Deaths Deliverance and Elijahs Fiery Chariot, Sermon 1 – Title page
DEATHS DELIVERANCE.
Iſai. 57.1, 2.
The righteous periſheth, and no man layeth it to heart; and mercifull men are taken away, none conſidering that the righteous is taken away from the evill to come.
He ſhall enter into peace: they ſhall reſt in their beds, each one walking in his uprightneſſe.
THe heavieſt afflictions are ſweet mercies to Gods Servants; their greateſt loſſe doth prove their chiefeſt gaine; as the red Sea to Iſrael, proved aaExod. 14.28, 29. grave to their enemies, a paſſage to them from their Egyptian bondage: as Sampſon hadbJudg. 14.14. honey in the Lion, ſweet out of the ſowre, meate out of the eater; ſo the Lords people have light out of darkneſſe, joy out of heavineſſe, peace out of trouble, life out of death; the wounding arrow, the piercing ſword, that ſticks in their ſides, doth prove a launcing knife; the deadlieſt poyſon a ſweet purgation; the moſt mortall enemy doth the labour of a kinde and loving friend; as Pharaohs burdens, fury, violence, and high hand, drove Iſrael from working in an iron fornace, from living under a miſerable and ſlaviſh bondage: ſo enemies, afflictions, ſorrowes, troubles, ſickneſſe, violent diſeaſes, and death it ſelfe, turne to the ſingular good of all that love the Lord; for if they periſh, if they dye, if they lay downe their life; oh! it is for their advantage, though others, it may be, doe not conſider it; for thus the Prophet here hath it:
The righteous periſheth, and no man layeth it to heart, and mercifull men are taken away, none conſidering that the righteous is taken from the evill to come.
This Text is to a good man, like the Travellers Inne, bed, and place of repoſe, after his long and weariſome journey; like the Mariners haven after many violent and ſtormy Tempeſts; like thecEx. 9.20 houſes wherein the Egyptian Cattle were preſerved from the grievous haile, one day threatned, and the next day inflicted; for ſo the Prophet ſaith.
The righteous is taken from the evill to come: he ſhall enter into peace, they ſhall reſt in their beds, each one walking in his uprightneſſe.
In the words we may conſider;
1. Quis. Of whom the Prophet here ſpeaketh, of the righteous and mercifull man.
2. Quid. What he ſaith of him, he periſheth, is taken away, the latter word doth well explaine the former.
3. Quare. Wherefore, hee is taken away from the evill to come.
4. Quomodo. How, in what manner, he is taken away in peace, he layeth downe his life in the feare of God, reſteth in his grave, as on a bed, till the morning of the Reſurrection.
5. Qualiter. How the ſurviving men are affected with it, they lay it not to heart, they conſider it not.
Theſe be the ſtreames flowing from this fountaine, becauſe time will not give us leave with Gideons many thouſands to bow downe upon our knees, and drink a full draught of theſe waters, we ſhall be conſtrained with his 300. ſouldiers todJudg. 7.6. lap a little, and ſo away.
To begin therefore with the two firſt of theſe jointly; Quis and Quid, who periſheth, who is taken away, The righteous: Gods people are righteous eJo. 13.10.inchoativè, as the morning, the dawning of the day is light, but hath darkneſſe mingled with it: as Lazarus came forth of his grave, he was riſen, but hisfJo. 11.44 grave-cloth bound him. So Gods people are riſen to a new converſation out of the grave of ſinne, but their corruptions are yet in ſome degree remaining in them, a great hindrance to their holy walking. 2. They are righteous gMat. 5.6. Pſa. 119.5.affectivè, they deſire it, hunger and thirſt after it. 3. They are righteous hIſ. 32.15.effective, righteouſneſſe is their worke, their fruit, their walke. 4. They are righteous i1 Cor. 5.21. Rom. 4.6.imputativè, and ſo they be perfectly righteous, not a part, but the whole righteouſneſse of Chriſt is imputed to them. They are askGen. 27.15. Iacob in Eſaus their elder brothers garment, and ſo they win the bleſſing from God, as Iacob obtained the bleſſing at the hands of his Father Iſaak.
The righteous man here is moſt properly the man which doth holy and righteous workes; that walketh conſtantly, and conſcionably in the way of righteouſneſſe; whoſe exerciſe is withlAct. 24.16. Paul, to keep a conſcience void of offence towards God, and towards man; this man periſheth, is ſmitten with the arrow of temporall death, falleth in this warre, &c.
