in peace for my eyes have seen thy salvation 4. When the perfect and upright man dies what a glorious and perfect Peace does he enter into in the other World In those blessed Regions unto which he goes there is Light without Darkness there is Love without the least Discord there is Joy without any Sorrow and secure Possession without any Disturbance or fear of Deprivation The gulph that is fixed Luke 16. 26. as it for ever banishes Hope out of Hell so it leaves not the least room for Fear in Heaven It is much to be lamented that Saints at this day discover no more of love and of a peaceable Temper but when they are all come to the same Heaven God who is Light and Love will be all in all 1 Cor. 15. 28. and they all will be perfectly One in Him I come now to the Application And here I shall speak First Concerning the perfect and upright Man who is lately taken from us Secondly A few words to you that survive him First Concerning the Person deceased And truly I speak not only my Affection but my Conscience when I say I do believe there was not a Man upon Earth that better deserved to be called a perfect Man than our Mr. Edward Lawrence A Man more free from all the tricks of fleshly Wisdom more free from petty Revenges and petty Designs against any Party I confess I knew not any Upright he was towards God downright in his Dealings with Men. An even and well-spun Thread of Truth and Honesty and Faithfulness ran through the whole Course of his Conversation in the World Several things more particularly worthy of our notice I shall mention concerning him 1. He had attained to a great strength and perfection of Faith As he saw the invisible God and his Faith was the substance of things hoped for and he mainly minded the invisible World so he could trust in God for the things of this World when Sense being judge there was no probability of supply He 〈…〉 had a numerous Family when he left his Living on the Black Bartholomew-day and being asked how he hoped to be provided for He answered That the Sixth of Matthew should maintain him By Faith he rested on that promise that all other things shall be added to them who first seek the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness He said His Heavenly Father knew he needed these things and he made no question but what he needed would be given him There is I am perswaded an extraordinary Relish in the Meat and Drink when Faith spreads the Table and fills the Cup every day and Sense cannot perceive a Day before-hand how this should be done 2. How perfect a Work had Patience in him He was conformed to his Head Christ in being a Man of Sorrows and acquainted with Grief He was exercised with Affliction in his own Person and with Domestick Troubles which went very near him yet he justified God in all he believed that Good would come out of the Evils he felt no Burthen tired his Patience for he knew how happy they are that endure In all Chastizements he perceived the Faithfulness and Love of his Chastizer and this made all strokes tolerable His sick Fits his Pains his wearisome and wakeful Nights 〈…〉 never made him that ever I could hear or hear of to break forth into Murmurings or Complaints unbecoming him whatever he wanted he still possessed his Soul in Patience 3. He was a Man of a most Publick Spirit and of a Catholick Charity He was troubled to see the Members of the Body of Christ divided so little consulting the honour of their Head or their own Interest He was stiffly for no Party very moderate towards all True Goodness he liked and loved where-ever he saw it and tho he had suffered very much from some bot Men of the Church of England yet he was not bitter in his Speeches against them where-ever he perceived usefulness an unblameable Conversation and a design for God carried on he did readily acknowledge it and rejoiced in it He was not in the Quarrels of this present Age he loved and followed after Peace as well as Holiness and shared in the Blessedness which is promised to the Peace-makers He was troubled to see roots of Bitterness bringing forth such bitter Fruits almost every where and in every Party And with such meekness of Wisdom with such calmness and sedateness of Spirit he carried it towards Men of all Perswasions and his Words and Ways were so inoffensive that I never heard any one speak ill of Mr. Edward Lawrence but all that knew him were ready to acknowledg that he was a Man of eminent Godliness of a most peaceable Temper and of a very great Integrity And as he loved all Saints as such by what Name soever distinguished so he vexed his righteous Soul from day to day because of the Vngodliness Infidelity and Debaucheries of this wicked Age. In his last Sermon which was upon that Text Isaiah 29. 