Heart-Salve for a Wounded Soul, Text 2
EYE-SALVE FOR The blind World.
ESAI. 57.1.
The Righteous periſheth and no man layeth it to heart; and merciful men are taken away, none conſidering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.
THe preaching King hath put this among his golden Obſervations,Eccl. 7.8. Conſtet finem praecipuum eſſe, & eo ſemper ſpectandum, omnia propter illum patienter ferenda. Mercer. comment in Eccleſ. 7, 8. That the end of a thing is better than the beginning: His intended purpoſe therein, being to animate the faint-hearted, not to ſtart back at the firſt, as afraid of enterpriſing weighty matters, becauſe of an harſh entrance into them. Yet the beginning of this Chapter is much better than the end: it begins with Chriſts Legacie, Peace to the Righteous; but the dregs are bitter at the bottom, which the ungodly ſhall ſuck up.12 laſt ver. There is no peace, ſaith my God, to the wicked. Who cares for a blaſted Roſe? or what verdict gives the world on a righteous man in his life, but this, which the Prophet gives of Chriſt for his humane baſe appearance?Eſa. 58.3. there is no form or comlineſs in him, and when we ſhall ſee him, there is no beauty that we ſhould deſire him. And yet theſe blind Balaams, when they have done Satan all his work, would willingly exchange their beſt wages of unrighteouſneſs for the godly mans Vineyards penny. Is it not a miſery, to ſee a Soul, that hath all the days of this life, been drunk with the wine of worldly …uſts, the body now ſtanding upon the brink of the grave, not ſhaking the hands of others, but wringing their own hands in a woful farewel, the fingers pidling with the bed-clothes,Animam quod imodo inter dentes habentem. Auguſt. id Epiſt. Joan. tract. 10. Ariſtaeas Proconneſis. Hujvs animam corvi ſpecie viſam ex ore evolantem tradiderunt. Plin. Hiſt. lib. 7. Jo. Franc. Picus Mirandula praenot. lib. 9. cap. 2. Maximus Tyrius Platonicus, Serm. 22. and the Soul now ſtanding upon the lips, like a bird ready to take her flight, and if it were viſible, ſhould be ſeen like his ſoul, which was ſaid to be ſeen to flie out of his body in ſhape and colour of a Crow; that then at laſt, alas! too late, it ſhould come to this ſober and ſad reckoning, O let me die the death of the righteous, and let my later end be like unto his, Num. 23.10. Children, when they are aſleep look the prettieſt; the Godly man is a fool in his life, yet the worlds deepeſt heads would be no wiſer in their deaths, his laſt ſleep has form and comlineſs in it. Our Prophet intends i… theſe words to tel us as much, tha… under the hard ſhell of death, h… findes a ſweet kernel of life; h… is taken away from evils an… troubles, quietly to reſt; as if he were laid in his own Bed chamber. This Prophet has many drops to comfort Gods Servants; he writes like an Evangeliſt, our Saviour and his Apoſtles dwelt much in his leaves, for he ſpake the Goſpels Language of conſolations,Verſe 3. Muſculus in Praefat. ad comment. in Eſay. the New Teſtament has honoured him above other Prophets, with quoting his Propheſie 60 times, from Chapter 40. to the end of the whole Propheſie; it is like Canaan, full-ſtream'd with milk and hony, almoſt altogether conſolatory. This very Chapter, among the reſt, is not ſo ſhort, as ſweet, having goodly beams come from it.
Firſt, It gives a bright and clear beam, to ſtand like a light over the grave of the Right…s, to let us ſee how they are buried in …eace, to the third verſe.
Secondly, a ſharp piercing …eam of reprooſ for conviction of the ungodly of divers ſins, mocking of the Holy, Idolatry, &c. to the thirteenth Verſe.
Laſtly, an heating beam of comfort, promiſes of favour, reconciliation and peace, to ſtay the tears of all Zions mourners, to the end of the Chapter.
Theſe words otherwiſe may be named, the ſhort Table or view of the Child of God, in his life and death.
1. In his life, and ſo he is deſcribed two ways.
1. God-ward, ſo he is righteous.Life,
2. Manward, ſo he is merciful.
2. In his death, which we conſider two ways.
1. How expreſſed.Death.
2. How reſpected.
1. Expreſſed two ways, he is ſaid to
1. Periſh.
2. Be taken away out o… the world.
2. Reſpected two ways:
1. Of God, he reſpect… them with care, to free them from the evil to come.
2. Of wicked men, thei… reſpect is reſpectleſneſs, ſet out
Two ways, by two Phraſes of careleſs neglect:
1. They never take it to heart.
2. They little conſider or minde it.
Or more briefly, the whole may be ſummed into theſe two Heads:
1. Gods Judgment in the death of the Righteous, taking them away to himſelf, when he means to puniſh the world.
2. The worlds want of judgment and conſideration of Gods end of it, None conſiders it, none lays it to heart.
Let ſome light of explication make clear the words.
The righteous. Rom. 3.10 Eccl 7.20] Righteouſneſs is hard to finde. Are there ſome Righteous? is it not the voice of the Scripture, there is none righteous, no not one: Not a Juſt man upon earth? True, when we name Righteouſneſs, we call to mind our loſt Pearl: God made man Righteous. This Apple of our eye was given away for an Apple of the Tree of Knowledge. If we ſpeak of men Righteous and Juſt, in reſpect of their deeds among men, we mean upright and honeſt dealing; if we ſpeak of Righteouſneſs in reſpect of God, then we mean no more a righteouſneſs of inherence, that is gone; but of adherence and cleaving to Chriſt by faith. Chriſts Righteouſneſs and merits are imputed to us. Juſt and righteous is that ſtile holy and good men are honoured withal in the Scriptures, denoting fruits of righteouſneſs in an upright life, according to that,1 Joh. 3.7. Mat. 1.19. Act. 10.22. he that doth righteouſneſs is righteous. Thus Joſeph is called a Juſt man; ſo Cornelius; where the word Juſt notes the univerſal and general carriage in uprightneſs, holineſs and Gods fear.
Periſheth.] This word ſounds harſhly, as to die miſerably, untimely; but ſurely the righteous ſo periſh not, unleſs the Prophet ſpeak after the opinion and in the phraſe of the ungodly.Wiſd. 3.2. Periſhing is taken for any ordinary or natural kind of death, as well as violent, Job. 34.15. Prov. 31.6. to him that is ready to periſh, that is, ready to die. In the ſight of the unwiſe they ſeemed to die or periſh, and their departure is taken for miſery; yet to periſh is expounded afterward to be nothing elſe, but to be taken away, and depart this life.
No man layeth it to heart.] No man, that is, very few or none mind to take care for the worlds loſs of the Righteous, their hearts are nothing at all moved, or toucht with it. Things that come near the heart moſt affect us. To lay to heart, is a common phraſe in Scripture, and is expounded after by the word conſider: It is uſed again verſe the eleventh, Thou haſt not remembred me, nor laid it to thy heart. It ſeems to imply three things.
Firſt, to underſtand the thing we would conſider.
Secondly, To conſider and earneſtly to think of the cauſes, and conſequents of it.
Thirdly to be affected with it upon that conſideration, ſo as the heart joys in it, if it find it good; is greatly grieved, and ſorry for it, finding it evil: the affection of ſorrow ariſing in a matter deplorable, of joy in a thing comfortable. So then, none lays it to heart, is thus much, None conſiders at all Gods anger intended to the world in the death of the godly; none repent of their ſins, or ſtand in fear of ſome enſuing Judgment.
Mic. 7.2. Pſal. 12.1. Significat pro natura loci, vel benigne acceptum a Deo, vel benignum erga alios. Tarnov. in Pſal. 4. & ver. 4.Merciful men.] The word ſignifies Good or kinde men, and it is Tranſlated Good, or Godly in other places: To ſhew us, that Mercy is a great part of Godlineſs. It is taken paſſively, for one that has receiv'd mercy from the Lord, or Actively, for one that ſhews mercy to others, in which acception it ſtands here.
Are taken away] Colliguntur, are gathered together; ſo the Patriachs dying are ſaid to be gathered to their fathers, which is not ſo meant of their bodies, which were it buried in Tomb purchaſed by their Kindred, for a burial place to that family; but eſpecially it is meant of the Souls of the faithful, which in the death of their bodies are gathered to the bleſſed number of the righteous,Heb. 12.23. glorified in Heavens; gathered to the reſt of the ſpirits of Juſt men made perfect. This taking away, or gathering, may be conſidered doubly, as a gathering out, or a gathering in.This is ſelectio potius quam collectio.