Mercifull men, or men of kindneſſe, or godlineſſe, as the word alſo ſignifieth, men eaſilymLuk. 6.36. moved to grieve at the miſeries of others, and to ſuccour them: men mercifull, even as God is mercifull; for in mercy there is the affection of pitie, and the effect of helpe and ſuccour: the men thus righteous, thus mercifull, thus qualified, are taken away by death, whence obſerve,
Doct. That ſuch as be moſt holy and gracious, are ſubject to a bodily diſſolution, as well as others. The ſithe cutteth the beautifull, and ſweet ſmelling flower, as ſoon as the fearne; the Axe heweth downe the good tree, as well as the barren, being once laid to the root of it: ſo is death impartiall; as the DelugenGen. 7.19. over-flowed the meadowes, orchards, gardens, as well as the wilderneſſe, the moſt fruitfull, as well as the more barren parts of the earth: ſo death ſpares none. God hathoHeb. 9.27. appointed it, the ſentence is irrecoverable, and how pEccleſ. 2.16.dyeth the wiſeman? ſaith Salomon, as the foole. What is become of all the Saints that lived before us? Have they not all drunk of this cup? Have they not all runne this race? Heare what the wiſe man ſaith,qEccle. 8.8. There is no man (whether rich or poore, high or low, young or old, holy or unholy) that hath power over the ſpirit, to retaine the ſpirit, neither hath he power in the day of death; and there is no diſcharge in that warre, neither ſhall wickedneſſe deliver thoſe that are given to it. The proofe of this is as needleſſe, as to prove the going downe of the Sunne from our Horizon, which every eye may daily behold and ſee: neither is it ſtrange, for
There is ſome ſinne, ſome corruption in the beſt, there is that ſeed Reaſons. 1 which bringeth forth death, as the moth eates the garment, the worme in the tree makes him moulder, the leak in the ſhip letteth in the water, untill at length it ſinke: ſo ſinne where it once entreth, once taketh up his abode, death doth enſue and follow after, as the threed followeth the needle, asrRuth. 1.16. Ruth followed Naomi, as Ionathans Armour-bearer ſaid to him,ſ1 Sam. 14.7. turn thee, behold I am with thee, according to thy heart: ſo may death ſay to ſinne, for which way ſoever that turnes, or goeth before it, death doth without faile enſue and followtRom. 5.12. after it. This is theuRom. 6.23. wages belonging to it, the payment never faileth: as Salomon ſaith of other buildings,wEccl. 10.18. by much ſlothfulneſſe the building decayeth, and through idleneſſe of the hands the houſe droppeth through: So may I ſay of theſe our earthly Tabernacles, through our corruptions theſe weake buildings of our bodies doe decay, and through the ſinne which is within us, this houſe droppeth through, till at length it falleth to the ground, commeth to the grave; ſinne is the mother, and death the daughter,xLam. 3.42, 43. Lam. 3.42, 43.
Reaſons. 2 This ſutes with the preſent condition of Gods people, they arey1 Pet. 2.11. Pilgrims, this is not theirzHeb. 11.9, 14. Country, now they area1 Cor. 9.24. Travellers, and tend every day to their journies end and as Iſrael could not come to Canaan, but through theb1 Cor. 10.1. Red Sea, no more can Gods people attaine their journies end, but by death; when the priſon walls are beaten downe, then they who are kept in fetters there, may goe forth,c2 Cor. 5.1, 2. We know (ſaith the Apoſtle) that if our earthly houſe of this tabernacle were diſſolved, wee have a building of God, a houſe not made with hands, eternall in the Heavens.
This maketh them alſo in ſome ſort Reaſons. 3 conformable to Chriſt their head; Our Lord and Maſter hath drunke of this cup, trodden this path before us, and the dMat. 10.24.Diſciple muſt not looke to bee above his Maſter: but, as in other things, ſo in this we muſt be made like him, to this we areeRo. 8.29. ordained, wee muſt firſt be like him in his ſufferings, and then we ſhall be like him in his raigning.f2 Tim. 2.11. It is a faithfull ſaying, if we be dead with him, we ſhall alſo live with him, if we ſuffer we ſhall alſo raigne with him: Therefore as Gideon ſaid unto his Souldiers,gJudg. 7.17. Looke on me, as yee ſee mee doe, ſo doe yee: ſo muſt we looke on our Gideon, our Chriſt, our Captaine, and doe as wee have ſeene him doe before us.
This workes the utter deſtruction Reaſons. 4 of ſinne in them, as Sampſon by hishJudg. 16.30. death deſtroyed the Philiſtines his enemies, ſo the righteous by their death deſtroy their corruptions; ſinne is like a ſubtile Fox, that cannot bee taken till his holds be deſtroyed; like ivie in the wall, which cannot be totally taken away, till the ſtones be pulled aſunder: Iſrael could not be freed from theiExo. 14. Morte peccati praeciſionem homo lucratur, ne malum immortale eſset, ita poena ipſi in miſericordiam ceſſit. Nazian. Orat. 38. Egyptians, till they came to the red ſea; no more can Gods people of their ſinnes, till they come to the grave: by death doe the righteous gaine the cutting off of ſinne; and death which was a puniſhment, is turned to a mercy to all that walke uprightly.
But Chriſt hath dyed for them, and their ſinne is forgiven, Gods Juſtice is fully ſatisfied, how then can God bee juſt in bringing death on them? Queſt. Shall the principall be arreſted and caſt into priſon, when the ſurety hath formerly paid the debt for him.
