spirit in a Believer which breathes and reacheth after and is restless for perfection and which is called A heart perfect towards God 2 Chron 1â— 11 and you know the usual distinction which Divines make use of a perfection of parts though not of degrees Every part and power of Soul and Body being Sanctisfied 1 Thess 5.23 and fitted in some degree and measure to every good work 2 Tim. 2.21 Oh mark how the Godly will be doing and trading in every good work to which God calls him according to the Relation towards God or Man in works of Holiness and Righteousness Love and Mercy shewing himself to be a childe of his Heavenly Father and will be imitating his Divine and absolutely perfect Example Mat. 5 ult be you perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect and he is a perfect Childe of God though not grown up to be a perfect man in Christ 2 It 's likewise to be observed that sincerity and uprightness in Gospel sense is called perfection and the God of Grace calls his upright ones perfect ones accept their upright service as pecfect service you know Davids charge to his Son the charge of a Godly and dying Parent to his surviving and succeeding childe My Son serve God with a perfect heart 2 Chron. 28.9 and Hezechiah served God with a perfect heart 2 King 20 3. and in this sense the next words may be expositive to the former mark the perfect Question is Who is perfect the Answer Behold the upright as Hezechiah under a sentence of death turned his face towards the wall and prayed to the Lord and said Remember how O Lord I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart have done that which is good in thy sight and wept sore Isai 38.2 3. How I have walked in Truth that is in uprightness and sincerity doing that which is good in thy sight not wandering after the sight of mâ—â—e eyes not pleasing carnal and sinful affections and therefore that I have walked with a perfect heart that which the God of Grace will accept perfect and calls it perfect and therefore the question yâ—â— remains uâ—answered Quest What are the remarkable things resâ—â—…cting the life of the upright I Answer First In respect of actings towards God Secondly Actings towards man First The observable things in the life of the upright in his actings nextly towards God The first Character is a holding forth the highest esteem of Communion with God in his Ordinances and therefore a faithful improvement of all good opportunities for that purpose For that purpose Oh mark how the upright soul prizeth Communion with God his prizing Communion with God is like the price the thirsty sets upon drink an only good none such at that time the voice of the upright especially in time of privation is exprest experimentally by David Psal 42.1 2 As the Hart panteth after the Water-brooks so panteth my soul after thee O God My soul thirsteth for God for the living God when shall I come and appear before God ver 3. My tears have been my meat day and night while they continually say unto me where is thy God ver 4. when I remember these things I pour out my soul in me Oh! what pantings thirstings weepings and soul-pourings out for the enjoyment of Communion with the Living God which do most feelingly argue the highest esteem of Communion with God in the hearts of his upright attendants Hence these longings for a Sabbath for a Fast day for a Sermon while others long for an end of the Sabbath that they may be again into their worldly occasions and vanities and hence follows that â—aithful improvement of all good oportunities for the sake of Communion with God I say all seasons both set and solemn seasons and occasional seasons taking the oportunity when given and redeeming time as it 's called Eplus 5. and when it cannot be gained without it costs him something yet an upright Soul will and must have seasons for Communion with God what ever they cost him though he makes the World pay for it and sleep pay for it and hazards his health for it and all yet Mark the upright how faithful he is in taking and improving seasons of Communion with God while the Hypocrite the Deceiver is willing to take an excuse and make an excuse and occasion that he may not come into the presence of God but his deceit is manifest The Second Remarkable thing in respect of the life of the Upright in his Communion with God appears in his secret Communion with God in secret Prayer and self examination these are contained in former generals as they are means of Communion with God but yet because these have very spiritual specialties in them we mâ—â—â— especially mark and behold them and how the Upright behaves himself in them First In secret Communion with God in secret Prayer an upright Soul cannot content himself with publick Prayer and humily but he must come in secret into the presence of his Heavenly Father and Pray in secret that he may see him in secret and reward him openly Mat. 6. and if