A Pattern for All, Sermon
A SERMON Preached at the Funeral OF THE Right Honourable ROBERT EARLE of WARWICK.
Heb. 11. 13.
Theſe all dyed in Faith.
THeſe words are a deſcription of the conſtancy and perſeverance of the Old Teſtament Saints in holineſſe, notwithſtanding all the difficulties and diſcouragements they met with. They did not only live in the faith, but they continued in it till death, and dyed in the ſame faith in which they lived. All theſe dyed in the faith.
In the words we have two parts. Firſt, The perſons mentioned. Secondly, The things mentioned concerning theſe perſons.
1. The perſons mentioned, theſe all. That is, (as ſome would have it) all the forementioned Saints, Abel, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, &c. (except Enoch who dyed not, and yet continued in the faith, and in that faith was taken up) Theſe all. But I conceive that the Holy Ghoſt Perkins in locum.principally and directly, intends only ſuch of the forenamed Saints, who were heirs of the land of promiſe, and ſojourned in Canaan as in a ſtrange Country. Theſe all. That is, all thoſe who lived in the ſecond world after the flood, Abraham, and Sarah, Iſaac, and Jacob; the Husband, and the Wife; the Father, the Son, and the Grandchild. Theſe all.
2. The things mentioned concerning theſe perſons.
1. It is ſaid they dyed. Theſe all dyed foreign. Though they lived long, and many ſcore of years longer than we now do, yet they dyed at laſt. Though they were very godly, and religious perſons, though very noble, and honourable perſons, yet they dyed. Theſe all dyed.
2. It is ſaid, That they dyed in faith, foreign. They died according to the faith in which they lived, foreign is here put for foreign, or foreign as ver. 9. 11, 17. Paraus in locum. Vetus juxt… fidem. Beza, ſecundum fidem.They died according to the faith; that is, in the faith, in …ide, ſeu …ide, ſeu per fidem. If you would know what this faith was in which they died, you muſt take notice of what followeth in the text—not having received the promiſes, but having ſeen them afar off, and were perſwaded of them, and embraced them, and confeſſed that, &c. God had promiſed that the Mesſias ſhould come of their ſeed, and that in him all the nations of the world Gen. 22. 18.ſhould be bleſſed. God had promiſed that he would give them the land of Canaun, and not only an earthly, but an heavenly Canuan. Now all theſe died, perſwaded of the truth of theſe promiſes, embracing, foreign.or (as the Greek word ſignifieth) kisſing them. They ſaw them afar off, and beleeved them. Even as a Mariner that hath been long at ſea, when he N…pe ſicus navigantes terram, Abraham didicerat expectandos quadringentes annos. Grotius in locum.ſeeth afar off the deſired haven, claps his hands, and skips for joy. So did theſe holy men. By the proſpective glaſſe of faith, they ſaw the performance of that which came not to paſſe till foure hundred years after, and rejoyced in it as if already fulfilled. They died in the faith of the Meſſias, beleeving not only that he Per fidem illi morituri videbant & ſpe quadam amplexabantur promiſſa quae non acceperant. Metaphora à navigantibus qui portum eminus conſpicati, laetis acclamationibus ſalutant, & contingere gaudent. Paraeus.ſhould come in the fleſh, but expecting ſalvation, and life everlaſting by him only. They died perſwaded of ſalvation by Chriſt, and embracing, ſaluting, and kisſing the Lord Jeſus. They died in the faith of the promiſed land of Canaan, and they died looking, waiting, and reſting upon God in Chriſt for a better country, which is an heavenly, ver. 16. In Tria participia, foreign, refero ad promiſſionis rem ſignificatam, patriam coeleſtem, quam unice deſiderabant. Hanc, inquit, in ſuâ peregrinatione eminus conſpicati ſunt, conſiſi ſunt, amplexati ſunt ſide. Paraeus.a word, they died beleeving they ſhould go to that City which hath foundations, whoſe builder, and maker is God, ver. 10. This was that bleſſed, happy, and noble cloſe, and end of daies which theſe godly and honourable Patriarks made. Theſe all dyed in faith.
From the words thus expounded I ſhall gather theſe following inferences.
Doct. 1.Doctrine 1.
That though a man liveth never ſo long, yet he muſt die at laſt. Theſe all dyed though they lived long. Abraham lived one hundred ſeventy five years, Iſaac one hundred eightie, Jacob one hundred fourtie ſeven, and yet died at laſt. Before the flood, ſome lived ſeven hundred, others eight hundred, others nine hundred years▪ but it is added as the common Epitaph of them all, Mortuus eſt, he dyed, Gen. 5. 8, 14, 17, 20, 31. Death is the haven of every man, whether King, or beggar, rich, or poor. Joannes de temporibus Armour-bearer to Charles the great, l…ved 361 years, but yet dyed at laſt in the year 1139. So the old man of Bengala in the Eaſt Indies, who was 335 years old when he came to the Portugals, from whom for his miraculous age he received a yearly ſtipend, dyed at laſt.Death is the gulfe which will ſwallow us all up. Length of time cannot preſcribe againſt death. The longeſt day will have a night, and the longeſt life a death. This life is nothing elſe but prolixitas mortis (as one ſaith) or tendentia ad mortem. A lingring kind of death, or a pacing, or journeying to death. Some have a longer journy than others, but all muſt come to their journies end at laſt. There is a ſtatute in heaven for it, Heb. 9. 27. It is appointed for all men once to dye. And death is called the houſe appointed for all living, Job 30. 23. And the way of all the earth, 1 King. 2. 2. All fleſh is graſs, Iſa. 40. 6.
UſeNow then, if they who lived ſo long died at laſt, much more muſt we, who are dwarfes in years in compariſon of them, and who are nearer death when firſt borne, than ſome of them were when an hundred years old. Let me beſeech you frequently, ſolemnly, and ſeriouſly to conſider, That though we live never ſo long and labour by phyſick, and temperate diet, and wholeſome aire to prolong our lives, yet we muſt die at laſt. As the King of Perſia told Constantine Mira quidem haec, ſe… ut video ſicut in Perſiâ, ſic Romoe hom… nes moriuntur. Gen. …. 19. Job 17 14. Heb. 13. 14. Pallida mors aequo pulſat pede pauperum, &c.the Emperour, when he had ſhewed him all the wealth of Rome; Theſe are indeed (ſaith he) wonderful things which you ſhew me, but I plainiy ſee, that as in Perſia, ſo in Rome alſo men are ſubject to death. For duſt we all are and to duſt we muſt all returne. We muſt ſay to corruption thou art my Father, and to the worme, thou art my Mother and my ſiſter. We have here no abiding City. As we had a day to come into the world, ſo we ſhall have a day to go out of it. The nature of man is wonderful prone to dreame of an eternal abode, and of a laſting happineſs here upon earth. Saint Auſtin tells us of certain hereticks called Aeternales, becauſe they held the world to be eternal. We have many ſuch Eternaliſts, who phancy to themſelves a kind of eternitie here upon earth, and are ready to ſay with the rich foole in the Goſpel, Soul Luk▪ 12 19, 20take thy eaſe, eat drink and be merry, thou haſt goods laid up for many years, and in the mean time forget what God ſaid to him, Thou foole, this night thy ſoul ſhall be required of thee, then whoſe ſhall thoſe things be which thou haſt provided? It is ſaid of wicked men, Pſalm 49. 11. Their inward thought is, that their houſes ſhall continue for ever, and their dwelling places to all generations, &c. They are aſhamed to utter any ſuch thing, but their inward thought is that they ſhall abide for ever. Then it followeth, ver. 13. This their way is their folly, yet their poſteritie approve their Ver. 12.ſayings. Nevertheleſs man being in honour abideth not, &c. Though he thinks he ſhall abide, yet neither he, nor his heires ſhall be continued, but he ſhall be like the beasts that periſh. Therefore we had all need to pray Davids prayer, Lord make me to know mine end, and the meaſure of my dayes Pſalm. 39▪ 4.what it is, that I may know how fraile I am. There are few who know practically and applicatively how fraile they are. Moſt men ſay they are mortal, magis uſu quam ſenſu, more out of cuſtome than feeling; for they live as if their lives were riveted upon eternitie, and as if they ſhould never come to a reckoning.
Heu vivunt homines tanquam mors nulla ſequatur,
Aut velut infernus fabula vana foret.
Let us ſupplicate unto God, That he would teach us effectually to remember our frailtie, and to conſider that there will come a dying time, and that it will come certainly, ſhortly, uncertainly, ſuddenly and irreſiſtibly.
1. That it will come certainly. There is an oporte… for 2 Cor. 5. 10.it. We muſt all appear before the judgement ſeat of Chriſt, &c. There is nothing certain in life but death.
