that hee put up to the Lord in the dayes of his humiliation If any sins were stirring or any iniquity abounding hee laboured by fasting and prayer to oppose the same I knew him sometimes in Cambridge in his younger dayes at which time the Lord had wonderfully inriched him with spirituall gifts In the exercise whereof he was so industrious that hee did weary himselfe and even consume his spirits by reason of his constancy in holy duties Hee was so taken with love of the Lord Jesus and his blessed truths that hee was faine to bee checked and by many good friends to bee hindered in his pious service and indeavours How oft hath hee stood in the gap and laboured by fervent prayers to avert Gods wrath and remove his heavy judgements Witnes his strong cries and intercessions to the Almighty in the time of common calamitie when the pestilence raged so violently amongst us Witnesse also those painefull imployments that hee tooke up in season and out of season exhorting rebuking with all long-suffring and patience Some times alluring the heart with sweet promises otherwhile denouncing vengeance threatning judgement against obstinate sinners Preaching ordinarily every Lords day and extraordinarily upon the weeke as occasion was offered for the good of his people Witnesse also and I pray brethren thinke of that the many sweet comforts and heavenly consolations wherewith hee refreshed and supported many a fainting soule Thus this blessed Saint weakned his body and wasted his spirits out of love to Christs little flock which now he enjoyes the fruit and comfort of For though our griefe cannot bee expressed having sustained so great a losse yet it cheereth my heart me thinks how now he resteth from all his labours Oh the sweet repose that hee enjoyes Now his eyes that were full of teares and his tongue that did almost cleave to the roofe of his mouth for the good of the Church doe all cease and lie still We leave his pretious soule in the hands of his Maker and his body to bee laid in the dust there to sleep in a bed of downe untill the Trump shall awake both him and us all at the great day of appearing Againe Vse 2. Are faithfull Ministers the helpe and fortresse of a Nation then the losse of an able true hearted Minister is to bee greatly mourned for O my Father my Father saith good Elisha So though we must leave this our deare brother yet let us look after him as hee did Hee looked wishly on him had his eye fixed constantly towards him and when he could see him no more hee cryeth out O my father my father Why should not wee bewaile this great losse of ours in like manner Me thinks every one of us should take up this sorrowfull complaint mee thinks your spirits should relent and mourne at such an object Yea I am perswaded many here present doe so Mee thinks I heare one say O my father by whom I was converted and another O my father by whom I was directed a third O my father by whom my soule was comforted and the little children that are left fatherlesse they cry O my father by whom I was begotten maintained and nourished in spirituall things Brethren let us looke after him though wee must now part with him yet let us call to minde all his prayers and humiliation and fasting and supplications to the throne of Grace All his teares are now dried up all his complaints are now finished all his paines and labours are now accomplished and hee to receive a plentifull reward of them Let us mourne for our neglect of the means of salvation whiles he lived amongst us O his labour and teares and painfull studying are now all gone they are now in heaven whither he himself is gone before us The Lord give us to follow his steps that we finishing our course as he did our latter end may be like unto his To conclude briefly Vse 3 Is one of the Horsemen of Israel gone Are the Charrets of Israel taken away What must wee then do Certainly we should double our forces now and make a new presse because a Generall is slain The Lord hath brought us hither at this time O let us lay this dolefull spectacle to heart and be affected therewith as we ought I should speak as if I were never to speake more You should heare as if you were never to heare more Men Fathers and Brethren what hath befallen this Saint before you may be any of our portions ere long wee know not how soone Death may knock at our doores Our times are in Gods hand who can take us to himselfe when hee pleaseth Happily this day may be thy last day and this very season the last opportunity that ever thou maiest have to meet GOD in his Ordinances Oh therefore bee encouraged to adde one prayer more Goe home I beseech you and consider with the departure of this our deare Friend how many prayers and teares are departed with him How did hee importune the Lord for the good of the whole Land in generall and for the Country and place wherein he lived in particular Thinke you all his earnest striving with God was in vaine Or seemeth it a small thing in your eyes to lose so many fervent effectuall supplications I beseech you lay it to heart and every man in his place put to his helping hand for repairing of so great a losse Now make a presse of prayers raise up armies of petitions Goe your wayes