there were no positive command to require this and that Conscience upon this account could not 〈◊〉 him for a neglect of a Command of God yet if the Lord will only grant him liberty to appear in where before him he could not but come und could no more refrain then you can refrain from going to and porning out your heart in secret to an intimate friend in whom you love is your own Soul 〈◊〉 62.8 Pour out your â—entâ— fore him can a Lover refrain from secret meetings with his Beloved the Upright who love the Lord must have their secret meetings with Christ wherein they may pour out that which they cannot before and with others for they haâ—e to dâ— wiâ—h him whom their Souts love Cant. 1.7 Second place in self examinatioâ— the Application of the Dectrine is the life of the Sermon and Self exâ—mâ—â—ation is the life 〈◊〉 Application of the Sermon the upright cannot content themselves without frequent and solemn practice of this duty no more then you can content your self when you are a hungry to have food let you only to look upon or speak of it and not take it into your mouth to chew it therefore mark and behold how he eats Sermons and they are the joy of his heart Jer. 15.16 and how doth he eat them but by examining his estate and actions his Spirit and Life by them and not in a slighty and overly manner but by most serious Communings with the Lord and his own heart upon his Bed Psal 4.4 or in some other secret place and not only once in a long time but this is his work every Lords day yea every day in the Week in some measure he is upright in this matter thus working out his Salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2.12.13 We can but hint at some observabâ—e things Thus
of the actings of the upright towards God in the second follows his actings towards man First in Words Secondly in Works 1. In Words whose endeavour is so to speak that he may not offend with his Tongue and therefore keeps a Watch before the door of his lips Psal 141.3 But that which the upright strives after in so he measure attain is better then this to administer Grace to the heareâ—â— that his words may be seasoned Ephâ—s 4.29 Col. 46. and may become to others a tree of life bearing precious fruit Prov. 15.4 and the words of the upright proceeding from the uprightness of their hearts are very observable things 2. In Works Mark and behold the upright how in his works he lives without offence Phil. 2.15 blamel of and harmless and not only so but shining as a Light in the World as in works of Holiness God ward so in works of Justice Love and mercy towards others full of mercy and good fruit without Hypocrisie Jam. 3.17 He that sâ—es not observable thing in the works of the Upright is strangely blinced Hitherto of the life of the Upright nextly follows the remarkable things respecting their Death The Text sayes For the end of that man iâ—pâ—ace is the end of the Upright peace how doth this appear do not some who have been upright suffer much trouble of minde in their death and do express none or very little of peace at their latter end I Anâ—wer First leâ—s usual with the Lord to shine in upon their Souls of his upright oneâ— before or at their Death that before their departure out of the World it 's manifest to them to discerning Spectators that while they are yeas in their Enemies Land they are more then Conquerors and that 〈◊〉 death it self Rom. 8.37 Hence the peace that passeth understanding and the unspeakable joy which some upright ones feel in their dying hour which makes them very willing to depart Simeon like they can depart in such peace Luk. 2.29 Secondly When it 's the pleasure of the Lord to withhold such a measure of this peace yet it 's usual that he affords them so much of this peace as shall rule in their hearts and meekly dispose their spirits to divine providence and behold in this is often seen a marvellous thing that if an upright person hath not much of the sense of the sweetness of that unspeakable peace in his dying hour and though he is now aware of the misery of falling short for none can be so sensible of that as those who know experimentally the preciousness of Christ and heavenly things and though also many times the very thought what if deceived what if fall short at last that thought would make the flesh tremble the heart feeling the intollerable weight of a supposed separation from Christ and yet for such without any clear evidence of the love of God to have peace ruling in the heart as in Col. 3.15 and to say I am content now to be at the Lords dispose I commit the cause of my soul to him this is very observable Eli sentenced to death both he and his two Sons and many other things which shall make the cars of every one who heareth it to tingle 1 Sam. 3.11 17 18. and yet Eli enabled to say It 's the Lord let him do what seemeth him good there is a peace which is the inseparable companion of meekness a meek and a