2. That it will come very ſhortly. It is not long, but Punctum eſt quod vivimus, et puncto minus. Pſalm 39. 5. Jam. 4 14. Job 9. 25, 26.we muſt all go down to the houſe of rottenneſſe. This life is but as an hand-breadth, as a vapor, &c. ſwifter than a poſt, and paſſeth away as the ſwift ſhips, and as the Eagle that haſteth to the prey, it is nothing elſe but a ſalve vale.
3. Uncertainly, as to the time when, the place where, and the manner how. Your Almanacks will tell you when the next Eclipſe of the Sunne and Moone will be. But there is no Almanacks will tell you when the Eclipſe of your lives will be. This comes uncertainly; And therefore Ideo dies unus celatur ut expectentur omnes.uncertainly, to provoke us to be always ready, becauſe we know not in what hour the Son of man will come, Matth. 24. 42, 44.
4. That oftentimes it comes ſuddenly like a thiefe in the night, 1 Thef. 5. 2. Like an evil Babilus the Rom…n General in the very day of his triumph, was killed with a tile from an houſe.net in which the fiſhes of the ſea, and a ſecret ſnare in which the birds of the aire are ſuddenly caught, Eccleſ. 9. 12. Luk. 21. 35. Pſal. 73. 19.
5. That it comes irreſiſtibly like paine upon a woman with childe, 1 Theſ. 5. 3. Death will not tarry till we be ready for it. The young man as Gregory the great relates it) when he ſaw he muſt die cried out, Inducias Domine uſque ad mane, Lord tarry till to morrow; but God would not heare. Death comes unavoidably, and if it findes us unprovided, it ſends us to hell without remedy. Adde to this
6. It comes but once. It is appointed for all men once to die. When once dead, no living againe to provide Heb. 9. 27.better for death. And therefore we had need be careful ut ſemel pie moriamur (as Paraeus ſaith) that we may once die Si ſemel moriendum eſt omnibus, ne igitur immortalitatem in h…c vita ſam…em… Siſemel ta…tum moriendum▪ ut ſemel pie moriamur operam demus, atque ad foreign omenta nos praeparemus.well; for we cannot live again upon earth to live better.
7. That after death comes judgement, and after judgement everlaſting happineſſe, or everlaſting miſery. Death is nothing elſe but a paſſage to judgement. A thorough-fare to heaven, or hell.
Did we conſider theſe things, and conſider them ſeriouſly as we ought to do, it would work very many gracious and moſt glorious effects in us. Therefore Moſes ſaith Deut. 32. 29. Pſal. 90. 12.very emphatically: O that men were wiſe, that they underſtood this, that they would conſider their latter end; and prayeth very earneſtly. So teach us O Lord to number our dayes, that we may apply our hearts unto wiſdom. The very heathens have been much in the meditation of death. Plato tells us, that true Philoſophy is nothing elſe but a meditation of death. The Egyptians in all their great feaſts had a deaths-head ſerved in as one diſh, to teach them ſobrietie and temperance in eating and drinking. This meditation if ſanctified will be
1. A ſoveraign antidote againſt all ſin. Sume hoc remedium contra omnia peccata. Would you have a preſervative againſt all ſin. Remember thy Mr. Ward in one of his Sermons in print tells a ſtory of one who gave a Prodigal a Ring with a Deaths-head, with this condition that he ſhould one houre daily for ſeven dayes together look and think upon it; which bred a ſtrange alteration in his life.latter end and thou ſhalt never do amiſse. As a copy is then ſafeſt from blotting when duſt is caſt upon it, ſo are we from ſinning while we remember that we are but duſt. Jeruſalems filthineſs was in her …, becauſe ſhe remembred not her latter end, Lam. 1. 9.
2. It will marvellouſly weane us from the love of the world. It is the Apoſtles argument, 1 John 2. 15, 16, 17. Love not the world, nor the things in the world;—for the world-paſſeth away. It paſſeth away as Jonas his gourd when he had moſt need of it; And as Abſoloms mule which paſſed from under him, and left him hanging on the tree. To what purpoſe do we provide multum viatici, when we In the Popes inthronization before he is ſet in his chaire, and puts on his Triple-crown, a piece of tow, or wad of ſtraw is ſet on fire before him, and one appointed to ſay, Sic tranſit gloria mundi.have but parum viae; much victuals, when we have but a ſhort journey? The like argument is uſed, 1 Cor. 7. 29. 30, 31.
3. It will make Jeſus Chriſt and his righteouſneſs very pretious to us. For it is Chriſt only that can unſting death, and ſweeten it, and make it comfortable and deſirable. And therefore the Apoſtle accounts all things dung and droſſe, that he might gaine Chriſt and be found in him at that great day, not having his own righteouſneſſe, Phil. 3. 8, 9.but that which is through the faith of Chriſt, the righteouſueſſe which is of God by faith. And St. John Rev. 14. 13.ſaith, Bleſsed are the dead which dye in the Lord, for they reſt from their labours, &c. He that dies in Chriſt, ſhall certainly go to Chriſt.
4. It will exceedingly quicken us to provide effectually, and to ſpeed and haſten our proviſions for heaven. There is nothing will more provoke us to labour for that life which never ſhall have an end, than the ſerious conſideration that this life will ſhortly have an end. Theſe all died. This is the firſt inference.
The ſecond Doctrine.
Doct. 2.That the beſt of men muſt die as well as the worſt of 1 Pet. 3. 6. Enoch the beſt man in his generation lived the ſhorteſt time; when others attained ſome to above 900, others above 800, the leaſt above 500, years of him the Text ſaith, all the dayes of Enoch were 365. yea…es, G…. … 23.men. Theſe all died. Theſe godly perſons died, as well as others. Abraham the Father of the faithful, and Sarah the Mother of the faithful. Godly Iſaac, … Jacob. Theſe all died. The husband, and the wife. The father, the child, and grandchild, all godly, and yet all theſe died. The firſt that ever taſted of death was a godly man, even godly Abel. For the godly have the ſame principle of mortality within them which others have. They dwell Job 4. 19.in houſes of clay, whoſe foundation is in the duſt. And they have the ſame remainders of ſinne in them to make them liable to death which others have. They have idem fundamentum mortis, & idem demeritum.
But beſides theſe, there are proper and peculiar reaſons why the godly muſt die not only as well, but rather than others. For,
1. They ſhall never be freed from ſickneſſe, ſorrow, and laborious employments. They ſhall never have all teares wiped from their eyes till they die.
2. They ſhall never be free from the perſecutions of wicked and ungodly men, and from the temptations of the devil till they die.
3. They ſhall never be rid of the body of ſin, till they put off the body of the fleſh.
4. They ſhall never be perfected in grace till they die.
5. They ſhall never ſee God face to face, never be with Chriſt in glory till they die. They ſhall never be cloathed with the houſe which is from above, till they be uncloathed of their earthly Tabernacle. Therefore bleſſed be God that they muſt die. For if they had hope only in this life, they were of all people moſt miſerable.
UſeO that I could perſwade the people of God to look upon death with a paire of Scripture-ſpectacles. Death in it ſelfe conſidered, is the King of terrors, and of all foreign.terrible things moſt terrible. It is as a fiery ſerpent with a biting and deſtroying ſting. But to you that are in Chriſt … all comfortable things moſt comfortable. It is as a … without a ſting. It is (as the brazen Serpent was to the Iſralites) not a hurting, but a healing Serpent. It is your birth-day. The birth-day of heavens eternity. It is not an annihilation, or utter extinction of you, 2 Pet. 1. 15. foreign. Phil. 1. 23. foreign. Luk. 2. 29. foreign.but an foreign as the Apoſtle Peter calls it, A going out of Egypt into Canaan. An foreign as the Apoſtle Paul calls it. An hoyſing up (as it were) of the ſailes for heaven, a letting out the ſoul as a bird out of the cage of the body, that it may fly to heaven. An foreign as old Simeon calls it, a departure from earth to heaven: a going from your own houſes, to your Fathers houſe: a putting off of the ragges of mortalitie, that you may be cloathed with the robes of immortality. In a word. It is an out-let to all miſery, and an in-let to perfect and perpetual happineſſe. It is ſepultura laborum, vitiorum & lachrymarum. The burying of all troubles, ſins, and teares. When a godly man dies, homo non moritur, ſed peccatum hominis. The man doth not die, but the mans ſins. Nothing dies in him totally and finally but ſin. For the ſoul doth not die at all, but goes to live with God in endleſſe happineſs. And the body (though turned to duſt) ſhall riſe againe unto A godly man never begins to live till he dies, and then he lives eternally. It was the Epitaph upon the Tombe of Joachimus Camerarius, Vita mihi mors eſt, mors mihi vita nova.the reſurrection of life, and be made glorious, like unto the glorious body of Jeſus Chriſt. But the bloody iſſue of ſin is totally and finally dried up by death in every true childe of God. Let all that feare the Lord comfort themſelves againſt the feare of death with theſe conſiderations. This is the ſecond inference.
