Beams of Divine Light, Sermon 11

Beams of Divine Light · Sermon 11

p. 163KING DAVIDS EPITAPH.

Acts 13.36.

For David after in his owne Generation he had served the Counsell (or will of God) he fell asleep, and was laid to his Fathers, and saw corruption.

THe words are part of a Sermon of blessed Saint Paul, wherein he proves out of the old Testament Psal. 16. that David prophesied of Christ, and not of himselfe. David saw corruption; but hee of whom David spake, saw no Corruption: therefore David was not the Messias. He shewes that the things there spoken, do no way agree to David, but to the Messias, who saw no corruption: For David after hee had served his owne Generation p. 164fell asleep and saw corruption. In generall observe this; How to understand the Scriptures.One of the best wayes to understand the Scriptures, is to compare the old Testament and the new together.

That which was spoken, and fore-told of Christ in the old Testament; and fulfilled in the New, that must needs bee true. Christ is the true Messias; why? It was fore-told so of him in the old Testament, and accomplished in the new: therefore Christ is the true Messias, comparing the prophesie, and the event together. For the old, and new Testament make up but this syllogisme: He that should be so, and so as was prophesied: Born of a Virgin; that should come at such a time in the later end of Daniels weeks &c. he is the true Messias: But Christ was such a one, hee was borne of a Virgin, came at such a time, he saw no corruption: for hee rose the third day: therefore Christ is the true Messias.

Gods children leave a good name.Againe, you see the holy Ghost here could not mention David without termes of honour; David after he had served the will of God in his Generation, &c. Precious to God is both the life and death of his Saints. The righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance. The name of Iosias is as an oyntment poured out: so indeed the names of holy men are as oyntment poured out, they sweeten men when they are gone. Davids bodie was buried p. 165among them: but David had a better Tomb, hee was buried in the best monument, in the hearts, and remembrance of Gods people; and in the remembrance of God. God wraps him up as a valiant man in his owne collours. He mentions not David barely here, but his serving the will of God.

Let wicked men cast what aspertions they will upon the names of Gods people: let them eclipse them, and cloud them as they please, as their malice instigates them therein; the names and reputations of Gods people are not in their keeping, and power: For David shall have a good name (in spight of all the …oeg's and Shemeies, when they are rotten bodie and name together) wee see here many hundred yeares after he is mentioned with titles of honour. It should incourage us therfore to serve God as wee regard a good name.

Mark here the language of the holy Ghost,Savoury language of Scripture. the language of Canaan. When hee speaks of a good man, hee speaks of him in savorie termes: he doth not say that David after hee had been so long, or lived so long, or reigned, and flourished so long: (as wee see in stories such a man lived, or reigned, &c. so long and then died:) yet this had beene true, after hee had lived, and reigned so long hee died. But that is not the language of the holy Ghost; but after hee had served God so long. The Scripture values men by that that God values p. 166them, and not as men do, by their life, and reign, and flourishing in the world, and their esteem with men, but as his carriage hath been to God. David served the will of God in his generation.

And then when he speaks of his death, he fell asleep he sweetens the harsh name of death, with a sweet term the Scripture puts upon it. It is a comfortable thing to consider the very language of the Scripture, how savoury and heavenly it is, raising us up to comfortable and heavenly thoughts, even from the very manner of the phrase. Different (as I said) is the phrase of Scripture from other histories, that say, such a man lived, and reigned so long, and then he died. And indeed a man may say of a wicked man, he was so long in the world, but if he did no good, a man can scarce say that he lived: for what is life without doing good, but a meer being in the world? Or if his life be ill, we may say, such a man troubled the world so many years, & then went to his own place, as it is said of Ind…s: but this is the Epitaph of a holyman, he served God so long, and then he slept, and had happinesse of God; another manner of Epitaph than other men have when they are gone. This I observe from the very language or phrase: David when he had served the will (or counsell) of God as the Word is.

Again in the third place observe this in generall, that God sets down David here p. 167only as he was a good man, and passeth by all his in…irmities and breaches: whereas alas David▪ life was woven with good and ill▪ there were some ill spots in that excellent garment; there were some ill parenthesis made in that excellent speech; there was somewhat (by the infirmity of man) that was not so good: but doth God speak of that when he mentions David? Oh no! But David after he had served God in his generation, &c. The spirit of God in Saint Paul, passeth by all that was amisse, and sets down that which is good; to shew us this comfortable point,By what God values his children. that God values those that are in Christ, (and have repented of their sinnes) not by what they have been, or have done at some time: but by what they are, and what they resolve to be.

God values them by their better part, by that that is his in them, by that that is spirituall in them. He iudgeth them by the tenour of their lives, and not by a particular flaw in their lives. This is Gods infinite mercy, when he pardons, he pardons absolutely, he forgets as well as forgives: therefore the phrase of Scripture runs, He will cast our sins behinde his back, & cast them into the bottome of the sea, that they shall never rise up in remembrance. When we have once repented of our sinnes, they are to him as if they had never been done; they are as things forgotten. Peter, after his foul fall, he was not so much as upbraided by Christ in particular, Thou hast denied me, &c. p. 168onelyonly Christ comes sweetly over him with a question, Lovest thou …e▪ he tels him not, thou hast betrayed me thus and thus: no, he doth not so much as upbraid him with the mention of it. So curious is God for troubling the peace of his people, that when they have soundly repented of their sins, they shall never hear of it to their confusion, nor at all, except it be to better them, and to perfect the work of humiliation.

Contrary to the fashion of the corrupt poysonfull nature of man: if they have but one thing (in all a mans life) to hit him in the teeth with, he shall be sure to hear of it oft enough, and passe by whatsoever is good in him. God doth not so with his children, but though they have some breaches in their lives, he passeth by them, and takes notice of that which is good in them; as we see here the Apostle doth, being directed by the spirit of God.

But though God so sweetly passe by Davids faults when he mentions him, & cals him a man after his own heart, &c. yet there is one thing that God puts in as a scarre upon David ▪ he was a man after Gods own heart; in all things,Why the matter of Vriah so objected to David? but in the matter of Vriah. Why doth that come in Scripture? Surely God mentions that, because that was done with more deliberation and advice, it was done in cold bloud; it was not infirmitie, but presumption in that. Now the more will p. 169there is in any action of sinne, the more hainous the sinne is, the more the guilt is increased. There was more will in that: for it was not done in heat of passion, but deliberatly: therefore it was a foule act. The spirit of God takes notice both of the good, & of the evill;Rev. 2.Rev 2 as we see in the Epistles, (in Rev. 2.) to the Churches, he had found fault with them before, and (indeed God discerns directly where wee are to blame) yet this thou hast, that thou hast the works of the Nichol…itan, &c. If there be any good, God takes notice of it. Davi… after h… had repented of that foule sinne, and was sharply corrected for it (as indeed he was,) David was a good man for all that, hee served God in his Generation.

But (to give you an item by the way) however God passed by the sinne in David, and accounted him after his repentance a good man;God corrects his sharply for their sinnes. yet he must be sharply corrected for it. Let no man therefore presume upon this that God will iudge him by the tenour of his life; and therefore hee will commit particular enormities: oh no! it cost David deare: for besides his heart-smart in his owne particular (God made his heart bleed, it cost him many a salt tear, besides that) it was punished in his posteritie: God raysed up his own bowels to take armes against him; hee made him wish a thousand times that he had not so offended God. It is ill trying conclusions with God; though God afterwards pardon p. 170us, and turne all to good; yet it shall cost us deare first. Though God will bring us to heaven: yet if we will venture upon sinnes against conscience, and take libertie to offend God, he will take sharp courses with us, yet it shall not preiudice our salvation; you see those sins of David after he had repented & was corrected for them, they were forgotten, and David (in regard of the course of his life) served God; his life was a service of God notwithstanding some particular actions. These things may be usefull to the best of us all: therefore I observe them in generall from Gods manner of mentioning David here with honour; and passing by his infirmities. To come more particularly to the words.

Then David after he had served in his Generation, the will of God, &c.

THe words are a short Epitome of the life and death of the blessed man David First, I will speak of his life, and then of his death. In his life there are these two parts:

First, the time in which he lived, when this service was done: In his Generation.

And then the manner of his carriage in that time of his generation, It was a service of God, He served God.

And this service of God is set down by the obiect of it; God. By the rule of his worship; the will of God. Hee served God, but p. 171how? as he had revealed his will to him, not at randome: God will be served according to his own will. And then here is the act, he served▪ So here is the proper obiect of worship, God, in whom all our service is terminate; whatsoever we do it must rest in him; if we do good works to men, it must be for Gods sake, we must serve God in it. Then here is the proper rule carrying us to that obiect, his Will And then it must be a service, it must be done in obedience to God. David in his Generation served the will (or counsell) of God, as the Word is. For his death, we shall speak of it after.

First,The time. for the time, In his generation. [Generation,] in the Scripture, signifies a succession of men one after another, as you have it in Matth. 1.Matth. 1.Matt 1 from such a one to such a one, so many generations,Generation, wh… it is. so many successions. You know in the Latine tongue, seculum, is taken for an age, or generation; the space of an hundred years: though Moses shut up the life of man in a shorter time. Succession of one man after another, is a generation. Generation, sometimes in a generall sense, is taken for all of one kinde. The generation of Noah, and the generation of the righteous; that is, all of that kinde, without restraining it to succession. But most commonly it is the consideration of men from succession of them; having the tearm from the way whereby we enter into the world, that is, by generation; p. 172therefore the succession of men from one to another, is called Generation.

Now here, Generation implies both the times, and the persons. The persons of men are a severall generation, and the time wherein they live is a generation, and both are here included: David in his Generation (among the age of men, and in the time wherin he lived) …erved God. The meaning of the place is clear. The points considerable here, are,

First of all, that there is a generation, a succession of men one after another.

Secondly, that every man hath his particular generation, Davi… had his generation, wherin he served the Lord.