quiet spirit is of great price 1 Pet 3.4 Christs Soulness a meek and a quiet spirit is of great price 1 Pet 3.4 Christs Soul-trouble was extream in his dying hour but yet he had the peace and quietness of a meek spirit which did rule in his heart and compose his spirit to submission to his Fathers Will and to commit his Spirit into his Fatherly hand Luk. 23.46 and what if it should be the pleasure of the Lord that some of his Children shall have a fellowship with Christ in his suffering Soul-trouble in their dying hour yet if the Lamb of God doth by his Lamb-like spirit compose the heart to a childe-like committing of the Soul into his fatherly hands here is peace the peace and quietness of a meek spirit but it 's a marve lous thing to have peace ruling in the heart in the midst of many-troublesome thoughts in the minde Thirdly to conclude this if the marks of uprightness appear in their life there is no reason for us to doubt but that the Lord will make the end of such to be peace whatever troubles they suffer before their â—nd if I behold a Christian walking in integrity making it his integrity making it his dally exercise to keep a Conscience void of offence â—owards God and towards man whatever trouble he may suffer in time of sickness and nigh his latter end yet the Lord sayes Mark this upright one and have I seen the mark of uprightness stamped upon his life and walk surely the Lord who sayes His end shall be peace doth say to me that I ought to believe it and ought as certainly to believe it as it I see â—ensibly the Angels taking the Soul and Heavens opening to receive it and heard a now Song tuned in Heaven for the triumph of this Soul over death He that walks in integrity what ever his labour may be in his journey and when nigh to his journies end yet as soon as his labour ends his â—est is eternal rest his peace the peace which passeth understanding begins He shall enter into pâ—aâ—e they shall rest in their bâ—â—â— each one walking in â—is uprightness Isaâ— 572. The Second Particular â—ollows what ouâ— duty is in observing these observable things The Lord calls us to mark and behold Quest What is the marking and beholding Ans It 's an affectionate Attention of the minde It 's as when the eye affects the heart and the heart being affected keeps the eye looking upon the Object you have the like expression in another place used by â—obs friends to lob Job 33 31. Mark wel Oh Ioh anâ— hearken to me hold tâ—y peaâ—e and I vvill speak Oh mark well the lite and latter end of the upright Oh hearken to what the Lord sayes concerning their life and death the same Expression the Lord improves to the Prophet when he would prepare him for the Visions of the Ordinances of his House Ezâ—k 44.5 The Lord said Son of Man mark well and behold with thine Eyes â—â—hâ—ar with thine Ears all that I say to thee concerning the Ordinances of mine House and mark well the entring into it But in my Text the Lord saith Mark the perfect and behold the upright it 's as if the Lord had said us I would have you mark well and behold mine Ordinances so I do requiâ—e you to mark well and behold the life and latter end of those who have loved my Habitation and seen my beauty in my Houâ—e have walked with me in the faithful improvement of all my holy
PEACE The End of the Perfect and Vpright Demonstrated and usefully Improved in a SERMON Preached upon the Occasion of the Death and Decease of that Piously Affected and truely Religious MATRON Mrs. ANNE MASON Sometime Wife to Major Mason who not long after finished his Course and is now at rest By Mr. James Fitch Pastor of the Church of Christ at Norwich Prov. 10.7 The Memory of the just is blessed Psal 112.6 The Righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance Heb. 6.11 We desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end 12. That ye be not sloathful but followers of them who through Faith and Patience inherit the promises CAMBRIDGE Printed by Samuel Green 1672. Christian Reader THe Abusive and justly to be Condemned practise of too too many who in Preaching Funeral Sermons by mis-representing the Dead have dangerously misled the living and by flatteriâ—s corrupted many hath occasioned not a few to question if not conclude against the lawfulness of Preaching at such seasons and made others less forward and almost afraiâ— to make a due improvement of such awful â—olemn oportunities by comporting with the providence of God in making use of those heart awakening strokes of his angry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Almighty Arm whereby we have been bereavâ—d of much of our strength and glory But surely it iâ— the holy will of God which determineth what is good and lawful and that by an eternal Law not alterable by the sinful lusts of men 〈…〉 The Vessels of the Temple lost not their Holiness of Consecration to the service of the true and living God by their ill