Doctrine 3.
Doct. 3.That rich, great, noble, and honourable perſons muſt die, as well as others. Theſe all died. Abraham a Lord and a mighty Prince or a Prince of God, as he is called, Gen. 23. 6. One who had three hundred and eighteen trained ſervants in his family. Gen. 14. 14. One who was very rich in ſilver and gold and in cattel, Gen. 13. 2. even he died. And Iſaac his Sonne and heire a perſon not only gr…, but very great, even to the envy of thoſe who dwelt near him, as it is Gen. 26. 13, 14. even he died. And ſo did Jacob the grandchilde, a man of honour, and great renown, one who is called a Prince, and as a Prince had power with Gen. 32. 28. Hoſ. 12. 4.God and with men and prevailed over both. Theſe all died. The Cardinal of Wincheſter (commonly called the rich Cardinal, who procured the death of the good Duke of Gloceſter in the raign of King Henry the ſixth, and was ſhortly after ſtruck with an incurable diſeaſe,) when he underſtood by his Phyſitians that he could not live; murmuring and repining thereat, cried out, Fie? will not death be hired? will money do nothing? muſt I die that have ſo great riches? If the whole realme of England would ſave my life, I am able either by policy to get it, or by riches to buy it. But yet all would not availe, to keep him from dying of the ſame diſeaſe. What man is he that liveth Pſalm. 89. 48.(ſaith David) and ſhall not ſee death? The Hebrew is, What ſtrong man liveth and ſhall not ſee death? ſhall he deliver his ſoul from the hand of the grave? What's become of Alexander the great? Pompey the great? Charles the great? Are they not all dead? This day we have a ſad example before us of the death of a very great, and moſt Noble perſon. Wiſe men die (ſaith David) as well as fools, and great, as well as ſmall. The mortal ſithe (ſaith one) is Maſter of the Royal Scepter, and it moweth down the lillies of the Crown as well as the graſſe of the field. Theſe all died.
And die they muſt though never ſo unwilling. I could tell a doleful ſtory of a great man, who when he ſaw there was no remedy but he muſt die, cried out in a lamentable manner, let me live the life of a toad rather than dye. But yet he died. And of another, who when he ſaw he muſt die, cauſed himſelfe to be carried to the place where his baggs of gold and ſilver were, and taking them up in his armes, and hugging them, was heard to ſay, muſt you and I part? but part they did though unwillingly. Rich men, and Noble-men muſt die whether willing or unwilling.
And when they die they muſt carry nothing out of the Job 1. 21. 1 Tim. 6. 7.world with them. Naked they came out of their mothers wombe, and naked they muſt returne thither. They brought nothing into this world, and it is certaine they can carry nothing out. And therefore when a rich man dies the ordinary ſaying is, what hath he left behind him! for he cannot carry any thing with him. There is a famous ſtory of Saladine the great Sultan of Egypt, who when he was dying cauſed his coffin to be carried thorough the campe where all his …everus the Emperour looking upon his Urn had this expreſſion, Tu virum capies quem orbis terrae non capit. Thou ſhalt containe him whom the whole world oun ot containe. Sceptra ligonibus aequat.ſouldiers were, with this ſaying, Saladinus totus Aſiae Dominator ex tanto imperio tantiſque opibus, &c. Saladine the great Ruler of all Aſia, of all his Empire, and all his wealth carrieth nothing out of the world with him, but his coffin and his winding ſheet. Death is the greateſt of Levellers. It levels the mountains with the valleyes. The Skeletons and bones of great men have no inſcriptions, or titles of honour put upon them. Diogenes told Alexander that he could finde no difference between the bones of his Father Philip, and other mens bones. When the Cheſſe-men are put into the bagge they are all alike. There is no difference between the duſt of an Earle, and of a beggar.
UſeThe only uſe I ſhall make of this is, To beſeech thoſe who are great in eſtate and in honours to remember that they muſt die as well as others. Though they be as Pſal. 82. 6, 7.Gods upon earth, yet they muſt dye like men. It is no eaſie matter to perſwade rich and noble perſons to remember their mortality. Lewis the eleventh King of France in his laſt ſickneſſe commanded his ſervants not to name the word Death unto him; But when he ſaw there was no remedy, he ſent for the Holy water from Rhemes, together with Aarons rod, as they called it, and other holy reliques, thinking therewith to ſtop deaths mouth, and to ſtave him Epit. Hiſt. Galt.off; but it would not be. O miſer (ſaith one thereupon) hoc aſſidue timés quod ſemel faciendum eſt? hoc times quod in tuä manu eſt ne timeas? Pietatem aſſume, ſuperſtitionem omitte; mors tua vita erit, & quidem beata & aeterna. O miſerable wretch, why doeſt thou daily fear that which one day muſt come to paſſe? why doeſt thou feare that which is in thy power not to feare? leave off thy ſuperſtitions, labour after true piety, and then thy death will become life, yea a moſt bleſſed and eternal life. If I be not miſtaken this was one reaſon why Ahaſhueroah would Eſter 4. 2.not ſuffer any cloathed with ſackcloath to enter his Courtgates; leaſt his exceſſive mirth and jollity ſhould be damped, and interrupted by the ſad thought of death. The wiſe man tells us, O death how bitter is thy memory to one who hath great poſſeſſions! And indeed if the not thinking of death, could free you from the ſtroak of death, it were worth the while not to think of death. But whether you think of it, or not, death will come, and by not remembring of it your lives prove to be full of abominations, and death is made a trap-door to let you down into eternal damnation.
foreign.And therefore let me beſeech you to imitate Philip King of Macedon, who appointed a boy every morning to come to him and to ſay to him, Remember thou art a man and muſt die. And the Emperors of Conſtantinople, who on their Coronation day, had a Maſon appointed to preſent unto them certaine marble ſtones, uſing theſe enſuing words,
Elige ab his ſaxis ex quo (invictiſſime Caeſar)
Ipſe tibi tumulum me fabricare velis.
Chooſe (mighty Sir) under which of theſe ſtones
Your pleaſure is ere long to lay your bones.
Or if you will have a Scripture-example, Let me beſeech you to imitate that rich and great perſon, Joſeph of John 19. 38.Arimathea who built his Sepulchre in his garden. In the midſt of all your pleaſures and paſtimes remember you muſt ſhortly leave them. It was a wiſe ſpeech of Charles the fifth to the Duke of Venice, who, when he had ſhewed him the glory of his Princely Palace, and earthly Paradiſe, inſtead of admiring it, or him for it, only returned him this grave and ſerious memento, Haec ſunt quae faciunt nos invitos mori. Theſe are the things which make us unwilling to die. To prevent this unwillingneſſe, build your Sepulchres in your earthly Paradiſes, and remember that you muſt very ſhortly die, and that after death comes judgement. And that you muſt all appeare before the tribunal ſeat of Chriſt to give a ſtrict and impartial account of whatſoever you Rev 10. 12.have done in the fleſh, whether it be good or evil. Let great men remember, That great, and ſmall muſt ſtand before the great God of heaven and earth at the great day of judgement, and that their greatneſſe will nothing at all availe them at that day. Greatneſſe without goodneſſe will be but as a great fagot to burne them the more in hell. They that are great in place, and greater in ſin, ſhall have P…tentes potenter torque…untur.great damnation. Where God hath beſtowed great benefits, if they be accompanied with great iniquities, God will plague them with great puniſhments. It is ſaid, Rev. 6. Ingentia b…eficia, ingentia vitia, ingentia ſupplicia.15, 16. The Kings of the earth and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captaines, and the mightie men, &c. hid themſelves in the dens, and in the rocks of the mountains: And ſaid to the mountains▪ and rocks Fall on us, aud hide us from the face of him that ſitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, &c.
Therefore let rich men labour to be righteous as well as rich, and great men to be good as well as great! for riches without righteouſneſſe is but as a golden jewel in a ſwines ſnout, and greatneſſe without goodneſſe is, but as the greatneſſe of a man ſick of the dropſie which is not his happineſs, but his diſeaſe.
Gen. 2. 23.Remember Abraham▪ who though he was a Lord and a mightie Prince, yet he was alſo a friend of Gods, and the Father of the faithful: Though he was rich in gold and ſilver, yet he was richer in faith and obedience. And though he had three hundred and eightteen trained ſervants in his houſe, yet he was exactly carefull to traine them all up in the Gen. 18. 20.wayes and Commandements of God. And remember Jacob, and how God himſelfe changed his name, and called him Iſrael becauſe he wreſtled with God, and as a Prince had Gen. 32. 28.power with God and man, and by prayers and teares prevailed over them. When greatneſſe and goodneſſe meet together, it is like apples of gold in pictures of ſilver; It is as an embroidery upon an embroidery. And therefore let great men labour to be good men. The more you have of holineſs the fitter you will be for happineſs. The more you have of grace, the fitter you will be for glory. This is the third inference.