Reſp. Chriſt who hath paid the debt for us, was freelykJoh. 3.16. given of God to us; given, not inſtantly to conferre upon us an actuall freedome from all evills, but in due time, after we have beene exerciſed with variety of tryalls. God doth not onelyonly give Chriſt, but alſo apply him unto us, and when there is a full application of Chriſt to beleevers, then there ſhall be a compleatlEpheſ. 1.14. redemption from all evils: and thus though Chriſt have paid the ranſome, yet God doth us no wrong, in ſuffering us to be exerciſed with many troubles, becauſe there is not yet a full application of this ranſome; and becauſe God gave him in ſuch a way and manner to bring his choſen to ſalvation, as ſeemed beſt to his own wiſdome. God promiſed Canaan to Iſrael, but yet he led them through the red ſea before he brought them thither, and in ſo doing, did them no wrong.
Death to the people of God is not evill, the curſe is taken away: Death is like Moſes mExod. 4.3, 4.ſerpent, it may at firſt ſight make the people of God afraid, as that did him; but as Moſes afterwards tooke the Serpent in his hand, and it did him no harme, ſo is death to the righteous. like a Serpent without a ſting, like a Souldier overcome, and his weapons taken from him,n1 Cor. 15.55, 56, 57. O death (ſaith Saint Paul) where is thy ſting? O grave where is thy victory? the ſting of death is ſinne, the ſtrength of ſinne is the Law, but thankes be unto God, which giveth us the victory through Jeſus Christ our Lord.
Death is ordained of God to be the deſtruction of ſinne in his children; as David cut offo1 Sam. 17 50, 51. Goliahs head with his owne ſword, ſo will God deſtroy ſin by death, which is held as a ſword in ſinnes hand.
Death is to Gods people as the red ſea to Iſrael, the deſtruction of the enemies of their ſalvation, an end of all miſeries, a paſſage to everlaſting life: ſo that Gods people have freedome from the evill, but not from the neceſſity of dying; and herein is the wonderfull power, wiſdome, and goodneſſe of God very clearely ſeene, even in changing the nature of death, and making it to his people ſo uſefull, which in it ſelfe is ſo hurtfull.
Ʋſe. Doe the godly the dye, are not the righteous exempted? muſt they taſte of this cup? It is then in vaine for the wicked, unrighteous, unmercifull, to dreame of eſcapall: As the Apoſtle ſaid in another caſe,p1 Pet. 4.17. if judgment begin at the houſe of God, what ſhall bee the end of them which obey not the Goſpel of God, and as our Saviour alſo ſaid in another caſe,qLuk. 23.31. if they doe thus to the greene tree, what will they doe to the dry? So in this caſe, if death ſeize upon, and ſpare not Gods family, the houſe-hold of faith, the holy and righteous,rIſa. 61.3. trees of righteouſneſſe, Trees of Gods owne planting, as the Prophet calleth them, where then be the hopes of the prophane mans deliverance: If holineſſe, if being in Chriſt, in covenant with God, preſerve not the righteous, the mercifull man from death; Oh thinke not then, O profane man, that riches, honour, worldly abilities will preſerve thy life, theſe be ſhields of no ſtrength to defend us from the darts of death, foundations of ſand, unable to beare us up▪ like that whereon the fooliſh man built his houſe,ſMat. 7.27. Mat. 7. Whereon when the Windes blew, and the waves beat, it fell, and great was the fall thereof: ſuch will be the end of all that build upon the ſand of earthly powers, whoſe very ſtrength is weakneſſe. It was neither the ſtrength, nor height of the tree, nor faireneſſe of the leaves, nor abundance of the fruit, nor extent of the ſhadow, could preſerve it from the ſentence of thetDan. 4.12, 13, 14. woe, the which Nebuchadnezar beheld comming downe from Heaven in his viſion: ſo death (when it once commeth, when the God of Heaven ſends it) will ſhake off the leaves, break downe the branches, take away the beauty of the faireſt, the might of the ſtrongeſt, not regard the wealth of the richeſt, but new downe the Tree, and caſt the body into the grave.vPſ. 82.6. I have ſaid (ſaith the Lord of them that be moſt rich, moſt potent, moſt mighty on earth) yee are Gods, and all of you are children of the most High, but yee ſhall dye like men, and periſh like one of the Princes. As the fire burnes both the ſhrub and Cedar; ſo death ſpares neither poore nor rich. The Lords wrath will ſeaze upon all the wicked alike, as thewIſ. 5.24. the fire devoureth the ſtubble, & the flame conſumeth the chaffe, ſo their root ſhall be rottenneſſe, and their bloſſome ſhall goe up as duſt, becauſe they have caſt away the Law of the Lord of Hoaſts: and woefull, miſerable and wretched will their death be. For
It ſhall end all their joyes, then theirxJob 18.5, 6. Candle will be put out, as theyDan. 5.5. hand writing in the wall marred Belſhazzars feaſt, ſo will death marre the wicked mans mirth.
It will rob him of all his pompe, aszDan. 4.30. Nebuchadnezar was turned from his glorious Palace, to eate graſſe like an Oxe; ſo will death turne the profane man out of all his dignities, bring hisaIſa. 14.11. pompe to the grave, and make him abMat. 25.41. companion with the Devill and his angels.
