reward therefore now Abraham might depart in peace when God and hee were so reconciled Now Abraham may cheerefully go to his Fathers After that old Simeon had embraced his Sauiour and had gotten Christ in his armes Then he sings Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace for mine eies haue seene thy saluation Therefore seasonable was the death of Abraham both in that it did preuent the euill to come that he should not see it and also because it was after the couenant that passed betweene God him and there must needes follow in the next place a most blessed death expressed well in the phrase of going to his Fathers which must not bee vnderstood of his bodily buriall for Abraham was buried in the field of Ephron the 25. of this booke the 10. verse where none of his Fathers were buried and so the like phrase is vsed in the 32. of Deuter the 50. verse where it is said that Moses was gathered to his Fathers and yet it is said likewise in the 34. of Deut. the Sepulcher was not knowne therefore of necessitie this phrase must onely haue relation to the soule and spirit of Abraham that that was gathered to the societie and company of those holy Fathers that went before thou shalt goe vnto thy Fathers for there is a companie and society of Saints Indeede when men are taken out of companie here on earth in this world they goe to a better companie and societie of blessed soules and spirits in heauen a companie where there is no distraction or diuision no ambition or emulation no strife nor contention but where there is peace ioy and pleasure for euermore vnto this companie and societie of blessed spirits did the spirit of Abraham goe and what a comfort is it Beloued vnto a faithfull soule to consider what companie and society it is going vnto when it departeth out of this life if it bee within the couenant if the couenant haue passed betweene God and vs then when wee die wee shall goe vnto this place when wee go to our Fathers to the society and fellowshippe of the Saints of God that wee are at rest with Abraham where we shall inioy the companie and societie of all the Saints of God that euer haue beene departed from the beginning of the world to this present time and hereafter of all those that shall come vnto the same place to the end of the world Where Eliah shall knowe Moses and Moses Eliah and conferre together as on mount Tabour although they did liue in seuerall ages of the world Peter the Apostle of our Sauiour Christ when hee did see but the least glimpes of this comfort when hee see but two of the Saints Moses and Eliah on mount Tabour hee was so rauished with ioy that he cries out Let vs build three Tabernacles And it is indeede to bee obserued that the two chiefest Apostles of our Sauiour Christ that is Peter and Paul God did afford them this priuiledge that they had both a tast of the ioyes of heauen liuing in this life to the end they might more effectually perswade men to lift vp their affections to that comfortable society in the world to come Paul was rapt vp into the third heauen and so rauished with ioy that hee knew not whether hee had his bodie about him or no and methinkes after hee comes downe againe out of heauen he writes and esteemes of these worldly things as of dung such a contemptible respect hee hath of any thing vnder the Sunne after hee had tasted once of the sweetnesse of Paradise For imagine it were possible for a man to bee lifted vp in his body whither Paul was to the third heauen that he might be admitted but to looke into paradise to the blessed society of blessed Angells and Saints and looke but downe againe and see this earth hanging like a Clodde beneath and see so many millions of men busied about nothing like Ants in a mole-hill methinkes afterward hee should neuer esteeme of this world being rauished with this companie of the Saints in heauen And beside Peter and Paul except it were onely Iude that writes but one short Chapter I thinke there was not any of the Apostles of our Sauiour Christ that hath vsed exexhortations to the Church of God in their Epistles but they themselues of purpose did taste some part of this glorie to the end they might the more powerfully eleuate the hearts of men Paul in the third heauen and Peter Iames and Iohn on mount Tabour all of them see a glimpes of this glorie Go vnto thy fathers so did Abraham in Spirit he went vnto his Fathers that were dead before him and his sonnes after they came vnto him Then the manner and the passage vnto this place is expressed in the text Thou shalt goe vnto thy Fathers in peace Now you must vnderstand whosoeuer dieth in peace must die in Christ for there is no true peace without Christ Abraham died many hundred yeeres before Christ was borne and yet our Sauiour Christ saith of Abraham in the eight of Iohn the 58. verse that Abraham saw his daies and reioyced hee saw him then in the eyes of faith Hee died therefore in the faith of Christ and so died in peace for Christ is the Prince of peace that conferreth true peace vpon all his Saints hee is the Oliue tree of peace whereon peace groweth the eleuenth to the Romans the twentie-four Like that doue with the Oliue branch in her mouth hee euer brought peace with him it was his ordinary salutation when hee was on the earth peace be vnto you it was his legacie left with his Church when he went out of the world my peace I leaue with you Therefore Abraham dying in the peace of Christ must needes die in peace of conscience and as in peace of conscience so