Thirdly, that he served God in his Generation, that is, the whole time of his Generation: yet with this limitation, he served God only in his generation while he was here, before he came to heaven. In heaven there is a kinde of service, but it is not by way of work, but of reward. We must serve God in our generation here. If ever we look to reap herafter, we must sow now. David served God in his generation.

First of all, There is a generation, a succession of men.Obser.

Th…re is a succession of men.Particular men go off the stage; but the species, the kinde is eternall; kinds of things continue forever. Man dies no…, but Paul and Pete… and David die: there is a succession of particular men. It is with men, as it is with the waves of the sea; one wave goes away, and p. 173another comes after. It is with men as it is with trees: for men are compared in Scripture to trees: trees of righteousnesse; and man, take him in his nature, is like a tree: the Poet could say to that purpose; it is with men as with trees, some leaves fall off in Autumne, and others come in their place the next spring: so it is with men, they have their severall Generations, there is an Autumne, a decay, and there is a spring of them, there is a succession of Generations.Vse 1.

To teach us this lesson,To make use of our short time. that, our time being short here; (every man hath his generation; one Generation goeth away and another commeth, as the Scripture saith: wee must be laid to our Fathers, and otherr must stand up in our place; Rise up Iosua; for Moses my servant is dead, (saith the Lord:) one servant of God dies, and another rises. There bee many that must act their parts in this world, therefore some must go off the stage, that others may come on) therefore while we have time here, let us be sure to do good, before we be takē away, suddenly, we know not how soon and there be no more generation. Here there will be a succession of generations till wee all meet in heaven, & then there wil be no succession, there shalbe no more death; but as the Apostle saith, we shalbe for ever with the Lord.

And it should teach us likewise (considering that in regard of our being and naturall condition in the world,Vse 2. To make sure an e…rnall Generation. there are severall successions, p. 174generation after generation, that now we are here, and presently after no more seen in the world) to make sure an eternall generation, to be borne anew of the immortall seed that never dies, as Saint Peter saith, that tends to immortality; there is no death in that birth. A Christian as hee is a new creature, hath a generation to eternitie, hee never dies. In regard of our being here, there is generation after generation; successions of men: but when wee are new borne, though wee cease to be here, we go to heaven. He that beleeves in mee (saith Christ) shall never die. Man that is … of a Woman (saith Job) hath but a short time to live, and (that short time) is full of misery: but man that is borne of the spirit, hath an eternall time to live, and that a happie life. All flesh is grasse in regard of this life we lead, which is supported with meat, and drink, and the comforts of this life: all flesh is grasse, and the beauty of it as the flower of the grasse; but the Word of God indureth for ever; and as Saint Iohn saith, hee that doth the will of God, indureth for ever. The word of God indures for ever, because it makes us (having the spirit of God) to indure for ever. The world passeth, and the lusts of it, but he that doth the will of God, (that is, new borne by the word of God, and transformed to the obedience of God, he) abides for ever. Would you abide for ever, and not passe from alteration to alteration, (as wicked men) they alter, and come to nothing, p. 175and worse than nothing) then labor for this estate, this is the way to abide for ever: this life hath no date of daies, no death.

Labour to plant our selves in Christ by faith,To get into Christ by faith. that so in him wee may have an eternall estate.Psal. 90.Ps 90 Thou art our habitation from generation to generation. It was a Psalme that was made upon occasion of their falling away in the Wildernesse; they dropped away as leaves, and few of them came to Canaan: Well, (saith he) we fall away here, and wither as grasse, &c. But thou art our God from generation to generarion, that is, wee have a perpetuall subsistence in thee. A Christian when hee is in God (by being in Christ) hath a perpetuall everlasting subsistence. As we are Temples of God: so he is our Temple, wee dwell in him, thou art our habitation, &c. Who would not labour to bee in such an estate? for in this world there is nothing, but a succession of Generations.

Secondly,Obser. Every man hath a particular generation. There is some emphasis in this:Every man hath his particular generation. David in his generation: For men drop not into the world at all adventure: but every man hath his own time appointed, when to come into the world, and when to goe out, some in one time, and some in another. Therfore the times wherin they live are foreknown of God: he hath set downe when such a man shall be borne, in such an age of the world; so long he shall live, such work hee shall do, and when he hath p. 176done his worke, he shall be taken away hence, and another shall come, and stand up in his place. So every man hath his own generation designed, and appointed, and ordained by God himselfe from all eternity; not only his generation, but all the circumstances of it, the very place of his abode, the time, and season, and country where he shall live, all are set downe.

It is usefull for this end,Vse. to observe in what times our lot is fallen,To observe in what Generation we live. to what times God hath reserved us, what generation, and age we live in: to consider of the state of the times. Are they good? blesse God that hath reserved us to those times We pittie some good men that lived in ill times; as our Countrie-men in Queene Maries time,11To blesse God if they be good. and other dark times; they were worthy men, and it was pitty they lived not in better ages: certainly they would have beene excellent men then: Therefore we should blesse God for reserving us to better times. What makes the times better? The discovery of salvation by Iesus Christ: the discovery of the meanes of happinesse in another world: In what age there is a cleerer discovery, where there is most spirit working together with the outward meanes: that is a blessed age: the spirit of God was not working so much in former times of darknesse, and Popery. Then there were many that followed the Beast to their eternall destruction, though God had mercy on many soules that p. 177followed him. As it is said in Scripture, they followed Absalom in the simplicity of their hearts, not knowing whither they went: so they followed Popery in the simplicity of their hearts, not knowing the danger, God had mercy on them; yet certainly, thousands of them were wrapped up in darknes: they were miserable times then. Those that know Popery wil say so; those that read the story will say so: the world was wrapped in wars, and miseries in those times.

It is true,In what respect t…ese times are. our times are not so good as they should be, and in many regards they are miserable times:Miserable. and we must not murmure at this dispensation of God, if God hath so appointed that our lot shall be to live in hard, and ill times. I say in some respects these are bad times: for the world, the older it growes, the worse it is;Simile. As it is in a sinck, the further it goes, the more soyle it gathers: so al the soyle of former times are met in the sinck of later times, & in that respect this generation is an ill generati…: but if we consider what makes times good,22Happie. the manifestatiō of Christs glorious Gospel (that hath shined for a hundred yeere, & more in our Church) the discovery of the means of salvation so cleerly, the abundance of the spirit with the meanes, making men to apprehend the means, enlightning their understandings to make use of them, and working their hearts to obedience: look in what age these are, they are happie times. Witnesse our Saviour (and he is the best Iudge;) Happie are the eyes that see p. 178the things that yee see, and the eares that heare the things that you heare. Oh! in former times if they had seene that that wee see, and heard that that wee heare, they would have accounted themselves happy: Oh! those that lived two hundred yeeres ago (though they were good men) if they had lived to see that that we see, and to heare that that we heare, (living in the glorious lustre and Sun-shine of the Gospell) how would it have reioyced them? Therefore as we have cause to consider of the ills of the time, and generation, that wee bee not swayed away with them: so we have cause on the other side to blesse God, that hath reserved us to these times of knowledge. In regard of the ills we may say with Saint Austin. August.Lord to what times are we reserved! But in regard of the good things wee may say, blessed be God that hath reserved us for these things: that he hath cast our time thus, that we should be borne in this generation, in the blessed time of the Gospell, in this second spring of the Gospell: We should blesse God for it.

Vse. 2. To be bettered by the good in the generation.Well; but that is not all: we are to be accountable to God for the time and means we enjoy here in our generation. If wee bee not the better for it, wee shall bee so much the worse. It had beene better for us to have been borne in times of Popery, and darknesse, in places of ignorance, than living in the glorious times of the Gospell, and in places where the light is discovered, and to be naught p. 179in the middest of such light. Those that are bad now,Sinnes under means greater. are very bad: wee see by experience, that of all men, the most outragious wretched persons are those that are ill in good places: for God gives them up to more than an ordinary measure of prophanesse. A man shall have better, and more civill usage; hee shall see better carriage in a Pagan, than in many Christians that are not good under the meanes. There bee degrees of those that are naught; some God gives up to a prophane spirit in the middest of the means: a fearfull brand. Those that are bad now in the glorious times of the Gospell, their sinnes are presumptuous sinnes: they are not damned simply for sinning, so much as for sinning against the meanes, for sinning against such light, for sinning in these times; Those that lived in darknesse they could do no better. What; to be swearers now! to be licentious▪ disordered persons now! to contemne holy things now! to bee corrupt in our callings now! In this generation when the light of the Gospel hath so gloriously shined! what excuse can men have for their sinnes now? Certainly it shall agravate their damnation that they were children of darknesse in the middest of light: nothing will trouble their consciences so much as that they have offended against so many meanes, and so many helps as they had in the dayes they lived in. I beseech you therefore, as wee should blesse God for reserving p. 180us for these times and places of knowledge, and light: so let us take heed lest they be a meanes of aggravating our damnation afterward; that we shall wish that wee had never beene borne in such times, but rather in times of darknesse. It shall go better with our fore-Fathers that lived in darker times, than with us, if wee live in prophane and ungodly courses.

Vse. 3. Not to be tainted with the sinnes of our generation.Now there is no generation so good, but there bee grosse sinnes in all times, and generations: therefore let every man bee carefull (as to consider the good of the generation, to take good by it; so likewise) to consider the sinnes of the time wherein he lives that he be not tainted with the sins of that generation. Gods children have a counter-motion, a contrary motion, to the motion of wicked persons in every generation: therefore in our generation let us do as David did in his generation, stand against the ills of the times; go against the stream in that which is ill. It is the commendation you see in the old Testament; Noah was a good man in his generation; and such, and such, were good men in their generations. David in his generation served God, Psal. 12.Ps 12and yet the times were naught: help Lord (saith he) for godly men perish from the earth. The times were naught when hee lived: there was Doeg, and Achitophell, and Shemei, and other wicked men: yet David was a good man in his generation, hee was not p. 181carried with the stream of the times.