Doctrine 4.
Doct. 4.That it is not enough for a Chriſtian to live in the faith, but he muſt alſo die in the faith. This text takes notice of the conſtancy and perſeverance of theſe holy men. They perſevered in the faith unto the end maugre all oppoſitions and temptations to the contrary. They did live in the faith, and continued living in the faith, and as they lived ſo they died. Theſe all dyed in faith. Perſeverance in grace is maximum donum Dei (ſaith Auſtin) the greateſt of Gods gifts, or graces, without which no other gift, or grace, will availe unto ſalvation. Therefore Chriſt ſaith, he that Mat. 24. 13. Rev. 2. 10. Perſeverantia ſola coronat. Nemo Chriſtianus niſi qui ad ſinem uſque perſeverave…it. Ter…l. de praeſcript. Fz…k. 18. 24.endureth to the end ſhall be ſaved. And be thou faithful unto the death, and I will give thee the crown of life. No grace will make us worthy to obtaine the crown of glory, but perſeverance: he that would go to heaven muſt not only live well, but die well. Though a man continue never ſo long in holineſſe, yet if he fall away before his death, all his righteouſneſſe that he hath done ſhall not be mentioned; in his treſpaſſe that he hath treſpaſſed, and in his ſin that he hath ſinned in them ſhall he dye. If Methuſelah who lived nine hundred ſixty nine years had fallen away from grace the laſt year of his life he had been undone for ever.
UſeWherefore my beloved brethren let me beſeech you not only to beleeve, but to perſevere in beleeving, not only to be holy but to perſevere in holineſſe, and as the Apoſtle 2 Cor 7. 1. foreign.ſaith, To perfect holineſse in the feare of God. The Greek word is to finiſh holineſſe. The beauty, glory and goodneſs of every thing is when it is finiſhed. A garment till it be finiſhed is of no uſe, nor a ſhop, nor a houſe till finiſhed. A houſe halfe built, and halfe unbuilt is good for nothing. The excellency of a Chriſtian is not only to be holy, but to finiſh holineſſe, not only to have a good beginning, but a happy cloſure, and concluſion of his life.
This is a neceſſary leſſon in this Apoſtatizing age wherein ſo many ſons of the morning, and children of high illumination are fallen into the darkneſſe of ſin, and errour: and many, who in outward appearance were as fixt ſtarres, are now proved falling ſtarres; in ſo much, that if Mr. Fox were alive againe, he would ſee cauſe rather to write a book of Apoſtates than a book of Martyrs. And there are alſo ſome riſen up amongſt us, who (being many of them Apoſtatized themſelves) begin to preach the Doctrine of the Apoſtacy of the Saints. Give me leave therefore to perſwade you,
1. To be rooted and eſtabliſhed in the Doctrine of Perſeverance.
2. To practiſe the Doctrine of Perſeverance.
Impoſſibile eſt quod ſomel vivificavit Deus, ab …odem vel ab alio occidi. Origen. in Jerem. Hom. 1.1. To be rooted and eſtabliſhed in the Doctrine of the Perſeverance of the Saints. And to beleeve that whoſoever is truly united unto Jeſus Chriſt by a lively faith, ſhall be ſo preſerved by Chriſt in the uſe of all Goſpel-means, that he ſhall never totally and finally fall away. Chriſt Jeſus at the day of judgement will have a compleat body myſtical, as well as natural. He will not looſe any of his real members, for then his body ſhould be incompleat. There was a book written in King James his dayes by Bertius, of the Apoſtacy of the Saints. This book the forenamed King calls (in a Repertus eſt ja… pridem Petrus quidam Bertius Cacotheologus Leydenfis qui librum edere baud veritus eſt titulo …rte ipſo ex…crabile… de Apoſtatiâ ſanctorum. Robert. Abbot profeſſor Regius Dr. Owen. Dr. Kendal. Rom. 8. 30. John 8. 35. John 10. 27, 28, 29.letter written to the States of Holland) A book with a blaſphemous title. And a learned Profeſſor of Oxford calls it a book with an execrable title. And ſurely if it was blaſphemous and execrable then, it is as bad now. I will notenter upon the controverſie: there are books lately written to very good purpoſe for the juſtification of the doctrine of perſeverance. To me it is ſufficient; that God hath ſaid it; and ſhallnot he do it? he hath ſaid, whom he juſtified, them he alſo glorified. He hath ſaid, The ſervant abideth not in the houſe for ever: but the Son abideth ever. He hath ſaid, my ſheep heare my voyce and I know them, and they follow me, and I will give unto them eternal life, and they ſhall never periſh, neither ſhall any pluck them o…t of my hand. My Father which gave them me, is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand. He hath ſaid, I will put my feare in their hearts, that they ſhall not depart Jer. 32. 40. 2 Tim. 2. 19.from me. He hath ſaid, Nevertheleſſe the foundation of God ſtandeth ſure, having this ſeale, the Lord knoweth who are his, &c. Though Hymeneus and Philetas have not ſtood ſure, yet the foundation of God ſtandeth ſure. He hath Phil. 1. 6.ſaid, being confident in this very thing, that he that hath begun a good work in you will performe it untill the day of Chriſt. And that we are kept by the power of God through faith unto ſalvation. And whoſoever is borne of God doth not commit 1 John 3. 9. Luk. 22. 32.ſin; for his ſeed remaineth in him, and he cannot ſin becauſe he is born of God. He hath ſaid, I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not. And he is now in heaven at the right hand of his Father making interceſſion for us. And the chief end of his interceſſion is, that God would uphold and continue us in his favour unto the end: Chriſt doth not intercede (as ſome would have it) That God would ſave us if we perſevere. (There is little need of this, and leſſe comfort in it) But he intercedes, that we may perſevere. And God in the Covenant of grace, doth not only promiſe to give us heaven if we beleeve, and perſevere; but alſo to give us in the uſe of means to beleeve and perſevere.
Now then, if God the Father hath decreed the perſeverance Sanctam Eccleſiam Chriſtus ſecundum praeſcientiae ſuae gratiam de in aeternum permanſuris ſanctis conſtruxit. Greg. in Cantic. cap. 3. Aurum, quod pravis Diaboli perſuaſionibus ſterni, ficut lutum, potuerit, aurum ante oculos Dei nunquam ſuit; & qui ſeduci quandoque non reverſuri poſſ…nt, quaſi habitam ſanctitatem ante oculos hominum videntur a…ittere, ſed cam ante oculos Dei nunquam habuerunt. Gr…g. Mor. lib. 34. cap. 13.of the Saints; if he hath promiſed that they ſhall perſevere, and that he will enable them by his power unto it. If God the Son hath prayed that the faith of all thoſe who were given to him by the Father ſhould not faile, and if he ever liveth to make interceſſion for them, that they may never utterly fall. If God the holy Ghoſt be given to the Saints to abide in them for ever, and if the ſeed of God abides in them to keep them from total and final Apoſtacy; then we may ſafely conclude; that the Doctrine of the perſeverance of the Saints is moſt agreeable to Scripture, and that it is our duty to be ſtedfaſt and unmoveable in it.
Queſt. Did not Saint Auſtin himſelfe the great Champion of free grace, againſt the Pelagians, hold the doctrine of the Apoſtacy of the Saints? For though he ſaith, That an elect juſtified perſon ſhall never finally fall away, yet he ſeems to ſay, that there are many truely juſtified who are not elect, and that juſtification, and election are not termes convertible. And that many are juſtified by a faith working by charity, who (not being elected) fall away totally and finally.
Anſw. I muſt not deny but that this opinion is charged upon St. Auſtin by ſome learned men; and a Reverend Divine hath lately in a book printed about this ſubject aſſerted it as a thing undubitable and without controverſie, and for this end he brings many ſayings out of his works which favour this opinion. But this learned brother may, if he pleaſe, read an anſwer to moſt of thoſe quotations long ago given by Biſhop Abbot in his animadverſions Cap. 8.upon Tompſons Diatriba de amiſſione & interciſione juſtificationis & gratiae. And he may likewiſe find many ſayings brought out of St. Auſtin which do moſt fully and clearly prove, that he held not only that no elect man can finally fall away, but alſo that none but the elect are juſtified, and that thoſe who are truely juſtified can never fall away. As for example.Non ergo alios, ſed quos praedeſtinavit, ipſos & vocavit; ill… ſ…ilicet vocatione ſecundum propoſitum; nec alios ſed quos ita vocavit, ipſos & juſtificavit; nec alios, ſed quos praedeſtinavit, vocavit, juſtificavit, ipſos & glorificavit, illo uti que fine, qui non habet fiuem. Depraedeſtin. ſanct. cap. 17.