home bee humbled pray one praier more that the Army may be increased still You that were of his Parish and enjoyed the worke of his Ministery Oh you have lost a good Pastor a faithfull Labourer in Gods harvest one that had a longing desire after your salvation But know this how ever your provocations are increased yet the Lord who for your sins hath made this breach among you hath further blessings in store if you seeke to him He can supply your place againe with a faithfull able Minister and with a couragious Generall Therefore brethren if ever you pray pray now if ever you fast now fast if ever you humble your selves now bee humbled in dust and ashes before the Lord never more need never greater want By this meanes the Land will be strengthened and our peace and safety continued What though our enemies are many and our sinnes great fervent prayer hath to doe with a God stronger and mightier then they all This will undermine the most subtill underminers of Gods truth and children therefore set your selves seriously upon the work however the flesh is awkward yet stirre up and provoke your spirits hereunto It will never repent you upon your death beds of your prayers and teares put up unto God It will bee a great refreshment to your drooping soule at that day if you can say in truth as Hezekiah did Good Lord remember how I have walked uprightly before thee This is that which will continue a mans comfort and support his soule in the greatest extremity An unpraying heart is a dismall thing Therefore be incouraged to the duty Pray pray pray FINIS
grace neare unto us and wee put on our communion upon every occasion 1 it makes the promise to be within a mans reach as I may say David saith Psal 119.98 99. Thou through thy Commandements hast made mee wiser than mine enemies for they are ever with me and I have more understanding than all my teachers for thy testimonies are my meditation Meditation makes the Commandements to bee ever with a man when troubles and temptation come Meditation brings Christ neare and the promise close to the soule If pride be neare us then meditation brings neare the humility of Christ and makes that to be ever with a man If covetousnesse be neare then meditation brings neare the heavenly mindednesse of Christ and that is ever with a man to aide him and so in all other things You poore people of God of whatsoever condition you are hold fast a cōstant meditation of the promise and at last you shall see that grace will come from heaven into your soules Secondly meditation gathers up all the power that is in the promise and daily findes a great deale of sweetnesse and power to come from the same as Heb. 13. He hath said Heb. 13.6 I will not faile thee nor forsake thee Now Meditation workes thus Hath God said so there is infinite mercy and wisedome compassion and goodnesse in him Will the Lord never leave me will he never forsake me It is enough it is a free gracious constant and faithfull promise I may safely rest upon it Thus the soule is fully contented and quieted though all other comforts in the world faile This is the reason why wee are taken aside so much and discouraged with every little crosse and trouble because wee consider not the freedome and excellency of the promise if we aske a poore soule whether this bee his promise or no and will you part with this promise in this cold blood he can say Yes I thank God it is mine and I would not be without it for any thing it is farre more sweet than any riches pleasures or profits whatsoever Oh brethren why should this trash delude us and why are wee so much dismayed at the losse of these things here below Sure it is because wee weigh not the excellency of the promise and the things are above When the devil saith Thou wilt be poore and the times are hard and thou and thine will come to great misery then Meditation goes to the promise and seeing the excellency of it saith If I be poore Christ is rich and hee is mine if I be a wretched creature in my self Christ is blessed and beloved of his Father hee is mine The earth is all the Lords and the fulnesse thereof and he hath said he will deny me nothing that is good If GOD bee mine in conclusion all is mine Looke as it is with a garment the more full it is the more comely it is so when Meditation brings all the promises home it is full I want power saith the soule there is abundance of power in the Lord Jesus saith Meditation I want mercy saith the soule then Meditation steps in and saith There is mercy enough in Christ and all his goodnesse from everlasting to everlasting is thine hereupon the soule goes away wonderfully contented and cheared See how comfortably the Martyrs passed through the very flames in consideration hereof Ps 16.8 I have set God ever before my eyes and because hee is at my right hand I cannot be moved That is God will give mee sufficient aide and assistance in all extremities When a man continually sets God before his eies and thinks talkes of nothing but Christ how joyous may such a one be but when the heart of a man is dazled and his minde either looking for some sufficiency frō within or some glory from without this withdrawes the power of the promise from him as