A godly man considers who are good, and who are naught in his generation, and hee walks to heaven with those that are good, though they be never so few; he goes in a contrarie motion to others, he doth not conforme to the world,Rom. 12.Rom 12 Rom. 12. he fashions not himselfe according to the world, according to the wicked men in the generation he lives in: but he fashions himselfe to them that are of another world, that go a contrarie way to the world.

Every generation hath a Genius both for manners and studie:Vse 4. To set our selves against the sinnes of our generation. former times they were given to Barbarisme: now these times are more refined for outward respects. So for sinnes; every age hath particular sinnes that reigne; Superstition in former times: but now the cleane contrary; Prophanesse, Atheisme, hardnesse of heart against the light, Presumption, Loosenesse, and the like. Now these being the sinnes of our times, we should go so much the stronger against the stream of Prophanesse, and Atheisme. The Divell discovers himselfe in divers shapes,Divers sinnes in divers ages. in divers generations: sometimes hee prevailes with ignorance; and then hee is a spirit of darknesse: sometimes hee is a spirit of Prophanesse, and Loosenesse. Now consider by what sinnes the Divell hath most advantage, and be sure to set our selves against them.

And let every one in his place,Vse. 5. labour to p. 182make the generation we live in as good as we can.To labour to make the Generation wee live in, good. Why doth God speak thus honourably of David? He served God in his generation; that time was the better for him. Wee have all cause to blesse God for such men, they are blessed men. Let every one of us in our generation carry our selves so, that when wee are gone, it may be said; such a man did much good in his time, and place, and hindred much ill, What a blessed thing is it when in our generation wee hinder all the ill, and do all the good we can! that others may say to our comfort, and credit, the times, and place was the better for such a man. Beloved, every one of us hath his generation: some have a longer generation, some a shorter; some have a longer glasse appointed to runne out; some their glasse is runne out in a shorter time: Well, be it longer or shorter; let us be carefull that we trifle not out our generation, and time wherein we live unprofitable; that little part of time that God hath given us to work in, let us be sure to bestir our selves in our generation, we know not how long or short our generation is.

Alas, if most men aske their owne consciences, wherefore they live; what is the life of many, but an annoyance? they infect the ayre with their oaths; they are a burthen to the earth; they mis-spend the blessings of God: but what hath the times beene the better for them? their lives have beene scandalous, p. 183wicked, and vicious. It should be our glory to shine in our times, as lights in the midst of a sinfull generation. I beseech you therefore let us take the counsell of holy Saint Paul. Gal. 6.Gal 6Gal. 6. While we have time, let us do good: while we have a part to act here upon the Stage of this world, let us act our parts; do that wherfore we came into the world. Wee have not assurance from God that our generation shall hold thus long, or thus long: therefore whatsoever wee have to do, let us do it presently, let us reforme our wicked lives presently, before wee go hence and bee no more seene. And for the good wee have to do, do it presently; put it not off: no man is assured of his continuance here.

In the next place,33Wee must serve God our whole time. David served God in his generation, hee did not do it by starts, and fits; he did not do this or that good act: but he served God in his whole generation: So must every man, not only bee content to do now and then a good action; for the veriest wicked man in the world may do good sometimes, and the best men may do ill sometimes: but in the whole course of our life, we must do good in our generation, our course must bee holy, the whole tenour of our lives while wee are in the world. All things have their time, but there is no time for sinne, there is no time for vanity, no time for swearing, no time for sensuality, and loosnesse.

Therefore let the whole course of our lives p. 184be spent in the service of God. What do we know but that that little time wherein wee yeeld to the service of the Divell, may be the time when God will fetch us hence? and what will become of us then? therfore resolve not a moment to serve sinne; our whole time is but short in respect of eternity: what is our generation to world without end? Therefore let us be content to serve God our whole generation.

We must serve God in our life time.He served God in his generation, that is, in his life-time, while he was here: for God hath placed us in the world to do him some work. This is Gods working place, he hath houses of work for us: now, our lot here is to do work; to be in some calling, and course to work for God. We are not sent here into the world to play, or to live idly. Religion is no vocall profession: every man must have some calling or other, and in his generation he must do good: For what will our account be afterwards else, when we shall give an account to God how we have spent our time in our generation? what good wee did, what ill wee hindred? It will be a fearfull account; when we have spent our time idly, perhaps scandalously, and offensively, and sent others to hell by our example. We must serve God in our generation, in our life.

Danger of deferring Gods service.Thou that livest prophanely day after day, when dost thou meane to serve God? at the houre of death? did David serve God when p. 185he was to die only? No, he served God in his generation, and then fell asleep. Alas, why do we put off? there is no sowing after this life; then is the time of reaping; and why wilt thou deferre the time of sowing till thou come to reap? It is a time to reap the comforts of religion at the houre of death; shall we defer to serve Gods will till we come to make our own will? and oft times it is forced what wee do then. No, wee must serve God all our time: David served God all his generation. To do a few good works at our death only; it is a swinish doing good: the swine will do good when he is dead; then there is profit of his flesh, though all his life hee were noysome. Those men that put off thus, they are rather swine than men; beastly men. God seldome accepts the good they do then, and it is a forced good; if they were not to die then, no good at all would be done: that they do, is because they can keep it no longer. It shewes they have no grace nor faith at all: for if there had beene faith to depend upon God, they would have done good before; but they think, I may come to misery my selfe, and I know not what distrustfull base thoughts; therefore they will do no good in their life-time. But wee must serve God in our generation, if wee will be saved. These things are of some use, and wee should not forget them; but I come to the service it selfe, which I shall a little more stand upon.

p. 186David served the will of God.

HEre is considerable, as I told you, these three things.

The object whom he served, God.

The rule by which hee served him, his will: and then:

The service it selfe: for to know the will of God, and not to serve him, it is to no purpose; all must go together, wee must serve the will of God; as wee see here David did.

Doct.For the first; It is a knowne truth, that God is the maine object of all our service.God the object of our service. Indeed we serve men: for in love (which is a very busie grace) we must serve one another in good works, but the love of God must set all on work, and all must bee done in obedience to him. God is the object that must terminate all our service to men; whatsoever duty wee do, we must do it as to God. If we serve men; (if we be Christians) it must be with reference to God, because hee commands us, and that we may honour God.Psal. 16.Ps 16 We can do no good to him; what doth he care for our goods? but he hath substituted men in his place, he hath appointed such and such men in our generation to do good unto: & he accounts what we do to them for his sake, as done to him. God is the object of our service: God in Christ as our Father.

p. 187God, God as Creator to be served.as God, without Christ a Mediator, ought to bee served for our very Creation; if we were to go to Hell when wee had done; or should vanish to nothing, with the beasts: for our very subordination, and subjection to God as creatures, implies service. He is the object of service, as being our Maker, having given us a being, having given us reason to serve him. But now God considered as a Father in Christ, in the Covenant of grace, wee ought to serve him in a higher regard; not as creatures the Creator only, and as servants their Lord: but as a gracious Father. So God the Father, Son, and holy Ghost, and Christ Mediator God-man, are the object of our service, the whole adaequate, fit object: we must not go beyond them: for whatsoever else wee do, it must be in reference to them. I will not dwell upon the point; it is a foundation to that I am to speak of.

The next thing is the rule of his service, he served the will of God.

The will of God.

THe word signifieth Counsell, Will of God, Counsell, why?and it is better translated Counsell, than Will ▪ because it is more emphaticall: Gods will is his Counsell, not in regard of imperfection in Counsell; for Counsell implies somewhat imperfect; as deliberation, and consultation; God sees all at once, he doth not deliberate: p. 188but in regard of that which is eminent in Counsell; what is that? Wisdome; by Counsell thou shalt bee established: so whatsoever is Gods will, that is Counsell; it is wise; it is weighed, it is as gold seven times tried. Therefore wee should stoup to whatsoever is Gods will; either in his word, or in events; his Will is Counsell, hee is wise, hee is not rash. A patterne to all those that would be like God, to do all by Counsell, and not by Will. Those that are put to their will, if there bee not answerable wisdome to guyde it, to what mischiefe do they plunge themselves and others?

God must be served according to his Counsell, or Will, as hee hath discovered himselfe in his word:Service what. for service is nothing but an action done with an eye to the will of another: for if a man doth an action that one would have him do; if hee do it not with respect to his command, it is no obedience, nor service: he that hath not some care in the act, it is no obedience. As the Civill Law saith, infringit obedientiam, &c. it breaks from the nature of obedience, that hath no cause for it; he must know his reason: at the least there is the command of the superiour must bee a reason, and ground for what hee doth in all his obedience and service. Therefore there is a like necessity of the word of God, as of his service: for what Master will bee served according to the will of his servant? why doth the Scripture p. 189mislike will-worship; worship that is according to our owne will?Will worship. why forbidden? because there in wee make our selves God, we serve ourselves, and not God. Wee must not serve God, as wee would bee loath to be served our selves; wee would be loath to ha…e a servant complement with cap, and knee, and then do as he list himselfe: and so for us to come, and complement with God, to heare his word, as if wee would be directed by him: to kneele, and pray to him for fashion, and then all our life after to do as we list. It is a delusion to say we serve God, unlesse we serve him according to his Will.

Therefore there must be a rule of our service,Gods written word the rule of our service. and that rule is the written word of God. There was a time when the word of God was not written;Heb. 1.Heb 1 and then God discovered his Will by dreames, and visions, and many other wayes: but when the world was enlarged, and man-kind spread further, traditions from hand to hand was not a fit means, and way to deliver truths: because it was subject to corruption. God therefore would deliver his Will (how he would be …erved) in writing: and God sanctified this course, and gave credit to it, by his owne example, writing his owne Law with his own finger. The ten Commandements were written by God himselfe. God was the first Preacher, and the first writer; he was the first Preacher, he preached the Gospell to Adam in Paradice: and p. 190the first writer, the tenne Commandements being written by God himselfe. Now, wee have the written word of God to be our rule (how God must be served) an exact, and perfect rule. I will not speak by way of controversie: I (hope we are grounded well enough) but by way of direction for a godly life. Gods Will is a sufficient rule.

