Death Disarmed, Sermons · Sermon 1
SERMON I.
1 COR. 15. 55.
O death, where is thy ſting? O grave, where is thy victory?
THE Apoſtle calleth it, the good fight of faith, 1 Tim. 6. 12. every way good, and beſt, becauſe at laſt it alwayes ends well, in victory, foreign,1 John 5. 4 it overcomes; nay, foreign, proves more then conquerour as many otherRom. 8. 37. wayes, ſo this for one, that as this fight ends in victory, ſo this victory in triumph. For here (otherwiſe then with the Romans of old) the Conquerour alwayes triumpheth; and ſo we have this our Conquerour ever and anon brought in triumphing, over ſin and miſery, and death it ſelf.
Over ſin; Miſerable man that I am! who ſhall deliver me from this body of death? I thank God, through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord, Rom. 7. 24, 25.
Over all accuſers, and all outward evils▪ and enemies; Who ſhall impeach? who ſhall condemn? who ſhall ſeparate? Shall tribulation, or diſtreſſe, or perſecution, &c? nay, I am perſwaded, that none of all theſe, that nothing at all ſhall be able to ſeparate us from the love of God, which is in Chriſt Jeſus our Lord, Rom. 8. 33, 34. &c.
And laſtly, over the laſt enemy of all, which is death and the grave; as here in the Text, and following Verſes: O death, where is thy ſting? O grave, where is thy victory? the ſting of death is ſin, and the ſtrength of ſin is the Law; but thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
In all, obſerve, that it is ſtill through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord, and through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt: Happy man that could ſay it! and more bleſſed grace of faith that could prompt and enable him to it! but above all, moſt bleſſed be the Captain of our Salvation, who gave that faith ſuch ſtrength, and thereby this man of God ſuch a conqueſt, that when world and ſin, death and hell had done their worſt, they had done him none, but themſelves all the miſchief, by bruiſing his heel had broken their own head: ſo that now as vanquiſhed, and lying proſtrate at his feet; as Joſhuab over the Ganaanitiſh Joſh. 10▪ 24.Kings, or as a little David over a great Goliath, he treads on1 Sam. 17. 51. their necks, trampleth on the Lion and Dragon, without fear of hurt, their teeth being broken, and their ſting taken out, and in this joyful foreign, at once
Both inſulteth over them; O death, where is thy ſting? O grave, where is thy victory?
And withal exulteth and triumpheth in God through Chriſt. Now thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
The enemies here triumphed over, are death and the grave, foreign and foreign, the latter whereof anſwereth to the Hebrew foreign; which if Del-Rio will needs have to be alwayes inAdagial: Sacr: in 2 Sam. 22. Digreſſ: 2. Scripture meant of Hell, I muſt needs ſay, that I think Job was not of his minde, for then he would not have ſo deſired to be hid in it, as he doth, Job 14. 13. And therefore the Jeſuiteforeign when he undertakes to prove that it is ſo underſtood in all the places of Scripture where it is uſed, though he endevour to cleare no fewer then 87 places, did very wiſely overlook and leave out this, which (it may be) he could not ſo well ſatiſfie: I grant that you may here finde Hell ſet down in the Margin of your Bibles, but its not to be found in the Text, for that Hell never loſeth its victory, nor will the prayer, no not of a Gregory, though never ſo great, (whatever they fable) reſcue any that is once become its priſoner. Ours oft tranſlate it the grave, and ſo both here and in many other places it muſt be meant: Generally it ſignifieth the ſtate of the dead after their diſſolution: and ſo the latter word may onelyonly hold out a continuation of what was in the former: both very near of kinne, and as ſuch youCant. 8. 6. Rev. 1. 18. Rev. 6. 8. Rev. 20. 13, 14. have them often in Scripture linked together. In effect, they are the ſame, and ſo the Vulgar Interpreter here in ſtead of theſe two words Death and Grave, hath the ſame word Death in both clauſes of the Verſe: and beſides, tranſporteth the other words, as Beza, and others alſo do,Junius in Parallelis. who read them thus, O death, where is thy victory? O grave, where is thy ſting? Contrary to the Greek, Syriack, and Arabick Copies, yet in Beza's judgement better ſuiting with the following Verſe, in which I crave leave to diſſent; for I finde the word ſting joined to the word death there alſo: He might rather have ſaid, that ſo it would be more agreeable to the Hebrew in Hoſ. 13. 14. from which place this Text is taken, with ſome variation of words, (which I now paſſe by) but fully agreeing in the ſame ſenſe. Which is, to repreſent death and the grave to us in a double, but much different view and poſture.
