Philemon the Astrologer conjectured to conquer his naturall propensions to vice and to become as his Schollers thought the best and the most worthy man that lived much more effectuall sure is the Word preached to produce morall vertues and to enable some to doe morall workes rationally out of the sway of right reason though not obedientially with a pure intention to obey and glorifie GOD preaching is a banke to hinder the inundation of sinne and to keepe men in outward conformity this keeps calmenesse upon the face of the Church and mankind which otherwise might degenerate into savage brutishnesse Herod was better by hearing Iohn and reformed many things that were amisse and by their meanes they may have many graces of the spirit it is the influence of the same Sun which ripeneth both the grape and the crab it is the same spirit also which helpeth the wicked in their morall and the godly in their spirituall workes those I speake of may have illumination and a taste of the heavenly gift and may propagate GODS truth to others as Ioash the King did all the daies of Iehojada the high Priest and Vzziah in the daies of Zachariah the Prophet and who sees not that the presence of a godly man doth bridle the tongues of the wicked from wicked speeches though sore to their griefe as Iob saith in my prosperity the young men saw me and hid themselves the Princes refrained talke the Nobles held their peace c. and the same is reported of Cato that they would forbeare to speake uncomely things on the stage while he was present and if swearers rap out unawares prophane oathes in the presence of a grave man they checke one another know you not that such a one heard you the divell dares not shew himselfe a divell in his colours in the presence of such a reverend man as this our brother was Secondly the life of a Minister is more needfull then his death in regard of those that are effectually called First because there is after conversion much corruption and sinne in GODS people to be mortified whereof they may justly complaine as did Saint Paul Rom. 7. the best Christians are like peeces of gold they are too light and must have their graines of allowance to make them currant Who can say my heart is cleane he proposeth the point in his armour by way of demand making his chalenge to all the world with his triumphant negative knowing that no man durst step forth none could justly say I am entirely innocent I am as good as I ought to be as good as the holy Law requireth that I should be Private helps I know as prayer fasting meditation have their force to abate the strength of sinne but yet the lively two edged sword the sword of the Spirit in the mouthes of GODS Ministers hath the preheminence that is the fire to wast it and the hammer to bruise a hard heart Secondly their Ministery is needfull to discover sins after renovation there are secret darke corners in our hearts which are deceitfull wherein wickednesse doth lurk Who can tell how often he offends cleanse me from secret sins If unknowne sins were in David who was a man of an excellent spirit of great understanding and a strict examiner of his owne heart can any man say in truth he is free from them Saint Basil saith it becomes all men to acknowledge that they are not worthy to speake before the divine Majesty because they are sinners we are guilty of many faults which we know not in that respect we may say with our Apostle I know nothing by my selfe yet am I not justified thereby that is I sin greatly but I do not understand it Hence the Prophet saith Who understands his faults thou wilt confesse if thou art wise that thou art a greater sinner then other men so Basil private meanes such as are the looking into the law of liberty friendly reproofes and instruction and such like are much availeable yet that which doth most lively discover it is prophesie that is it which unbowels corruption and best displaies the hidden nakednesse of old Adam and which doth exceedingly advance the honour of the Ministery by the praching of the Gospell Angels yea chiefe Angels as Principalities and Powers have learned what formerly without sin they did not know the manifold wisdome of GOD in the dispensation of the vnsearchable riches of CHRIST to the Gentiles Thirdly many are the steppings aside out of GODS way in regard of actuall sins even in the most sanctified in many things we sin all David did so and Peter did so and what sheep of CHRIST doth not so checks of conscience I know and GODS fatherly chastisements are good helps to reduce us into the right way the one is our bosome remembrancer and the other is like to Ionathans arrow which hath GODS message in the feathers yet neither conscience nor crosses have power comparable with CHRIST his voyce in the preaching of the Word to procure our revocation into GODS waies Fourthly Christians ought to be confirmed in their gracious estate yet whose faith is so constant that it admits no wavering whose patience is so fixed that it admits no staggering the clearest Suns of the Church have been more or lesse eclipsed in their faith their patience and their piety of all outward meanes to make us hold out preaching is the principall that is as goods to pricke men forward that are under the yoake of CHRIST that is as salt to sweeten them and to keep them savoury it is with our hearts as with our soile which is not like the Land of Canaan the former raine after seeds time at the fall of the leafe and the