likewise in a most peaceable maner In the 25. of Genes the eight verse it is said Abraham did yeeld vp his spirit his spirit was not taken from him by violence but hee did most willingly yeeld vp his spirit into the hands of God Oh how fearefull is the remembrance of death to those that are not in Christ that fearefull rending of the soule and bodie a sunder is most terrible vnto them but the death of Abraham it was like that sleepe which was spoken of before this verse that signified his death a heauie sleep fell vpon Abraham for so likewise fell death vpon him euen as if nature should haue falne a sleepe quietly meekely peaceably and this is for his soule Then it followeth in the next place concerning his bodie that that also should bee buried in a good age Euen for to bee buried it is a blessing and a blessing that euery man doth not enioy No Iehoiakim himselfe though hee were a King in the 22. of Ieremy the 19 verse shall bee buried like an asse drawne and cast forth on a dunghill as Iosephus also writes of him
It is threatned by Salomon that those who are disobedient to their parents the rauens of the valleyes shall picke out their eyes And those that are treacherous to the Ciuill Magistrates wee see they are made a spectacle to the world and depriued of buriall and set vp in the aire and made a prey to the foules of the aire as this is a iudgement on these so likewise the other is a blessing on them that goe vnto the graue in peace and it is an honour that is due vnto the very bodies of the Saints of God shewing they are the worke of Gods hands not as the bodies of beasts which God did make as it were with a word after a more sleight maner but for mans bodie hee formed it not onely with his word but it is the tabernacle of an heauenly substance that 's the soule which is the image of God because our bodily nature is also assumed into the diuine nature at the incarnation of the Sonne of GOD. Because the bodies of the Saints are the members of Christ and the temples of the HOLY GHOST Know you not saith the Apostle that your bodies are the temples of the Holy Ghost And last of all because though they sleepe in the dust for a time yet here-after they shall rise in glory and shine as the Sunne in glory in the kingdome of heauen and therfore great reason that some honor and reuerence bee done euen vnto the very bodies of the Saints So was Abraham buried buried hy his two sonnes Isaack and Ismael as in the 25. chapter of this booke the ninth verse buried in the field of Ephron a selected groūd of purpose where his wife Sarah was buried long before Genes 23. 19. and his sonnes wife Rebecca in the 49. of this booke the 31. verse One blessing more let mee adde in my Text to Abraham and we will come to my purpose Abraham was buried in a good age for so God did promise and it was prophesied in this place and so performed in the 25. of this booke the 8. verse and there wee finde the place amplified in three phrases together for euermore the performance of God is with the largest The promise is like a seede sowne in the ground onely but the performance comes in like fruit that 's multiplied caried in in due season so it is said that Abraham was buried he died in a good age an olde man of great yeares here is three phrases to expresse one thing and it is no idle repetition he died in a good age so good as hee desired to liue no longer nor did he desire for to die any sooner he liued to settle his houshold in order to marrie his sonne Isaack to prepare his soule for God and to depart in peace A good age Secondly he dyed an old man If hee had liued any longer his daies would but haue beene troublesome and burdensome vnto himselfe An old man ye◠not old before his time therefore a third phrase is added an old man of great yeares and so did Abraham die and was gathered to his people Dauid liued but threescore and ten yeares and yet Dauid was old before his time Secondly hee died in good yeares this God promised to Abraham and this God hath performed so as that was verified of him that is promised to the Saints in the 5. of Iob the 25. verse that they go vnto their graue as a ricke of come that goes into the barne when the Regions are white vnto the haruest as our Sauiour Christ speaketh so according to the Hebrew text it is here as we say in a good age When the Regions are white vnto the haruest then the sickle of death is put in in due season and they carried to the euer-lasting barnes What blessing was there then that Abraham did want hee was taken away before the affliction of his posteritie came yet not before the couenant was confirmed betweene GOD and him all this was granted him and hee dyed an ould man full of yeeres And thus beloued haue you heard of Abraham what he was and what is become of him May it please you now a little for to turne your thoughts vpon one of the sonnes of Abraham and briefely to remember with me first what he was and now what is become of him For as hee did tread in the steps of his Father Abraham so I will treade in the steps of my text concerning him and Abraham hee was the sonne of Abraham while he liued the blessing of Abraham was vpon him at his death and so I make no doubt but hee doth rest in Abrahams bosome Abraham the father of the faithfull a patterne of faith and religion vnto his sonnes and posteritie this was one of them It was his chiefe stay and comfort euer in his great heauinesse and in his sicknesse long before his death or before that deadly sicknes the couenant that