1. As an enemy in himſelf armed, and ſo formidable to all, and ſo death hath its ſting, and the grave hath, or will have the victory.
2. As the ſame enemy by Chriſt the Captain of our Salvation diſarmed, and ſo to the believer made contemptible, and ſo (as to ſuch) by Jeſus Chriſt, death hath loſt his ſting, and the grave ſhall at laſt be ſwallowed up in victory.
For that is the true meaning of this queſtion, O death, where is thy ſting? &c. In which the Apoſtle doth not ask, where that was, which they never had, but what they once were poſſeſſed, but now by Chriſt, as to his ſervants, are deſpoiled of. I begin with the firſt.
Death (in it ſelf, and as to thoſe Doct. 1 1 Sam. 26. 16.foreign, thoſe ſons of death who are not reſcued from the power of it) hath its sting, and the grave hath, or will have the victory: to which agreeth that proverbial expreſſion, Cant. 8. 6. Strong as death, which overcometh all, and cruel as the grave, which ſpareth none. But more particularly,
1. Death hath its ſting: A Metaphor taken from ſome poiſonous Serpent, or Scorpion, which with its ſting poiſon's, wound's, kill's, and this ſometimes ſuddenly, unavoidably, irrecoverably.
And this death doth
1. To the bodily life, as it is the deſtruction of it; and ſo life and death are oppoſed, Deut. 30. 15. and if Hezekiah muſt die, he cannot live, Iſa. 38. 1.
And were this all; yet thus, as it is the diſſolution and deſtruction of nature, and the violent parting of ſoul and body, thoſe two long acquaintedforeign, Plat. Gorgias. Ethic. l. 3. and near united friends,
Even pure nature (and that in our Saviour himſelf, Matth. 26. 36, 37, 38, 39.) innocently recoileth from it.
But to meer natural men, even in the Philoſophers account, is foreign, and although ſome of them, whileſt death was at a diſtance in a Philoſophick bravery, could call them fools that were afraidforeign. Sophocl. Aeſchylus Epictetus. of it, and call it foreign, Hermach: with their foreign, as though not death it ſelf, but only our opinion of it were terrible: yet uſually (as divers of them confeſſe) when after all thoſe vaunts and braves, death indeed came neer them, it had a more grim viſage that affrighted them: and although ſome of them even then either out of brutiſh ſenſleſneſſe, or ſome paſſion of pride, could in a deſperate frolick ruſh upon it as the horſe doth into the Jer. 8. 6.battle; yet in cooler blood, it was wont to put them into a ſhaking fit, with the great Emperors pallidula, rigida, nudula; and if Epictetus will except Socrates, yet the common rule which obtained with the moſt ſober of them, was, foreign;Euripid: the Scripture of truth (I am ſure) ſaith of all ſuch, that through fear of death, they are all their life time ſubject to bondage, Heb. 2. 15. And if life (as you uſe to ſay) be ſweet, it can be no leſſe then the bitterneſse of death, 1 Sam. 15. 32. How bitter is the bare Ecclus. 41. 1.remembrance of it to him that is at eaſe? but the approach of it was foreign, bitter bitterneſs, (as the caſe was then with him) even to an Hezekiah, Iſa. 38. 17. and if the meſſage of it made him weep, v. 3. then1 Sam. 28. 20. wonder not if Saul at it ſwooned quite away.
It is a bitter ſting, that with theSo Socrates foreign. Apud Juſtin. Mart. ad Graeces adhortat. 1. prick of it letteth out the life-blood of the dying man, if when it taketh away from him this life, he hath no aſſurance of a better, but dieth with Ariſtotles word in his mouth, dubius morior, quo vadam neſcio, be he never ſo wiſe a Philoſopher, or Adrians, quos nunc abibis in locos? ſhould he be (with him) never ſo great an Emperor.
It is not death, as death, that even the godly deſire or rejoice in; for in that ſenſe Paul would not be2 Cor. 5. 4. Joh. 21. 18. unclothed; and Peter is ſaid in that reſpect to be carried whither he would not. It is ſome greater good which God vouchſafeth to ſuch at death, and after it, which whileſt others then want, and have no aſſurance of, it muſt needs be a dolorous and deadly ſting, that thus, firſt letteth out their deareſt life.
2. And therewith, (which is a ſecond ſtinging wound) all the comforts of life.
Which ſhould they abide, yet the man is gone, whoſe very ſoul was wrapt up in them, but now hath no benefit by them; and then the ſtatelieſt room, though never ſo richly hung and furniſhed, is but a ſad ſight, where's nothing elſe to be ſeen but the dead maſter in his coffin in the midſt of it.