What is requisite in a Rule?

Properties of a Rule, appliable to the word of God.First, a rule must be cleere, and open, that it may bee made use of, by those that are to bee regulated by it: therefore we say, The secret will of God can be no rule,11Open, manifest. because it is secret. That which is a rule must bee manifest and open: therefore the revealed will of God that every one may see,Secret Will of God, no rule, why? that is our rule. Wee may crosse Gods secret will and do well, and wee may serve it, and yet do ill. A Father may pray for his childs life, and may crosse the secret will of God, and yet doth well; God allowes bowels in Fathers. A wicked man may do according to Gods secret will, and yet sin: therefore that was not the rule of Davids service, nor cannot be of ours. Secret things belong to God: but revealed things to us and our children, saith blessed Moses. The will of God as it is discovered must be the rule of our actions: A rule must be open, or else it is no rule.

Againe, the rule by which we must lead our lives it must bee infallible,22Infallible. not subject to error; for then it cannot be the rule of our service. p. 191The Word of God is an infallible rule, it cannot deceive, because it is the Word of God: men wrote it indeed; but it was God that dictated it: the finger writes, but the head dictates: holy men wrote it according as they were guided be the holy Ghost. The will of any man cannot be the rule of any mans service, further than it is agreeable to the first rule, why? because it is subject to errour, and mistake. That which must be the constant rule of a mans life, it must not be as popish traditions and the like; it must be infallible: now the word of God is so, it is infallible: a man may erre, and be a man, and a good man too: but God cannot erre, and be God; the word of God cannot bee false and bee the word of God, therefore it is an infallible rule.

When this is applied to any creature,The Grand lie in the Church of Rome. it is a Grand lie, and the foundation of misery in that Church: this is the first lie in the Church of Rome; That the Church consisting of a company of men cannot erre: what a horrible absurdity is this, to make the will of man the rule: that the Church cannot erre, that Popery cannot erre? though they erre egregiously; they account rebellion service; and make traitors merit, &c.

But are our Tenents subject to such grosse things? No, we make the rule of obedience the infallible word of God, that cannot erre. To attribute that of that which cannot erre, to that which can erre, it is a horrible absurditie: p. 192but I will not enter into controversies.

33In extent.Againe, that which is a rule must be perfect in commensuration, in measure: it must be of equall extent to all things that are to bee ruled. Now the things that are to be ruled, is our whole carriage, and conversation: therefore that that is the rule for a man, it must rule his thoughts, his speeches, and actions: so the word of God, it rules the whole carriage of a man. There is a proportion between the rule, and all things that are to bee ruled by it; all things fall under the word of God to bee directed, and ruled by it: It gives direction to our thoughts, to our speeches, to our actions, in our callings; it gives direction to Magistrates, to Ministers, to Masters, to Servants, to all estates, and conditions, in life, in death. It is exceeding large as David saith, All things come to an end, but thy Commandements are exceeding large. It is a rule that extends to all things that are to bee ruled whatsoever: no other rule but Gods will doth so: for mens lawes, they have nothing to do with thoughts: thought is free for them.

44Authenticall.Againe, a rule must bee authenticall; what is that? It must be credited for it selfe, it must have authority of, and for it selfe, and not depend upon another (if it bee the first rule;) Indeed there be subordinate rules, there is a rule ruled, and a rule ruling mens lawes; the Magistrates will, it is a rule ruled by a higher rule: p. 193and as long as it so, it is a good rule; but there must bee a rule ruling, above all subordinate rules whatsoever; what is that? The word of God; it hath authority from it selfe, not borrowed of men: it is a rule that rules all, & is ruled of none others rule: but by this rule; this is a rule, ruling the very rulers of the world. No mans will is a law further than it is squared by this law of lawes.55Inflexible. It is an inflexible rule, it cannot bee bent to mens purposes; man would bring Gods will to his will; but it is the measure that measures all, and is measured by none: for we must not judge the word, the word must judge us. You have some presumptuous persons that will judge, and murmure at the word, but the word will bee too good for them, and judge them. Hee that judgeth the law, and gives sentence on the law, shewes himself a foole, the law must judge him: much more the law of God; therefore it is authenticall. These are the maine properties of that that must be a rule to judge our lives by. Now the word of God, is both knowne; and is not subject to errour any kind of way: and it is equall to all things that may fall under it; and it is authenticall, of credit for it selfe (let men say what they will,) it must rule, and not be ruled. Therefore David when hee ordered his course of life by this will of God, he deserved this commendation, that in his generation he served the will of God.

There bee subordinate rules in their kind; p. 194as the Law of Nature, and the Lawes of men, direct in things of this life, to doe them in that manner, according to the rule: a civill Law for civill actions: mens Lawes for mens actions: but when we doe any thing holily, we must have direction from Gods Law, and that must put the respect of service to God upon our actions. For howsoever wee doe things civilly by the Civill Law; and doe things comely by the Law of Nature: Nature teacheth us to carry ourselves in a decor…m, to give every man his due: but it is not a service of God, except it be directed by the rule of God, a man cannot serve God without a higher rule than man can give.

But you will say,How to apply the rule in particular actions. how shall wee apply, and make use of this rule in particular actions; the Word is but short, but actions are infinite; the Word of God directs me not to this, or that action; and …aith, you shall doe this, or that in particular; but gives generall rules: how shall we come to carrie our selves in particular actions? here is the skill: for a rule is not to hang up, a measure is not to bee cast aside; but to be applied; a rule is a thing in relation to a thing ruled, and a measure to things measured; and if we doe not apply it, we lose the use of it. How shall we know how to serve the Will of God in every particular action?

Outward helps.Besides the generall Word of God, we have some outward helpes, and some inward. The outward helpes are:

p. 195First the Ministery,11The Ministery. that is one maine outward help; and what is the Ministery for, but to dig up the treasure, the Myne of God, to lay open the Will of God in particular; to branch out, and lay open, and anatomize the duties of such, and such callings, by their Ministeriall gifts, which God hath given his servants in a competent measure, to give particular directions? They have their callings for this end, to speak a word in season; they have the tongue of the learned, God hath not set up this calling for naught, therefore, as we goe to the learned in the Law, in doubts in that kind: so in particular doubts, why doe we not make use of those that study that way? if it be in such a case, as perhaps we have no light in our selves. It is one end of their calling, because perhaps our callings are such, as that we cannot studie particulars our selves, therefore God hath sanctified that calling, that wee might have the use of it: that is one.

Another outward helpe for particulars;22Communion with good people it is communion with good people, those that are led with the spirit of God: for wee must know, that God oft times laies up the practise of one man in the breast of another: because he would knit man to man. We are oft times at a losse, the best of us all, in particular directions what to doe: sometimes a meaner man (in some things) than our selves, can give better directions in particular than our selves; shall we storme, and swell at this? no; it is p. 196Gods wisdome that one man should carrie that which is for the speciall use of another: that wee might take counsell, and aske advise one of another. A wise man ordereth his doings by Counsell, saith the Wiseman: and oft times he that takes advise of himselfe, hath a foole to his Counsellour; and he beshrewes himselfe that he would not take the benefit of another mans advice: therefore, besides the publique Ministerie, this is one helpe, our Christian friends, and acquaintance; and they are reserved for such a time: A friend is made for adversity, for ill times, in perplexed, and doubtfull cases: this is to make use, and benefit of others.

Againe,33Lawes of men. the Lawes of men; what are the Lawes, if they bee good, but particular determinations of the Will of God. We ought to have reverent conceits of the Lawes: for they doe but bring Gods generalls to particulars, if they bee good Lawes: if they have not their derivation from Gods Lawes, they are naught; but if they backe that in any thing, they are nothing but a particular determining of the generall rules in Gods Word, to give every man his due, &c. Therefore in many cases we may know what the Will of God is, by the good Lawes of the kingdome, which bind the Conscience to obedience. There is no disobedience to mens Lawes, but where there is disobedience to Gods Lawes first, which hath stablished mens Lawes.

p. 197And then in some particulars (when it doth not appeare what wee should doe) the example of good people,44Example of good people. of the wisest, and best in the ranke, and place where wee live, till wee know the contrary, the best way is to rest in their judgment, to follow the advice of others, the direction of friends, or the Lawes and customes; and not to be refractary, and opposite, except there be reason to the contrary: for mans spirit is a divine thing, it must alway be led with some reason: but with this reservation, a man may keep to others, till it appeare otherwise, till hee see other light, and direction, to take this course. This is the …disposition that should bee in every peaceable …man. These bee some outward helpes to know the Will of God in particular actions.

The inward helps to know what Gods Will in particular is,22Inward helpes. together with the Word of God unfolded.

The Spirit of God,11The Spirit of God. which is as a voyce behind us, saying, This is the way, walke in it. Isa. 30.Isa. 30.Isa 30 Wherefore serves the blessed Spirit, but to be a Counsellour? as Isa. 9.7.Isa. 9.7.Isa 9:7 Christ, he is the blessed Counsellour, how comes he to be so? not immediatly by himselfe, but by his Spirit. All things he doth to his Church, is by his Spirit: he fills his Church with his Spirit. Now the children of God having this Spirit of Counsell to advise them in particulars, they are led with the Spirit. This is one inward help, and a maine one. And surely, if p. 198we would give way to the blessed guidance of Gods Spirit, and not grieve, and quench, and resist the Spirit; the Spirit of God would be readie to direct us upon all occasions, wee should be guided in particular actions with a better Spirit than our owne. And this Spirit we may have by prayer, God will give the Spirit to them that beg him, Luk. 11.Luke 11.Luke 11

22Particular grace Prudence.Then another inward helpe, is particular grace, which God gives to his children. Particular prudence, to speake words, and to doe actions in season, that every thing may bee beautifull in its time. There is Sapience, Wisedome, and Prudence: I Wisedome dwell with Prudence. It is the wisedome of a man, to understand his way, what to doe in particular, or what not to doe. It is Prudence, or discretion to discerne of differences: now that grace of God is in some measure given to all his children: he makes them wise to understand their owne way. They are not so wise perhaps for other things, it is not their way. God lets some men goe with a lesse measure of discretion to heaven than others; because he hath lesse worke for them to doe: but every man hath as much as will bring him to heaven; the lesse he hath himselfe, the more hee shall have of others. Some men are excellent in gifts of Wisedome, they can tell you generalls out of the Booke of God excellent well: but come to directions in particular, and you shall have meaner men of better discretion p. 199than they. Either we have it our selves, or else God will associate us, and by his providence cast us upon other acquaintance, that have a greater measure of this grace, that hee will have us acquainted with. God gives every one of his a Spirit, to discerne what to speake, how to advise, how to comfort, what to doe. And the meanest Christian is more in this for religious actions, than the greatest man in the world, that hath not the Spirit of God: for hee can tell in particular, how to beare afflictions, and how to enjoy prosperity, because the Spirit directs him what to doe.

