it is not enough for a man to do good to others though he could to all if he remain an enemy to himself Like Shel-fishes which breed pearls for others to wear but are sick of them themselves lik a Mercury Statue which shews the way to others but stands still it self like a whetstone which sharpeneth the knife but is blunt it self If thou be wise saith Solomon be wise for thy self Many men are like Plutarchs Lamiae which had eyes for abroad but were blinde at home like Bees that gather good honey but are smothered themselves But our dear Brother had an eye inward was wise to the interests of his own soul Like the Cynamon tree which lets not out all its sap into leaves and fruit which will fall off but keeps the principal of its fragrancy for the bark which stays on like a tree planted by the water side which though it let out much sap to the remoter boughs yet is specially careful of the root that that be not left dry And in truth what profit would it be to a man if he could help and heal all the sick men of the world and be incureably sick himself If he could get all the men on the earth all the Angels in heaven to be his friends and have still God for his enemy If he could save others and then lose his own soul to be like the ship Act. 27. broken to peeces it self though it helped others to the shore Like those that built the Ark for Noah and were drowned themselves Herein therfore he shewed himself truly a wise man that he took care of his own soul Some men are like Achitophel very careful to set their houses in order but then cast away their souls But our dear Brother though he had by the variety of his imployments the cares of Martha upon him was yet specially mindful of Maries unum necessarium the care of his own salvation And he did not take up his Religion with the times that he might magis uti Deo quam frui make gain godliness as the Samaritans who would be Jews when the Jews prospered and enemies to them when they suffered but he was as is said of Mnason Act. 21.16 an old Disciple a Professor of Religion in the worst times when piety was nick-named preciseness and he that departed from evil made himself a prey Isa 59.15 Temporibusque malis ausus es esse bonus did dare to be good in bad times Religion sometimes is like oyl gets highest and the faeces and amurca are at the bottom when the horn of the righteous is exalted Psal 75.10 Sometimes it is like gold in the Mine lies deep and depressed like the sap of a tree in winter fain to shrink under ground There are many Summer Christians will be religious in the sun shine our dear Brother was a winter Christian kept his religion in the storm and as then he was so he continued a steady Christian a ship well ballanced with sound knowledge and rooted sincerity and love of the truth not carried about with every wind of doctrine It is said of Christ he is yesterday and to day the same Heb. 13.8 Christians should therein imitate him and having tried all things hold last the good and with purpose of heart cleave to God God hath beautified several of his servants with several Graces we read of Jobs patience Moses his meekness Abrahams faith Maries love Davids devotion Solomons wisdom Apollo his eloquence our dear Brother was eminent in many likewise in meekness and mildness of soul he was a man of an amiable and calm temper yet sweetly quickned with zeal for Gods glory He was a great lover of an able Minister and of the Ordinances of Christ so dispensed an eminent grace in these times when poor Ministers and Ordinances it is well they go together they are good company suffer together from many whom we cannot wonder at for being so much enemies to others who are so little friends to their own souls he that undervalues his own life may easily despise another mans But by the way it were well if the despisers of Ordinances would consider that little children who play the wantons with their meat are likely not long after to know what difference there is between a smarting rod and a wholsom dinner We may have Ordinances taken away from us too soon let not us take them away from our selves We have viewed him in his private capacity as a Christian if we consider him in his publick as a Magistrate we shall finde how great a loss the Town and Country had of him in this regard as his friends and the Church of God in the other Some men are like Vines very good for fruit but you cannot make a beam or a pin of them to hang any vessells thereon Ezek. 15.3 to such things Magistrates are compared Isa 22.23 24. But our Brother was like the Wallnut tree good both for fruit and for timber His fitness for Magistracy appeared in this that being not an aged man he was twice called to the Majoralty of this Town and once to serve for the same more publickly Tully derided Heraclidâ—s Temnites that he lived to old age and never attained those honors in his Country which others usually did arrive at it could not be said so of him he was of so dexterous a spirit that one may say of him as Livy did of Cato Natum adid unum diceres quodcunque ageret And this is the more considerable in that he was not originally brought up to services of a publick nature It is noted for the honor of Alphenus Varus that having been bred in a shop at a private trade he proved so learned and eminent a Lawyer that he wrote collectanea juris some of which are entred into the pandect and was afterwards Consul of the City And we read in humane stories