Firſt. A gathering out, which is when there is a mixture of things good and bad together, when we pick out one ſort from the other, it is a gathering or ſelecting collection. As when the Net catches all kind of fiſhes, the good are pickt out, and the bad caſt away. Sometimes they are thus gathered, when danger is likely to ſeize on al together, then that which is good gathered out, that the danger may not fall on it. Thus the righteous are mixt in this world with ungodly men, and the Lord picks his Children from among the reſt, he is preparing plagues for the world, and before hand he takes care for his, by gathering them out of the danger: ſo that phraſe imports, from the evil to come.
2. A gathering in,Both theſe gatherings in the Parable of the Drawnet, Mat. 13.47, 48. which is after the picking out, to lay that which is good in a better place by themſelves. Thus the Righteous (ſeparated from the world by death) are gathered (like the good fiſhes) into a veſſel by themſelves, into one bleſſed ſociety and unmixt company, into heavenly glory, where no wicked men ſhall enter among them any more. And of this gathering is this Colliguntur, they are thus taken away.
None conſidering.] Before, none laying it to heart, for ſo they are both taken one for another, Conſider your ways, Hag. 1.5.in Haggai in the Original is, ſet your heart on your ways.
A facie mali.From the evil to come.] From the face or preſence of evil.
From the evil of ſin, leſt if he ſhould live any longer, he might be infected with the ſins of wicked men: But the trueſt is, from the evil of puniſhment,Wiſ. 4.11. wherewith God means to plague the wicked world, that they may not ſmart with the ſinners. When God has a quarrel with the earths Inhabitants, he takes his Children from among them, that he may be revenged upon thoſe who have provokt him. Thus the meaning of the words appearing, the Prophet ſeems to ſpeak to his people, and in them to us, after this manner.
O how great and graceleſs is our ſecurity,Sum and Senſe of words. Which careleſs and ſinful ſecurity is plain in the verſe foregoing. Eſa. 56.12 with what haſty feet do all men run to their pleaſures? How blinde are we, that cannot ſee the Land falling under the hand of the Lords ſevere Judgment? Do we not daily ſee the Lord fetching away by death his deareſt and holieſt Servants? Surely therein he would ſignifie to us, that his intentions are to bring puniſhments upon us, he taking his own out of the way, that they may not ſee nor feel the vengeance which the world has deſerved and ſhall undergo. Yet where is there a man that thinks of this, or lays it to heart, or takes notice what the Lord is about to do, when he takes the righteous from among us?
From the words (like clay thus tempered and prepared) we may make up theſe five Veſſels,5 Concluſions or Doctrines. or extract theſe evident Concluſions.
Firſt, that Righteous and holy men are alſo merciful men.
Secondly, Gods moſt Righteous Servants muſt die as well as others.
Thirdly, The Souls of the Saints in their deaths are gathered to the Lord, and (by the Lord) into bleſſedneſs.
Fourthly, When the Righteous go from among us, ſome Judgment is to be feared is coming towards us.
Fifthly, The ſecure wicked world is little mov'd with the removal of the Godly. — None conſiders it, none lays it to heart. How eaſily theſe riſe, we need not fly to Reaſons to demonſtrate it: Righteous men are merciful men. 1 Doct.— Our Saviour hath enjoyned it them, and they lay up his ſayings in their hearts,Luke 6.39. Be ye merciful as your Heavenly Father is merciful. Theſe have received mercy of the Lord, and are thereby transformed into ſuch a merciful and pitiful nature, as his is. If we ſhould ask fire why it burns? It muſt be anſwered, It is the nature of fire: Why doth the Sun ſhine? It is the nature of the Sun to do ſo: How is it the Godly man is ſo merciful? It is the nature of him, I mean the new nature that is ingrafted in Chriſt, to be like affected to the miſery of othors, as he has found Chriſt to him. Theſe may truly ſay, We cannot but do it, the love of God conſtrains us to it.2 Cor. 5 14.
There are no Graces poured by God into a good mans heart, as water into a Tub or Pond, which keeps all to it ſelf, and lets the ground be dry about it; but every gracious man is a Spring, a Fountain, that ſends forth ſtreams to water the eatth, and feeds the rivulets that flow from it. When we once come to Chriſt the great Spring, he makes us little Springs to others:Zac. 13.1. Joh. 4.14. The waters that I give (ſaith Chriſt) ſhall be in him that receives it a Well ſpringing up to everlaſting life: yea, might ſome ſay, it ſprings up for himſelf: yes, and for others alſo, for out of his belly ſhall theſe waters flow to the benefit of others. The woman of Samaria had no ſooner drunk of this water of Chriſts receiving her to mercy,Joh. 7.38. but it burſt and flowed out of her belly, in pity ſhe laboured the ſalvation of her Neighbours, crying earneſtly on them, Come and ſee a man, &c. Come and taſte of that mercy which I have taſted of in Chriſt:Joh. 4. the Prophet David has the very words of this concluſihn, the Righteous is merciful and liberal; that is, he ſhews his mercy by his liberality. Elſewhere he ſings the Marriage ſong of theſe two in God,Pſal 37.21. Mercy and truth are met together; and as ſweet is Righteouſneſs and Mercy, Piety and Pity conjoyn'd in a Chriſtian: A ſweet pair and lovely couple of young Pigeons, not the offering of the poor, but this Offering to the poor, which the Lord loves better than a fat Bullock laid on his Altar; With ſuch ſacrifices of mercy (for he loves mercy better than ſacrifice) is God well pleaſed. Hoſ. 6.6. Heb. 13.16.This mercy is an holy affection of the heart ſympathizing with them that are in miſery, and a liberal and holy action of the hand helping and refreſhing thoſe in miſery. Piteous affection that is the root; actions of liberal diſtribution, and relief, that is the fruit, which like the fruit of the Vine,Judg. 9.13. chears both God and man. Miſery which is the object of Mercy is corporal or ſpiritual.
1. Mercy looks at them both, to the bodies ſickneſs, nakedneſs, poverty, beggery; there mercy will make a Chriſtian a Dorcas, to clothe, and relieve, to viſit and refreſh.
2. To the Souls miſery, as ignorance of God, impenitencie, living in ſin, &c. there mercy will be a counſellor, to counſel them for God; an inſtructor, a reprover, a builder, pitying thoſe blind Souls.
Briefly, all miſery is the object of mercy, upon every occaſion it has (like Chriſt) an open ſide to ſhew the bowels of compaſſion.
Uſe. This will be of Uſe, as if it were a Book with two leaves to let two ſeveral ſorts of men read legibly in it their condition and eſtate, thereby to learn what it is.
1. If Righteous men be merciful men, then here is a note to try our Righteouſneſs by, here in this Leaf mayeſt thou read thine eſtate towards God, in thy piteous compaſſion towards man. Art thou pitiful-hearted to any in neceſſity? doſt thou love to ſtretch forth thy hand, & reach out bounty to the poor Members of Chriſt?Heb. 13.2. canſt thou fee Chriſt in a ſtranger? then art thou no ſtranger to Chriſt. There are many notes of Righteouſneſs, the Lady and Queen of all is Faith; yet Faith is dead if ſhe want breath; the breath of Faith is Love, and Love is dead if it ſhew not Mercy. How can any have a ſurer characteriſtick ſigne of his ſins pardon than this, that in injuries he can feelingly ſay, I will pardon, for Chriſt has pardoned me; in poverty he can ſay, I will help this miſerable wretch, for the Lord might have made me far more miſerable: Yea, when he meets with theſe objects of pity,The oppreſſor the only Cannibal, by whom the poor and needy are cruſhed, Amos 4.12. their skin pull'd from fleſh, and fleſh from bones. Mic. 3.22. chopt in pieces as fleſh for the pot Mic. 3.3. eaten like a loaf of bread, Pſal. 14.4. they are ſwallowed down like meat, Amos 8.4. and quite devoured, Hab. 1.13. he can ſay in himſelf, Lo, Chriſt has caſt this man in my way to try my bounty and compaſſion, I will not loſe this opportunity. If upon all occaſions thou art ready to diſtribute to the neceſſity of Gods poor Children, doubtleſs thou art one of Gods Children, for he begets Sons like himſelf, piteous and compaſſionate.