Againe,33Conscience. God hath put into every man a Conscience, wherefore serves conscience, but especially to direct in particulars? There is a faculty of the soule, that wee call a Treasurie; a preserving faculty, that is to lay up generall rules out of the Word of God, and directions out of good bookes, and from the counsell of other men: it is a faculty to treasure up rules, therfore it hath the name of preserving: but there is a conscience under this, that being sanctified by the Spirit of God, & being directed in generall by the word of God, it directs in particular. Conscience tels us, this in particular you ought to doe; this you have done: in this particular you have done well, in this you have done ill: so conscience is put in us to check, or direct us in particular. It is Gods Vicar in every man, together with the Spirit: Conscience, together with the Spirit is a great p. 200helpe to know Gods Will in particulars. If men would not bee too bold with Conscience, Conscience (together with Gods Spirit) would be faithfull to them. Conscience may say as Reuben said to his brethren, when they were in miserie; Did not I tell you, doe no hurt to the lad? deale not so hardly with Ioseph as to cast him into the pit? so many men do many things amisse, Conscience may say; did not I tell you this before, it was naught, and yet you would needs doe it? yes certainly: and when Conscience is not hearkned unto as a director, it will scourge as a Iudge. It hath many offices; and it is good to keepe this Conscience in its office, to let Conscience doe its full duty, let Conscience direct us to the full. Certainly, if wee would hearken to this Vice-gerent in our hearts; (this littlegod, that God hath placed there (in merciemercy) to guide our lives in particular) it would be better with us than it is, wee should end our dayes with more comfort, and give a better reckoning than we can.

44Experience.Againe, experience may bee added as another helpe. Experience is a great helpe in particulars: for indeed generalls are raised out of experiments in particular. Therefore those that are wise Polititians, States-men, they are not so out of bookes altogether; but men of experience, that can say, such a case hath beene so at such a time: so that out of observation, and particular experience, they are able to say p. 201(upon the like case) it should bee now at this time thus, and thus. If therefore wee would treasure up experience, it would bee a good helpe to know what is to bee done in particulars: to consider how it hath beene in former time, and consider the experience of others; you see then what the rule of our service is, Gods Will: with these helpes subordinate to it, how to direct our selves in particular actions to serve the Will of God: So much for that point.

Hee served.

NOw I come to the act of Service,33The Act, he s…rved God. God must bee served according to his owne Will: wee must search, and trie what is the good, and holy, and acceptable Will of God Rom. 12.Rom. 12.Rom 12 I have shewed how we may search in particular what the good, and acceptable Will of God is: Now when this is discovered, the next thing is to serve God in the knowledge of his Will: for all the blessings are annexed to service, and not to knowledge. If yee know this Will; is there all? no; happy are yee if yee doe it. If we know the rule and doe it, we are happy. What if wee doe it not? Hee that knowes his Masters will, and doth it not, shall be beaten with many stripes. It will but aggravate our damnation,To know Gods will, and not doe it, aggravates our damnation. to know the rule, to have directions what to doe, and not to doe them. Then the rule that we have, hath another use: p. 202if we use it not for direction in what wee doe, it wil be brought against us at the day of judgment, as a direction for God to damne us by: this you knew, this counsell you had, these motions of the Spirit you had; this, Conscience told you; this, the Ministery, and your friends told you; notwithstanding you crossed, and thwarted all; when it is not a direction for us to obedience, it will bee a direction for God to give sentence. Therefore let us make conscience, first to know the will of God, (which is the rule of all our actions) by all the meanes we can, and then to give service to it. David served the will of God: his life was not unfruitfully, and wickedly spent; but he served the Counsell of God that had planted, and placed him there in the world for that purpose. Why hath God planted us here, in the Paradise of the Church? that we should not bee barren trees; or bring forth ill fruit: but that wee should serve him, and bee fruitfull in our places

This word service, is a harsh word, and such a thing as proud spirits could never digest. Why did the Divells fall?Cause of the fall of Angels. they would be in a state independent, and not under others: they would have their owne courses; and therefore the Scripture saith, they kept not their owne standing. God set them in one course: and they swelled and would not keep it. The particular is not set downe in Scripture: but they kept not their owne standing. Neither the p. 203Divell, who is a proud creature, nor men led with the spirit of the Divell, can indure service: every man would be a God to himselfe, to be guyded by his owne lewd will, and lusts, (and God knowes) they are blind guides, and we shall know it to our cost, if wee have not a better guide; when the will of God is revealed therefore, wee must have a care to serve it.

Now, to serve, To serve, wha…?implies two things especially, an action, and a reference of that action to the will of another, that is service (as I said before) to do a thing, and to do in obedience: for if a man do never so many things, if it be not in obedience to the will of another, it is no service, he serves himselfe: so to serve God is, when we know the will of God, to do accordingly, and to do it because it is the will of God; then it is service: or else it is a work indeed done, but no service, or obedience.

All obedience is with looking to the will, and pleasure of another, that hath authority to direct us: and then we serve the revealed will of God, when the whole inward and outward man is fashioned, and framed to that: when there is a measuring of both together: as when wee obey the directions, when wee tremble at the threatnings, when wee imitate the examples of holy writ, when we are raised up with the comforts; when answerable to every divine truth, there is an answerable disposition p. 204of soule: when there is a sweet harmony betweene Gods truth, and our inward, and outward man. Rom. 6.Rom. 6.Rom 6 We must be cast into the mold of the word: as a thing when it is molded in another frame, it carries the print of the frame or mold; so wee serve the will, and word of God, when we are molded answerable to that will.

Service of God.Now more particularly, this service of the will of God; It is either immediate inward service of the will of God; or outward service.

Inward service, is the obedience of the first Commandement,11Inward. when upon the konwledge of God, wee set him up in our soules, and cleave to him in our affections, of trust, and joy, and love, and delight, to give him the supremacie of all these; then we serve him with inward worwip, and service; and this indeed is to set the Crowne upon Gods head, and to make him King, and God in our hearts; he must have the prime of our inward service: when we love God above all, and feare him above all, and delight in him above all, & cleave to him when all things else faile us, this is the immediate service of God in our hearts, when wee give God his owne in our hearts. Hence comes all other service whatsoever: or else it is but the eye-service that is not enlivened with the inward worship of God.

Now, besides this inward, there is a service of God that comes from this inward service, which is, of the outward man, that is, when p. 205we pray to God▪ and that requires our words, when we praise God in thanksgiving, when we come to heare the word, and to receive the Sacrament; and so all outward holy actions are the service of God, and are drawne from the inward immediate worship of God that I spake of before.

Besides these (which come more immediatly from a sanctified spirit) there is a service of God,33Service in obeying the second Table. that is the obedience of the second Table, when we do good to men with an eye to serve God as we say; there is an elicite proper service of God, & a cōmanded service of God, cultus imperatus. All duties to men are a service of God, when wee do them as commanded of God, as, because I love God, therfore I honour my parents, and Magistrates, and therfore I will not commit adultery, as Ioseph, shall I do this and offend God? So the Scripture alleageth reasons out of the first Table, when wee are tempted to sinnes against the second Table: and then the duties of the second Table are a worship, and service of God, when they are commanded by the first. And this is the difference betweene a meere formall man,Difference between a formall man and a Christian. and a Christian in his outward performances; a Civil man is altogether for the second Table: but hee hath not his rise from the first; hee gives every man his due, &c. but it is not in obedience to God, because God hath commanded him to do it: but because he sees it is a deformed thing to bee unjust, out of the p. 206light of nature) hee condemnes the sinne, but not out of religious respects: it is not a service of God all this while. I, but when it is from love to God, when that great command (thou shalt love God above all) sets him upon this, then all the duties hee performes to man are a service of the will of God: for God commands them. Even the basest works are a service of God, when they are done in obedience to God, as Saint Paul tels them in Collos. 3.Collos. 3. and Ephes. 6.Ephes. 6.Eph 6 the poore servant serves the Lord Christ; when a poore servant is at his work, imployed in the businesse of man, poore common things; yet hee serves the Lord all the while: For God hath set him in that calling, and he doth the second Table in obedience to the first; and he serves men, those that are his governors with an eye to the great Governour, and Master that is above all, that will reward them for their poore service,Ephes. 6.Eph 6 however their Master reward them, Ephes. 6. This is to serve the will of God then, to yeeld to him the immediate service of the soule, and the outward expressions of it, and to go thorow all other duties as they spring from the first: then wee are molded (as I said before) answerable to the word of God.

To apply this to our blessed man David, and then to make use of it to our selves.Application to David, …e served God.

Thus did David serve the will of God in his time: for you may see what he was; hee is anatomised, and laid open to our eyes in the p. 207Psalmes,11In the inward man. you may see his care of serving God in his … See how he cleaved to God in his … in Psal. 18.Psal. 18.Ps 18 how he loved God, and joyed in God, and in the word of God, above all things in the world; hee esteemed the light Gods coun…enance, more than corne, or wine, or oyle. Psal. 4.Psal: 4. I give but a touch to shew how this description is true of this blessed man, that …e served the will of God.