passeth betweene GOD and his Saints in Christ Iesus there was his stay Abraham was a patterne of faith faith was imputed vnto him for righteousnes but it neuer went without righteousnesse no more did his I doe refer him for that to you that haue had so many yeres experience of him did this our brother do any man wrong willingly was hee not an vpright and a iust man in all his dealing with all whom hee had to doe withall Abraham was a patterne of humilitie of meeknes of mildnesse of patience and of a quiet and peaceable disposition and so was he witnes this Parish wherein he hath liued How deadly any contention or debate amongst vs was vnto his soule and spirit how diligent would he be and how troubled till the peace were made blessed are the peace-makers Araham was a patterne of loue and kindnesse of kinde affection vnto all men and so was he ready and prone to shew his kindnes according to his estate vpon any occasion Abraham was a patterne of charitie so was he for I haue obserued comming to this mans table at ordinarie occasions who were his guests commonly but such as were not able to bid him againe such as had most neede of refreshing like Lazarus in Abrahams bosome He was a patterne of fatherly prouidence in his familie and to his children I know saith God that Abraham will teach his sonnes and so did hee hee did continually admonish them and if any admonition at any time did not take that effect hee desired how grieuous it was to his soule and spirit let his Sonnes remember it now he is gone and if any affliction come vpō them as on Abrahams posteritie let them thank themselues it was not the Fathers fault they shall fare the better for his sake Abrahams posteritie were not afflicted in Egypt for his sake but deliuered out of Egypt for Abrahams sake but he is gone hee is taken away seasonablely from the euill that is to come the sinnes of these times do prophesie some euill to come vpon vs and it is a blessing vnto them that are taken away before it comes He is gone to enioy the effect of that couenant made betweene God and his Saints in Christ Iesus that was his comfort he is gone vnto his Fathers and if his Sons will tread in his steps they shall goe to their Fathers he is gone and hath left this companie this companie now present whereof hee was a good member and is gone vnto an other companie of the Saints and Angels of God in heauen hee is gone in peace in that manner that his death was a sleeping in death in peace of conscience In a peaceable manner did hee depart this life euen as if hee had stolne a nap wee that were then present with him could not tell when he went and now beloued are wee here assembled for to solemnize his Funerall in that decent manner you see and that is beseeming to follow and to remember the Saints of God that are taken away from amongst vs. Abraham hee was buried and hee was buried in the ground where hee had buried his beloued wife Sarai before and so is hee Innocent hee was in his life innocent as a doue hee hath continued this many yeeres solitarie as a turtle doue and now hee is gone yet so many yeeres after as I thinke one graue may well hold them both Last of all let me adde the conclusion of my text he is buried in a good age I may adde the three phrases before mentioned of Abraham A good age an old man of great yeeres if he had liued longer as I haue often heard him say vnto mee hee should haue beene burdensome and troublesome vnto himselfe a good age fourescore one a good age in these times but let me yet add one thing more as hee died in a good age so I may say truely that hee died vpon a good day also for it was vpon the Saboth day in the morning that hee commended his soule into the hands of God in the morning when we were about to assemble in this place to praise God then did hee sing Halleluiah with the saints and Angells in heauen No man did more duly obserue Gods saboths in this place them hee did and now his soule doth enioy that saboth of rest in the kingdome of heauen On the Sabboth day in the morning did he goe to solemnize the Sabboth in heauen a Sabboth without an euening that is an eternall rest into this rest is hee now entred and into this rest that we in due time may also enter that our spirits may enioy the blessed companie of all the Saints of God let vs desire of him who hath purchased the same Sabboth for vs IESVS CHRIST the righteous To whom with the Father blessed Spirit one euerliuing and only wise God be ascribed all praise power thanksgiuing this day and for euermore Amen FINIS
Christ in the 3. of Gen vers 15. to strike at sinne in vs so soone as euer it begins to put out the head If wee dash these Babylonish Brats against the stones whiles they bee young Psalm 137. 9. for sinne is a nettle it must not be dallied withall or tenderly handled for then will it stinge vs if wee doe labour I say to weede out these sinnes that grow in vs then God is mercifull to passe them ouer for if thou Lord shouldest marke what is done amisse who should be able to abide it we should reap then nothing but gall and bitternesse if we do that which we would not do then it is not we saith the Apostle but sinne that dwelleth in vs sinne that is present with vs sin that growes in vs naturally without any sowing But on the other side if wee plow and sow iniquity if we doe imagine mischiefe vpon our beds as Dauid saith if we do studie to bee naught and take great paines to doe wickedly as Ieremie speaketh cap. 9. 