if a Preacher did see nothing but the Lord and ayme at him onely and give himselfe wholy to his disposall and receive all his strength onely for him what need hee care what men thinke or say of him If you would do thus you should finde a bundance of peace and comfort from the Almighty The third worke of Meditation is this 3 It fastens the promise more strongly upon the soule and as it were rivets the soule to the promise and even fastens the promise into the heart as if a man doe alwayes meditate of some injury done to him and saith thus and thus he hath wronged me but I will requite him and as he hath done to me so I will deale by him againe such a man is even drowned in his misery he cannot sleep or speake eat or drink nor doe any thing but his minde is ever upon his injury This spirituall Meditation will as it were drowne a man in the promise so that at last hee thinkes and talkes of nothing but the promise still the Lord Jesus Christ is neare him and hee is so fastened to him that he walkes on chearily in all estates if any misery or temptation comes the promise is so chear full to him that hee regards them not That is the phrase of the Wiseman Pro. 4.14 Take hold fast of instruction let her not goe for she is thy life The devill the world and our sinnes would pluck away Christ and grace from us but let not the promise goe thinke and talke still of it pray and strive for the continuance of the same Now to worke this a little into your hearts Vse the Apostle saith Col. 2.6 that as you have received Christ so walke you in him I beseech you walke in the power and spirit of Christ and let the vertue received from him appeare in your lives and conversations It is a strange passage in the 2 Corinth 2 Cor. 13.3 13. If any man require a Testimony of Christ speaking in me c. The Lord Jesus indited all the words of S. Paul and Christ himself spake by all his faithfull servants Oh what a comfort would this bee to a poore childe of GOD that it may be hath not a ragge to cover his body withall yet he is cloathed with the robe of Jesus Christ Oh how holy our conversation would bee if Christ would speake in us and for us that when any temptation comes wee may have recourse to the Lord for succour If the soule bee troubled with pride and the heart begins to bubble up with revenge and malice against a man that hath done him wrong and men lye against all sense and reason and this begins to stirre a man how wil you help your selves Thus looke up to heaven and say Now I see the thing I must labour for is a humble soule Truth Lord it is not in mee to pull downe and tame mine owne heart Lord doe thou worke this grace in me It is a shame to pride our selves and say These are my parts and gifts I will know my
upon feare and doubting and discouragement and were all making provision for them and in the meane time faith lay as dead in the soule This is very considerable in reason though faith work in the soule yet it must use the soule and all the affections of it as the memory understanding and desires and cannot worke without these The soule of a man being a finite creature cannot settle its affections upon many objects at once if he bestow his minde upon sin and the occasions thereof hee cannot meditate upon Christ and the promise he cannot have a Streame running fully in two Channels all at once when a man lets out the streame of his desire judgement and endeavour wholy for the flesh and the world there is nothing left for Christ and grace and the cause of God David was a wise man and yet when Nabal had wronged him 1 Sam 25.21 22. see what wronged him see what provision hee made for his anger Surely in vaine have I kept this fellow and all that hee had in the wildernesse saith hee So and more also doe God unto the enemies of David if I leave of all that pertaines to him by the Mornings light any that pisseth against the wall I will requite the old churle and slay him and all his Well Abigal meets him and saith Let not my Lord I pray thee regard this man of Belial even Nabal for as his name is so is hee Nabal is his name and folly is with him And thus shee pacified the King in so much that David said to her Blessed be God and blessed be thou and blessed be thy counsell to me Why may some say Object was not David as able to counsell himselfe as shee was to doe it I answer yes Answ hee was a marvellous wise man and understood the law of God and the Law of Nations but hee had so given over his heart to wrath that hee had no roome for any worke of wisdome or patience to take place and therefore now stood in need of a counsellor And as the worke of grace is dead in the soule because the strength of all is imployed another way 2 so secondly we deprive our selves of the comfort and vertue of the promise that were might enjoy The Spirit and promise of God is that which must helpe a Christian in all his straights Now the work of the Spirit of grace dies in the heart by meditatioÌ„ of sinne our forgetting of Gods promise stops the streame of his goodnesse so as we receive not that grace that we might doe for the strengthening of us In common reason we know this GOD doth communicate grace to us from his promise but we must looke up to