All deareſt Relations are at once then ſnapt aſunder.
The pleaſanteſt childe (now half fatherleſſe) turn's away his face, as not being able to endure to ſee a dear Father die.
The deareſt wife, which was before the deſire of thine eyes, thou nowEzek. 24. 16. 21. Gen. 23. 4. deſireſt (with Abraham) to have buried out of thy ſight.
Thy moſt loving friends may then ſtand by and weep over thee, but cannot help thee; and at laſt with a longum vale, bid thee good night, and ſo part: and doth not this…uth 1. 17 ſting?
As for Honors and outward greatneſs,1 Sam. 4. 10. Phinehas his wife now dying, calleth them Ichabod: this ſting prick's that ſwoln bladder, and ſo his breath goe's forth, and then foreign, all his thoughts, all his goodly gliſtering thoughts, (as thatPſal. 146. 4 word ſeemeth to ſignifie) periſh. Which words hold not forth a foreign, as Pope John the 22. would gather out of them, as though after death his ſoul ſhould ſleep, and think of nothing; but to expreſſe that all his former great high thoughts in his life time, then at death come to nothing.
For pleaſures, and former facetious and jovial merriments; old Barzillaies 2 Sam. 19. 35.eyes grow dim in that evening, when he was but now entred within the ſhadow of death, but are quite cloſed up in this midnight; in oldEccleſ. 12. 5. age deſire faileth, but in death it is wholly extinct. Death (if nothing do it before) will break many a knot of good fellows: & then adieu ſworn fellow-drunkard, & well if you and I can now come to a good reckoning; and adieu alſo you ſweet Miſtreſs, and all that dalliance you wot of, till you and I ſtand before our Judg, and all that be brought to light which was done by us in ſecret. And adieu to you too my more innocent merry companion, nec ut ſoles dabis jocos; the whole club of wits are now all amort, and not one Jeſt more; for now that God and Death are in good earneſt, it is paſt Jeſting, paſt Drinking, Whoring, yea, rejoicing in wife, or children, or friends:
Or Riches, which ſhould they (as with ſome Nations they are) be buried with thee, yet in that day of Prov. 11. 4wrath they will not be able to profit thee; for if in thy life time they do not (as often they doe) make themſelves Prov. 23. 5wings and flee away from thee, yet in death thou wilt be taken from them; thy cloſe fiſt will be then open, and all that duſt which before thou gripedſt in thy hand, will thenSee Shickard in his Jus Regiū cap. 6. Luke 12. 20. run through thy fingers; and then thou fool, whoſe ſhall all theſe things be? Bleſſed Hezekiah! who in this caſe could ſay of Gods Word and Promiſes, and Providences, In theſe things is the life of my ſpirit; butIſa. 38. 16. the very ſpirit of the worldlings life, is wrapt up in this bundle of outward contentments: ſo that if that threed be once cut, and ſo all theſe be ſcattered and loſt, then as Micah ſaid, What have I more? the man isJudg. 18. …4. utterly undone, and to whom in time of his life, it was death to part with a penny, it will be an hell at death to part with all; as it was once ſaid by one to a great Lord, upon his ſhewing him his ſtately houſe and pleaſant Gardens, Sir, You had need make ſure of Heaven, or elſe when you die, you will be a very great loſer.
Nor is this all; for were it onelyonly the loſſe of life, and outward comforts of it, that ſting death faſtneth even in the heirs of life.