5. if we break vp the fallowes and furrowes of our hearts vnto sinne and make our eies Brokers vnto the heart of iniquity if we go and buy strange seedes at the Theater and I tremble to speake it fetch home new fashions from the house of God if we doe delight to bee merrie in impiety and to animate and stir vp one another as the Prophet Isaiah speaketh the 56. chap. the last vers Come I will bring wine and wee will fill our selues with strong drinke to morrow shall be as this day and much more aboundant then what is this but to plow and sow and water wickednesse and then shall wee be sure to reape a most ranke haruest If it bee good seede that wee sow we shall be sure to reape the same at the hand of God whatsoeuer it be whether it bee beneuolence vnto men or deuotion vnto God be it sowne neuer so secretly the closer the better thy father which seeth thee in secret shall reward thee openly Whatsoeuer a man soweth there is an other difference in respect of God For God doth sowe much good seede amongst vs and he reapes little or nothing at all When his son Christ did sow his seed himselfe with a most skilful hand some fell by the way side and wanting good mold to couer it it was quickly taken away that is the people would presse and throng one another in the gates and flocke vnto his Sermons but it was out of curiositie or for formalitie like these times a solemn hearing and a solemne forgetting Some fell in stonie ground and was well bladed but not well rooted therefore quickly faded that is so long as the loaues lasted so long as the Ministers of Christ did fill their bellies they heard the word with cheerefulnes and alacritie but when the Sunne of persecution arose they withered when the crosse came they fled Some fell amongst thornes which choaked his good seede yea and persecuted the Sonne of God the seed-man of the word with great sharpenesse bitternes Now if the sonne himselfe had no better successe no maruell though his seruants haue great cause to complain with the three great Prophets of God with Esay in the 49. the 4. verse I haue laboured in vaine and for nothing our iudgement is with the Lord and my workes with my God with Ezechiel the 33. and 32. verse whose Sermons were like the songs of one that could sing well and had a pleasant voice for they heard him but they did not vnderstand as if we were called vnto these places only to tickle and fill your eares with a tickling phrase or plausible eloquence With the Prophet Ieremie the 6. chap. the 29. verse who complaines that his bellowes are burned that the lead is consumed and the fire hath melted in vaine it seemes hee had gotten the consumption of the lungs amongst them he had burnt a hole in his bellowes had spent his Spirit and laboured in vaine Thus I say God doth plow and sow and call to his people by his sonne by the Prophets by his ministers he looked for fruit and behold hedge fruite such as the heathens bring foorth scarce so good he waited for grapes and behold labrâ—sâ—ae wild grapes But now whatsoeuer good thing a man shall sow vnto God he shall bee sure to reap the same at Gods hand whatsoeuer it bee be it sowne in pietie or sowne in charitie in pietie to the mainetenance of Gods seruants or in charity to our brethren whether it be giuen to a Prophet in the name of a Prophet or to the poore in the name of Christ it shall haue a Prophets reward to prepare his soule in this life and a kingdome for to crowne him in the life to come that 's for the qualitie So likewise for the quantitie whatsoeuer a man soweth be it little or much the 9. of the 2. Corinth the 6. verse He that soweth sparingly shall reape sparingly hee that soweth bountifully shall also reape bountifully both shal be Reapers according to the quantity be it little or much whatsoeuer is sowne if it be sowne with the right hand if it begiuen in the right name be it more or lesse hee shall reape the same at Gods hands from a cup of cold water vnto the erecting of Hospitalls from a crumme of bread giuen to poore Lazarus at your gates vnto the continuall feeding and cloathing of such as these littly-great friends well purchased by Mammon If ye will listen to the aduice of our Sauiour Christ who is wisedome it selfe he tells you that you cannot make better vse of your wealth nor make a better purchase then to purchase such friends as these Then by his aduice let vs bee strong in well doing and encouraged by the example of others for whom wee are to praise God blesse his name for sending downe his gracious Spirit and mouing the hearts of many in this kind as you heard the last day These and others present themselues at this time like Lazarus in Abrahams bosome a most heauenly ornament vnto this City and they shal rise likwise at the last day not to condemne but to commend and by their publike testimony before men and Angells to receiue their good Benefactors into those euerlasting Tabernacles This shall be the thankefulnes these friends shall return if you will make the purchase Let vs therefore bee moued by the wise counsell of our blessed Sauiour and so vse these temporall blessings that God hath bestowed vpon vs as wee may still liue in hope of that blessed sentence at the last day Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome prepared for you Why because yee haue clothed the naked and fed the hungrie doing it vnto them is as vnto my selfe And let vs be assured of the truth of this my text that whatsoeuer wee doe sowe little or much we shall be sure to reape the same Here right honourable right worshipfull and