God (ſaith Auſtin) calleth none with that calling which is according to his purpoſe, but ſuch whom he hath predeſtinated; and he juſtifieth none, but thoſe whom he thus calleth; and glorifieth none, but thoſe whom he hath predeſtinated, called, and juſtified, &c.
Againe, ſpeaking of the veſſels of wrath and of the reprobates he ſaith, That God brings none of them to ſound Iſtorum (id eſt vaſorum irae five …eproborum) …eminem adducit Deus ad poenitentiam ſalubrem & ſpiritualem, quâ homo in Chriſto reconciliatur Deo, ſivem illis longior…m▪ patientiam (quàm electis.) ſive non imparem pr…beat. Aug. Contra. Julian. Pelug. lib. 5. cap. 4.and ſpiritual repentance, by which a man is reconciled to God in Chriſt, whether he waites longer on them, (then on the elect) or ſhorter.
In another place he ſaith, That God doth not forgive the Non …mnium Deus, ſ…d corum quos praeſcivit, & praedeſtinavit, delicta dimittit. Aug. contra. adverſar. leg. & prophet. lib. 2. cap. 11.ſins of all men, but only of thoſe whom he hath foreknown and whom he hath predeſtinated.
—Non viſibilem Baptiſmum quem poſſunt habere & alieni qui regnum Dei non poſſidebunt, ſed hoc donum commendat Spiritus ſancti, quod proprium eſt eorum tantum, qui reg…abunt cum Chriſt… in aeternum.—Et poſte… multa eni…s munera Dei poſſunt habere & alieni, &c. ipſa etiam quae domui Doi data ſunt▪ nonnulla ex eis habent alieni, id eſt, non poſſeſſuri regnum Dei, &c. Hoc eſt ergo donum ſpiritus ſancti proprium ſanctorum, unde nem… communicat alienus. Hoc deeſt omnibus malignis & gehennae filiis, etiamſt chriſti baptiſm… baptizentur, ſicut Simon …uerat baptizatus, &c. Aug. de unitato Eccl. cap. 23.Againe, he ſaith in another place. That the gift of the holy Ghoſt, to wit, the love of God ſhed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghoſt is given only to thoſe who ſhall raigne with Chriſt for ever in heaven. Strangers (ſaith he) that is ſuch who ſhall never inherit the Kingdome of heaven, have ſome of thoſe things which are given to the houſe of God. But the gift of the holy Ghoſt is proper to the Saints, of which no ſtranger doth communicate, that is, no man that ſhall never inherit the Kingdome of heaven. This is wanting to all the malignant, and ſons of hell, although they are baptized with the baptiſme of Chriſt as Simon Magus was. Therefore he calls that a peculiar fountaine of waters running down the ſtreets of the Saints, and no where elſe.
In other places he ſaith, That Chriſt juſtifieth none but thoſe who are members of his body. And no man is made alive by the Spirit of Chriſt, but he that is a member of his body. And Non juſtificat Chriſtus niſi corpus ſuum. Aug. ep. 5. De ſpiritu Chriſti non vivit niſi corpus Chriſti. Iden in Joan. Traictat. 26. Non eſt autem rever a corpus Chriſti, quod non erit cum …o in aeternum. Idem de Doctrin. Chriſt. lib. 3. cap. 32.that no man is indeed and in truth a member of Chriſts body, who ſhall not be with him in heaven to all eternity. Theſe places and many more which might be brought and are brought by the forementioned Author, are ſufficient to prove that according to the mind of St. Auſtin none but the elect of God are in time effectually called, and really juſtified and pardoned, and made partakers of the holy Ghoſt and become real members of Chriſts body, and therefore the effectually called, and juſtified, &c. can no more fall away than the elect, which all confeſſe to be under an impoſſibility of Apoſtacy in St. Auſtins judgment.
2. Let me perſwade you not only to beleeve, but to practiſe the doctrine of perſeverance: For there are Divers learned men that are ſo much ſcandalized at the great Apoſtacy of ſome eminent profeſſours in our unhappy dayes, that they begin to be ſtagger'd, and to doubt of the truth of the doctrine of Perſeverance. But theſe men forget the ſaying of the Apoſtle, They went out from 1 John 2. 19▪us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out that they might be made manifeſt, that they were not all of us. For my part, I conceive, that theſe Reverend and learned men ſhould rather doubt of the truth of their graces whom they ſee thus foully to A poſtatize, than of the truth of the Doctrine of Perſeverance. But howſoever, let us take heed of laying this ſtumbling block: leaſt by our practical Apoſtacy men ſhould begin to turne Doctrinal Apoſtates. Let us labour to dye well, as well as to live well, to continue and perſevere in wel-doing. It is the great commendation of the Saints in the text, That they died in the faith. Theſe all dyed in faith. Remember what Chriſt Luk. 8. 62.ſaith, No man having put his hand to the plough, and looking Heb. 10. 38, 39.back is fit for the Kingdome of God. And what the Apoſtle Paul ſaith: If any man draw back, my ſoul ſhall have no pleaſure in him: but we are not of them who draw back unto perdition, &c. And what the Apoſtle Peter ſaith▪ 2 Pet. 2. 21.It had been better for them not to have known the way of righteouſneſſe, than after they have known it, to turne from the holy Luk. 17. 32.commandment delivered to them, &c. Remember alſo Lots wife. She did only look back, ſhe did not go back, and yet ſhe was turned into a pillar of ſalt. As God hath fire and brimſtone for a Sodomite, ſo he hath a pillar of ſalt for an Apoſtate.
Ob.But why do you exhort us to perſevere when as you tell us, that if we be true Saints we cannot but perſevere?
Anſw.1. We do not ſay, it is ſimply and abſolutely impoſſible for a Saint not to perſevere. (For if you conſider the Saints as they are in themſelves, and the mightineſſe and multitude of their ſpiritual enemies, it is impoſſible for them not to fall away) But we ſay it is impoſſible upon ſuppoſition. Conſidering the unchangeable nature of God, and the unchangeable decree and purpoſe of God, and the unchangeable Mar 24. 24.Covenant, promiſes and Oath of God, in this reſpect we ſay it is impoſſible.
2. Scripture exhortations are divine motives and meanes to perſwade and enable the Saints to perſevere, and they are ſo farre from interfering with, or nullifying of the promiſes of faith and perſeverance, that they are (many of them) built and grounded upon them. Phil. 2. 12, 13. 2 Cor. 7. 1.
Queſt.What meanes muſt I uſe that I may hold out and continue unto the end, and not only live in the faith, but alſo dye in it.
Anſw.1. Dig deep in humiliation. The ſtony ground fell away for want of depth of earth. Humility is the beſt preſervative of grace. The lower the foundation, the ſurer the building. Spiritual pride paves a cauſey to Apoſtacy. A cheſnut put whole into the fire will fly out. It is the broken heart only that will perſevere.
2. Labour for ſincerity and uprightneſs of heart. As the firmneſſe of a pillar is in the uprightneſſe of it (if once it begins to bow, it will quickly break.) So the firmneſſe and ſtability of a Chriſtian is in his ſincerity and uprightneſſe. Rottenneſs of heart betrayeth a man into Apoſtacy. A rotten apple will quickly appeare ſo outwardly; So will a rotten Chriſtian. If ever you would perſevere, take heed of making uſe of Religion for the promotion of your carnal intereſt. He that ſerves God for an earthly Kingdome, when he bath got what he ſought for, will forſake God as Jehu did. He that followeth Chriſt only for the loaves, will leave Chriſt when he hath got them.
3. Labour for a tender conſcience. This will keep us from the leaſt degree of A poſtacy. As hot water grow's cold by degrees: firſt it is luke-warme, before it is ſtarke cold: So a Chriſtian declines into Apoſtacy by degrees. Lots wife firſt lingred, and then afterwards lookt back: firſt we ſlack our pace in Religion, then we ſtand ſtill, and at laſt turne back. But now a tender conſcience will keep us from the leaſt abatement of zeale and forwardneſſe in Religion.
4. Be not high minded but feare. I ſpeak not of a feare of diffidence and diſtruſtfulneſſe, but of a feare of diligence and watchfulneſſe. He that would be ſecure from feare, let him feare to be ſecure. Mr. Saunders by his feare of falling away kept himſelfe from Apoſtacy: whereas Dr. Pendleton by his notorious preſumption, and over-bold confidence fell away.