And for the expression of … praise,22Outward. and prayer hee was a man after Gods owne heart, especially in this, he was ready upon all occasions to blesse, and praise God; hee kept his communion with God, as we see, though hee were a King, yet his … was to serve God, as we see in Psal. 1.Psal. 1.Ps 1 hee meditated in the word of God day and night. What time had he to rule his Kingdome then? The meaning is, that all the spare time that hee had, it was to think of God, to looke to the rule, the word of God, how to guide his life.

And for his outward calling (there is a double calling wherin we serve God as Christians,33For the second table. our generall, and our particular calling, wherein wee are to deale with men) what an excellent man was hee …hee served the will of God, as a Governour of a family, wee see in Psal. 101.Psal. 101.Ps 101 how he carried himselfe in the middest of …his house, to all his servants, a lyer should not abide in his house. You have a direction there how to guid… your families, you see how hee served the Will of God as a governour; p. 208yet there was a fault in him in that respect, hee was too indulgent to Absolon, and Adoniah. A man may be a good man, and yet be too blame in some particulars: but when his heart is right, God pardons the rest.

As a King.You see how he carried himselfe as a King, he was an excellent King, the delight of Israel: hee carried himselfe every way as a King should doe: hee tempered merciemercy, and judgement together: I will sing of merciemercy, and judgement: so he did in his whole carriage sweetly temper merciemercy, and justice, he dispenced these two. And as a King must not only serve God himselfe; but to make others serve God: so his care was to stablish the worship of God, as you find in the storie. David, when he saw all in peace and quiet, then he begins to take care for the Arke, 1 Chron. 17.1 Chron. 17.1 Chr 17 I dwell in a house of Cedar: but the Arke of the Lord remaines under curtaines: therfore hee tooke a course for that. So governours should doe, when God hath setled them in their government quietly, to begin to thinke of Gods house: for they rule not well, they serve not the Will of God, except, besides their owne service, they call others to serve him. A Magistrate must be the keeper of both Tables himselfe, and cause others to doe it, he must lay downe his crowne at the feet of Christ, as it is in Isay. Thus David was a nursing father to the Church of God, hee served God in his particular calling.

p. 209Now (to make use of another division) the Will of God it is either in things to be done,In suffering. or to be suffred, and obedience answerable to that is either active, or passive; as David served God in doing, so hee yeelded obedience, and served the Will of God in his passive obedience: wherein hee did deny himselfe exceedingly, as much as ever man did, next to Christ; you see how he denied himselfe in his carriage toward Saul, in matter of revenge, how he overcame himselfe, because hee knew that revenge was Gods, and that God was his, and therefore would right him well enough; and in Shimei, God hath bid him raile; hee would not revenge▪ and other notable examples wee have, how he submitted to Gods Will, as in 1 Sam. 30.6.1 Sam. 30.6.1 Sam 30:6 when hee was in extremitie, hee encouraged himselfe in the Lord his God; there he staied himselfe in extremity; and in 2 Sam. 15.25.2 Sam. 15.25.2 Sam 15:25 there is a notable place how hee submitted himselfe to God. The King said, Carry backe the Arke of God, if I have found favour in the eyes of God he will bring me again; but if God say thus, I have no delight in him; behold here I am, let him doe as seemes good to him. Here was a resignation of himselfe to the will of himselfe in serving of him: so in Psal. 39.Ps…l. 39.Ps 50:39 I held my tongue Lord; because thou didest it. Thus you see how he served the will of God, in the inward service of God, and in the outward to God, and man; in both callings, as a good man, and a good governour, in his family p. 210every way he served the Will of God.

Vse.And wherefore is all this? Here is a patterne for us that we should serve the Will of God:To imitate David. to serve the Will of God immediatly, to labour to bring our hearts to trust in him, to feare him above all, to delight in him above all; and to expresse it in our outward service of him, and in doing duties to men from inward respect to God; in conscience of our dutie, to serve God when we serve men: to carry our selves in our generall calling, as Christians, and in our particular place, not only to be good men; but good in our callings; good Students, good Lawyers, &c. Let us shew our Religion there, as David did: this is to serve the Will of God. That is not Religion that is left behind in the Church… as Lactantius saith,Lactantius. that is no Religion that wee leave behind, when wee come to the Church doore: but that is Religion, when wee learne our dutie here, and carry it in our breasts to practise it every day in the weeke, when wee shew it in our places; that is the service of God. Therefore let this holy man bee an example to us; wherefore are these particular things recorded of him in the Scriptures, but that we should transforme our selves to this blessed patterne.

The whole life of a Christian wee see is a service of God: there is nothing that we doe but it may be a service of God; no, not our particular recreations, if wee use them as wee p. 211should; as whettings to bee fitter for our callings, and enjoy them as liberties with thankfulnesse to God that allowes us these liberties to refresh our selves. There is no passage of a mans life, but it may have the respect of a service of God: it is not the matter, or stuffe, but the stamp that makes the coyn: so it is not the worke, but the stamp that makes it a service, when we doe it with a… eye to God.Similie. Let the King set a stamp but upon brasse, upon a token, yet it will goe for current, if it have the Kings authority, and stamp upon it: let it be but an action of our callings, suppose to give counsell in our studies, or pleading of the Law, &c. if it have Gods stamp upon it, if there be Prayer upon it to blesse it, and it bee done in obedience to God, and with justice; not against the rules of Piety, and Charity, (and as farre as it may displease God to balk, and avoid all temptations in our callings out of Religious respects) it is a service of God: our whole life not only in the Church, but in our particular places may bee a service of God; as it is said, here David served God.

Oh, if wee could thinke of this wheresoever wee ar…, wee would take no liberty to offend God in any thing… wee would not thrust Religion into a corner, into a narrow roome, and limit it to some dayes, and times, and actions, and places; and then take liberty to defraud, and dissemble; to abuse our selves p. 212this way, and that way; is this to serve God? to serve God is to carry our …elves as the children of God wheresoever we are: so that our whole life is a service of God.

A Christian is no Libertine, no man of freedome, hee is a servant. Indeed wee have changed our Master: wee are set at libertie from the slaverie of sinne and Sathan; but it is not that wee should doe nothing; to bee Belialls, without voake: but it is to serve God, we are taken from the service of Sathan to be the Lords free-men, and indeed it is to that end, we are delivered that wee might serve God; therefore all the actions of our life should be a service to God.Luke 1.Luke 1

Quest.To make this a little clearer: how can this bee (will some man thinke) that every common action should bee a service of God?

I will make it cleare by an instance; the beasts,Answ. and other creatures, and wee, have common actions;How common actions may be a service of God. such as wee doe in common, as to eat, and to drinke, and to move: the beast doth this, and man doth it; when a man doth them, they are reasonable actions, because they are guided with reason, and moderated by reason: but when the beast doth them, they are the actions of a beast; because hee hath no better faculty to guide him. So common actions, they are not a service of God, as they come from common men, that have not grace, and the Spirit of God in their hearts: they p. 213are meere buying, and selling, and going about the actions of their callings, as the actions of a beast are the actions of a beast. But let a Christian come to doe them, he hath a higher life, and a higher spirit, that makes them spirituall actions that are common in themselves; hee raiseth them up to a higher order, and ranke. Therfore a Christian serveth God in all that hee doth, hee hath an eye to God: that which another man doth with no eye to God, but meerely in civill respects. Wee say of policie: it is an ancient observation, which is good, and very fit. The knowledge of a common wealth; it is a building knowledge, a commanding knowledge: for though a States-man doth not build, hee doth not buy and sell, and commerce: but hee useth all other trades for the good of the State. It is a knowledge commanding all other inferiour Arts, and Trades (in a common wealth) to the last end: they should all bee serviceable to the common-wealth, and if they bee not, away with them. So Religion, and the knowledge of Divine things, it is a commanding knowledge, it commands all other services in our callings, &c. It doth not teach a man what he shall doe in particular in his calling: but it teacheth him how to direct that calling to serve God, to bee advantageous, and helpfull to his generall calling: to further him to heaven, to make every thing reductive to his last end, which hee sets before him, that is, to honour, p. 214and serve God in all things, to whom, hee desires to approve himselfe, in life, and death: hee hath a principle, the holy Ghost in him, and he labours to reduce every thing to the maine end, oh that wee were in this temper.

To serve God in our su…ferings.And as wee must labour to imitate holy David in doing: so likewise in suffering. We must bee carefull that nothing of Gods displease us, as we are carefull (for our selves) that nothing of ours displease God. In doing, we ought to be carefull that nothing of ours displease God: in suffering, that nothing of Gods dealing displease us: for there is rebellion in both, in passive obedience, as well as active. There is rebellion when wee murmure, and will not bee as God will have us, as if we were wiser than he, to appoint our owne condition: whereas wee should resigne our selves as David, here I am, let the Lord do as it pleaseth him, and as they said in the Acts; The will of the Lord be done: and as we pray in the Lords prayer, Thy will be done, insinuating, not our owne. We must bee content to stoup in our sufferings obediently to God, because he is righteous in all his wayes, and holy in all his works; in all the courses he takes with us, we should bee ready to justifie God in all things

David served God.Now, how did hee serve God, for the manner of his service? The manner of his service was as it should bee, and so he was exemplary p. 215to us all in that, amongst others, his servi…e was▪

First,11Vniversall. universall, to God, and to men every way.

Secondly, it was uniforme; hee was good in all conditions;22Vniforme. a good Sheepheard, a good King, he was good in his family, &c. So the service of the children and servants of God, it must be uniforme in all estates: to know how to want, and how to abound, &c.

And then his service was cheerefull;33Chearfull. wee see how oft hee rouseth up himselfe in the Psalmes, awake my Harp and Lute, &c.