3. Thirdly, therefore there is a deeper ſting in it, which the godly are freed from: of which we read in the following Verſe, in theſe words, The ſting of death is ſin, and the ſtrength of ſin is the law, ie. ſinRom. 5. 12. Puncturâ peccati morimur. P. Martyr. armeth death with its ſting, which otherwiſe could never have had power to hurt or touch us, whatever the Socinian ſaith to the contrary; and the law now broken doth ex accidente irritate, and per ſe declare, and manifeſt, and aggravate ſin, and ſo giveth it its ſtrength, and death its warrant thus to arreſt and execute us: and hinc illae lachrymae, hence is the deepeſt ſting of death, and deadlieſt groan of the dying ſinner; for that with death, the weight both of ſin and the law fall on him together, which preſſeth him yet lower, and woundeth him deeper even to the ſoul and conſcience, whileſt he is hereby made ſenſible, that his death is the wages of his ſin, ſo that he dieth not as aRom. 6. 23 Martyr, or barely as a Man, but as a Malefactor, under the guilt of ſin, and ſenſe of Gods wrath; and if there was a painful ſting of death in the two former particulars, then in this third is the very poiſon of it. That, as the ſting of a Bee may be very painful, but This is the Hornet and Scorpion: This Scorpions ſting in the tail (as thoſe Rev. 9. 10.) in the end of our life is moſt deadly; as they uſe to ſay, Maximè mortiferi morſus beſtiarum morientium, the biting of a dying beaſt is moſt deadly, the ſting of death, if dipt in the venome of Gods wrath, is both intolerable and incurable. That facies Hypocratica, (which Phyſicians ſpeak of) of a ſpent dying man looks very ghaſtly; but no ſight in all the world more dreadful, than to ſee an awakened dying ſinner (as a Saul, Judas, Francis Spira, &c.) conflicting with death, and ſin, and the law, and Gods curſe, and wrath altogether. If in a dying houre, in ſtead of Gods reviving ſmile, the ſinner meeteth with his deadly frown, ſo that when death hath made his grave, his ſin like a maſſie graveſtoneIſa. 24. 20. lie heavy upon him, how miſerably is that poor wretch preſſed to death? and how deadly is that groan when you may hear him ſighing out his ſoul with this ſaddeſt mone; Oh! I am ſo ſick, that I cannot live, and yet (woful wretch that I am!)Dr. Harris. ſo ſinful that I dare not die? Oh that I might live! Oh that I might die! O that I might doe neither! At non ſic abibunt odia, Friend, you ſhall doe both: becauſe you are a ſinner, you muſt die; but becauſe you die in your ſin, you ſhall live in torment to eternity.
4. For that is the laſt and worſt ſting of death, which thruſts the ſword in to the hilts; that it is ſuch a ſting, quo mortales ex hac vitâ Del-Rio Adag: pag. 250.expellens ad mortem ſecundam exſtimulat, that this firſt death when come, (if better care be not before taken) will prick us on, and thruſt us into a ſecond; for ſo was the tenor of the firſt ſentence, In dying, thou ſhalt die. So that one deathGen. 2. 17. leadeth on to another; the firſt to the ſecond, that whatever it be which the unpardoned ſinner ſuffereth in the firſt death, it is but the beginning Matth. 24. 8. Deut. 32. 22.of ſorrowes; the fire now kindled will burn to the loweſt hell: for ſo we read of death mounted on his pale horſe, and hell following him, Rev. 6: 8. (and that was in the time of theSee C. à Lapide in Hoſ. 13. 14 Goſpel, and not onelyonly of the Law) that after death cometh judgement, Heb. 7. 29. and that when the body returneth to the duſt, the ſpirit ſhall return unto God who gave it, Eccleſ. 12. 7. if not to him as a Father, to be received into his boſome, then as to a Judge, to receive its everlaſting doom: and if (as the Apoſtle ſaith) the Devil hath the power of death, Heb. 2. 14. foreign Targum, habet imperium mortis. Grotius.you may eaſily gather that with ſome, death and hell are not farre aſunder; and although he helped the Heathen, to put out of their mindes the dreadfulneſſe of it, by the dream of their Elyſian fields, as he doth the Turks now by that of their Paradiſe: yet to an awakened ſinner, now at the point of death, to bee but in danger of it, as not knowing whither he ſhall go, leaveth him at a woful loſſe; but if (as they ſay of the Molle) he hath then firſt his eyes open, and ſo cometh to ſee himſelf now on the brow of the the hill, and from that precipice now certainly falling into the lake of fire and brimſtone, he giveth himſelf utterly loſt for ever. And thus in all theſe four reſpects, we ſee that death hath his ſting.
2. And Hades, or the grave, hath, 2. Prov. 30. 15. 16. foreign Gen. 5. 24. 2 Kings 2. 11. 1 Cor. 15. 51. Immutatio illa ſpecies mortis erit. Beza in Heb. 9. 27.or will have the victory; it being that open Sepulchre, which ſtill crieth, Give, Give, till it have ſwallowed up all; for it is appointed (foreign) for all men once to die, Heb. 9. 27. even Enochs and Elijahs aſſumption, and the change of thoſe, who ſhall be found alive at the laſt day, being a kinde of death, and an analogicall diſſolution: ſo that death having one age after another (as it were) mowed down the whole field of the world, and as a laſt enemy, having conquered all the great Conquerors of the earth, and with them vanquiſhed all elſe; and ſtill keeping the field, will have thereby obtained a complete victorie.