it and turne our minde and thoughts towards it Now when a man hath turned his meditations upon the world and the occasions thereof hee is gone cleane off from the promise and not meditating upon the promise and the meanes of grace hee can receive no strength nor comfort from the same Heb. 12.3 the Text saith Consider him that endured such contradictions of sinners against himselfe lest ye be wearied and faint in your mindes Here are two passages observeable First the Lord Jesus Christ is able to make us strong and resolute in minde that wee shall not faint at the opposition of sinners Secondly we must consider him that is set our hearts and our affections upon him as if he had said You are unable to bee patient and to put up injuries but consider him that did it and then you shall receive strength and power to suffer patiently Thus much of the proofe and reasons of the point now I come to the Uses which are of great waight and therfore read them carefully It is a point of marvellous use Vse and of great power and excellency to reforme us in things that are amisse to guide us in the way to happinesse Is it so that whosoever makes provision for the flesh shall certainly be overcome by it TheÌ„ this is a ground of direction whereby a man may perceive what his owne and the practices of other men are and what will become of himselfe and others judge it thus see what provisioÌ„ they make and what course commonly they undertake If a man use meanes that tend to his lusts it is a heavy suspition he will be overtaken by his lusts If wee see a man eate ill meats excessively wee use to say questionlesse he will surfet would any man have done so except he did provide for sicknesse So if our meditations doe runne upon any sinfull courses or base lusts a man may almost conclude wee will surfet upon the same If a man will provide for the world the world will overtake him and if hee provide for his pleasures they wil certainly insnare him Doe you finde a man that hath a secret kinde of dislike at the purenesse and truth of God and that doth despise good counsell and the spirit of grace his provision will tell you what guests will come to his house If wee see what provision is in a mans house we may easily conjecture what his guests will bee As it is in house-keeping just so it is in heart-keeping when wee see what provision a man makes for his lusts wee may know what his course will bee Rom. 12 8 The Apostle saith When men did not like to retain God in their knowledge God gave them to a reprobate mind to doe those things which are good in their owne eyes That soule that sets it selfe against the spirit of grace would if he could pluck God from heaven Oh wretched man what dost thou despight the Spirit if thou hast no spirit then thou art a damned man and as thou dost not like to approve of God in thy knowledge God will ere-long give thee up to a reprobate sense It is a signe that a man is devoted to destruction and even sealed unto condemnation that undervalues the knowledge wayes of God and hath no delight in Jesus Christ but despights the Spirit and the meanes of grace it is just that thou should'st be ridde of this holinesse and blessed presence for ever and therefore God gave them up saith the Text As if hee should say take him a mind that shall never know God that shal never taste grace and goodnesse harden that mans heart hee shall never receive vertue nor comfort thereby provision was made before hand and therefore the Guests come accordingly And so it is Heb. 10.28 If hee that despised Moses Law dyed without mercy of how much sorer punishment is he worthy which treadeth under foot the Sonne of God There are two things to be noted in these words 1. Hee that knowes Gods Law and breakes the same wilfully dies without mercy 2. What will become of him saith the Apostle that opposeth the mercy of Jâ—sus Christ and tramples his blood under his feet and makes a mock at sanctification Brethren for the Lord Christs sake
every lust and wickednesse that lodges within you and lay them downe at Christs feet be content to part with all that you may enjoy him that is more than all who would not leave a sinne for a Saviour exchange darknesse for light or part with an empty contentment to be satisfied with the true never-fading good But if profit cannot prevaile with you let danger force you hereunto know there is a great misery in the neglect hereof if you will not have GOD take away your sinnes the truth is God will take away his grace and holy Spirit from you if you ever had it Nay you shall never have it upon these termes Was there ever a man such a baby in nature that hee would not part with the wound that will kill him Was ever any man so foolish that hee would not let the Physitian purge him when hee was sure to recover upon it Consider it seriously you must either take part with sinne or with your souls either suffer God to deprive you of your lusts or deprive you of heaven Psal 5.3 Thou art a God that lovest not wickedness saith David If you will have sin dwell in your hearts God will not dwell with you nor you with him If you will harbour and hold your sinnes you must hold fast shame and sorrow too A stranger to grace and