And lastly his service was sincere.44Sincere. It was to God:Signes of cincerity. you may know his sincerity by this; he cared not for scoffings, he practised duties that were scorned at.11To practise scorned duties. That is, an evidence of sincerity, when in ill times, the children of God stand to God, and Religion. When Micholl mocked him, saith he, I will be yet more vile for God. When God may have glory, and Religion defence, for men to stand for God in ill times it is a signe of sincerity; an hipocrite will never do so. David did at all times, in his Generation.

And then it was a signe of sincerity,22To appeale to God. that he would appeale to God: Trie me Lord, if there be any way of wickednesse in me: when a soule can go to God, and say, Lord, if there by any way of wickednesse in me, any secret lurking corruption in mee (that may endanger the state of my soule) that I know not of, discover p. 216it to me; that is a signe that a man is in league with no sin: but his service is sincere.

33Comfor….A man that is not sincere, hath no comfort: so much sincerity, so much comfort. If a man do not things to God in sincerity, all is lost to God, a man may have commendations of the world, as the Pharises had (which is nothing but a kind of curse) you have your reward, that is, you have it here, and shall lose it hereafter. So much concerning the life of David, in those words, David in his Generation served the Counsell, or Will of God. Now (to make a perfect discourse of it) wee will speak something of his end.

He fell a sleep, and was gathered to his Fathers, and saw Corruption.

HE fell asleep, that is, he died: for sleep in Scripture, it is a middle phrase, appliable to good, and bad: for wicked men (in Scripture) are said to sleep,Difference in the death of godly and wicked. and good men are said to sleep. Only the difference is, as the persons are: for the sleep of wicked men, it is like the sleep of a male factor before his execution, that is oft-times tripped in his sleep:Simi…e. or like the sleep of a man in sicknesse, or in a mad fit, his sleep doth but concoct the malignant humour, and after he wakes, he rageth three times more than he did before. So the sleep, the death of a carnall wicked man, it is but a preparation to his execution: it is p. 217but the sleep of a distempered man, that wakes with more horrour, and terrour, and rage, than ever before: indeed properly the death only of the godly is a sleep. But to observe something first briefly in generall.

We see here is a time of dying,Obser. as well as … a time of living.A time of dying as well as living.

There is a time to serve God in living, and there is a time to yeeld our soules to him as well as a time to serve God in doing the actions, and functions of this life.

Which should teach us this,Vse. not to fix our thoughts too much on life.Not to thinke much of long life. As there is a time for all things to the living: so there is a time to cease to live: and therfore to use the world with moderation, as though wee used it not, knowing that the fashion of the world passeth away. It should teach us to serve God as well in living as in dying.

And it should teach us to do all the good wee can while wee have time. David served God while hee lived, and hee served God in dying: because his death was in obedience: but (as I said before) after death, properly there is no service of God: but a receiving of wages, therefore let us serve God while we live, while we have time; because there is a time when night will come, the night of sicknesse, and of death, and then no man can work; if he would never so faine.

He fell asleep. Why did he not die before? hee served God a great while, hee did not die when he was first a good man.

p. 218Obser.God will have his Children serve out their Generation.Gods children must serve their time.

They must serve out their time. As soone as ever we beleeve, we have right to heaven:11To gaine others. but God will have us beare the burthen of the day awhile, to bring others to heavn with us; to go before others in the example of a godly life; to gaine as many as we can.

22To trie our graces.To trie the truth of our graces before wee come to heaven, whether they be true or no; that they may be true tried graces.

And he will have us perfect before we come to so holy a place,33To perfect us. hee will have us grow in grac, as Ahasueros his wifes were to bee perfumed▪ and prepared before they came to him. It is a holy place that wee hope for, a holy condition: therfore, he will have us by little, and little, be fitted by the spirit of God. Many such reasons there be, why God in heavenly wisdome will have us go on here a time before wee come to heaven: though as soone as we beleeve we are in the state of salvation, as Christ said to Zacheus, This day is salvation come to thine house.

Vse.Therefore let us not repine that God will have us live.Not to repine that God will …ave us live. Indeed, as soone as a Christian hath faith, he hath life in patience, and death in desire, for hee is impatient to want his crowne: oh, but here is the time of service: and when he considers the eternity of the reward hee shall have after; he will bee glad to serve God, and he will be ashamed that he can p. 219do it no more. When hee knowes hee shall have an eternall weight of glory for a little service, then hee will deny his lusts, and pleasures to serve God in the place hee lives in, whether hee be Magistrate, or Minister whatsoever; to undergo the burden of a little service.

Againe, in that it is said here, Then he fell asleep, not before; till he had served the counsell of God.

God hath alotted a man a time.

He hath set him a glasse that must be runne,Obser. he hath given him a part to act,God hath alo… ted a man a time. and hee cannot be taken away till that be done; hee can never fall asleep till hee have served the counsell of God. As it is said in the Gospell, concerning our Saviour Christ, his houre was not yet come. They have laid wait for him: but his houre was not come: so there may be many snares laid for the children of God by Sathan, and his instruments: but till their houre bee come, all the Divells in hell, nor all the Divells instruments on earth, cannot shorten a mans life one minute of an houre: for hee shall fall asleep when he hath served the counsell of God; when he hath done all that God will have him to do.

Therefore it is ground of resolution:Vse. let us go on in our places,Ground of resolution. and callings, undantedly, and wisely too, not to tempt God, to rush into dangers: but (I meane) without base p. 220feare, and distrust: for wee must serve God to day and to morrow, and then wee shall be sanctified. Wee must serve God the appointed time that hee will have us to live here; and then wee shall fall asleep, and not before: no creature hath power over the life of man to shorten his dayes.

The next thing wee will observe from the nature of sleep is, that,

Obser.The death of the godly is a sleep, in respect of refreshing.The death of the godly, refresheth as sleep.

Sleep doth refresh, and repaire, and as it were recreate, and make a man anew. Sleep, and rest, it is the blessed ordinance of God, it is an excellent thing to repaire man: so after death, nature shall be repaired better; we shall rise fresher, as it is, Psal. 17. ult. when I arise, Psal. 17. ult.Ps 17I shall bee satisfied with thine image, wee shall rise refreshed, better than wee lay downe.11Cessation from l…bour. So that as we go to bed then, to sleep, to cut off all cares: so when wee rest in death, all cares, and feares, and terrours; all annoyances are cut off. Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord; they rest from their labours: insinuating, that there is no rest before: for to a man that knowes that this world is a work-house, and his life a service to God, hee thinkes of no rest till he be in his grave; so death it is a sleep, in regard of that rest. Wee rest from the labour of sinne, wee rest from the wearisome labour of the body, from the labour of afflictions, and oppressions, from the molestations p. 221of other men among whom we live, every way this life is tedious, and death rest.

Againe, it is in this respect a sleep: 22Hope of rising.because a man goes to bed with assured hope of rising againe, and therefore he goes quietly: though it be a state of darknesse for the time, all the senses are bound up, yet hee knowes that in Gods ordinarie providence, hee shall rise againe: therefore men not only quietly, but cheerefully go to bed. So there is greater ground to know that wee shall rise againe out of our graves, than that we should rise out of our beds: for many mens beds have been their graves, in some sort, (I meane) they have died in their beds: but for the resurrection, we have the word of Almighty God, (that is a God of his word) that we shall rise againe: and we have it in the pledge of our Saviours resurrection, there is no doubt of that.

Therefore when wee die (if wee have faith) wee should make no more of death, than men doe to goe to bed: hoping undoubtedly of an assured, and joyfull resurrection. The want of faith in that kind, makes us backward to this: you see in what respect death is said to be a sleep. To speak only of those references, and relations that are most pertinent between sleep and death.

David fell asleep, and very willingly: for he had lived a painefull life:33After …abour. he served God, both as a private man, as a Sheepheard, & as a King, Eccles. 5.12. To a labouring man sleepe is sweet, p. 222Eccles. 5.12.Eccl 5:12so to a man that hath served God carefully in his calling, and kept a good conscience, death is very sweete. Wee see children that have been playing all day, they are loath to goe to bed, but to a man that hath wrought all day, sleepe is sweete, as wise Salomon saith, to a labouring man. Would we then have death as a sweet rest to us?Vse. let us doe as David did, that is,To be pain…ll▪ bee painefull, and laborious in our particular place, and in our generall calling: let us be faithfull in them to keep a good conscience, and set all in order as much as wee can while we live;22Set all in order. to leave no seeds of debate when we are gone. Some men die carelesly this way in disposing the good things that God hath given them; they lay a foundation of perpetuall jarring afterward: and so their death is skarsly a sleepe and rest: they cannot but bee disquieted, when they thinke how they leave things, because they were not wise before hand. David setled Salomon in his Throne, and set all things right before hee died, and that made him die, not only in rest, but in honour, in 1 Chron. 29.28. David died in a good old age, 1 Chron. 29.281 Chr 29:28full of riches and honour.

33Get fait… in Christ.And let us labour to get assurance of a change for the bette…: David his flesh rested in hope, because hee beleeved in Christ, that Christs body should see no corruption,P…al. 16. Psal. 16. So if wee would have death sweete as a sleepe, let us labour to get assurance by faith in Christ: and so our flesh may rest in hope, that p. 223as Christ raised his owne flesh, so he will raise ours. Good Simeon, when he had seene Christ once, Lord now let thy servant depart in peace, &c. so after we have gotten a sight of Christ, to be our Christ, our Saviour, and Redeemer, and have interest in him; Lord now let thy servant depart in peace. So much for the tearme, sleepe.

It is added besides, that

Hee was gathered to his Fathers.

HE… was gathered to his Fathers both in regard of his body, and in regard of his soule▪ for his body went to the house of the dead, the grave: and his soule went to his fathers, to heaven. As I said before of sleepe, so of this: it is a phrase of Scripture that must bee understood as the persons are. When a man dies, his body goes to the place, or house of all men, the house of darknesse, the grave▪ but for his soule that goes as the man is (to his fathers) to hell, if hee bee naught: to the soules of just and perfect men (as the Apostle speakes) if he have lived a gracious, and a good life; and so it must be understood here, b…cause hee speaks of a blessed man.