5. Take heed leaſt there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. foreign will end in foreign: Apoſtacy is the child of unbelief. Faith will ſet us upon a rock higher than us, even ſuch a rock againſt which the gates of hell ſhall never prevaile.
6. Take heed of the inordinate love of the world and of the baſe feare of men. The love of mony is reckoned by the Apoſtle as the root of all evil in general, and more eſpecially of Apoſtacy, 1 Tim. 6. 10.—Which while ſome coveted after they have erred from the faith, &c. And the baſe feare of men was the cauſe which made thouſands Apoſtatize in Queen Maries bloody dayes. And therefore if ever you would perſevere, you muſt labour to love God above your corruptions, relations, and poſſeſſions, and to feare ſin more than the loſſe of eſtate, or life. He that loves God above the world, will never forſake God to gaine the world. He that feares ſin more than death, will rather dye than ſin.
7. Pray unto God the Father, Son, and holy Ghoſt, that they would uphold you and enable you not only to live, but to dye in the faith. Pray to the Father that he would keep you by his power through faith unto ſalvation: that he would uphold you by his mighty hand and keep you from falling, as it is Pſalm 37. …4. Pſalm 94. 18. That he would put his feare in your hearts that you may never depart from him. Pray to the Son, that he would apprehend you and hold you ſo faſt in his armes that none may pluck you out of his hands, and that you may every day enjoy the benefit of his Interceſſion. Pray unto the holy Ghoſt that he would abide in you for ever, and give you the Eph. 1. 14. Eph. 4. 30.earneſt of your inheritance, and ſeale you up unto the day of Redemption. So much for the fourth inference.
Doctrine 5.Doct. 5.
That to dye in the true faith, is a noble, gallant, bleſſed, and happy …anner of dying; Theſe all died in faith. Herein eſpecially conſiſted the happy condition of theſe godly Patriarks, that they lived, and dyed in the faith. It is put down by way of commendation, and left upon record as a patterne for us to learne to die by. They died in the faith of the Meſſias, expecting ſalvation by him only. They died perſwaded of the promiſes and embracing the Lord Jeſus. Looking, waiting and confidently hoping for a City which hath foundations, whoſe builder and maker is God.
There is a double manner of dying.
1. A dying in ſin.
2. A dying in faith.
1. A dying in ſin. Of this we read, John 8. 24. If you beleeve not that I am he, ye ſhall dye in your ſins. This is a ſaid manner of dying. If any ſhould deſire me to give him a character of a man in a curſed condition, I would anſwer, He is one who is dead in ſin while he lives, and dies in his ſins when he dies. It is a happineſſe to be dead to ſin, but to die in ſin is miſery unexpreſſible. For he that dieth in his ſins ſhall certainly go into everlaſting damnation. He that dies in his ſins dies out of Chriſt; and he that dieth out of Chriſt ſhall never go to Chriſt.
2. A dying in faith. This is a noble, gallant and bleſſed manner of dying; heaven it ſelfe beares witneſſe to this, Rev. 14. 13. I heard a voyce from heaven, ſaying unto me write, Bleſſed are the dead which dye in the Lord, that is, united unto the Lord Jeſus Chriſt by a true and a lively faith. Such as theſe are happy, if you will either beleeve a voyce from heaven, or the voyce of the Spirit, for it followeth in the text—ſo ſaith the Spirit. And they are bleſſed from the very inſtant of their death. So it is in the ſame place—from henceforth foreign from that very minute: for their ſouls go immediately to God to enjoy perfect and perpetual reſt and happineſſe, and their works follow them.
It is a greater happineſſe to die in the Lord than to die for the Lord. If a man die for the Lord, and be not in the Lord, he is not bleſſed in his death. A man may die for the Lords cauſe, and not for the Lords ſake, but out of vainglory. This is hinted by the Apoſtle, Though I give my 1 Cor. 13. 3.body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. If I do it not out of love to God, but out of love to my ſelfe and mine own praiſe, it is nothing worth. But he that dyeth in the Lord is certainly bleſſed.
UſeThe only uſe I ſhall make of this, is to beſeech the New Teſtament Saints to follow this Old Teſtament copy and patterne. You have been often taught how to live well, give me leave to teach you this day how to dye well. It is not long but you muſt all die. Let it be your care, that when you come to die, you may die in the faith of the Lord Jeſus. There is a double faith in which you muſt labour to die;
In fide quae creditur & quâ creditur.
1. In the true doctrine of faith.
2. In the ſaving grace of faith.
2 Pet. 2. 1. 1 Tim. 4. 1. Gal. 5. 19, 20, 21. Acts 15. 24. … Tim. 2. 18.1. In the true doctrine of faith. For there are damnable doctrines as well as damnable practices. There are doctrines of Devils as well as works of Devils. A man may go to hell for hereſie as well as …or iniquity. The Scripture tells us of ſome opinions which ſubvert the ſoul, and overthrow the faith: which T…rtullian calls doctrines devouring a mans Dogmata ſalutis devoratoria & Chriſtianae religionis carcinomata. Jude 3. Heb▪ 10. 23.ſalvation, and the cankers of Chriſtian Religion. And therefore let it be your care to avoid all ſoul-ſubverting doctrines, to contend earneſtly for the faith once delivered to the Saints, and to hold faſt the ancient Catholick and Apoſtolical faith.
Now if you ask me in what Religion I would have you to die; I ſhall quickly returne an anſwer without the leaſt haeſitation. In the true Chriſtian Proteſtant reformed Sr. Humphry Lynd….Religion. This is via tuta ad vitam aeternam, A ſafe way unto eternal life, as a learned Knight hath ſufficiently made known to the world: my ſoul for yours he that dies in this Religion, wants nothing in point of doctrine neceſſary to ſalvation. For it is built wholly & only upon the Scriptures; It is purely Apoſtolical, and teacheth us to deny ungodlineſs and all worldly luſts, and to live godly, ſoberly and righteouſly in this preſent world. It requires us to beleeve in Chriſt for juſtification, and to manifeſt the truth of our faith by our holineſse towards God, and our righteouſneſſe, mercy and charity towards our neighbour. And when we have done all to account our ſelves but unprofitable ſervants, and to truſt only to the merits of Chriſt for ſalvation. It hath been ſealed by the blood of many Martyrs; and he that profeſſeth it and liveth according to the directions of it, may die with a tribunal-proofe confidence of everlaſting ſalvation. Let us therefore be ſtedfaſt and unmoveable in this faith: and take heed of the Arrian and Socinian hereſies which unchriſtianize a man, and of all doctrines that are contrary to godlineſs, which drown the ſoul in perdition and deſtruction. Let us abhorre the hereſie, Idolatry and tyranny of the Romiſh Synagogue, alwaies remembring that ſad text, If any man worſhip the beaſt and his image, and receive his Rev. 14. 9, 1….mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the ſame ſhall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out witbout mixture, into the cup of his indignation, and he ſhall be tormented with …re and brimſtone in the preſence of the holy Angels, and in the preſence of the Lamb.
Let us be ſure, that when we come to die, we may be able to ſay with the Apoſtle Paul, I have fought a good fight, I have finiſhed my courſe, I have kept the faith. Biſhop Jewel in his life.Though I have loſt my liberty, wealth, and honours, yet I have kept the faith; And with that Reverend Biſhop, I can deny my ſelfe, my eſtate, my reputation, but I cannot deny my faith.
2. In the ſaving grace of faith. He that dieth with faith in Chriſt, ſhall certainly go to live in heaven with Chriſt. He that dieth embracing Chriſt, ſhall go from Chriſt, to Chriſt; from Chriſt by grace, to Chriſt in glory.
But then you muſt be ſure that this faith be a true juſtifying-faith. A heart-purifying, ſanctifying, and world-overcoming faith. A painted faith will never bring you to a real heaven. A dead faith will never pleaſe a living God. O quam …ulti …um b…c van. î …ide ad ater…os labores deſce… d…t.Faith without works will ſend a man merrily to hell inſtead of lifting him up to heaven. It is faith unfaigned, the faith of Gods elect, the faith which worketh by lov…, which will make the houre of death deſireable and comfortable. And let me adde
That you muſt not only labour to die with a true faith, Heb. 10. 22. foreign.but with a full aſſurance of faith; not only to die bel…eving, but fully aſſured that your faith is of a right ſtamp. This is a heaven upon earth. This will put you into heaven before you come to heaven. This will cauſe you to die rejoycingly and triumphantly, as Stephen did, when he ſaw the heavens opened, and Chriſt ſtanding at the right hand of God ready to receive him; And as old Simeon did with Chriſt in your ſpiritual armes, and ſinging a Nunc dimittis, Now Lord let thy ſervant depart in peace, for mine eyes have ſeen thy ſalvation. This then is thy great work O Chriſtian, induſtriouſly to endeavour, that when thou comeſt to die thou mayeſt die in the true doctrine, and true grace of faith, and in the full aſſurance of faith, that ſo thou mayſt 2 Pet. 1. 11.have an abundant entrance into the everlaſting Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt.