It will leave him as an abomination upon the earth, his memory ſhallcProv. 10.7. rot, as a dead beaſt caſteth an ill ſavour when he dyeth, ſo the man that is indPſal. 49.23. honour, and knoweth not, is ignorant of God, deſtitute of his feare, void of his grace, ſhall be like the beaſt which periſheth.
It ſhall be the beginning of thoſe miſeries which never ſhall have end, it ſhall intangle them in that ſnare whence there is no eſcaping, and bring them to thoſe burnings, where is noeLuk. 16.24. quenching; to thatfJude v. 7. fire which is everlaſting, it ſhall caſt them into thatgRev. 21.8. lake, from whence there is no out-going. To this ſlaughter-houſe muſt thou come, O riotous, O covetous, O uncleane and carnall man, and though thou doeſt eſcape a little while; yet it will not be long: thou mayeſt cheerehEccleſ. 11.9. thee in the dayes of thy youth, and walke in the wayes of thy heart, and in the ſight of thine eyes, but for all theſe things, God at length will bring thee to judgement. Gellius ſaith of Sejanus horſe, no man ever ſped well that was owner of him: Such a horſe is ſinne, no man ever ſpeeds well at laſt, but takes a fall that rides this horſe, and is carried head-long to deſtruction; over-whelmed with everlaſting torments, before he is aware of it, over-taken as a woman by heri1 Theſſ. 5.3. travaile, it will come as a theefe in the night ſeaſon. As Abſaloms, ſervants fell on Amnon and murdered him, when his heart wask2 Sam. 13.28. merry with wine: ſo when the hearts of men are merry with the pleaſures of ſinne, when they be ſatiated and glutted with worldly and fleſhly delights, then ſorrow, ſhame, death, everlaſting woes, the ſervants of ſinne ſhall fall upon them, as Abſaloms ſervants upon Amnon. The pleaſures of ſinne are but for alHeb. 11.25. ſeaſon, they be but amPſ. 39.5. ſpanne long, as the afflictions of the righteous be but for anRom. 8.18. moment, ſo theoJob 20.5. pleaſures and triumph of the wicked: and one houres torment in Hell, will ſwallow up the pleaſures of a thouſand yeeres on earth.
Are the righteous ſubject to a bodily diſſolution? Are they taken away as well as others? Then let the Saints and holy ſervants of God learne, not to ſet their hearts on things here below, but to be asp1 Pet. 2.11. ſtrangers upon the earth; to live as Tenants at will, in a continuall preparedneſſe to depart. The Lord preſſed the Prophet to this, by preſenting before him the changes which hee would worke; Behold (ſaith the Lord)qJer. 45.4, 5. that which I have built, I will breake downe, and that which J have planted, I will pluck up, even this whole land: and ſeekeſt thou great things for thy ſelfe? ſeeke them not: to this the Apoſtle perſwadeth the people of God, by the conſideration of their new conditions:rCol. 3.1, 2. If ye be riſen with Chriſt, ſeek the things which are above: To this hee urgeth the Hebrewes, by ſetting the inconſtancie of their outward eſtate before them, Wee have no ſHeb 13.12, 13.continuing Citie here, but ſeeke one to come; therefore let us goe forth without the Campe, bearing our reproach, let us forſake the Earth, deny our ſelves, be willing to be diſſolved, that wee may enjoy our deſired home. And this was of old the exhortation of the Prophet,tMica. 2.10. Ariſe you and depart, for this is not your reſt: And therefore as our Saviour ſaid unto the Diſciples concerning Judas,vMat. 26.46. riſe, let us be going, behold he is at hand that doth betray mee: So let me ſay to you of death, ariſe, let us goe hence, let us take our hearts from things here below, for death which will take our life from us is at hand: And as Matthew wMat. 9.9.aroſe from the receipt of cuſtome, and followed Chriſt: So let us ariſe every man from his ſinne, from his prophane way, from his evill cuſtome, and become ſincere, humble, diligent, and conſtant followers of the Lord Jeſus; and as the Virgins at the cry of the Bridegroomes comming, aroſe xProv. 6.10, 11.and trimmed their lampes: So we (Beloved) hearing now the cry of the comming of death, O let us break off our ſleep, caſt away our ſecurity, prepare our lamps, get the oyle of ſaving grace into our ſoules: Let us not like the ſluggard cry, yet yProv. 6.10, 11.a little more ſleep, a little more ſlumber, a little more folding of the hands upon the bed of ſinne, leſt, as poverty came on him as an armed man, ſo death come on us as an armed man, and take us unprepared, and then we be undone for ever. O therefore ſeeke not peace, ſeeke not fulneſſe, ſeeke not felicity here; as the Angel ſaid of our Saviour,zLuk 24.5, 6. he is riſen, he is not here, why ſeeke ye the living among the dead: ſo may I ſay of theſe things, why ſeeke yee them here below, they are not here, they are above, our God, our Chriſt, our Heaven, our home it is above, and there, O there let our hearts for ever be.