a stranger to God Gratifie your lusts and you gratifie the devill Without holinesse no happinesse Heaven is too pure a place for any uncleane thing to have admission into Consider what I say and the Lord give you understanding in all things FINIS Spirituall MUNITION A FVNERALL SERMON Psal 20.7 Some put their trust in Chariots and some in horses but wee will remember the Name of the Lord our God LONDON Printed for Robert Dawlman at the Signe of the Brazen Serpent in Pauls Church-yard 1638. Spirituall MUNITION 2 KINGS 2.12 And Elisha saw it and he cryed My Father my Father the Chariots of Israel and the Horsemen thereof WHen the Lord had revealed that hee would take away Eliah in a whirlewinde as appeares in the first verse of this Chapter you shall observe that Elisha one that lived with him and was trained up by him did two things 1. He followed him marvellous closely while he lived And 2. he mourned for him at his death The Lord sent post-haste for Eliah to heaven and in a fiery Chariot suddenly transports him thither Now when Elisha could see him no more nor enjoy him any longer then he cryeth out O my Father my father As though he had said Eliah is now gone he is past all recovery yet though he be a gainer we are all losers having lost a maine prop and support unto us therefore I cannot but breath and pant after him O my Father my Father In the verse I have read you may observe two things 1. The affection of Elisha to his Master 2. The commendation or description of Elijah The words repeated imply his passion as that of David O Absolom 2 Sam. 18.33 my sonne my sonne would God I had dyed for thee O Absolom my sonne my sonne 1. The affection of this holy man appeareth in three things 1. 1. His honourable esteeme of him Father 2. His humble subjection to him My Father 3. His lamentation and mourning for him O my Father wherein the great griefe and passion of his soule appeares by rending and tearing his clothes apieces as you may see in the Chapter I beginne with the first The word Father is sometimes taken for a word of nature as a naturall father sometimes it signifies a terme of time discovering Antiquity as Fathers in Israel that is such as are aged of long continuance and standing in the Church The point hence is this Doct. 2 King 6.21 The Ministers of God should be as Fathers to the people And this appeares in three things 1 1 They should have a stayednesse and gravity both of spirit and life 1 Tim. 4.12 Let no man despise thy youth saith Paul to Timothy but be an example in life and doctrine If thou livest holily without exception and yet men will speake against thee thine heart tells them they lie let them raile their fill 2 2 In regard of the power and authority committed unto them by God Paul had a rod as well as meeke words Ministers must bee Fathers not cockerers nor flatterers of men 3. 3 In regard of the instruction that they give unto the people which must bee according as their necessity and ability requireth They must be eyes to the blind eares to the deafe Isa 40.11 and feete to the lame First Vse 1. this should teach the Lords watchmen to shine as burning lamps to be examples of piety and strict obedience in their severall places Alas what is it to have the highest place and the basest practise the best calling and the worst kinde of living Secondly Vse 2. it should instruct you that are hearers to deale with the Ministers of Gods word as with Fathers you must not despise them in a captious censorious manner undervaluing the Lords Worthies 1 Tim. 5.1 as many doe Rebuke not an Elder saith S. Paul but intreat him as a Father It is not for a childe to call the father to his tribunall Doe wee see any thing in the Minister that is faulty wee should mourne for it and wisely suggest it to him Say to Archippus saith S. Paul he doth not bid you controule Archippus But here mistake me not It is a point of Popery to beleeve and doe in all things as the Minister saith or doth but wee must search the Scriptures and try mens doctrines whether they bee according to God or not This is one passage My father Here is further set down the deare and respectfull carriage of Elisha unto Eliah whence observe 2 That loving subjection is that which all people ought to give unto those that are in the place of the Ministery Doct. 2. Heb. 13.17 Submit yourselves What Elisha himselfe did all the sonnes of Elisha will likewise doe Now this appeares in three things 1 1 They must have a reverend esteem of them and the places unto which God hath called them they must entertaine them as Ambassadors Gal. 4.14 as Co-workers with the Sonne for their salvation 1 Thes 5.13 to bring the poore creature and his Creator together that they may be one Men are apt to say Ministers are weak and passionate and full of failings Why brethren who is not so It is our happinesse that we have this heavenly treasure in earthen vessels Should God speake to us face to face who were able to abide him Secondly 2. submitting subjecting of our selves to the truths delivered Tell not me of intertaining a Minister or bidding him to your Table Thou must subject thy soule to the word and labour to bee under the power of divine truths revealed Otherwise