usage in Babilon Holy Paul 1 Cor. 3 22. setting down and summing up the riche of true Believers put into tâ—e Inventory Life and Death Life is yours and Death is yours but not your own only but of others who are Fellow members of the same Mystical Body and part of the fulness of him who filleth all in all Thâ—se Worthies whose Live Deaths are Recorded in Heb. Chap. 11. are presented Chap. 12.1 as a Cloud of Witnesses to be minded by us and followed in running with patience the race that is set before us Had not importunity of such as kâ—ew and honoured the eminent piety of that deceased Saint now at rest whose departure out of this World occasionea this ensuing Sermon out of a desire to Embalm her Name and preserve the memory of a life and death so exemplary and instructiâ—â— prevailea with the pious Author too much a lover of privacie and retirement these useful Notes had not so publickly presented themselves unto tâ—y view Now the God of alâ— Grace vouchsafe so to sanctifie this with other like helpâ— that when summâ—â—ed hence into another World thou mayest be able to say and pray witâ— good Hezechiah Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight Vnto His mercy I commâ—â—â— thee and rest thine in him J. S. PSAL. 37.37 Mark the Perfect and behold the Vpright for the end of that man is peace EVery Word of God as it s his Word is very precious but some Honey Combes contain more Honey and better Honey then some other The Word of God is more precious then Gold then fine Gold and sweeter then the Honey and the Honey Combe as in Psal 19.10 Judicious and pious Calvin that famous Expositor saith of this Psalm that it containâ— Doctrine Principally usefull and he gives weighty Reason to prâ—â—â— it because David by this Psalm shewes that though the Godly suffer Advâ—â—siâ—y in a Godly way and the wicked prosper in their wicked way and 〈◊〉 seemingly goes ill with the best and well with the worst personâ— for a time yet the vast difference the Lord makes between the Godly and the wicked makeing the Godly to be happy through his Grace in their greatest misery and leaving the wicked through his just â—udgâ—ment in a cursed and miserable state in their greatest outward 〈…〉 and the difference between these two is very Remarkable in thâ—â—… 〈◊〉 and in their Death First The difference in their Lives and the â—â—â—…rious dispâ—â—sations of God to them are in many particulars speciâ—â—â—â— from the â—â—â—rse to the 25. And the difference in respect of theâ—â— Death from the 35 verse to the end of this Psalm The General which contains the specialties is exprâ—â—sed in my Text this 37 verse Mark the Perfect and behold the Vpright for the end of that man is Peace The Text implies 1. That some Persons are remarkable Subjects of Gods mercy and Divine favour Who are these but the Perfect the upright 2. In what are they remarkable First As they are perfect and upright ones so they are to be marked in their Lives Secondly In respect of their latter end and thus they are to be marked in their Dâ—â—◠〈◊〉 Mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace Thirdly Our Duty the Psalmist calls for special observation mark and behold the upright how he lives and how he dyes what his life is and what is his end and as Calvin renders it observe and consider This Psalm of which these words are a principal part they may be taken as an Epitome briefly containing the whole being to open that which is a Paradox as he calls it The Doctrine from these words is Doct. The Life and Latter end of the Godly containt observable things which God requires us to consider What the Life and what the Death of the Godly is our God calls us to mark and behold For the Explication of this Doctrine let us consider 1. What are the Observable things in the Life and in the Death of the Godly 2. what ought to be our Observation of them We are not to expect that all the Observable things respecting the Life and the Death of the Godly can be particularly contained and exprest in one Sermon although an Angel from Heaven should be sent at this time to Preach to you for much of the time through all Eternity shall be spent upon this Subject amongst the Spirits of the Just made perfect But I shall give you some Observations concerning some specialties to set your Observations to work so far as God shall assist in this very afflicting time First Concerning the Observations respecting the life of the Godly the Text presents us with two Generals First The perfection of the Godly Secondly The uprightness of such Mark the Perfect and behold the Vpright concerning the first of these the Question ariseth What perfection can be observed in a Godly mans Life while he lives with a body of sin in him I Answer Yet it 's to be marked 1 That the Godly in this life have some beginnings of perfection and those which shall grow up till they come to perfection and so abide for ever There is a