Are the righteous ſubject to a bodily diſſolution? Are the mercifull men taken away? Then comfort your ſelves all ye that feare the Lord; there is a Phyſitian comming will heale all your diſeaſes; a Deliverer at hand which will open all priſons; a Conquerour which will overcome all enemies: Therefore let mee charge you in this caſe, as Moſes charged Iſrael at the waters of the Red Sea, aExod. 14.13.Exodus 14.13. Feare, not, ſtand ſtill, waite a while, the day of death will come, and when that day commeth, the enemies which you ſee, the miſeries and troubles which you undergoe, you ſhall ſee them, feele them, undergoe them no more for ever. It was Plutarchs comfort given to his Souldiers, entring into a dangerous and bloudy battell, that they ſhould ſuppe foreign, in a place inviſible; the word ſignifieth, in heaven, in a place of peace and reſt no doubt hemeant. So let us encourage our ſelves, whatſoever be our miſeries, troubles, diſaſters, in the dayes of our life, yet in the Sunne-ſet, in the evening of our age, when death commeth, we ſhall ſup with the Lambe of God Chriſt Ieſus, and there will be great joy indeed: for that is thebRev. 19.7, 8, 9. marriage feaſt of the Lambe and our ſoules, Be therefore patient;cHeb. 10.37. Hee that ſhall come; will come, and will not tarrie. The Lord will remove us when it ſhall be moſt for his glorie and our good: the righteous ſhall die, the mercifull men ſhall be taken away from the evil to come. And thus are we come to the third thing.
Quare: why the righteous die; why mercifull men are taken away; there is evill to come.
The Lord ſeeth there be many miſeries, many plagues, and great troubles, as warres, famines, peſtilences, ſtrange and fearfull alterations comming; and to the end holy, righteous, and good men may not ſee theſe evils, feele theſe miſeries, God doth take them away. Whence two things preſent themſelves to our conſideration, 1. That death is a ſweete merciemercy, a great kindneſſe to Gods holy ſervants. 2. That the death, and taking away of holy perſons, is a fearefull prediction of enſuing evils. Firſt, a word or two of the former of theſe.
Doct. That death is a ſweete merciemercy, a great kindneſſe to Gods holy ſervants. It is Salomons Aphoriſme, dEccle. 7 1the day of a mans death, is better then the day of a mans birth: It is our Saviours propoſition,eReve. 14.13. bleſſed are they that die in the Lord: It is Saint Paules concluſion,fPhil 1.23 to depart and to be with Chriſt is farre better. For
Reaſ. 1 By death they are delivered from many incumbent evils, inward and outward, ariſing from the fleſh, from Satan, from the world: as the Husbandman at the harveſt removeth the tares from the wheate; as Abraham turned ſcoffing and perſecutinggGen. 21.14. Iſmael out of the houſe from Iſaac, ſo God at the day of a good mans death, takes away, turnes out whatſoever might annoy him.
By death they are delivered from all enſuſing miſeries: thus before the Lord Reaſ. 2 brought evill upon the houſe of Ieroboam, he tooke away his yong ſonne, becauſe in h1 King. 14 10, 11, 12, 13.him was found ſome good thing towards the Lord God of Iſrael, therefore the Lord would take him away, he ſhould not ſee the evill enſuing.
By death they are brought to the fruition Reaſ. 3 of all good,iReve. 1.4, 5. all teares are wiped away, and in GodskPſal 16.11. preſence there is fulneſſe of joy, and at his right hand pleaſures for evermore.
This, Vſe. if time would giuegive leaue to inſiſt upon it, would therefore teach us, and worke in us, 1. Carefull preparation for death. 2. Vehement longings after it. 3. Chearefulneſſe in entertaining it. 4. Moderation in our ſorrow for them that be departed, mourning for our owne loſſe, but rejoycing in their gaine: but to paſſe by this, let us come to the ſecond point.
Doct. The death and taking away of holy perſons, is a fearefull prediction of enſuing evils. When Noah was entred into the Arke, then thelGen. 7.12 13. Deluge came. When Lot was gon out of Sodome, thenmGen. 19.24. fire and brimſtone fell upon it and burned it. When the Lord had determined the deſtruction of Ieroboams houſe, (as you heard before) firſt he tooke away his child, in whom there was ſome good thing found. Thus when the Lord intended to bring evill uponn2 Kings. 22.16, 17, 18, 19, 20. Ieruſalem, and upon the people, he would firſt gather good Ioſiah the King, (whoſe heart was tender, and humbled himſelfe at the hearing of the Law) to his Fathers, and into his grave with peace, and then the evill ſhould come. When o2 Chro. 24.18, 24Iehoiada was dead, Ioaſh left the Houſe of the Lord God of his Fathers; then the Syrians came with a ſmall Companie, and God delivered a very great Host into their hands, & they executed judgement againſt Ioaſh. The truth of this is moreover manifeſt, by five benefits ariſing to the place where good men are.