1. In thus bringing down all.
2. So as never to have riſen more, as ſome conceive, had it not been for Chriſt, who as he is the Reſurrection and the Life, John 11. 25. ſo by him onelyonly (either as Head or Judge) is the reſurrection from the dead, 1 Cor. 15. 21.
3. And yet further, ſo as that the moſt of them that riſe again, ſhall preſently ſink down again into eternal death: and ſo this ſting prove's that worm which never dieth, where the fire never goeth out, Mark 9. 48.Igne quaſi ſalietur; vide Brugenſem in locum. Myrothec in John 3. 36. but where, the ſacrifice is ſalted with fire, ver. 49. burn's but conſume's not; fire being of a burning, but ſalt of a preſerving nature. Perdit ſed non diſperdit, & cruciat ita ut nunquam perimat, as Camero ſomewhere expreſſeth it: So that to them the Greek foreign, will anſwer the Hebrew foreign, it will be both in victoriam, and in perpetuum, and ſo a ſignal and a final victory.
Now confider this, ye that forget Ʋſe. Pſa. 50. 22. 1 King. 14. 6.God; for as the Prophet ſaid to Jeroboams wife, I am ſent to you with heavy tidings this day; if there be ſuch a four-forked ſting in death, as we have ſeen in the former particulars; then to you, who are not as yet made partakers of the grace of 1 Pet. 3. 7.life, here is matter of 1. Fear. 2 Care.
Firſt, of Fear: and O that the Ʋſe 1 conſideration of this ſting might now prick your hearts kindly, that the ſting it ſelf may not at laſt mortally wound them: Seneca according to his ſurly Stoical Principle, would perſwade himſelf and others, that it is ill to deſire death, but worſe to fear it. But the Word of God teacheth us, that ſuch as they, have no cauſe to deſire it, but great cauſe heartily to fear it; and that by reaſon of their fear of it, they are all their life time ſubject to bondage. Heb. 1. 15.Whence it is, that
1. In their health and life they cannot endure (their thoughts being fears) ſeriouſly to think of it. Like them, who put far away the evil Amos 6. 3, 4, 5. 6.day; and for that purpoſe, chaunted to the ſound of the viol, and drunk wine in bowles, to ſing and drink away ſuch heart-qualms, as Lewis the 11. who charged all about him not to name the terrible name of death to him; and muſt not that then be a terrible ſight, which a ſtout man dare not look on?
2. In their ſickneſſe, when death now approacheth; if their eyes be but open, they are horribly affrighted at it. Paſhur is then a Magormiſſabib. Saul though a King, andJer. 10. 3. valiant, at the news of it, falleth all along foreign, quantus quantus erat, as P. Martyr rendreth1 Sam. 28. 20. it; and the taller he was, the heavier was his fall. Belſhazzar a mightyDan. 5. 1, 2 3, 4, 5, 6. Emperour, and now in the height of his jollity, upon the like occaſion is ſtruck all amort, his countenance is changed, his thoughts trouble him, the joints of his loins are looſed, and his things ſmite one againſt the other: But what is the matter, that caſts him into this ſhaking fit, and trembling aſtoniſhment? It was onelyonly the fingers of a mans hand, writing ſomethingver. 5. on the wall; and that, ſomething which he could not read, and ſo underſtood not; and why then ſhould he be ſo amazed at it? Alas! he feared that it was (as indeed it proved) a Letter written to him from him, whom Bildad calleth the King of Job 18. 14.terrors, & that was it wch ſo terrified him: for ſo we read the in Scripture,
Of the ſhadow of death, as a very gloomy thing, Job 10. 21, 22. ca. 16. 16. and 24. 17.
Of the meſſengers of death, Prov. 16. 14.
Of the ſnares, ſorrowes, and terrors of death, Pſal. 18. 4, 5. Pſal. 55. 4. as moſt terrible; and indeed having in them all that which Ariſtotle Rhet. l. 1. c. 6.mentioneth in the proper object of fear.
1. It is evil; and the evil of it in the former particulars, we have ſeen was very great.
2. And this near at hand; for althoughforeign. He inſtanceth in this very particular of Death, and ſaith, that becauſe we think it farre off, therefore we do not fear it: yet at all times (for any thing that we know) it may be near enough; and now to the dying man its very near, even at the doores.