of Agathocles Justinus Primislaus Pinctus and others who by their wisdom and abilities were raised from Trades and Farms to great Governments Our dear Brothers publick imployments were not the fruits of his own ambition but of the free love of other men who for his wisdom fidelity and fitness called him thereunto And truly a very fit man he was for them an able man fearing God loving truth hating covetousness Exod. 18.21 He had a publick spirit very ready to en tertain and promote every thing which tended to the general good Some men are like the Prophets Vine Hos 10.1 bring fruit onely to themselves and are empty to all the world besides But he was one who could deny himself and his private interest to serve the publick as natural bodies will forsake their own proper motions to prevent a publick breach upon the universe Pompey being disswaded from an expedition hazardous to himself but useful to the publick returned this answer to his friends Necesse est ut eam non ut vivam It is necessary for me to go it is not necessary for me to live And truly besides his Wisdom Zeal for God Dexterity to set forward good works he had one excellent Character for Magistracy he was a man of a milde and meek spirit I call this an excellent temper for Magistracy If it were not so the Lord would not have chosen Moses the meekest man on earth Numb 12.3 nor David who was as a weaned childe to be the Ruler of Israel Psal 131.1 2. Magistrates will meet with many things to provoke passion difficulties in business multitudes of imployment cros sand mutinous distempers in ill-disposed people prophanations and dishonors done to the name of God which exceedingly stirred Moses himself Exod. 32.19 therefore they had need have milde and composed spirits patience is the effect of power Numb 14.17 â—8 Thus he lived in his private capacity a dear Husband a tender Father a faithful friend a sincere Christian Thus he lived in his publick capacity a wise zealous self-denying publick-hearted meek-spirited Magistrate And now as he said oportet imperatorem stantem mori And another Episcopum concionantem that it was honourable for a Commander to die in his Arms and a Bishop in his Pulpit So the Lord ordered the death of our dear Brother with this circumstance of honor in it that he died a Magistrate in his Office Aaron was stripped of his Sacerdotal Ornaments on the mount where he was called to die Num. 20.25 26. And this our Brother did put off his Robe to put on his Shrowd his Magistracy yeelded to his mortality His death was sudden in it self so was old Elies a good man but it is not sudden to a Beleever whose holy life fits him or it for sanctity is a better preparation unto death then sickness It is all one if a man come to heaven whether it be by a Journey or by a Rapture as Paul was caught up thither 2 Cor. 12.3 4. Well he is with Christ which is best of all though we be without him the care of his friends must be by moderation of sorrow to testifie their assured hope of his happiness And the care of the Town must be to testifie their love unto him with chusing a wise holy faithful zealous man to succeed him who may carry on those good works which he had the happiness to begin but not to finish by reason of a greater happiness We leave him with our Apostles Motto upon him To him to Live was Christ and therefore to Dye was Gain FINIS
all this Gain is from Death at a distance while we are out of its possession Is there any Gain from such an enemy while we are under his power Yes even here there may be gain was not the fire an enemy to the three Children were not the Lions enemies to Daniel yet they were rebuked When a mans ways please the Lord he maketh his enemies at peace with him Prov. 16.7 Laban pursued Jacob in great anger Esau meets him as we may suppose with hostile purposes but the Lord by his powerful providence over-ruled their hearts that they could not hurt him Saul Davids Father-in-law persecutes him and Achish the King of Gath from whence Goliah came whom David had not long before slain and who could not but for that reason be hated at that place gives him entertainment God can make Moab a covert for his out-casts as he was unto the Father and Mother of David Isa 16.4 1 Sam. 22.3 4. Though Death be an enemy the Lord can weaken it disarm it pull out the sting of it and make us at peace with it But you will say All this is rather harm suspended then gain obtained Is there any more proper and gennine gain to be found in an Enemy such an Enemy having us under his power and possession surely yes We finde the Egyptians bitter Enemies to Israel furnishing them with Jewels of silver Jewels of gold and Raiments Exod. 3.21 22. Was not the Whale that swallowed Jonah an enemy a very type of our enemy here as our Saviour tells us Matth. 