Their preſence doth draw the love Reaſon. 1 and favour of God to the place where they are; they are deare to God as thepZach. 2.5, 8 apple of his eye, and he will bee a wall of fire about the place where they bee: and many times doth God ſpare the wicked, as the Husbandman ſpareth theqMar. 13.30. tares, for the wheate growing with them. Thus the Family was ſpared for Noahs ſake; and God would have ſpared Sodome and Gomorrah, if there had beenerGen. 18.32 ten righteous there: the Lord gaveſActs. 27.24 Paul all them that failed with him, they were delivered from the ſtorme for his ſake. And ſurely, as Paul ſaid to thetVerſ. 31. Centurion and the Souldiers, of the Shipmen; except theſe abide in the ſhippe yee cannot be ſaved: ſo may I ſay to you of the holy, righteous, and faithfull ſervants of God, unleſſe theſe abide amongſt us we cannot be in ſafetie, we ſhall certainly bee expoſed to many miſeries: for as the Prophet ſaid to Iehoram, were it not for good u2 Kin. 3.13Iehoſaphat I would not looke towards thee; ſo certainely were it not for the preſence of the holy, the mercifull, the righteous, the Lord would not looke towards us, at leaſt with any fauourable and ſhining countenance.
Reaſon. 2 Gods bleſſing doth attend the place where they are for their ſakes, as the houſe ofw2 Sam. 11.6 Obed-Edom was bleſſed for the preſence of the Arke; ſo doth God proſper the Kingdome, Towne, Family, where the righteous are for their ſakes: thus Laban xGen. 30.30proſpered through the preſence and ſervice of Iacob; and God bleſſedyGen. 29.3, 23 Potipheas houſe for Ioſephs ſake.
Reaſon. 3 Their performance of religious and holy duties doth cauſe God to be graciouſly preſent in the place where they are; if the Father have a child in a Towne, or Family, he will often viſit that place, he will not be ſtrange, but loving and kind to the people dwelling there. So God, where his Children are, there will he be graciouſly preſent, thoſe places will he viſit and there will ſhew much kindneſſe, and beſtow many favours; for where two or three be gathered together in his zMat. 18.20Name, in his feare, according to his word, to invocate and worſhip him, there will he be: for it is among theaRev. 1.13. Candleſticks in the Church, among the beleevers, where the light of the truth ſhineth, where duties of godlineſſe are exerciſed, that Christ walked, and ſhewed himſelfe graciouſly preſent.
They are a ſafegard to the place and Reaſon. 4 people where they are, better then all walles, and Caſtles; then all Armour and Munition; able to doe more by their prayers, then the Souldiers with all their weapons; as Origen ſaith, one holy man praying, can doe more then innumerable ſinners can doe with fighting. Thus Moſes bExod. 17 11.prevailed more by his prayers, then Ioſhua with all his Souldiers againſt the Amalekites: and when the Emperour Marcus Aurelius was like to loſe his Army through want of water, the Chriſtians in his Army prevaled with God, and obtained raine. As they procure many favours, ſo they alſo prevent many evils, which would otherwiſe fall upon the place wher they live:cPſal. 106 23. He would (ſaith the Pſalmiſt) deſtroy them, had not Moſes his ſervant ſtood before him in the breach to turne away his wrath, leſt he ſhould deſtroy them. So that as Nabals ſervants ſaid of David and his men,d1 Sam: 25.15, 16 The men were very good unto us, and we were not hurt, neither miſſed wee any thing as long as wee were converſant with them: when wee were in the field, they were a wall unto us both by night and by day: ſo may every Kingdome, Towne, and Family ſay of the holy and righteous ſervants of God, They have beene very good unto us, and wee have had no hurt while wee have been converſant with them; they have beene a wall unto us, both by night and by day.
Reaſon. 5 Their example, their counſell, their inſtruction, their wiſedome, their blameleſſe walking, is of great force to reſtraine others from much evill, to allure and draw them (at leaſt) to the outward performance of many good duties: as Husbands are wonne by the converſation of the wives, while they behold their chaſte converſatiō coupled with feare; e1 Pet. 3.1, 2.wonne to approue of, and attend upon that word of God, which teacheth their wives to live ſo chaſtly, to walke ſo circumſpectly, and to order themſelves every way ſo holily, ſo meekely, ſo blameleſly, ſo that men that are ſtrangers to the power of a godly life, are ſtrongly wrought upon, and very much affected with, and wonne by the religious and gracious converſation of the Lords faithfull people. Even Saul willf1 Sam. 10.10 propheſie, when he is among the Prophets: the coldeſt ſtone will grow hot and full of burning being among the ſtickes in the fire: and Iustin Martyr cōfeſſed he was firſt turned to Chriſt by Chriſtian Religion, through the admiration he had to behold the innocent and godly life of a Chriſtian, hearing them pray for their good and preſervation, who to the utmoſt endevoured and wrought their ruine: thus forcible, thus effectuall, thus prevalent is the example of a godly converſation. Now by the death of Gods people there is a removall of theſe priviledges, and ſo the place of their former abode is expoſed to many miſeries: for when the godly are removed, when the righteous are taken away,
Then Religion and piety faileth, and they become like a people withoutgEpheſ. 2.12. the Covenant, without God and Chriſt in the world.
Then good Government and even Civility falleth to the ground, like a Houſe without a foundation, then all runneth to ruine like a Shippe without a Pilot: Therefore when the Lord would bring confuſion upon Jeruſalem for her ſinne, what doth hee? He taketh from Jeruſalem andhIſa. 3.1, 2, 3 Judah the ſtay and ſtaffe, the whole ſtay of bread, and the whole ſtay of water, the mighty man, and the man of warre, the Iudge, and the Prophet, and the Prudent man, and the Ancient, the Captaine of fifty, and the Honorable man, and the Counſellor, and the cunning Artificer, and the eloquent Orator, and I will give Children to bee their Princes, and Babes ſhall rule over them.