He was … to his Fathers;Fathers, who meant. he meanes not to his immediate fathers, but all beleeving men before him, that were the children of Abraham, his soule went to them, his body to the first Mother; the Earth, out of which it was p. 224taken. So the Generall is nothing but this, that

Obser.When we die wee are put to our fathers.

When w… d…e, we are put to our fathers.Therefore this should moderat… our feare of death, and our griefe for the departure of others. Why wee are not lost when we die; the soule and body is taken asunder, it is taken in pieces: but both remaine still; the bodie goes to the earth from whence it was taken, and the soule goes to God that gave it. And for our comfort, we goe to those that we knew before (many of them) to our fathers; not to strangers. Especially in respect of our soules, wee goe to our fathers▪ to our next fore-fathers, and to our old fathers; to Abraham, Isaac, to Iacob, to David, to blessed Saint Paul, and Peter, and all the blessed men that died in the faith. And when we are dead, wee goe to those that are more perfect than those that wee leave behind us. This should moderate our griefe: oh, I leave my friends behind me, my father, and mother, and children… it is to goe to better, to greater; and those that love thee better. Thou goest to greater: for they are in their pitch, they have attained their end, they are in heaven▪ and to better, they are refined from those corruptions that men here are subject unto: and then their love is perfect likewise: therefore going to our fathers, and not to strangers, to those that are better, and greater, and love us more perfectly; p. 225why should wee thinke much to die? they will bee readie to entertaine us; oh the welcome that soules find in heaven! and at the day of the Resurrection the sweete imbracings, when all the blessed soules that have beene from Adam to the last man, shall meete together! seeing therefore wee goe to our fathers, it should rather make us chearefull: Here, whom do we live with? take them at the best, our friends? men, subject to jealousies and weaknesses; our jealousie makes us suspect them, and their weaknesses makes us thinke the meaner of them: so our love is not perfect, nor our graces are not perfect; therefore we cannot have perfect love, and contentment while we are here. But in heaven there shall be no jealousie, nor feare, nor imperfection, which is the ground of jealousie: we shall perfectly love them, because they shall be perfectly good; and they shall perfectly love us, because we shall be perfectly good; and one shall stand admiring the graces of God in another; and that will maintain a perpetuity of love: therefore it is want of faith that makes us unwilling to yeeld our soules unto God at the point of death. It is a going to our fathers.

But then wee must take heed what fathers wee imitate here,Take heed whom we imitate. take heed who are our patterns while we live;Heb. 13.7.Heb 13:7 for if wee do not imitate them here, wee cannot live with them in heaven p. 226when wee are dead. Therefore it is a very necessary item in Heb. 13.7. Look to them that rule over you; that speak the word, whose faith follow: Considering the end of their labour. Let us look before what kind of men those have beene, that wee desire to live with in heaven: and mark the end of their conversation: for such as we delight in, and frame our carriage to here, such we shall live with hereafter. We must not think to live with Nero, and die with Paul; to live Epicures, and die Christians; to live dissembling, and falsly in our places, and to die comfortably, and to go to the blessed soules at the houre of death, and at the resurrection. No, God will gather our soules with wicked men, if wee fashion our carriage to wicked men: such as wee delight in, and live with, and set as patterns before us, with such we shall live for ever hereafter. Hee was gathered to his fathers.

To del…gt in the communion of Saints.One signe of a man that shall be gathered to beleeving fathers, to his good fore-fathers (besides imitation) is this, to delight in the congregations of just men here. A man may know he shall go to the congregation of perfect soules in heaven, if he delight in the congregations of Gods Saints here: for surely he that hath a confidence, to bee in the proper heaven, heaven that is so blessed; he will have a care while he lives, as much as he can, to be, and delight in the heaven upon earth. Now p. 227the chiefe heaven upon earth, is the Church of God; Oh how amiable is thy dwelling place oh Lord! where many soules meet together, to joyne in speaking to God, and in hearing God speak to them. Those therefore that delight not in the congregations; that delight not in the service of God; what hope have they to bee gathered to the congregation of the faithfull when they are gone? so much for that, he was gathered to his fathers.

And he saw Corruption.

IT is an Hebraisme, for, he felt Corruption, he had experience of Corruption. All other senses are attributed to sight, that being the principall of all the senses, they have their terme from it: because sight is the most excellent, the most capacious, and quick sense, therefore (I say) the actions of all the other senses are attributed to it; as wee say, see how he speaks, and so here, he saw Corruption, that is, he had experience of it; because sight is a convincing sense. He could not properly see when he was dead: but the meaning is, he had experience of Corruption; the truth is this, in a word, that,Obser. The best,The best, and greatest subject to corruption. and greatest men in the world, when they are gone, they are subject to corruption.

David was a King, and a Prophet: a man after p. 228Gods owne heart; yet this could not keepe Davids body from Corruption.

Reas. 1. Wee are dead men here.The reason is, wee are but dead men here: this is not the life that Christ hath purchased for us; wee are going to death: our naturall life is but Cursus ad mortem, a continuall going to death. We are alive now, but alasse our life is nothing, but a continuall dying: every day cuts off a part of our life. It is a statute, that all must die.

22We cannot bee crowned else.And it is our perfection to die, we cannot otherwise see God, & enjoy our Crown. Death indeed is nothing but misery: but when we die, we go to live. The best must see Corruption.

Therefore this should bee an argument to support the soule,Vse. when we think of the rottennesse in the grave,To support us against corruption and of that place, and time of horrour, when wee shall bee no more here upon earth. It is no otherwise with us than it hath beene with the best in the world, they all saw Corruption in their time.

Again, considering we have but corruptible bodies here,22To take most care for the soule. bodies that must see corruption: let us take care for the better part. He is a mad man, that having two houses, one free-hold, the other a rotten tenement, ready to fall about his eares, that shall take delight in that, and neglect his owne inheritance, which is a goodly thing; it is for want of wit: and it is as much want of grace, when we having a double life, the life of grace, that ends in glory; the p. 229life of the soule, the life of God, as Saint Paul saith: and then the life of the body (which is communicated from the soule to the body) which is corruptible: our bodies are but tabernacles of clay, whose foundation is in the dust: for us to take care of this vile body as the Apostle calls it, Phil. 3. Who shall change our vile body; Philip. 3.Phil 3and make it like to his glorious body: according to his mighty power: to take care of this vile body, and to neglect our precious soules. It is the care of most (such is the carnall breeding of men: and they follow those that bred them in this brutishnesse, as if they had no soules, as if there were no life after this, their care is) what they shall eat, and what they shall drink, and put on; what to commend themselves by in the outward man, to the view of others; all their care is for their outward man. Alas, what is it, but a corruptible, vile body? it is but the case of the soule; they forget the Iewell, and look all to the Casket, which is a base body, take it at the best while we are here.

And take heed we be not ensnared with the bodies of others.33Not to be ensnared with the bodies of others. This is the corruption of men, to gaze in this kind. You see wise Salomon, and others, were much troubled with temptations in this kind. Consider, that body that thou dotest on now, and which is made by the Divell a snare to thee: what will it bee ere-long? so noysome, that thou wilt not indure p. 231the presence of it; it is but a flower, and it is fading, fresh in the morning, and dead at night. All flesh is but grasse: it is a corruptible body. If thou wilt needs love, bee acquainted with such as have excellent spirits, that shall live eternally: Oh, there is an object of love indeed! that is the true love, and acquaintance that is spirituall. Many things may be lovely in the outward person: but see that there be a heavenly spirit; that is mounting up, that savours of good things, a spirit that hath life begunne in it: that shall be for ever happy in heaven: unlesse there bee this, there cannot bee a fit ground for the love of any wise man.

To imitate David in life, and death.To end all, you see here a short story of a good life, and a blessed death: let us make this blessed man of God exemplary to us in both. Let our whole life be nothing but a service of God: and let us consider the generation wherein wee are to take, and do all the good we can in our time. And then consider what death will be; when we come to die, it will be a sweet s…eep to us; and our resurrection will bee a refreshing, our flesh shall rest in hope, as David saith: We shall be gathered to our fathers, wee shall see Corruption, indeed: but mark what David saith, Psal. 16.Psal. 16.Ps 16 my flesh shall rest in hope, because thou wilt not suffer thy holy one to see Corruption Then this is the upshot of all: though we see Corruption when we are p. 230dead; yet with the …y of faith wee see a rising againe from Corruption. We see death but as a pot to refine us in: even as it is with silver when there is much corruption and heterogeniall matter mingled with it, the fire refines it; but it is not lost: so the grave refines the body, and fits it for a glorious resurrection. The flesh rests in hope all the while, though the body see Corruption: because our head saw no Corruption: if the head be above water, what if the body be downe? our head saw no Corruption, that is, Christ: for he rose out of the grave before his body putrified: for his body had a subsistence, and was gloriously united to the second person in Trinity: and being united to the Lord of life, it saw no Cortrption. For that did not lie upon Christ as our Saviour, to bee corrupt, but to die, to bee made a curse for us; and then especially, I say, by reason of the neare union of it to the God of life.

Well then, what is Davids argument of comfort? in Psal. 16.Psal. 16.Ps 16 My flesh shall rest in hope; because thou wilt not suffer thine holy one to see Corruption. Because Christ rose from the grave himselfe; the holy one of God: our flesh may rest in hope, though we see Corruption: because the same divine power that raised christ our head out of the grave, (that his body saw no Corruption) will raise our bodies to bee like our glorious bodie. Our blessed p. 232Saviour that overcame death in his owne person; by his power he will overcome death for all his mysticall body, that is, his Church: it shall be perfect in heaven, soule and body together, as hee himselfe is glorious now in heaven. That wee may say with David, notwithstanding our bodies see Corruption (as his did) yet our flesh shall rest in hope, because Gods holy one saw no Corruption.

FINIS.