3. And (which according to his rule, maketh all terrible things theforeign. more terrible) it is irrecoverable; if not then well done, can never be mended, and ſo the man is utterly undone for ever; and this can be no leſſe, then of all terribles the moſt terrible. For with what a trembling hand, and aking heart, doth the ſick man take that potion, which he certainly knowe's will either mend him, or end him? but with how much greater horrour and amazement, muſt that ſinner needs taſte of death's cup, who knoweth that it will doe neither? Neither mend him, no, nor yet end him, onelyonly end his former enjoyments, but begin his endleſſe torments. Could then the moſt careleſſe and obſtinate ſinner be perſwaded to ſit down, and but for one hour, and in good earneſt ſadly bethink himſelf thus: This day and hour I may die, and then not onelyonly all the delights of ſin and the world, which I have hitherto taken up with, at one clap are gone for ever: but I have then an incenſed Judge to appear before, an irreverſible ſentence and doom to be then paſſed upon me, and extremeſt torments to be endured by me, and thoſe never to end, when my life and all the comforts of it are ended, but after millions of millions of years, yet (as it were) to begin ſtill, and all this (for any thing that I can be ſure of to the contrary) may begin with me this day, this hour, this moment. Were this, in his more ſecret retirement (when the hot fit of a wantons luſt is a little cooled, and the drunkards wine evaporated, and the good fellows cloſet door ſhut, and he withdrawn from the noiſe of his ranting companions, and conſcience ſuffer'd in this ſelf-parly to ſpeak out freely:) were this, I ſay, but ſeriouſly thought on, and ſadly laid to heart, were it poſſible that he ſhould deſperately goe on in his ſin, and thus madly kick Acts 9. 5.againſt theſe pricks, againſt this ſting of death, ſo ſharp, and ſo deadly? Thou, who (it may be) with Hagar, Gen. 21. 16.canſt not endure to ſee another die, how wil thy heart die quite away within thee (as Nabals did) when1 Sam. 25. 37. thou ſeeſt thine own death approaching? If the ſtingings of Bees and Waſps be ſo painful, how deadly will the ſting of death be to thee? Miſerable would that mans death be, who ſhould bee buried alive in a Vault, full of Serpents and Scorpions. Friend, thou art the man, and unleſſe betimes thou look better to it, ſuch will thine be, thou wilt be ſtung to death. And whatever they ſtory of Exagon, who was caſt into aPlin. lib. 28. c. 3. great veſſel of Serpents, which (they ſay) circummulcentibus linguis, did gently lick him, and not ſting him: yet no Pſylli, or Marſi, or Ophiogenes, are armour of proof againſt the ſting of death, but it will ſting deadly.
How vain therefore and deſperate is the courſe of ſuch, who in ſtead of fearing death,
1. Out of grief, fear, diſcontent, or deſpondency and deſpair, beingJob 3. 1 Kings 19 4. Jer. 20. 14, 15, &c. Jonah 4. 8 1 Sam. 31. 4. 2 Sam. 17. 23. Matt. 27. 5 weary of life, either wiſh or procure their own death? We read of Job, Elijah, Jeremiah, Jonah, faulty in the former, and Saul, Ahitophel, Judas, and many in our times, have been ſad inſtances of the latter. But O wofull deluſion! as though death had not a more deadly ſting then any thing which in this life they can feel or fear. This is then but è fumo in flammam, as the mans flying from a Lion, and a more ſavage Bear meet's him, or going from it into the houſe, (that houſe, Job 30. 23.) and this more venemous Serpent there bites him, Amos 5. 19.
2. Or out of a brutiſh ſenſeleſſe ſtupidity and blockiſhneſſe, harden themſelves againſt it. I ſay, brutiſh, Exercit. 307. diſt. 33.becauſe as Scaliger well obſerveth, Death being a privation, and ſo only diſcernable by underſtanding. Brutes becauſe they doe not underſtand it, do not therefore rationally fear it; and ſo proportionably the more brutiſh men are, the leſſe thoughts and fears they have of death uſually. But notwithſtanding the Leviathans ſcales are otherwiſe impenetrable, yet he that made him, can make his ſword approach unto him. Job 40. 18, 19Deaths ſting can pierce ſuch armour, even to the quick through ſuch a callous brawnyneſſe. The great block, though it do not ſo ſoon take fire, yet when throughly kindled, burn's more fiercely.