Then there is none to ſtand up in the gappe, to turne away the wrath of the Lord from them, but as Souldiers ruſh in at the breaches made in the walles, when none are ſtanding there to keepe them out; ſo will all manner of plagues and miſeries ruſh in upon the people, when the righteous, who ſhould ſtand in the gap, are taken away from them: therefore when the Prophets ſaw vanitie, and a lying divination, when they forſooke the word of the Lord, and flattered the people in their ſinne, then the Lord ſaid, O Iſrael thy Prophets are like iEzek. 13.4, 5.foxes in the De ſarts, yee have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge, for the houſe of Iſrael to ſtand in the battell, in the day of the Lord. And againe in another place the Lord by the ſame Prophet ſaith,kEzek. 22 30, 31 I ſought for a man among them that ſhould make up the hedge, and ſtand in the gap before me for the Land, that I ſhould not deſtroy it, but I found none: therefore have I powred out mine indignation upon them, I have conſumed them all with the fire of my wrath, their owne way have I recompenced upon their heads.
Vſe. This then diſcovereth the folly and impiety of ſuch as love not, deſire not, delight not in the preſence of Gods holy and righteous people; whoſe delight is not in then thatlPſal. 16.3 excell in vertue, as Chriſts is; whoſe eyes are not upon themPſa. 101.6. faithfull in the Land, as Davids was, but rather wiſh and labour their removall. Many there bee, to whom the preſence of the righteous is like then1 Sam. 6 1, 5. Arke to the Philistines; as that was a burden to their Land, and their God, & therefore they ſent it away; ſo are the people of God a burden, a trouble to many profane perſons, a croſſe, a contradiction to their doings, and therefore deſire, and labour their abſence: and what doe they hereby, but in the ſtrength of their impiety, and multitude of their folly, involve themſelves in remediles and irrecoverable miſeries. The Sodomites tooke offence at Lots preſence, but what became of them when Lot was gone? Did not theoGen. 19.24. fire and brimſtone inſtantly conſume them? The preſence of Moſes was irkeſome to Pharaoh, he was charged no more to looke him in thepExod. 10.2, 8. face, but what enſued? what was the iſſue of it? were not all theqExod. 11 5. firſt borne in Aegypt thereupon deſtroyed. Pharaohs ſervants conceived Iſrael to be arEzod 10 7. ſnare, to be inſtruments of much evill, endevoured their removall; but when Iſrael was gone, what became of them? Did not theſExod. 14 Red Sea ſwallow them the very day of Iſraels out-going. Thus you ſee how uſually it fares with profane perſons upon the removall of the righteous: and is it not ſtrange that notwithſtanding all this they ſhould ſtill diſtaſte their preſence, ſtill wiſh and worke their abſence? Doe they not hereby plainely declare, and publikely proclaime, 1. That there is not1 Ioh. 5.1 love of God in their ſoules, for how can a man love the father, and hate the preſence of the child? 2. That they have no union with Chriſt; doe the living members in a body naturall, hate and wiſh each others removall? was it ever heard (ſaith the Apoſtle) that a man did uEpheſ. 5 29hate his owne fleſh; 3. That there is no ſaving grace, no preſence, no powers of the ſpirit in ſuch; doth not every thing agree with, and rejoyce in its like? Doe not waters agree and flow together in one Chanell? And had theſe men the ſpirit of holineſſe in them, could they grieve at the preſence of Gods people? Surely it is impoſſible; for the Spirit of God is a Spirit ofwPhil. 2.1, 2 fellowſhip, love, peace, joy, making men of one accord, and of one minde; and when the righteous are gone, when the mercifull men are taken away, who ſhall ſtand in the gap then? Shall the profane, ſhall the worker of iniquity? What can he doe; In what account are his prayers? The blind man could ſee and ſay this; God heareth not xIoh. 9 31.ſinners; their prayers are an yProv. 28.9abomination in his preſence, as Salomon doth aſſure us.