12.39 40. Yet by it was Jonah carried safe to land he regained life by that which devoured him he had been drowned in the Sea if the fish had not found out the Shore for him Were not the waters of the Red Sea and of Jordan enemies to those that should go into the midst of them yet through these did Israel gain liberty out of bondage victory over Pharoah and his host and possession of Canaan their promised Rest. Take it in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Here men are absent from the Lord 2 Cor. 5.6 as Jonah is said to have fled from his presence cast out into a Sea of cares troubles fears and sorrows Death as the Whale devours us and lands us at a better shore leads us from the thraldom of Satan from the temptation and sufferings and fiery Serpents which we meet with in the wilderness of this world and brings us into our Heavenly Rest So then even under the notion of an enemy here is gain from death As a Lamprey is esteemed delicate meat when the sting of the back is taken out as the waters of Marah were made sweet by the tree which was cast into it so death being by the cross of Christ purged of its venome and bitterness is become useful and gainful unto us Secondly Let us view Death on the better side for it is as a plaited picture on the one side it looks like a grim and angry enemy as destructive to nature on the other side it hath a more calm and friendly aspect as reconciled unto us by Christ It is as a Servant sent from a Father to call his Son home as a Nurse which taketh the Childe in her arms to carry it to the Mother it is a depositary entrusted with the custody of the body and shal give an exact accompt thereof unto Christ He by his holy body hath sanctified the grave made it a bed to sleep in We find Angels at either end of Christs grave Joh. 20.12 They keep the Saints not onely in their ways but in their graves The Jaylor who before did beat Paul and scourge him and thrust him into the inner prison being converted treated him after another manner washed his stripes brought him into his house and set meat before him Act 16.33 34. Such a change there is in death before the spirit of bondage represented it with a chain and scourge it kept the soul down under the fear and dread of it But now unto a beleever by Christ it is so far altered that it is become part of his dowry and portion numbred up by the Apostle amongst those good things which with Christ are graciously bestowed upon us 1 Cor. 3.22 We will consider the Gain we have by this Friend first privatively then positively Privately It freeth us from all other evil and toilsom labours which we were by the curse pronounced against Adam subject unto It is a kinde of Canaan a Rest a Sabbath unto beleevers write saith the Lord from heaven to his Apostle Blessed are they that dye in the Lord for they rest from their labors Rev. 14.13 they enter into peace they rest in their beds Isa 57.2 1. They rest from the toilsom captivity and tyranny of sin a burden under which they complain as too heavy for them to bear There is no rest in my bones because of my sins mine iniquities are grown over mine head as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me Psal 38.3.4 6 7 8. the Apostle calleth it a weight and an encompassing sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vid. Petâ—i Fabri Agonistic l. 2. c. 3. Methedius apud Epiphan haeres 64. a fat and heavy body wholly indisposeth for an Athletick imployment This body of lust being destroyed they are made perfect Heb 12.23 As Ivy which hath gotten its roots into â—ll the joynts of a wall can never he quâ—â—e killed till the wall it self be demolished so sin and corruption being deeply seated in the whole nature of man is never quite slain and subdued till the whole frame be taken down and dissolved 2. Greg. Tholos Syntagma juris l. 31. cap. 20. Bestias Asiaticae pressurae Tertul. de resurrect carnis cap. 48. They rest from the buffets and temptations of Satan it was a sore conflict for the Apostle to fight with Beasts at Ephesus whether they were truly or Metaphorically such beastly men 1 Cor. 15.32 but this combate was nothing to the messenger of Satan to the roarings of that Lion how rampant and outragious he will be against the servants of God when the Lord is pleased to leng then his chain and to give him liberty what dismal fears what hellish impressions what fiery darts what black and horrid suggestions he will amaze the souls of poor sinners withal the examples and experiences of many of Gods afflicted people can abundantly testifie insomuch that their soul chuseth strangling as Job speaks Job 7.15 Now being by death translated into Abrahams bosom they are far removed out of Satans reach he was thrown down from heaven and can never shoot up any darts or come near any of Gods servants there to affright or annoy them 3. They rest from the cares sorrows snares toils temptations of the world the examples of sinners do not endanger them the sight of their filthy conversation doth no longer afflict them the fear of their cruelties and persecutions doth no more trouble them
there the wicked cease from troubling and there the weary be at rest there the prisoners rest together they hear not the voice of the oppressor Job 3.17 18. 4. They rest from the difficulties of duty it self those hard conflicts which the heart hath against corruption to keep it self close unto God for though the spirit be willing yet the flesh is weak Matth. 26.41 and though to will be present with us yet how to perform the thing that is good we finde not Rom. 7.18 19 21. Lastly As they are delivered from these past evils as brands snatched out of the burning so are they likewise taken away from evils to come as Lot was from the destruction of Sodom when the Angel by a merciful violence laid hold on him and brooght him forth Gen. 19.16 Isa 57.1 Secondly Positively this gain by death appears in the many real good things which we receive with it and by it 1. It brings us home to our Country and inheritance here in this life Gods servants are Pilgrims Strangers Sojourners amongst enemies such as neither know nor value them we are called out of the world and separated from it not numbred among the Nations living by different and contrary Laws and hence it is that the world hates us 1 Pet. 2.11 Ioh. 15.19 Numb 23.9 1 Ioh. 3.1 Hence the Body is called a Tabernacle 2 Cor. 5.1 Digest de verborum significat l. 239. sect 2. M. Anton. l. 2. sect 17. Tertul. de resur c. 41. Diodor Sic. 1. M. Anton. l. 3. sect 11. 