2. If the Righteous be merciful, then let us turn to the other leaf. Look here churliſh Nabal, unmerciful Chriſtian, covetous Iron-bowel'd oppreſſor, let me ſay as Chriſt, What is writ in the Law, how readeſt thou? What is writ in this leaf? this mayeſt thou read to the ſhame of thy face, and terror of thine heart, that ſuch unmerciful men are unrighteous, yea, godleſs wretches. Are there not ſome, whom the Lord has filled with earths good things, and yet the Box of Spikenard, that thoſe in neceſſity might ſmell the odour of Mercies Oyntment? The Godly man puts his earthly truſt in his hand,Eſa. 3.15. it never comes in his heart: the ungodly covetous put it in their hearts, it never comes in their hands to diſtribute; and can there be any room for Chriſt, or his Grace in ſuch earthly hearts, where earthly metal takes up all the place? Be not deceived, you that have abundance, and riot in that abundance, never pitying nor rembring the afflictions of Joſeph; you that by oppreſſion and hard dealing, as Satans grindſtones,Oppeſſores Molaras Satanae. do grind the faces of the poor, ſhut your ears and hands at the cry of the needy, and worſe than Bethlemites, will not help Chriſt (in his Members) to Stable-room, you (running in this courſe) are ſtrangers to righteouſneſs,Pro. 12.10 and enemies to mercy. Doubtleſs ſuch never taſted of Chriſt, nor love Chriſt; for who loves the Head, which hates the Members? If the righteous man be merciful to his beaſt, then ſurely ſuch are unrighteous, and very beaſts who will not ſhew mercy to man. Learn of me (ſaith Chriſt) what will he teach? pity, compaſſion, meekneſs, love: If we will not learn this of Jeſus, we may ſeek out another Maſter; unmerciful men may go to School to Judas and profit under him, he will (of all men moſt unmerciful yet) read unto them a Lecture of mercy, might not this have been ſold and given to the poor? Joh. 12.5.ſorry that the Oyntment was not better ſpent; the leſſon was good, though his meaning was naught. Little and ſlender are the hopes for Heaven, who go on in the path of covetous mercileſneſs. If unmerciful men ever come in Heaven, then unrighteous men may come there alſo, and then where will the truth of Gods Word appear,Rom. 1.… which threatens thoſe who caſt away all piteous affection, an… conſider not the cauſe of the poo… and needy. Such may perſwad… themſelves with preſumptuou… hopes, that for all this they hav… claim; but ſure they build … goodly houſe which forget to la… the foundation: Saint Paul hath herein given us the way to make ſure hold and hopes of eterna… life,2 T…m. 6.18, 19. by being rich in good works, and ready to diſtribute, this lays a ſure foundation for time to come. Mercy (in one word) marks us for God, unmercifulneſs for Satan, and is the cognizance of an unrighteous man;Mic. 6.8. to do juſtly, and love mercy, and walk humbly with God, muſt be found in him that belongs to God.2. Uſe.
Where might exhortation be better beſtowed, and largelier urged, then in ſtirring up all men, to let their light ſhine before men in works of mercy.Col. 3.12. O that we would all put on theſe bowels of mercy …and tender-heartedneſs, clothes that wax not old, which will keep us warm with a comfortable heat in the coldeſt day … diſtreſs, in life, death, and judg…ent. The only way to be rich, … to be trading with the poor in …cts of mercy and pity. We take …reat care to lay up our wealth …aſe; it is never ſo ſafely laid up, …s when it is thus laid out, in clo…hing the naked back, and filling …he empty belly, and main…aining the right cauſe of the Fa…herleſs and Orphans. So many …s have been refreſhed by our …ounty, are made our Interceſſors …n earth, and are bountiful in …heir prayers to us and for us, that when we pray, we have all their prayers joyned with an holy importunity, overcoming God to grant our requeſts.2 Tim. 1.16. Happy was O ever neſiphorus, that he lookt mercifully upon Paul in his Chain, for he got Pauls prevailing prayer, that for mercy to him, the Lord would have mercy likewiſe on him at the laſt day. Eſpecially, Learn we to pity ſinners, blind, naked, and beggarly Souls: Save ſuch ungodly wretches with fear;Dubio procul flamma ignis, five Gehennae intelligitur, Phil. Pareus in Epiſt. Jud. tom. Jude verſ. 22, …3. wh… fear? with fear, leſt thou ſuff… them to periſh in their ſins; a… pull them out of the fire, ev… out of the fire of Hell, towar… which every ſin (unrepented o… carries a man; of ſuch have co… paſſion, by correcting them f… their evil courſe, and by directin… them into the way of Go… fear.
In four actions may we ſhe… our merciful diſpoſition.
Firſt, In bearing, for mercy h… an ingredient of patience to be… wrongs.
Secondly, In forbearing revenge and ſhewing a meek and gentl… nature.
Thirdly, In giving, whethe… corporal or ſpiritual Alms.
Fourthly, In forgiving, yea praying for our perſecutors: a high degree of mercy, ſo to fo… give, as we can pray for God mercy to forgive our enemies.
Motives to this might be many but that one moſt powerful, the the Judicatory Sentence of Chriſt Judging the world, ſhall paſs according to the works of mercy done, or omitted;Mat. 25.34. I was an hungry, and you fed me, naked and you clad me, &c. Therefore, Come you bleſſed Children of my Father, &c. For the mercy of a crum you ſhall have the mercy of my Kingdom. On the contrary, how dreadful is that voice, I was ſick and you viſited me not, naked and you clad me not, &c. Therefore, go you curſed, &c. you ſhall have Judgment without mercy, becauſe you have ſhewed no mercy.Jam. 2.13 Canes ante menſam impaſtos eſſe non patimur, & homines extrudimus? Ambroſ. offic. lib. 3. c. 7. How deeply will that wound the mercileſs heart, when Chriſt ſhall lay it to his Charge. The dogs were fed, and my Children famiſht. Theſe Actions of mercy are that which procures God to be our Orator, when he, in the general concourſe of all them that ever lived upon earth, will mention and declare the Alms and compaſſion of the good man to his Children. What Abel ſuffered, how Noah preſerved the World, Abraham kept the faith; Chriſt tells not of theſe at the laſt day, but Angels and all Saints ſhall hear of the bread that the poor have eaten, of the clothes that have covered their nakedneſs, of the drink which quencht the thirſt of their throats. Some wiſh the Crown of Jobs paſſion I deſire the recompenſe rather of his compaſſion; happy is he that hath skill to pronounce his language of mercy:Job 29.12, 13, 15. I delivered the poor that cried, the fatherleſs and him that had none to help him: The bleſſing of him that was ready to periſh came upon me, and I cauſed the widows heart to ſing for joy: I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame: I was a father to the poor, and the cauſe which I knew not, I ſearched out.
Doct. 2 Gods Righteous and holy Servants muſt die as well as others. At one common door all enter, the Womb; at one common door we all go out, the Grave. All men came upon the Stage of life upon this condition, that having acted our parts we ſhould go off. There is a way that is called the way of …ll fleſh: Chriſt himſelf, if he take …pon him mans fleſh, mortality …eizes upon that which is mortal, …e dies. I may take Davids words, ſpeaking of another Gate, …nd apply them to this Gate of …eath, This is the Gate of the Lord, Pſal. 118.…ven the Righteous ſhall enter in …hereat. Gods Servants (even …is beſt) muſt be taken away, and …hat in a threefold reſpect.
In reſpect of Nature, they muſt …lie, whoſe Candle is not infinite, …t cannot burn always; it was …ighted upon this condition, that …t ſhould once die out. The Week …hich burns, and the matter …hich feeds it, is elementary, ends to corruption.
1. This Candle is ſometimes …iolently daſht out, as Abimelechs …andle of life with a ſtone thrown …t it.Judg. 9.53.
2. Sometimes a great winde lows it out, as Herods breath puf…ed out John Baptiſts light.
3. Sometimes it burns it ſelf to …e very laſt, and ſpends it ſelf in the Socket, as Methuſalem and Abraham, dying in their old age, and full of days.
4. Yea, often this Candle is no ſooner lighted up,In puncto temporis ſal…e pariter, vale que dixerunt, Hieron. de Auſonio ſubito proficiſcente. Ad Julian. epiſt. 34. but it is preſently thrown down and put out; ſo died the Innocents, and ſo many young Children; the world had ſcarce bid them welcom, and they turned their backs, and bad it fareful. The Clew of life, though it were not violently cut, yet voluntarily would it in time unwinde it ſelf, and let it appear that humane life is wound up but upon a bottom of Clay. Righteous men in the world are Flowers among Graſs and Weeds; yet are they but Flowers, theſe Lillies muſt wither, theſe Roſes muſt caſt their leaves:1 Pet. 1.24 For all fleſh is graſs, and the glory thereof as the flower of the field; the graſs withers, the beſt flower will fade.