Queſt.But what muſt I do that I may be able to make this gallant and noble end?
Anſw.He that would die in the faith, muſt firſt live in the faith. For if you obſerve it, it is not ſaid in the text, that all without limitation died in faith. But all theſe: that is, all thoſe who lived in the faith, died in the ſame faith in which they lived: Theſe bleſſed Patriarks had not their faith to get when they came to die, but they had got it in health. They lived a holy life, and died a happy death.
Life and death for the moſt part are like the voyce and the echo, the body and the ſhadow. Such as the voyce is, ſuch is the echo. Such as the body is, ſuch is the ſhadow. Qualis vita, finis ita. If we would die happily, we muſt live holily. If we would die gloriouſly, we muſt live graciouſly. If we would go to Chriſt when we die, we muſt get into Chriſt while we live. If we would die with aſsurance, we muſt while we live labour to get aſſurance▪ Woe be to thoſe who have their faith to get when they are dying, that begin to amend their lives when they are putting an end to them. Woe be to thoſe who begin to ſerve God when they can do him no ſervice. That begin to live when they are ceaſing to live. And ſad is the condition of thoſe, who have their evidences and comforts to ſeek when they are going out of the world. And yet
I will not abſolutely deny (as ſome raſhly do) but that it is poſſible for a man to live a thiefe and die a Saint, to live wickedly and to repent at death. We have one, and but one example of this. But this is not Gods ordinary way; and if I had ten thouſand ſouls, I would not adventure one of them upon a death-bed repentance. We muſt not think to dance with the Devil all day, and to ſup with Chriſt at night. To live all our life-time in Dalilah's lap, and to go to Abrahams boſome when we die. The ordinary way to die well, is to live well. In a word, If you would die as Abraham did, you muſt live as he did: you muſt imitate Abrahams faith, obedience, and heavenly-mindedneſſe. If you would die as Jacob did, you muſt wraſtle with God in prayer as he did. If you would partake of their happineſſe when you die, you muſt be followers of their holineſſe while you live. This is the fifth inference.
Doctrine 6.
Doct. 6.That it is an unvaluable bleſſing when husband and wife, Father and child, and childs child live and die in the true faith. Theſe all died in faith. Not only ſome of them, but all. Abraham the husband, and Sarah his wife. Abraham the Father, and Iſaac his Son, and Jacob his Grand-child. All theſe died in the faith. Behold a true noble blood, a holy kindred, a bleſſed generation. Worthy is Abraham of all honour who was the roote of ſuch a noble and bleſſed brood. And worthy are Iſaac and Jacob of ſo good a Father, who ſtained not their blood by forſaking their faith, but held it as they received it, and lived and died in the true faith handed to them by their Father.
Behold here you that are great in place and birth; behold, I ſay, wherein true Nobility and Gentry doth conſiſt; and what is the fountaine of all true honour. It is to live and die in the true faith. In this faith Abraham died: and Iſaac his ſon and heire did not only inherit his fathers eſtate, but his fathers Religion alſo. And Jacob the Grand-child follows both his father and grand-father, and dieth in the ſame faith with them. Behold here Jacob a true Gentleman in blood. His holineſſe and Religion is in the third deſcent. Let great men learn to adorne their Gentility and Nobility with theſe enſignes of true honour.
It is a rare bleſſing when there is a ſucceſſion of godlineſſe in a family; when godlineſſe is entailed upon children, and childrens children. When a man can ſay to God as Moſes: O God thou art my God, and my Fathers God, and Exod. 15.my Grand-Fathers God. There are many families in which there is a ſucceſſion of drunkards, ſwearers, and adulterers, &c. in which ſin and iniquity is entailed, of whom it may be ſaid, my father was an adulterer, a drunkard, a ſcoffer at Religion, ſo was my grand-father and ſo am I. This is a ſad pedegree. O labour for a holy ſucceſſion. Let Parents write a faire copy to their children, let them live and dye in the true faith, and let children learne to follow ſuch a copy. Let husbands be patternes and examples of godlineſſe to their wives; and let wives follow their good examples. Let wives imitate Sarah, Parents Abraham, and children Iſaac and Jacob. Let us and ours ſo live, that when we come to die, it may be ſaid of us, not that we died in our ſins, but as it is in the text that we died in the faith. Theſe all died in faith.
I have done with the text. But there is another text of which I muſt of neceſſity ſpeak ſomething. And that is concerning the ſad occaſion of our meeting here this day. Give me leave to ſpeak to you in the language of 2 Sam. 3. 31.David concerning Abner: Know you not that there is a Prince, a great man fallen this day in Iſrael? and in the language of the children of Seth concerning Abraham, Gen. 23. 6.A Lord and a mighty Prince is this day to be buried: One who had ſo much worth and excellency in him, that whoſoever will undertake to ſpeak of him needs not feare (as Nazianzen ſaith of his ſiſter Gorgonia) leaſt he ſhould ſpea… too much, but rather leaſt he ſhould ſpeak too little, and foreign.by coming ſo farre beneath his due deſerts, ſhould diſpraiſe him, even whil'ſt he is praiſing of him.
For without all controverſie he was a perſon who had not only noble and honourable titles, but was truly noble and honourable. It is an obſervable ſpeech of Gregory the great, A King may cauſe a man to be called a Nobleman, but he cannot make a man truly noble. He may command ſuch a man to be called an Earle, or a Lord; But it is the noble minde which makes the man truly noble. Such a Noble-man was the Earle of Warwick. He was not only a Noble-man by Parchment, but he had a noble mind, a large heart, an intrinſecal worth and excellency in him. His Nobility was inameled with humility. He was great in place, but humble in carriage, as all who knew him will teſtifie.
There was in him a bleſſed conſtellation, and conſociation of Nobility, humilitie, pietie, and charitie. He was not only a great man, but that which is above all, he was (I hope) a godly and religious man.
I ſhould be loth to give flattering titles to any man whether alive or dead; for in ſo doing my Maker would ſoon Job. 32. 22.take me away as Job ſaith. It was well ſpoken by that Mr. Vines.learned Miniſter who preached at the funeral of the Earle of Eſſex (a kinſman of this Earles) That funeral encomiaſtickes of the dead do often prove confections of poyſon to the living; for many whoſe lives ſpeak nothing for them, will draw the example into conſequence, and be thereby led into hope, that they may preſſe a hackny Funeral Sermon to carry them to heaven. And St. Auſtin if I be not much miſtaken, doth ſomewhere bitterly enveigh againſt thoſe Miniſters who were overlaviſh in the commendation of the dead, telling us, That there are many who are Laudantur ubi …on ſunt, & t…rquentur ubi ſunt. Biſhop Halt.commended where they are not, and in the mean time tormented with fire unquenchable where they are. Sure I am that a learned Biſhop doth quote a ſharpe cenſure (though in another caſe) of a Popiſh Caſuiſt concerning Noblemens Chaplianes, ſaying, that few confeſſors of great men went to heaven, becauſe by their baſe flattery they became guilty of ſoul-murder, and for want of telling them of their faults, deſtroyed both their own, and their Patrons ſouls. And therefore God forbid that I ſhould ſay any thing this day for the hurt and diſadvantage of the living, whil'ſt I am ſpeaking in the praiſe and commendation of the dead. And yet notwithſtanding all this I ſhould be loth to offend in the contrary extreme. For I am not ſo ſtraitlaced Dr. Tuckney at the funeral of Dr. Hill.or ſuperſtitious, as when any mans life hath been eminently remarkable and exemplary, leſt I ſhould be guilty of Idolatry in adoring him, to commit ſacriledge in robbing both the dead of his juſt praiſe, and the living of an uſeful patterne for their imitation. And beſides, (as the forementioned author ſaith) Though common Mr. Vines.graves have no inſcription, yet Marble Tombes are not without ſome Epitaph. Heroical examples ſhould not go with a common paſſe, but with a Trumpet. And therefore I doubt not, but I may ſafely ſay without the leſt ſuſpicion of flattery or falſhood concerning this honourable perſon,
That I have juſt ground in charity to beleeve, that this Noble Earle was not only under the awe of Religion, but that he had the ſubſtance, and power of it in his heart. And therefore his death is the more to be lamented by us, becauſe that goodneſſe and greatneſse do ſo ſeldome center in one and the ſame perſon. In the God of heaven they both meet. He is optimus, maximus; infinite in goodneſs, as well as in greatneſſe. But in the Gods upon earth they rarely meet: They are many of them peſſimi maximi, greater in vices than in riches. It was a bold ſpeech of Buchanan to King James, who ſent a meſſenger to him when he was dying to viſite him, and to know how he did; Buchanan deſired the meſſenger to tell the King, 1 Cor. 1. 26.That he was going to a place where few Kings come. Indeed the Scripture ſaith, Not many wiſe men after the fleſh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. But yet ſome are, though not many. Such a one was Job, the greateſt, and the beſt man in the Eaſt. Such were Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob. Such was Joſeph of Arimathea. And ſuch a one was (I hope) Robert Earle of Warwick: And therefore the loſſe of him is the greater. For great men are like looking glaſſes according to which all the country dreſſe themſelves, and if they be good they do a world of good. Acts 18. 8. Gen. 34.When Criſpus the chiefe Ruler of the Synagogue beleeved, many of the Corinthians hearing of it beleeved alſo. When Schechem and Hamor were circumciſed they quickly perſwaded their people to be circumciſed.