2 Pet. 1.13 14. in allusion to the Tabernacles wherein the Patriarchs sojourned as strangers Heb. 11.9 unto which pilgrimage and unfixed condition the Apostle there opposeth a City which hath foundations vers 10. a sure house an abiding Kingdom which cannot be shaken Heb. 12.28 Here indeed we are said to be in Christ and Christ in us Gal. 2.20 Ephes 3.17 but there we shall be with Christ and in his presence which the Apostle tells us is best of all much better then our best condition here Phil. 1.23 1 Thess 4.17 2 Cor. 5.8 Here we are in the same family indeed for the Church in heaven and the Church on earth is but one family Ephes 3.15 but we are yet but in the lower rooms of the family in the work house death leads us to the upper chamber to the Banquetting-house to better company where we shall see and know and love and possess Christ perfectly and herein is the answer of Christs prayer Joh. 17.24 Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory 2. It estates us in life takes away one life to carry us to another and a better That life which we leave is mortal and perishing that which we go unto is durable and abounding Joh. 10.10 The ordinary Manna which Israel gathered for their daily use did presently corrupt and breed worms Exod 16.20 But that which was laid up before the Lord the hidden manna in the Tabernacle did keep without putrefaction vers 33. So our life which we have here in the wilderness of this world doth presently vanish and corrupt but our life which is kept in the Tabernacle our life which is hid with Christ in God Col. 3.4 that never runs into death Natural life is like the river Jordan empties it self into the Dead Sea but spiritual life is like the waters of the Sanctuary which being shallow at the first grow deeper and deeper into a River which cannot be passed thorow water continually springing and running forward into everlasting life Ezek. 47.4 5. Joh. 4.14 7.38 Haec brevis est illa perennis aqua 3. It makes us perfect in our spiritual part Vid. Stuck Antiq conviv l. 2. c. 26. The spirits of just men made perfect Heb. 12.23 it gives us our white and triumphal robes Rev. 6.11 7.14 It fits us to be presented unto God without spot or wrinkle Ephes 5.27 the bodies of the Saints when they were dead were washed Act. 9.37 both as a pledge of the resurrection and also as an Emblem and testimony of that cleanness and purity wherein death did deliver their souls up unto God 4. It keeps our relicks and remainders safe for a glorious resurrection will give a faithful and a just accompt of all that it hath received and will restore in honour what is received in dishonour 1 Cor. 15.42 43. It will say to us as the keeper of the Prison to Paul Act. 16.36 The Lord hath sent to let you go now therefore depart and go in peace We see the Paradox cleared the difficulty removed the gain demonstrated onely we must remember it is not gain to all it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To Beleevers as such and therefore onely to them To wicked and impenitent sinners that die in their sins death is a King of terrors Job 18 14. A Jaylor a tormentor with his keys his shakels his hot iron his halter his ax his gibbet He is still a stinging and a fiery serpent a trap-door unto hell Death is never our gain but where Christ is our life he to whom to live is is lust and not Christ to dye is loss and not gain And now since Gain is one of the Diana's of the world Vid. August in Psal 48. every one will say who will shew us any good Psal 4.6 Our wisdom must be to distinguish true gain from counterfeit to make godliness our gain 1 Tim 6.6 for then death will be our Gain too There is some Gain like Manna in the house perishing Gain exposed to moth and rust Matth. 6.19 Gain proper to one place or Country like some farthing-tokens which are current in one Town or Shop and signifie nothing in another Such is worldly wealth current here but is not returnable or transportable into another world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. De Nino Phaenix Colophon apud Athenaeum l. 12 when a man dieth he carrieth nothing away his glory shall not descend after him Ps 49.17 But there are durable riches Prov. 8.18 A treasure of good works which will follow a man into another world Rev. 14.13 this is the gain we should look after to lay up a foundation in store against the time to come that we may lay hold on eternal life 1 Tim. 6.19 Now sith Death is gain let us consider whether and in what manner this Gain may be desired In answer whereunto we say 1. That death is considerable two ways One way as it affecteth nature the other as it relateth to a supernatural end In the former respect as an evil Nature abhors it and shrinks from it and had much rather be clothed upon that mortality might be swallowed up of life But as an unavoidable medium to a better condition so it may be desired as sick and bitter phisick is desirable not per se but in order unto health and dangerous chargeable voyages by Sea