In reſpect of Grace it is neceſſary they die: will God put off his Children with the firſt-fruits of his Spirit? no, he in…eads to perfect all Grace, and to fill them with all Divine fulneſs, to make them full Heirs, in bringing them to the Fountain and Well-head of life. Achſah gets the upper-Springs granted to her, as well as the nether; ſo God has upper-Springs of perfection for his Children, whoſe beſt Graces are here mixt with many imperfections: the Grace of Sanctification is here perfect for the nature,Eph. 4.13. Prov. 4.18. Mors Hebraice Mavet & Met. per Metatheſin Tom & Tam, in noſtra patria ſonat apud ſinceros maternae linguae ſcrutatores, perfectum & Innocens. In hac enim vita nihil eſt perfectum, ſic Rabbi Jacobus apud Nic. Crogerum in Amphitheatr. mortis conflict. 13. becauſe it is holy, divine, and comes from God, but not for the ſtature, the ſtrength and growth of it: it is always a growing here, there is a perfect meaſure and ſtature of the fulneſs of Chriſt, which once attained (and muſt be attained by death) it is ripe, and grows no more: then all planting and watring ſhall ceaſe by Word and Sacraments, the Tree of Grace being come to full growth. It is called, The righteous mans perfect day; now tha… which is perfect, cannot come till that which is imperfect … done away, which is by death that conveys us to our eſtate an… place of perfection: ſo ſome hav… drawn the Original of Death, t… ſignifie that which is perfect. The… ſhall our Wheat grow without either Straw or Chaff, when temptations and imperfections ſhall n… more trouble us, all corruptio… being perfectly weeded out of th… heart, which cannot be her whiles we are abſent from th… Lord.
3. Laſtly, the Righteous mu… die, in reſpect of the miſeries o… this life, that their afflictions an… troubles may die and have an end The world laughs and the godl… weep: But ſhall the Righteou… mans Cheeks always be an Iſlan… compaſſed with Tears? No, th… Lord has told of a time, wherei… all tears ſhall be wiped from h… eyes. Who is perſecuted, mockt ſcourged, the Butt of Satans temptations, the ſubject of the worlds …corn, but the Servants of Chriſt? …hall this time laſt always? No, …urely the Lord has a time for …hem, called,Rev. 21.4. The time of refreſh …ent, when they ſhall be fuller of …lory and reſt, than ever they …ere of troubles and miſeries. We are here ſet in a warfare,Act. 3.19. aſ…aulted with fightings without, and errors within:2 Cor. 7.5. Exoothen machai, eſoothen phoboi. we are compaſt …ith an unruly body of fleſh; we …re laden with corporal maladies, …ains, infirmities; peſtered with …piritual faintings, qualms, and …eak fits, that if we had not bet…er comfort brought us for the fu…ure, to free us from theſe cum…erſom anxities, a ſervant of God …ere of all men moſt miſerable: but …weet Death looſes our Chains, …nd ſets us free. Upon this ground …id the Holy Father build that …ghing prayer of …is to God,Domine ſolve hanc tunicam ita mihi gravem & ponderoſam, & da mihi leviorem. Nazianz. O Lord (ſaith he) …elp me off, looſe …nd unbuckle this …eavy Coat (meaning the fleſh full of infirmitie which lies with ſuch a ponde… preſſing weight upon my ſhould… and give me a lighter and eaſier g… ment; meaning the garment eternal life, ſo pleaſant, ſo eaſ… and free from all troubles, whi… death brings us, and clothes withal. If there were … ſuch Sugar at the bottom the Chriſtians Cup, and the b… Wine kept to the end of the Fea… he had the worſt fate of all me… but he may with a patience dig… theſe earthly troubles, becauſe t… Lambs Supper ſhall make amen… for the worlds ſharp Dinner.Pſal. 27.15. I h… utterly fainted (ſaith David) … that I believed verily to ſee the go… neſs of the Lord in the Land of th… … ving. That is meant of this li… much more may thoughts of et… nal life keep us from fainting. T… hope of death, is the hope of … life: it is neceſſary we die that … ſorrows may die.
Uſe. 2 Muſt the very Righteous d… let it lead us to conſider of, a… conclude that univerſal delugeGen. 2.17. …riginal corruption, wherein all …ankind lies drowned. It is too …rue, that being made of duſt, ſin ends us to retur… to duſt again. Who will defend nature to be im…aculate, and unwounded? …eaths Weapons could not enter …leſh, had not our original impu…ity weakned us, and ſtreng…h…ned …im. Man firſt brought ſin into …he world, ſin brought death;Rom. 5.12. Let one be ſo bold as to defend na…ure to be untainted, unleſs he …an bring this Argument to …rove it, Here is one free from …eath, Ergo, free from that ſin. We are born Heirs and Coheirs (annexed with Adam) of ſin …nd death. Pray we and ſtrive we againſt Original luſt, yea, repent we of this ſin, as that which put death in office, and reached the dart into his hand.
Uſe. 2 This might ſtir us up, that ſeeing all men (even the Righteous) muſt die, that we ſhould labour to die Righteous. The Righteous mans eye is all on God in his life; and Gods eye (as at other times ſo) eſpecially is ſet on him at his death, to fetch him to a bleſſed Manſion. We muſt die, but oh! that that laſt Act were made the Axle-tree,Deut. 32.29. on which all the actions of our life might turn about, by continually thinking on our later end. A paper newly written is kept from blotting, if duſt or ſand be caſt upon it: The remembrance that we are but duſt and aſhes, often, and daily caſt upon our hearts and meditations, would keep us in an holy watchful courſe, that our lives ſhould not be ſtained with ſo many blots of impiety, and neglect of Gods worſhip. Death indeed ſhall come to all, but our lives are that which makes death bitter or ſwee… unto us. For he ſhall come to the wicked and rigtheous in a different manner.
1. To the wicked and unrighteous he ſhall come as a man of War to a man where ſin lives as long as he lives, where Sata… ſways the Scepter of his Monarchy in his Soul, living impenitently in fleſhly luſts, deaths meſſage is aſtoniſhing to ſuch a one; Such a ſinful wretch looking approaching death in the face, his Conſcience cries a loud,1 Kin. 21.20. 1 King. 14.6. Haſt thou found me, O mine enemy? as Ahab to Elias. To whom death anſwers with no better anſwer, than Ahijahs to Jeroboams wife, I am ſent to thee with heavy tidings, a hard meſſage, I have brought thee thy wages of ſin, which is death. And then doth the deſperate ſinner tremble and quake,Rom. 6.23. remembring how bad a life has made way for death, and death to torment; then (too late) his ſins affright him, and he cries out, but one day longer to repent, as did that man in his death, O ſpare me, Chryſaorius in morte clamabat, Inducias uſque mane. Gregor. Hom. 12. in Evang.and give me but respite and truce till the morning, that I die not in my ſins, and for my ſins. O where are thoſe many hours neglected in vanity?
2. But to the Godly and Righteous Soul, his appearance and face is glorious and amiable, he ſpeaks a comfortable language to him. I cannot hurt thee, thy Saviour has taken thy weapons from me;1 Cor. 15.55. his death was my death was my death, for his Children, I come but to be thy Bridge that thou mayeſt paſs over me into eternal life. So great a difference is there 'twixt the Godly and the wicked. Chriſtian, get thy debts paid in Chriſt, and thy Bond cancelled in his blood, get into the croud, and touch but the hem of his Garment by faith, to draw vertue, holineſs, and his righteous-making merits, then ſhall there be no terrour in deaths Vizard, that will ſweeten the bitterneſs of the Grave unto thee, and finding that thou art righteous and accepted in Chriſt, thou mayeſt challenge him, O death where is thy ſting? O grave where is thy victory? O! by repentance keep thy Soul from dying and the death of the body wil… be a bleſſed prelude to immortality. And ſo much for a general view… of the neceſſity of death to the very righteous.
Doct. The Souls of the Saints at their death are gathered to the Lord, and by the Lord into bleſſedneſs.
This Concluſion has incluſively in it two parts.
1. That in this life there is a mixture of good and bad.
2. That in death God gathers the Souls of the righteous into a… happy unmixt ſociety by themſelves.Eccl. 3.20 — Do not all go to one place? ſaith Solomon, yes, for bodies in death, the Grave is the common receptacle of good and bad; a Murderer and a Martyr may be laid in one Grave together, but for Souls they change Countries. The Sanctum Sanctorum is for thoſe Souls which have been Kings and Prieſts to God; the Righteous are gathered into Heaven, but the wicke… they ſhall be gathered into another place, they ſhall be turned into Hell, into the Company of all them that forget God.Pſa. 9.17. This Phraſe of being gathered together in death, may be an alluſion to the cuſtom of the Jews who in death are ſaid to be gathered to their Fathers when they died,Gen. 23.9 Gen. 49.29. Gen. 50.25. Rut. 1.17. 2 Sam. 19.37. for bodies as well as Souls, becauſe they purchaſed burial places for their family aapart. So both Jacob and Joſeph charged their Children to carry them out of Egypt, and bury them with their Fathers, and thei… own people in Canaan. Whic… deſire of theirs to be buried nea… their holy Kindred did,
1. Shew their love to one another, deſiring their company being dead, whom they loved living
2. They did it to teſtifie the faith in the Reſurrection, hopin… by this means at the laſt Reſurr… ction, they ſhould all riſe togethe… in glory.