This muſt therefore teach us deepely to bewaile, and much to lament the loſſe of godly men, when they are taken from us; and to feare the evils like to enſue upon their departure; O Beloved, let us not, I beſeech you, be like them of whom the Propht here ſpeaketh, that did not conſider, that did not lay to heart the taking away of the righteous from enſuing evils. Let us not be like Ephraim, whoſe ſtrength was devoured by zHoſ. 7.9ſtrangers, and he knew it not, that had gray haires here and there, and much weakeneſſe comming upon him, and yet he knew it not: O let us not be unſenſible of the declining and decay of our ſtrength and ſtay, and of the miſeries which are comming on us; let us not be like a man in a Lethargy, that hath no feeling of the cutting off, and taking away of a member from him: but rather as David upon the fall of Abner refuſed to eate till the Sunne was gone downe, ſaying to his ſervants,a2 Sam. 3.35, 38, 39. know ye not that there is a Prince, and a great man fallen this day in Iſrael, and I am this day weake, and theſe men the ſonnes of Zerviah be too hard for me: may not wee ſay the like in this behalfe; is not the Church of God weake, are not the enemies thereof too ſtrong? Was not the man now fallen amongſt us a Ruler, an eminent man in this place? And is there not in this regard great cauſe of mourning? Doubtleſſe there is. For whenſoever a good man doth fall; 1. The Church of God on earth doth loſe one member. 2. The place where they lived doth loſe one Pillar, and ſo, like a houſe whoſe pillars faile, is much weakned. 3. Hereby we looſe his preſence, which was a whetſtone to ſetbPro. 27.17. edge upon us, whoſe face was, as Iacob ſaid of Eſaus, as the cGen. 33.10.face of God unto us. 4. Hereby we loſe his prayers, which were as buckets to bring much water out of the wells of Salvation to us. 5. Wee loſe his inſtructions and counſels, which were as a ſhining Lampe, as a comfortable Guide to us in the way. 6 Wee loſe his comforts, which were wont to be as the Apothecaries oyntments, as the ſweete flowers of the Garden to our noſtrils, as the Dove with her Olive dGen. 8.11branch to Noah; as the Wagons which Ioſeph ſent to old Iacob, the reviving of ours, as they were theeGen. 45.27, 28. reviving of his heart. 7. We loſe his helpe and aſſiſtance, which was wont like a ſtrong arme to make our heavy burthen light, as a fountaine of living water to refreſh us, as a firme & ſure anker to ſtay us: & therfore as Iſrael fDeu. 34.8.wept 30. dayes for Moſes, ſo have you great cauſe of ſorrow and lamentation now for the taking away of this Moſes, this ſervant of the Lord here before us: and alſo at other times whenſoever the righteous doe thus periſh, are thus taken away from the evils enſuing.
And now to ſay no more, here you ſee a ſhining ſtarre in your Horizon ſet, a maine Pillar of your houſe fallen, a choice flower of your Garden taken away, a man eminent for his endowments, well known, & ſufficiently tryed for his abilities: a man of whom; 1. For his Religion, for his uprightneſſe towards God I thinke I may ſay of him, as the Lord himſelf of Iob, gIob 1.1.He was a perfect and upright man, one that feared God, and eſchewed evill, a man that held faſt hishIob. 2.3. integrity, though there wanted not occaſions and meanes to move and ſhake him; as Satan moved God againſt Iob without cauſe to deſtroy him; a man he was like the tree growing within the Courts of the Lords houſe,iPſal. 92.12. bearing much fruit in his old age. 2. For his publike Government, hee was like them preſcribed by Iethro kExo. 12.21to Moſes, an able man, a man fearing God, a man of truth, & hating covetouſneſſe: a man in whom there was a ſweet and powerfull concurrence of all requiſite vertues for his calling and office and accordingly he proved a carefull Watch-man over this Towne and people: he did not like the evill ſervant hide hislMat. 25.30 talent in a napkin; but his care, ſtudy, labour, travell was (I am perſwaded) for the publike, common, and true good of this place and people. 3. He was in his domeſticke Government likemGen. 18.19 Abraham, a man commanding, and teaching his children and houſehold after him to walke in the wayes of the Lord; a man like David walking in the middeſt of hisnPſal. 101.3. houſe with a perfect heart. 4. Hee was towards Gods people kinde, loving, & amiable, ſhewing that hisoPſal. 16.3. delight was in them that excell in vertue. 5. Hee was in his conference & cōmunication, wiſe, grave, holy, full of heavenly diſcourſe,pPro. 1….7 his lippes did diſperſe knowledge. I ſpeake theſe things not to diſparage any living, but to encourage ſuch as knew him, to a carefull imitation of what was found praiſe-worthy in him. The richer his endowments, the greater your loſſe; the more ſhould bee your griefe, the greater your care to labour the reparation, and to ſtop the breach which God hath made by his fall: and whatſoever you have loſt in him, labour to repaire and increaſe in your ſelves. 1. By growing in all grace, by being filled with all goodneſſe, drawing nearer to God, in all things make his counſell yourqPſal. 73.24. guide now, that he may receive you to his glory at the laſt. 2. By being diligent, faithfull, careful, conſcionable in the imployment you have received, that ſo when you ſhall be as he is now, you may heare that ſweete and comfortable ſaying of our Saviour,rMat. 25.23. Well done thou good and faithfull ſervant, thou haſt beene Ruler over few things, I will make thee Ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy LORD.
FINIS.
ELIAHS FIERY CHARIOT OR THE HOLY MANS TRIVMPH after Death.
A SERMON PREACHED at Plimouth the nineteenth of Auguſt 1631. At the Funerall of the late faithfull and worthy Miniſter of Jeſus Chriſt, MATTHIAS NICOLS Bachelour in Divinity, and late Preacher to the Towne of Plimouth.
By A. G.
1 Sam. 25.1.
And SAMVEL dyed, and all the Iſraelites were gathered together, and lamented him, and buried him in his houſe at Ramah.
Printed at LONDON, 1640.