3. Or for ſome outward profit and advantage, or popular applauſe daringly adventure upon it;
As Theeves and Robbers doe, toProv. 1. 13. 19. maintain a ſharking life; yea, and thoſe braver ſparks in former and latter warres, if it be (not for God and their Countrey, in a good cauſe, way, intention, but) that they may goe out in the blaze of a proud affectation of bravery and renown. But Solomon though (it may be) not ſo ſtout and hardy a Souldier, yet a far wiſer man, maySee Mercer and Baynus in locum. Prov. 21. 6 aſſure them, and that from the Spirit of God, that ſuch rufflings and bravery are but a vanity toſsed to and fro of them that ſeek death. It is an undoing gain to break their arm by catching at a feather, to loſe their precious lives and ſouls for ſuch unjuſt ſpoils, a vanity toſſed to and fro, like ſtraws and feathers, which neither in their bodies, ſoules, eſtate, name, poſterity, they are the better for, but in all every way the worſe, which will therefore appear to have been a very bad bargain at their laſt reckoning: as it will alſo be found by thoſe other, who account it their gallantry readily and chearfully to breathe their laſt, if thereby they may gain the vain breath of popular applauſe: too great a price for ſo mean a purchaſe; and too daring a brave, if they would conſider that deaths ſting is ſharper then their enemies ſword point. Such ſhould firſtSuetonius in Nerone. with Nero feel the point of the ponyard, before they ſtab themſelves with it, and get themſelves more fit for death, and this ſting of it taken out before they thus fool-hardily venture upon it, otherwiſe what was ſaid then to Nero, uſque adeone mori miſorum eſt? was but cool comfort to his fainting heart in that agony.So Tacitus of Vitellius, praeterita, inſtantia, futura par… oblivione dimiſerat, mirum apud ipſum de bello filentium & prohibit… per levitatem ſermones. Pſal. 90. 12
4. There is a fourth ſort of men not ſo daring as the former, but every way as ſecure, who yet are moſt heartily afraid of it, but therefore labour to put away all thoughts of it, their habitually being afraid, puts them upon all means by which they may prevent and baniſh all actuall fears; and ſo they feaſt without fear, Jud. 12. Tell over their caſh, that they may not be troubled with numbring their dayes. Lye down and ſleep on their heaps, and then dream of goods laid up for man… …ears, Lu. 12. 19. and of Lands and Houſes to endure to all generations, Pſal. 49. 11. But is it the way to overcome an enemy, to get as farre as we can from him, or never to think of him? or by ſhutting my eyes, to keep the Bees from ſtinging me? Although theſe men ſleep, yet their judgement ſlumbreth not. Death mean while2 Pet. 2. 3. maketh his approaches, and ſo is upon them before they are aware, and then their covenant with death is diſanull'd, Iſa. 28. 18.and their agreement with hell will not ſtand; then thou fool, this night, is a dreadful ſound in their eares, when in his proſperity, the destroyer Job 15. 21.cometh upon him; when it cometh in the dead of the night, when they ſlept ſo ſecurely, and neverExod. 12. 29, 30. dream't of it: as Egypts cry for their dead at midnight was very dreadful; and Laiſh is ſo much theJude 18. more affrighted at ſuch an enemies approach, by how much further off ſhe was from thoughts of him; but how much more comfortable and happy would it be to prevent thoſe after ſinking terrors of death, by preſent more ſafe and ſaving feares of it?
An anſwerable care to prepare Ʋſe 2 Heb. 11. 7.for it, as Noah moved with fear prepared an Ark; foreign, ſaith the Philoſopher, feare ſhould ſtand Sentinel, is the conſultive and watchful affection, as the fearful Hare ſleepeth (they ſay) with her eyes open. O that ours could ſo look about us, that (ſeeing thoſe of us that are young may die ſoon; and they that are old cannot live long; the ripe apple will drop down of it ſelf, and the green may be ſoon pluckt or ſhaken down) that when (it may be) on the ſudden we are gotten into the gloomy ſhadow of death, our feet may not ſtumble on Jer. 13. 16.thoſe dark mountains; but that when our death cometh, we may be found in ſuch an eſtate, frame of ſpirit, and way of life, that our hearts may not then die, when our bodies doe, but that upon better ground we may uſe Cheraeae's words. Nunc tempus proſecto eſt, cum perpeti me poſſim interfici. I thank God I dare die; ſo that although I ſee I muſt now die either a natural or a violent death, yet (I bleſſe him) I can ſay with Steph: Mylii Apoph. pag. 61.Brunus the Martyr, Mors ſanè mihi terribilis non eſt, death though it look grim on me, is not terrible to me, and with Ambroſe; I have not ſo lived, as that either I am aſhamed to live, or afraid to die.
It was a great word of Lucan's, which he ſaid of the Gauls and Britans: animaeque capaces mortis, and this becauſe they believed the immortality of the ſoul, happy ſhould we be, if upon a better account, it might be ſaid of us Britains, that becauſe Chriſt hath brought life and 2 Tim. 1. 10.immortality to light by the Goſpel, and hath by his death taken out the ſting of ours, that therefore we are indeed capaces mortis, we dare die, and inRom. 5. 7. foreign Pſa. 22. 26. death it ſelf, our hearts can live. Sweet bird that can ſing ſo ſweetly and pleaſantly, and that in winter!