3. Not to mention a third ſ… perſtitious reaſon, by which p… haps they might be induced, … opinion of receiving ſome wo… or acceptableneſs to God, by … ing near to thoſe in the Gra… who for holineſs were dear to hi… and beloved of him. Thus J… ahs death was a gathering to his … thers, of his Body to the Sep… chres of his Fathers, and of his Soul to the company of all the Holy Fathers, that died in the ſame faith, poſe may be ſeen To this purin the knowledge of the words Sanctuaria & Brandea, Habeo ſepulchrum ſuper quod jaceam, & commenda biliorem Deo futurum eſt me credam quod ſuper ſancte corporis oſſa requi eſcam Ambroſ. de exceſſa fra… Saty. in cap. 2. Baron. Annalhow far this Superſtition afterward grew; which Scolars may inquire after. Our Saviour tells of this happy gatering, I ſay unto you, that many ſhall come from the Eaſt and Weſt, and ſhall ſit down with Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven. Our departure out of this life, whereſoever we live. Eaſt, Weſt, North, South, ſends all holy Souls to ſit at the ſame Table of Glory with all Patriarchs and Believers that have been ſince the beginning of the World. Here we ſit at Table hand over-head, Judas has his hand in the ſame diſh with Jeſus, Goats and Sheep go in the ſame Paſture; good and bad are mixed; but hereafter there ſhall be a ſeperation, there ſhall be a ſociety of the bleſſed, where no unclean thing ſhall enter. The Godly ſhall ſit at a Table by themſelves, none ſhall come there without a wedding Garment. Here is Mega Chaos, a great confuſion, Habak. 1.4.but there wil be a time when there ſhall be Mega Chaſma, a great Gulfe ſeperating diſtance, whereby ſinners an… Saints ſhall be kept from blending together.Luke 16.16. That ſame laſt diviſion which ſhall be made, i… fearful to think on, when Goat ſhall go among Goats, and Shee… with Sheep: yea, (that we ma… quake and tremble at it) of tho… many hundreds that hear me th… day, there ſhall be a diviſio… ſome ſhall go to the right han… other ſhall be gathered to the le… we are all gathered together her… there will be a ſeperation,Mat. 24.… 4…. yea two that ſit in one Seat, of t… that lie in one bed, the one ſh… he taken and the other left; the … gathered to glory, the other tu… bled into a lake of wrath, ne… to meet again. To confirm t… doctrine of gathering, we have the Parables of our Saviour of the Wheat and Tares, which here grow together, but at length ſhall be ſeperated,Mat. 13. when Wheat ſhall be gathered to the Barn,The Jews Liturgy print, at Venice. Of ancient this was the common Epitaph, Sit anima cius in faſciculo viventium. Hen. Kornmannus in lib. de mirac. mhrtuor. cap. 30. and Tares to burn. The modern Jews have a prayer for their dead, which has more of Babylon than Zion in it:1 Sam. 25.29. The Lord (ſay they) have mercy on the Soul of N. or ſuch a one, who is gone to his World, therefore I vow to give alms for him, that his Soul may be bound up in the bundle of life, with the Souls of Abraham, Iſaac, Jacob, Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, Leah, and the reſt of the Righteous men, and women, Amen. Though part of this prayer be fooliſhly ſuperſtitious, to pray for the dead, yet that which is for our purpoſe in hand, is the phraſe of the bundle of life, which the Scripture acknowledges. Which manner of ſpeaking inſtruct us, that God keeps all the Souls of his Saints bound up by themſelves, as it were, in one bleſſed bundle.
A bundle it is called, firſt, to ſignifie that they were once diſperſt one from another here on earth, but are there collected into one company and place.
2. To ſignifie the unity of the bleſſed, Theſe flie not aſunder in diſcord, there is perfect agreement and concord. A bundle, a tied up Fagott, a Wheat Sheaf, is an embleme of unanimity.
3. To ſignifie the firm perpetuity of their eſtate; God has bound them up faſt, and ſurely, and what can break Heaven's bundles?
4. It notes their felicity and happineſs, its a bundle of life and glorious immortality: Thus are they gathered all the faithfu… Members one to another, and al… to their Head Jeſus Chriſt. Deat… gathers Souls, but the great gathering day is, when Bodies and Souls ſhall all be gathered together unto Glory.
Why ſhould not the Saints be gathered together by themſelves, they never deſired the ſociety of the wicked? yea, it is an heavy part of their Croſs that there are Iſhmaels in the ſame family with them. Here living among the wicked, their bodies are joyned, but their affections, hea…ts and wills are diſtinct and ſeperate.
Reaſon 2 They have had many gatherings by themſelves.Luke 10.20.
1. They have their names (and they only) all written and gathered in one Book of Life, by Election.Mat. 24.11.
2. They all flie and are gathered like Eagles unto one Carcaſe, and food of life, Jeſus Chriſt, to ſeed on him in Word and Sacraments.1 Cor. 19.
Uſe. 3. How far ſo ever they be ſeparates they are all, gathered into one common communion of Grace; and why ſhould they not be gathered at laſt into one communion of bleſſedneſs, and Glory.
Are the Saints Souls gathered in death, till then muſt there be a mixture? This will meet with them who accurſe the Moon for ſome ſpots they find in her, ſuch as will either throw away the Church, or themſelves out of the Church, becauſe the Fringes of her Coat are ſomewhere rent off, & all is not aright in her. True it is (and O that the Lord would purge his Temple, and ſet up Paſtors after his own Heart) that there is ſomething in the Church as black as Tents of Kedar,Cant. 1. for which good hearts will mourn; but withall in many other things ſhe is comely as the Curtains of Solomon, for which we owe the Lord much praiſe. It is one thing to live, where means of pure worſhip are wanting,Greenh. in his common place of religion chap. 13. Title the Church. another to be where falſe worſhip is erected for the firſt we are not to flie the Church, but by purges and patience to ſtay the Lords mercy for the other, we muſt depart, becauſe of that abomination. Who is ſo mad as to ſet a fire on his houſe, becauſe he finds ſome Spiders webbs in it? Here will be always in the Church good and bad Shepherds, ſound and unſound Members; It is the time ſhe muſt be militant, when ſhe is Triumphant, there ſhall be none in her but thoſe that are ſound, and righteous.
Abuſes have bin and will be in the pureſt Church; ſhe muſt ſuffer Cramps and Convulſions, in Schiſmes and Sects, that good members may be approved. The fanning time is not yet come, when God will blow away all the Chaffe; theſe ſpots and wrinkles will be in her face, till the laſt day, when Chriſt will preſent her to his Father without ſpot or blemiſh. In the mean time pray we that ſhe may be purged, and ſeek we for as pure a congregation as may be, though we could thruſt our ſelves into Noahs Ark, (Gods Church in a little compaſs) we ſhould find among thoſe eight Righteous Souls, one Cabbin full of Beaſts and dung, ſomething in our judgment off…n…ive, either croſſing orders decency, or doctrines verity: And for our parts let us be ſo wiſe, as to let God uſe his own Fann, and not to ſeparate our ſelves, becauſe the time is not yet come, hearkning to theſe directions,
1. Joyn we our ſelves to the ſoundeſt and beſt parts of Chriſts Body.
2. Remember we to build up our ſelves in Chriſts ſufficiency, to be a careful Superintendent and Governour of his Church, to amend what is amiſs; cenſure no farther then the Lord cenſures. 3. Though he ſay to the Church of Epheſius he has ſomething againſt her,P…ev. ….2.4. yet he doth not un… church her, he ſtill loves her as a true Church, which had many good things in her. 4. Laſtly wait, and waiting meditate or that time, when there ſhall b… gathered a glorious Church together, and all her chalk ſtones that are now in her, ſhall b… ſtampt to powder, and ſhe buil… upon preceious ſtones, free from all fault, and the leaſt blemiſh, Chriſt immediately in his own perſon governing. That ſhall not be Domecratia, but Theocratia, as Joſephus calls the Government of the Jews commonwealth, and Church.