6. When thy judgments are in the earth the inhabitants of the world-will learn righteousness with very great Zeal and warmth he pressed upon his Hearers the learning the loving the practice of Righteousness for the Nations sake and for their own Souls sake that it might be well with the one and with the other 4. He was a man of great Ministerial Accomplishments His worth was like the deep Rivers which run more silently whereas the shallow Brooks do make the greater Noise He was very able in Controversial Divinity his Judgment was sound his Arguments strong his Head and Notions very clear and having a clear Apprehension of Truths himself he could make them very plain to others understandings and in his arguings he was very free from Passion and when he saw he was likely only to stir up the Passion of others instead of rectifying their Judgments he would be silent In his Preaching he was very solid and substantial he had a great firmness in Memory which continued to the last He prayed and preached with such a Spirit as did evidence much of the presence of God with him How did he speak to God as one that saw him just before him And when he spake to man he spake as the Oracle of God with greatest seriousness and as about things of the highest and everlasting Concernment How firmly was he himself perswaded of those Truths he propounded to others He taught the Commands of Christ and himself obeyed them and was great useful in his Kingdom In the second place I shall speak a few Words to you that survive him And that both to his Relations And to Others To his Relations I shall say these three things 1. Take notice of his great Affection to you and how this Affection was spiritualized he loved you but especially your Souls the most precious part of you he was full of care that it might be well with you for ever and was faithful in reproving as the
Cor. 4. 16. 2. The perfect Man is made pertaker of every Grace Moral Philosophers have observed a Concatenation of all moral Virtues that they are inseparable where one is indeed there are all of them There cannot be truly any Vertue in any man where any one Vice is allowed to be predominant 'T is a great truth concerning the Graces of the Spirit that they are all linked together There is no Grace insincerity in that man who ordinarily and presumptuously does what he knows to be evil in God's sight and willingly suffers tho it be but one Iniquity to have the dominion over him The Spirit of God works like himself and all Grace he works where he works any The Stone or Kernel of the Fruit tree has vertually the whole Tree in it and if it be sown in the Ground a Tree with Leaves and Fruit at length grows up from it We read of the seed of God 1 John 3. 9. and this Seed vertually has all Grace in it And this Seed does remain and Grace of every sort as there is occasion in some degree or other is produced into act and exercise In the perfect man's breast plate or if you will in his breast there is Faith and Love and Righteousness It is Hope that is his Helmet It is Humility that is both his Cloathing and Ornament and Zeal is not so much one single Grace as an high degree of all The Spirit of the Lord dwels in the perfect man and where the Spirit is and abides all his Graces are with him This is plainly intimated John 1. 16. Of his fulness we all have received and grace for grace There are several Interpretations of these Words but the truest is this Of Christ's fulness all sincere believers have received 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grace answerable to every grace that is in Christ himself as the Child receives Limb for Limb from the Parent How truly Rich and Happy is he who has no Grace wanting and what a satisfaction is it to perceive plainly in himself that every Grace is growing 3. The perfect man prises all the promises of the New Covenant and esteems himself highly favoured in being Heir unto them all Hypocritical Professors and Wicked Men may put a value upon some promises as when the Lord promises to bless in the City and in the Field to bless in the fruit of the Body and of the Cattle and of the Ground to bless in the Basket and in the Store Deut. 28. 3 4 5. when he promises length of days and long life and that peace shall be added Prov. 3. 2. Nay one that is ungodly designing to die the death of the Righteous may put a value upon the promises of deliverance from the wrath to come and from eternal condemnation But the perfect man though he sets an estimate upon any Blessing which God has promised and values Temporal Mercies and Salvation from the Vengeance of eternal Fire Yet there are also other kind of promises he gladly embraces as the promise of an heart to know the Lord. Jer. 24. 7. I will give them an heart to know me that I am the Lord and they shall be my people and I will be their God for they shall return to me with their whole heart That promise also of an heart circumcised to love God is much valued and rested on by the perfect man Deut. 30. 