Let me tell you, That we have loſt this day one of the beſt natur'd Noble-men in England, & one who had not only a good nature, but (as I verily beleeve) gracious principles, and religious inclinations, and diſpoſitions.
He was religious,
1. In his own perſon: For he was very exact in cloſet duties. I have been often with him at private prayer in his cloſet in which he was very zealous and devout. And he hath left behinde him reall manifeſtations of his perſonal piety, by many religious collections written with his own hand for the good of his ſoul.
2. In reference to his deare and neare relations, both by giving them a good example, and good inſtructions. And my prayer to God is; that though the inſtructor be deceaſed, yet the inſtructions may live, and never die.
3. In his family-government. For he was very conſtant in his morning and evening publick ſervice of God, and herein a rare patterne to the Gentry of the Country: He would not ſuffer any ſports or paſtimes to divert him from his dayly publique devotions. It is a great honour to God, and credit to Religion when there is a forme and outſide (though but a forme and outſide) of godlineſs in great families. This is like a candle ſet upon a hill to illighten all inferlour families. It is reported of Theodoſius the Emperour, that by his religious carriage in his family, he made all his Court a nurſery of religion. And it is ſaid of the houſe of George Prince of Anhalt, that for the good Eccleſia, Academia, Curia.orders therein obſerved it was a Church, an Academy, and a Court.
4. In his conſcientious obſervation of the Lords day, and in cauſing the Sermons preached to be repeated in his preſence to the whole family. In his frequent attendance when he was at London upon weekly Lectures, and by his example and encouragement, drawing many perſons of quality to our congregations. And (which is very remarkable) in the MonethMonth in which he died, he went conſtantly to the Morning-exerciſe at St. Martins in the fields, thereby (as by a ſecret inſtinct) fitting and preparing himſelfe for his death, which hapned towards the end of it.
5. In his extraordinary care and diligence in preparing himſelfe for the receiving of the Sacrament of the body and blood of Chriſt. Herein he was very exact in ſetting apart a ſufficient ſpace of time for ſelfe-examination. And beſides this, give me leave (without offence) to relate a paſſage which in my opinion conduceth much to his honour, and may through Gods bleſſing become an example to his relations, and to the Noble-men and Gentlemen of the Nation. When he firſt came to the Sacrament at Aldermanbury, he freely preſented himſelfe to the Miniſter and Elders to be examined: and although he gave ample ſatisfaction, yet being at that time indiſpoſed in body by reaſon of a ſudden diſtemper, he afterwards wrote me a letter in which he ſignified, that if we were not ſatisfied, he would rather come againe, than come without giving full ſatisfaction; here was humility in a high degree; here is a patterne to be admired, and imitated.
6. In his faithfulneſs to the truſt committed to him as in other things, ſo more eſpecially in diſpoſing of his Church-livings. Herein he was very eminent, and very exemplary, being alwayes exactly careful to preferre able, godly, and painful Miniſters to them. And I doubt not, but there are thouſands bleſſing God in heaven for the good they have got by the Miniſters put in by this Noble Earle. The truth is, he was a great Patron and Mecaenas to the pious and religious Miniſtry. We Miniſters may ſay of him as they did of the Centurion, he loved our Nation; we have great cauſe to weep over his herſe, and to bemoane his death: For we have this day loſt one of the greateſt friends that the godly and painful Miniſters had in England.
7. I might adde (if need were) as a further, and a moſt ſignal teſtimony of his godlineſſe, his ſingular care, that not only while he was living, but that after his death alſo his Church-livings might be rightly diſpoſed, but I forbeare.
8. There are three things yet behind which I muſt not omit.
1. He was bountiful and Prince-like in his hoſpitality and houſe-keeping.
2. He was very merciful and charitable to the poor members of Jeſus Chriſt. I have often and often been his Almoner to diſtribute conſiderable ſummes of money to neceſſitous and pious Chriſtians.
3. He was a liberal and moſt loving Maſter to his houſhold-ſervants, and hath given competent penſions to all his old ſervants during life.
9. In a word: He was one who did not make uſe of religion for his own private gaine and intereſt; he had no politick deſigne in profeſſing godlineſſe: his whole aime both by ſea and land, both in Parliament and in private was, to be ſerviceable to Church and State, and in this particular he was a true Nathaneel in whom there was no guile: he was a countenancer of religion in the worſt times,: he appeared for God and for his cauſe and ſervants, when it was both dangerous and diſgraceful in the eyes of the leading men of the Nation; he received Mr. Burroughs (that eminent Miniſter of Chriſt) into his family, and protected him for a long while, till at laſt he was forced to fly out of the land. He was a very ſpecial friend unto that man of God of famous memory Dr. Sibbs. To ſumme up all in a few lines, As it is ſaid of Socrates (as I remember) that he was ſo good a man that all that knew him loved him; and if any man did not love him, it was becauſe they did not know him. So it may be ſaid of the Earle of Warwick: All who knew him loved him, and if any man did not love him, it was becauſe he did not know him.
As for the manner of his death, it was ſomewhat ſudden: but you muſt know, that a child of God never dies ſuddenly, though he die never ſo ſuddenly; though he may dye ſuddenly in regard of time, yet he never dyes ſuddenly in regard of preparation. A wicked man dies ſuddenly though he dyes never ſo lingringly, becauſe he dyes unpreparedly; but he that dyes with grace in his heart, cannot be ſaid to die ſuddenly though he die never ſo ſuddenly. And yet this ſad ſtroak of death was not altogether unexpected. For when the funeral of his Grand-child was delayed longer than he deſired or expected, he was heard to ſay, That if they tarried a little longer, they ſhould carry him down alſo to he buried with him. My hope is, That he dyed as theſe Noble Patriarkes in the text, he died in the faith in which he lived. He dyed profeſſing the true doctrine of faith, and (I hope) having his heart adorned with the grace of faith.
And let me aſſure you; that as he lived much deſired, ſo he now dyeth much lamented, eſpecially by men profeſſing godlineſſe. I have heard a memorable ſtory of an ancient and religious Gentleman Mr. Knightly of Northamptonſhire (well known to ſome here) who coming to Leeze, and beholding the brave Parkes, and goodly gardens, and other ſuch-like accommodations there to be enjoyed, was heard to ſay to this our Earle, My Lord, you had need be very good, it is ill going to hell from ſuch a Paradiſe: it will be a doleful and diſmal exchange. Or as others relate it; My Lord, you had need make ſure of heaven, or elſe when you dye you will be a great loſer. A rare ſpeech worthy to be laid to heart by all Noble perſons. Now I verily perſwade my ſelfe, that this our dear and honourable Chriſtian brother is no loſer, but a great gainer by his death. He is gone (I hope) from earth to heaven, from an earthly Paradiſe to a heavenly Pallace, from a houſe made with hands to a houſe made without hands eternal in the heavens.
It is true (and it muſt be confeſſed leaſt I ſhould be accounted a flatterer) he had his failings, and his many infirmities; which I truſt Jeſus Chriſt hath covered with the roabe of his righteouſneſſe. My prayer to God is, That all his infirmities may be buried in the grave of oblivion, and that all his virtues and graces may ſupervive, and live in his ſon and heire; that as he inherits the eſtate, ſo he may alſo inherit the vertues of his Father. And that religion, piety, and godlineſſe may be entailed upon the Noble family of the Riches, from one generation to another till the coming of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt unto judgement; That while they live they may be profeſſors of the true faith, and indued with the heart-purifying grace of faith: And when they come to dye, they may make that gallant, noble, and bleſsed cloſure and concluſion of their dayes which theſe godly Patriarkes in my text did, of whom it is ſaid, Theſe all dyed in faith.
FINIS.
End of the text · Edmund Calamy, A Pattern for All (1658)