Uſe. 2 Are the Saints Souls gethered together in death, this in the mean while may be a Plaiſter for their ſore, among whoſe griefs this is not the leaſt, that they cannot live here but among wicked and ungodly men. The Child of God would have all like himſelf, and O how it vexes his righteous Soul from day to day to ſee ſuch Waves of impiety drown them among whom he lives!2 Pet. 2.7.8. It is a good tryal of our Hearts ſincere love to the Lord Jeſus, when we are often in the Prophets ditty, O that I had Wings like a Dove to flie away and be at reſt, from ſeeing or hearing the Lord diſhonoured: It grieves him that he lives or living, that he has eyes to ſee it. As that Biſhop of Chalcedon Maris in the Primitive Church, who being blind and meeting with tha… Arch enemy of Chriſt Julian th… Apoſtate,Socrat. hi…ſ. Eccl. lib. 3. cap. 10. who called him reproachfully a blind wretch, an… askt him whether his Galilaea… God would not cure him? h… preſently replied, I thank my Go… that I have no Eye-ſight to ſee ſuc… a ſworn Enemy of Chriſt, as thee. But how will this medicine b… applyed to do us good? even thus that we apply our ſelves to ſubmit to the Lords will, and pleaſure, in patiently undergoing this, that we muſt converſe amongſt wicked men; for if all the Saints ſhould live together, it would be Heaven upon earth. There is no ſuch holy ground our ſeat can ſtand on, but we ſhall find cauſe to ſing that tune, Woe is me that I am conſtrained to dwell with Meſech: to have my habitation among the Tents of Kedar. P…. 120.5. Sit à te juſtus r…motus neſcio quot milibus & manqiu…d: ſim…l habi…atis, ſiunū …ot … aba is Aug. in Pſal. 101.We muſt content our ſelves, for a while, the time doth not yet appear, when none but the righteous ſhall live together. Gods Children ſeem to be fa off us, and we grieve that there is ſuch a diſtance often times betwixt us, notwithſtanding how far ſoever they live from us, we have the benefit of their beſt ſociety, their communion and fellowſhip in pity and Prayers; though Bodies be ſevered, we have the beſt conjunction of their wills, and Hearts to ours. We muſt reſt in Gods pleaſure, who out of this mixture, fetches much benefit to his Church.
1. The godly are diſperſed into ſeveral Angles and Corners of the World (like the Levites all over the Land) to work the fear of God in the hearts of wicked men where they live.
2. We muſt remain among thoſe that are ſtangers to God, that our patience may have the perfect work, in bearing their reproaches daily which they have caſt upon us.
3. That our converſation in holineſs may aſhame and convince them,Heb. 11.7. as Noahs preparaing an Ark condemned the World.
Uſe 3 4. God hereby takes occaſion to make our Crown the more glorious, becauſe we keep the faith in the midſt of hinderances, and continue to hold faſt his name, and worſhip though we dwell where Satans Seat is.Rev. 2.13. It is a ſecret in Ga… denings Art,Satione rerum foetidarum prope flores odore evadent ſuaviorce. ut ſi allium prope roſam collovaveris Ioa. Camerar. Med c. in Centur. Symboſ. feu Emblem. to Sow and Set Roſes near the unpleaſant ſmelling Garlick, as a means to bring forth Roſes far ſweeter, and more fragrant then others not ſo planted. So is it in grace, they that honour the Lords name, being amongſt wicked men, where are leaſt incouragements; theſe Roſes are the Lords ſweeteſt flowers, their devotion is moſt acceptable to the Lord.
Thirdly, this may lend comfort to the Friends of ſome dying, and to the perſon dying. 1. To the Friends of men dying.
1. Commonly we ſend away thoſe that we love ſwiming in our Tears, and make the Coffin, as it were a Boat; This is the drink-offering of natural affection. And what is the burden of our grief, but this? why, they are gone away from us, whoſe love, and ſociety was ſweet and dear unto us. What then? if they loved us, why then do not we love them? would we have them out of Heaven, and the company of the bleſſed, to whom they are gathered? we our ſelves ſhall diſcontinue but a ſmall time, then ſhall we have their bleſſed ſociety again: Our Souls and theirs (by death) ſhall meet and be gathered together never more to be parted. As Saul and Jonathan, if we loved one another in our lives,2 Sam. 1.23. ſo in death we ſhall not be divided. Away then with that tearing of Hair, and immoderate ſorrows for a dead Child, ſweet Wife, or loving Husband departed this life; they are gathered to the Lord, and his flock of bleſſed ones, Do we envy their happineſs? would we have them break off their bleſſed company, for ours? and have their Souls reinſpired into theſe Clay-Tabernacles, and then to live again below in theſe ſmoaky Houſes of ſin, and vanity? No, let us ſet a period to our plaints, and ſay, Bleſſed be God, who hath delivered theſe our Friends from all mundane miſeries, and gathered them ſo near unto himſelf;2 Sam. 12, 23. We ſhall go to them, but they ſhall not come to us, as David ſaid of his dead Child.
2. To the perſon dying Death indeed ſeems terrible; but ſhall we fear it, as that which deſtroys all our joy? What is there elſe that we need fear, if we fear God? Doth thy Conſcience witneſs within thee, that all thy indeavours have bin to honour the Lord in thy life? never ſtart then for fear of death, all the harm he will do thee, is a gathering of thy Soul unto the Lord, and to the ſociety of the bleſſed. Socrate… could fly to this, to ſweeten his poyſoning Cup of death, to which he was condemned, ſaying, Count ye it not an high matter to have conference in another life with Orpheus, Muſaeus, Homer, Heſiod? XenophonO how ſhall I ſwimm in abundant pleaſures, when I ſhall meet with Palamedes and Ajax, and other faſly condemned? Truly (ſaith he) I would willingly often go out of this life, if it might be to find theſe men my Companions. Lo, Chriſtian, bluſh before the Heathen, who could warm himſelf with theſe poor Chipps, and this cold comfort: How far ſweeter will be the Heavenly inhabitants, when thou ſhalt ſee Adam, Abel, Abraham that glorious Friend of God, and Father of the faithful; Moſes and Elias, thoſe pickt out by Chriſt to conferr with at his Transfigurations: There ſhalt thou ſee David and Samuel, Paul, who hath filled the world with ſweetneſs by his honied leaves,Paulus, John the darling of Chriſt; yea, that Jewel of women, Mary the bleſſed Mother of Chriſt, and Chriſt himſelf the Lord of Glory, with all the faithful Saints that ever the world had; yea, all our dead Friends departed in the faith of Chriſt. Would he go often to ſee ſuch blind Heathens whoſe Heaven (it is to be ſuſpected) is Hell, and ſhall we be afraid once to be transported into ſuch a glorious Clew of Heavens Citizens? Go out therefore undaunted (O my Soul) fear not death, thou goeſt to God, thou art gathered to Chriſt, to Angels, to Saints glorified, to the ſociety of the Spirits of juſt men made perfect. Shall the Souls of righteous, &c. Uſe 4 Learn we farther from it theſe things. 1. It will teach us what becomes of the wicked in their deaths, they alſo are gathered together among themſelves, as the Godly among themſelves, to make a bundle of life, ſo are theſe Tares bound up in the bundle of death, to feed eternal fire. Hear, O droſſy Hearts, you ſons of Abaddon have a great mercy that you live mixt with Saints, whoſe examples might be made unto you at occaſion of bleſſedneſs, but from their lives you will not learn holineſs: you ſhall not be always together, hereafter, you ſhall be ſeperated, and go Goats with Goats. The righteous when they die go to Heaven,Gen. 30.25. and the bleſſed Canaan, that is their own place, as the earthly Canaan was called Jacob; and ſo wicked men when they die they go the Kingdom of perdition, that is their own place, as Judas when he periſhed. They have a place of their own,Act. 1.25. (where no righteous man ſhall come among them) they have wrought for it, and they ſhall have it, the place of darkneſs and horrour. Which made the Prophet cry out, O Lord, Pſ. 26.9.gather not my Soul with ſinners, nor my life with bloody men. O what mirth and joy is here upon earth,Drunkards made ſongs of me. Pſal. 69.12. when a knott of lewd and licentious livers, that hate Chriſt and laugh at his Word, do meet together, and he is the happieſt counted of this unhappy Crue, that can coyn ſome ſcurrilous and baſe jeſt upon a Chriſtian, that walks after Pauls rule circumſpectly, ſtrictly,Eph. 5.15. or (as they call it) preciſely: yet theſe blind wretches in their death ſhall wiſh to be the Dogs, that might but lick the Crumbs which fall from the Table of theſe Children of the moſt High, whom they have deſpiſed and reviled. O ſinner, learn betimes the way of the righteous, Without holineſs no man ſhall ſee the Lord. If thou dieſt unreconciled to God, thou ſhalt not have part with the righteous, thou ſhalt be gathered among thy miſerable Companions; as the faithful are gathered into Abrahams boſome, ſo ſhalt thou be gathered into Judaſes boſome (the Patriarch of them that periſh) with Cain, Perditorum Patriarcha.Saul, Demas, Herod, Julian, &c. And all that wicked crue which hated Chriſt.