6. The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart and the heart of thy seed to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul that thou mayst live So is that promise Ezek. 36. 25. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean from all your filthiness and from all your idols I will cleanse you There is good reason that the promises of sanctification should be look'd upon as exceeding great and precious for by these the perfect man is made a partaker of the divine nature and escapes the corruption that is in the world through lust 2 Pet. 1. 4. 4. The perfect man hath a respect unto all God's commandments he does not chuse some and pass by others but readily receives every precept Psal 119. 6. Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy commandments He looks upon every Law with an eye to the Authority of the Lawgiver who has a right to rule him and has power to save and destroy John 4. 12. He looks upon the Law delivered on Mount Sinai as in force upon Mount Zion and that by faith the law is established Rom. 3. 31. The Apostle's manner of Expression carries in it a strong motive to Obedience 1 Thess 4. 2. For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus Commands are given by his Authority who is Lord of all and Obedience is urged for his sake who himself has obeyed and suffered for us and who is so ready to strengthen us to obey and to make what we do acceptable The perfect man has his eye upon God and Christ and cannot find in his Heart to cast any Command of theirs behind his Back that 's his perpetual wish that 's his daily groan Oh that my ways were directed to keep thy Statutes Oh let me not wander from thy Commandments Psal 119. 5 10. Whereas the unsound Professor is not reconciled to every Command nor indeed to any Though his Obedience seem exact in many respects yet offending in one point or other he is guilty of violating the whole law James 2. 10. His partial Obedience to the Commands shews he is not sincere in keeping any one of them If any were kept upon a right ground then every one of the Precepts would be kept upon the same ground 5. The perfect man keeps judgment and does righteousness at all times Psal 106. 3. He sticks to the Lord's testimonies and cleaves to the Lord himself with an unshaken purpose of heart even in times of great Apostacy and falling away He will not leave the Ship of the Church and put to shore when a storm of Persecution arises 't is better to be in the Vessel where Christ is though the Tempest be never so fierce and sore than trust to a sinful compliance with the men of the World The perfect man's goodness is not like the morning Cloud and the early Dew that goes away but his Righteousness is like a River Labitur labetur in omne volubilis aevum It holds on its course and keeps running continually He shews himself a Disciple indeed by still following his Master and abiding in his word John 8. 31. If ye continue in my word then are ye my Disciples indeed 6. The perfect man wishes and longs for a sinless perfection He really and earnestly desires to be as good as the Law would have him to be every whit as Righteous as the Commandment requires and when through Infirmity he breaks the Law he is troubled When the Apostle says This we wish were
your perfection 2 Cor. 13. 9. Certainly his Charity began at home and he wish'd his own perfection also These longings after unspotted Purity and to do the will of God on earth as it 's done heaven God observes and is well pleased with David did not build the Temple yet the Lord tells him he did well in that it was in his heart to do it 2 Chron. 6. 8. What was in heart to do God reckons as done and well done Abraham did not actually Sacrifice his Son Isaac yet 't is said again and again that he offered him up Heb. 11. 17. The Will for the Deed is accepted The perfect man's Will to be every way perfect is very well taken The more there is of a willing Mind the more there is of a perfect Heart 1 Chron. 28. 9. In the second place I am to shew wherein the perfection of the perfect man lies it lies in his being upright I have described him in part already but I shall farther give you the perfect man's Character by setting him forth in his uprightness This uprightness does not only include Integrity in opposition to Partiality but it includes Truth and Power in opposition to Shew and Form for Form wants the principal Dimension of Uprightness which is Depth and Substance I shall tell you in several particulars how the Scripture represents the upright man Let Conscience diligently mark the representation that you may discern whether you are upright or otherwise 1. The upright man acknowledges his sin without allowed guile He has no secret regard to any iniquity so as to connive at it himself so as to refuse to acknowledge it to God He freely and ingenuously confesses to the Lord the worst he knows of himself and while he thus declares his Sin and dislikes it and himself for it God covers it and no longer imputes it to him Psal 32. 