2. Seeing the Righteous ſhall be gathered together hereafter, let it exhort us to love their companions in Heaven; ſeek out the Godly man, affect his ſociety, talk with him, walk with him, for he walks with God. As he that rubbs his hands on Musk, or Civit, ſhall ſavour of it; ſo by thy ſociety with the righteous,Cant. 5.5. thou ſhalt get a ſavour of good things: his conference will quicken up thy Graces, his zeal provoke thee, his hands drop myrrhe upon thee.
3. Hate all wicked aſſociates, partners in ſins ſhall be partners in ſins ſcourge. As thou deſireſt not to be gathered with the wicked men and their black Angels hereafter, ſo hate thou to be gathered into their counſel and company here.
When the Righteous go from among us, ſome Judgment is to be feared is coming towards us. It is to be ſuſpected that ſome great evil is ready to fall on that people, out of whom God ſelects them. When mercy gathers the godly, ſome judgement is like to come and ſcatter the ungodly. God in this may be compared to a careful Husband, whoſe Houſe beginning to burn, here he ſnatches his Plate, there he gathers up his Jewels, conveys away his Trunks of Linnen, and Goods o… moſt worth: as for baggage… wood-veſſels, and other cheap an… baſer Furniture, he lets that bur… becauſe he has ſaved that he love… the beſt. Thus doth God, whe… a ſinful nation is kindling hi… wrath againſt it in ſome judgmen… the Lord before it begin, or in th… beginning, takes, and ſnatche… away here an holy man, and ther… an holy woman; he gathers u… theſe his Jewels and choice… Plate, to lay them out of th… reach of the fire, that only th… wicked may periſh in thoſe flame… their own ſins have kindled. Se… it in Lot, ſo long as he is in Sodo… their Table is not ſpread for God… hot banket of fire and Brimſtone… but aſſoon as the Lord has go… him out,Gen. 19.22. Non poſſe ſe dixit, quod ſine dubio porerat per potentiam, non poterat per juſtitiam. Aug. cont. Gaud. l. r. cap. 30. fierce wrath overwhelm… them, it ſtays not long after hi… departure. The Lord ſaid before, I can do nothing till thou come hithe… that is out of Sodom into Zoa… Why could the Lord do nothing while Lot was there? Becauſe,
1. Either Lot with his prayers bound the Lords hands, as it were, that he ſhould not ſmite.
2. Or becauſe the Lord will not deſtroy the righteous with the wicked. Juſtice indeed crys againſt ſinners, Tumble them down into the Sea of thy wrath. Mercy then ſtands up and ſaith, nay,Aut Serva, aut fepata, but rather ſave them for the righteous ſakes, or at leaſt free them from the vengeance, let not the Wheat be burnt with Chaff, The like is manifeſt i… Joſiah, he is like Wheat among Tares. The Lord purpoſes to burn the ſinful Tares with a judgment, but he firſt plucks up the Wheat from that evil to come. I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou ſhalt be gather-into thy Grave in peace, 2 Kings 22.20.and thine eyes ſhall not ſee all the evil, which I will bring upon this place. Joſiah goes, and Judgment comes.
When the Leaves fall faſt off the Trees, then we ſay Winter is at hand: ſo when we ſee not Leaves only, but the fruitfulleſt branches, even righteous men, cut off from the Tree of this life we may judge there is ſome Wi… ter-weather of Judgements abo… to fall on the World.
Reaſon We may take Solomons reaſo… Righteouſneſs exalts a nation, Prov. 14.34.b… ſin is a reproach to any people: If th… Righteous and righteouſneſs co… tinue in it, it is likely to flouriſ… but if nothing but ſin and ſinne… be left, wrath is not far off, … cannot proſper. Weeds are fence about in a Garden for the Her… ſake, and wicked men may than God for the holy men that li… among them, for they are bett… unto them than the Roman Tutel… Gods, wrath is held off for the ſakes; they build Walls abou… the place where they dwell wi… their Prayers, and Righteouneſs.
Q. It may be demanded, C… there no wrath ſeize on a natio… or place, or people, while t… righteous are alive, and rema… among them?
A. Yes, But not upon t… righteous in that nation, it is n… wrath to them; and if it do fall upon the people, or place:
Firſt, it is a long time deferred, and kept off, it comes not till after Gods long patience, even for their ſakes.
2. When it comes, it comes not ſo ſore; the cup of Gods fury is caſt in a leſſer mould, and he puts in fewer dreggs, gathers leſs Gall and Wormwood to imbitter it for their ſakes.
3. It continued the ſhorter for their ſakes; God ſounds a re… at the ſooner to the Hoſts of his wrath, for their prayers,Eſay. 62.9, 7. that are continually ſounding in his Ears: They will not let him alone, untill he let the land alone, and pull back his wrath.
Neither doth the death of the Righteous foretel Judgments, but beſides that, look at their uſage in the world, and it will prove the beſt Almanack to prognoſticate it fair, or foul weather, that is likely to come on the Church, or Common-wealth.
Look we into the Skie of the Righteous, it is an infallible Aſtronomy; if their Skie be fair, if the righteous, and holy be advanced and honoured, with high places, either in Church or Weal-publick, it is a ſign of fair Weather; God means a bleſſing to that land, for they will maintain truth and equity, that they ſhall like ſtreams run in the ſtreets; when God means to bleſs a people he ſets up ſuch; even Aegypt ſhall not want a bleſſing whileſt Joſeph is the Governour.See Iere. 22.3, 4. 2 Chron. 9.1.
On the contrary, if the Skie be lowring, if good men be the diſpiſed Branches of the Land, if they that fear God be not ſet up, and honoured, but wicked Heads and Governours (not fearing God) get all the power into their hands, foul-weather cannot be far off, the Lord has a purpoſe to puniſh that people. When a… King aroſe that knew not Joſeph, and he was not in favour in the Egyptian Court, as before, then the Egyptian Sun declined towards ſetting, and (not long ofter) wrath fell on them and rooted them out, in ſore plagues, and drowning in the Red Sea. King Solomon has long ſince obſerved it, who had the beſt inſight into matters of kingdoms,Pro. 22.2. When the Righteous are in Authority, the people rejoyce; God ſmiles upon that Land; But when the wicked bear rule the people mourn; ſome Judgment lies at the door.
The Application of this, and the laſt concluſion, ſhall be joyned together.
Doct. 5 The ſecure wicked world is little or nothing moved with the removal of the Godly. None conſiders, none lay it to heart, and ſays to himſelf, Sure theſe are taken away from ſome evil to come. Our conſideration is never ſo much to ſeek as in matters 'twixt God and us: In a private loſs of a dear friend, we can mourn, and take on, and lay it to heart, but in a publick dammage, where Gods Church is caſt into danger, there we fear not at all, take no care for it. When we ſee one great ſtone after another fall out of the Wall, we conſider it, and ſay, This Wall will not ſtand long: The righteous, the beſt and ſtrongeſt ſtones of ou… wall,Eſay. 26.11. are dayly falling, and dropping into the Grave and yet no man regards it; ſenſual ſecurity ſtill makes the land drunk. It is the Lords complaint, that we have no eyes, his Judgments are far out of our ſight, Lord, when thy hand is lifted up, Jer. 5.4.they will not ſee: Surely theſe are poor and fooliſh peole, for they know not the way of the Lord, nor the judgement of their God. It is the plague of the world that they ſhall have Eyes and ſee not, and hearts which conſider not the things of God. Has the World neither Eyes, nor Heart? yes but none for God. Theſe things are hid from their eyes, and far from their Hearts. Their Eyes and their Hearts are but for their coveteouſneſs, and for to purvey for theſe earthly things.
Jer. …2.17.The Reaſons among many, may be judged theſe.
Reaſ. 1 There is an evil diſeaſe of deep-ſleep and ſecurity lies upon the World,Am. 6.3. Eſay. 28.15. whereby they mind nothing of this nature, and are prone to put far from them the evil day, making covenants with death.
2.Act. 17.21. There is the Athenians diſeaſe of curioſity, which makes us inquire after novelties, and the Lords dealings are altogether neglected, not thought upon.
The Lord in Judgment ſuffers it,1 The. 5.4. that evils may overtake the wicked, before ever they thought on them.
The righteo…s are not regarded in their lives,Job. 12.4. and therefore are diſpiſed, and little conſideration had of them in their deaths.
So far are the ungodly from thinking they are taken away from evil to come, that they lay it another way to Heart, even as matter of joy, that the Land, or place is well rid of them.
Are the Righteous taken away from evil which is to come upon others, then much more from evil to come upon themſelves.
1. Then away with Purgatory the righheous are taken from tha… evil to come. An evil it is, where there is the puniſhment of loſs and want of Gods preſence, yea which differs nothing in puniſhment of ſenſe from Hell, but for the continuance. If the Lord take away the Righteous from evils on earth, much more from that evil of a temporary Hell. When they die, they go to reſt and peace, but ſmall is the reſt that thoſe torments will afford them.
2 Kings 22.20.2, Again it will cut off prayers to Saints departed, they are taken away from evils, they know not our evils,Dr. Field in apprehend. to the fourth book of Church chap. 22. ſhews the very pontificians doubting this cleer Glaſs? they ſee not the miſeries we ſuffer upon earth. So the Lord ſaith of Joſiah, his eyes ſhall not ſee all the evil that he will bring upon that place; No, he ſhall not ſee it in that Glaſs of the Trinity. The Saints departed ſee not our particular miſeries; they can help us living upon earth with their Prayers, but when they are dead, Abraham is ignorant of us, and Iſrael doth not acknowledg us; Eſay 63.16. Scultetus in Eſaiam, 63.16 ibi plura contra ſpecul. Trinitatis imaginarium.Our praying to them to ſee and help us out of our evils, is like the vain breath of a bowler, who having thrown his Bowl out of his hand, calls after it, and intreats it to run this way or that way. If the Saints be taken away from ſeeing, or knowing our evils, then do we call upon them for help in vain.
Uſe. 2 Let this give warning to a nation and people (yea to our nation, and us people) to take notice of the Lord's of late takeing his Saints faſt from among us, holy Sons, zealous Hearts, Heavenly Spirits, faithful Preachers? Haſt thou not taken theſe from us, O Lord? what wilt thou do with us? art thou not ſeparating us for ſome judgment?
O Brethren, let us meet the Lord, and hold his weapons, for doubtleſs when he comes thus, he comes with a purpoſe to ſtrike.
Zac. 3 2.For are not theſe as brands pluckt out of the fire? Now the Lord may deal with us as our ſins deſerve, and God knows that is an heavy doom; for the Righteous that would have broke the ſtrong ſtreams of his indignation are carried away. If the Righteous abide among us, though they do but hold up their hands, Amalek ſhall not prevail;Exod. 17.11. but if we have no Moſes left to do it, then Amalek, the enemy may over-run Iſrael. Why did not the plague now of late deſtroy all where it came? why came it not among us? thanks be to God for the prayers of the Righteous, for their ſakes we are kept from the infection.
But what if the Lord thus deal often with us, to take from among us ſuch praying Soule as this, what ſhall we then do, God being provoked, and we have none to quiet him and appeaſe him, none to clap the hands and ſtamp with the feet, and cry,Ezek. 6.11. alas, for the abominations of the houſe of Iſrael? O let us be intreated (as wiſe Chriſtians) to obſerve theſe evil days, and not be ſo ſenſual and ſenſeleſs, as no think but meanly of the death of Gods dear ones. In them we loſe our horſemen and our Chariots,2 Kings 13.14. the ſtrength and munition of Iſrael conſiſts in them. We had better loſe many Pieces of Ordinance, then to have one of theſe taken from among us, for it is to be feared God has a controverſie with that place where he picks out theſe perſons in their flouriſhing age, and the prime of their years. Hard before the deſtruction and overthrow of Jeruſalem there was a voice heard in the Temple, Migremus, Migremus hinc, Let us away, Joſephus Sepe etiam ſtellas vento impend…; vi… Precipites celo labi, Virgil. Georg. lib. 1.let us away from hence: We have heard this voyce, many of Gods Saints both have cryed, let us go away, and they are gone away from among us, yet we fear not, yet we tremble not, and never dream of any evil to come.
And though we ſee the Stars falling, have not the wiſdome to Collect, that it is a ſign of ſome great Winds to blow upon us.
The prophet David might teach us to make better uſe of theſe things, who ſeeing the number of the godly dayly diminiſh'd, he creis out, Help Lord. He crys as if the axietree of Heaven and Earth had bin ſplit aſunder, as if the poles had knapt in pieces, and the World had received an inrecoverable loſs; and what is it that makes this good man thus cry out, nothing but this, that the godly grew ſcarce, and the righteous fell into a ſmall number, whereby ſome great judgment was likely to follow and deſtroy the corrupt World.
Beſides Nations, it may be a warning to our Towns and families, if the godly in our Towns, or houſes be taken from among us, it will not …e …n … …r us to …o…k e…r…eſtly to … y… leſt …he Lord make this as … …ologue to ſome Judgement coming upon us. Theſe are like good Angels, while we have them to guard and procure bleſſings to our dwellings and inhabitations.
Q. It may be asked, yea, but how ſhall we lay their deaths to hrart?
Anſwer, This way and by this means.
Firſt, Prayer, beſeeching God and praying for theſe two things.
1. That his taking of them away be in mercy, and not in Judgment: It is in mercy always to them, but pray we that he do it in mercy to us alſo.
2. That he would raiſe up holy and righteous ones in their room, that there may never want ſome holy ones to ſtand in the Gap.
Secondly, Repentance: ſo laying it to heart, as that we ſeek out and repent of thoſe ſins of ours for which the Lord might take them away, and bring his wrath on us.
Thirdly, Imitation: ſo thinking of the righteous gone from us, that we labour to tread in thoſe holy footſteps, and imitate thoſe Graces which were eminent in them, and left for our pattern. Thus though they be taken away for evil to come, yet by this, our laying it thus to Heart, the Lord will avert the evil from us.
Ʋſe 3 This will teach us how to lay the death of the wicked and unrighteous to Heart, that is to be conſidered of us alſo. As the Righteous are taken away from evil to come, ſo ſhould we conſider that the wicked are taken away for evil to come. They dying in impenitency and unbelief, cannot ſcape the deſerts of vengeful wrath, that is their evil to come.
When prophane and Godleſs wretches die, the wicked ſhould lay it to heart that live, leſt they die ſo, and (as the Rich man ſaid) come into the ſame place of torment. Alas, when they die all their good days are done; now they are taken away from evil, and vengeance to come, The Godly ſhould lay it to heart alſo, and it ſhould cauſe them to depart from iniquity.Pſal. 73. This was the Prophets practiſe, and ought to be ours, to conſider the end of them, how God ſets them in ſlippery places, and at length they rumble and fall into the pit, and ſin and death puſh them down into perdition.
Yea, but are we not to mourn for them as ſuch, by the loſs of whom the Church and Commonwealth have received ſome ſore ſtroke?
No ſuch matter, nay rather it behoves us to joy when theſe horns (that puſht at Juruſalem, and hurt Gods Children) are thus broken in pieces: It is for ſome good to come unto the Church that they are removed out of the way: yea, when God picks out prophane and wicked men (eſpecially great Branches) then may we have hope he is procuring ſame great bleſſings for his people. Take away the droſs from the ſilver and there ſhall come forth a Veſſel for the Finer; Take away the wicked from before the King, and his Throne ſhall be eſtabliſhed in righteouſneſs. Prov. 25.4.5.When the Godly are taken from among us, we loſe a precious liquor of ſoverain vertue for good to the Church: if wicked ones be taken from among us, let their ſinful aſſociates mourn for the loſs of one of their helliſh Confederates and Companions. But count we no better of them then the Holy Ghoſt doth,Pſ. 108.9. their death is but the emptying of a filthy waſhpot, (Moab is my waſh pot) Corn will grow the better when Weeds are taken from it, which hinder the growth.
Our account muſt go like Gods account. The wicked are vile and baſe in their lives in his eſteem, but more vile in their deaths.
Precious is the life and death of the Saints in his ſight, ſo let it be in ours, for … and laying to heart their departure from among us; lamenting in Jeremiahs tone, The Crown is fallen from our Heads, woe unto us that we have ſinned: they are taken away for our evils of ſin,Lam. 5.10. and for ſome evils of puniſhment to come upon us.
FINIS.