1. 2. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven whâ—se sin is covered blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity and in whose spirit there is no guile Holy Job was censured by his Friends as unsound in his Religion but by many Arguments he vindicates his uprightness Job 31. And among the rest by this ver 33. That he had not covered his transgression like Adam by hiding his iniquity in his bosom To excuse Sin is inexcusable to defend Sin How offensive is it unto God! The upright man in his Repentance exposes his Sin with its many Aggravations till it appears as it is out of measure sinful and concludes it beyond measure hateful He is ready to speak all he knows amiss in himself and that which he sees not he desires may be detected that he may be cleansed from it Search me O God says upright David and see if there be any evil way in me Psal 139. 23 24. He was sensible of the wickedness of his Heart and begs that God would create in him a clean one and because of the deceitfulness of his Heart he prays that a right spirit might be renewed within him Psal 51. 10. 2. The upright man keeps himself from that sin which in a special manner may be called his iniquity He is so well acquainted with himself as well to know and much to observe what Sin or Sins do most easily beset him and he sets the strongest guard against those Corruptions which he takes notice that naturally he is most strongly addicted to Psal 18. 23. I was also upright before him and I kept my self from my iniquity The upright man who is naturally inclined to Covetousness watches and prays against the love of worldly wealth as that which is the root of all evil If his Constitution inclines him to impure Lusts he endeavours to prevent or to quench these hellish sparks at first kindling and to possess his heart as well as vessel in sanctification and honour If he be of an hasty Temper what pains does he take to keep Passion under and to be adorned with the meekness and gentleness of Christ He is an upright man who because God has been so often displeased by it can banish and hate that which was once a darling sin 3. The upright man is a lover of the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity Cant. 1. 4. Draw me we will run after thee we will be glad and rejoyce in thee we will remember thy love more than wine the upright love thee The upright man is what he is by the Grace of Christ that Grace made his Heart a good and honest one which naturally was no better than the Hearts of others and even now he cannot stand in Law because of his many Faults and Failings were it not for Jesus the Mediator his very uprightness could never be accepted He has his all from Christ he does all by his strength and what he does is through him acceptable to God Well may his love to the Lord be strong to whom his Obligations are vastly great His love to Christ is not in Word and Tongue only but in Deed and in Truth Love to Christ constrains him to live to him that died for him 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. and rather than be separated from Christ and from his love he resolves by the glorious Spirit 's aid to part with the most desirable outward Comforts and with Life it self It was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an uncorrupt and fervent love to the Lord Jesus which made the Apostle full of earnest expectation and hope that in nothing he should be ashamed and very willing that Christ should be magnified in his body whether it were by life or death Phil. 1. 20. 4. The upright man walks before God in truth He sets himself before God unto whose pure and piercing eye the inmost secrets of his Heart are open and naked and he is sensible the Lord can take no pleasure in him without sincerity 1 Chron. 29. 17. I know O my God that thou triest the heart and hast pleasure in uprightness The upright man sets God before himself also Psal 16. 8. I have set the Lord always before me because he is at my right hand I shall not be moved The Psalmist studied to approve himself to God who always observed him and he stays himself on God's everlasting arm and strength that he might be upheld against all Temptation and Opposition and be kept immoveable in Well-doing Upright Hezekiah walked before God in truth and with a perfect heart and did that which was good in his sight Isa 38. 3. His heart was in what he did and he had the Heart-searcher's Approbation and his Conscience giving a Testimony for him he has confidence towards God An upright man may be influenced by the fear of punishment They were the Friends of Christ to whom he speaks thus Be not afraid of them that kill the body and after that have no more that they can do but I will forewarn you whom you shall fear fear him which after he hath killed hath power to