Queſt. But how may this Nightingale thus ſing; with this thorn (this ſting of death) at her breaſt? what are we to do in the time of our life, that when death cometh, this ſting of it may not hurt us?
Anſw. Pliny in his Books up and down telleth us of many things, which either prevent or cure the ſtingings of Bees and Serpents, and you meet with them almoſt in every page of your ordinary Herbaliſts: but when you have read and known all them, you muſt ſeek and ſearch for remedies againſt the ſting of death in more ſacred Volumes. The Heathens (I confeſs) in their writings, have in their kinde many excellent meditations of death, and conſolations againſt it. Speak much and high of an foreign, and an foreign too: but after all that, death is like that deaf adder, that hear's not Pſal. 58. 4, 5.the voice of ſuch charmers, though they charm (at leaſt as they themſelves, and too many now amongſt us think) very wiſely: this leſſon is learnt to purpoſe onelyonly in the ſchool of Chriſt; whoſe blood alone take's out this ſting, and cure's the wounds made by it, whileſt miſerable Phyſicians and of no value are they all, ſithJob 13. 4. all their foreign, are but as ſo many foreign, which help to ſtupifie the part affected, and to make it ſenſleſſe (which Mountebanks eaſily can doe) rather then to work any perfect cure: And therefore Ficin…s preſcribes a better method of Phyſick, who after his Tracts, de Sanitate tuenda, and then de Sanitate reſtituenda, and de vita producenda, becauſe after all thoſe courſes gone through, death will not at laſt be put off, and if better courſe be not taken, when it cometh, will bring its ſting with it; he wiſely addeth another Tract de vita coeleſti comparanda, to ſhew how when at death we can live no longer here, we may then live with God in Heaven for ever: which is only by Chriſt, who alone can then make us happy, and our deaths comfortable: what therefore the Poets fable of Perſius his borrowing of armour from ſeveral of their Deities, to harneſs him againſt his conflict with Meduſa: may direct andSee Bacons Augm. lib. 2. cap. 13. p. 137. quicken our diligence and carefulleſt endevour to get that from the true God in Chriſt, which may compleatly arm and ſecure us againſt this our laſt enemies deadly ſting.
Many are the precepts of the *De Arte moriendi. Perkins, Bellarmin, I. Beuſt. M. Cyrus, Mi. Franciſcus.Art of dying well, as Mr. Perkins calls it, which he and other Chriſtian writers afford us, to whom I muſt for the preſent refer you, and all that I ſhall now ſay, is,
That in the general, ſomething, nay, much, nay, all is to be done in this time of our life, that we may not meet with this ſting in death: nor will it be done with a Baalams wiſh that he might die the death of the Numb. 23. 10.righteous: as Euchrites (who in this did not make good his name) would be Craeſus vivens, and Socrates mortuus; but he who would dieRom. 14. 8. comfortably, muſt live holily: we muſt live to the Lord, if ever we would 2 Cor. 5. 15.die in him.
But in particular, would we not have our death too ſtingy, and its ſting deadly: many are the directions which are held forth to us by the Scriptures, and from them by ſeveral Chriſtian writers, ſome of which I ſhall touch upon in the application of the ſecond Doctrine, which is, that
The ſting of death, and the victory Doct. 2 of the grave by Jeſus Chriſt is taken away as to true believers, who may with Paul triumph over both, as the Apoſtle both in his own and their name doth here in the Text, O death where is thy ſting? O grave where is thy victory? A moſt bleſſed and comfortable Goſpel-Truth, mainly intended in the Text, and was by me to have been now treated upon in my firſt choice of it, as beſt ſuiting with the preſent occaſion; but an ill-made pen makes double letters; mine was ſuch, and ſo inſtead of one, wrote two Sermons: the latter though more comfortable, and better agreeing with our preſent buſineſſe, yet may be now the better ſpared, becauſe all that I ſhould have ſaid in the proſecution of it, is ſo fully exemplified in the life and death of our lately deceaſed reverend and dear brother Dr. Thomas Hill, late Maſter of Trinity Colledge, and a moſt uſeful and happy prime member of this our Univerſity, whoſeMr. Withrington the Univerſity Orator at St. Maries, & Mr. Templar, one of the ſenior Fellows of Trinity Colledge in their Hall. Camero. Myrothreiu Luk. 11. 47, 48. foreign Talm. Hieroſol. ſad Funerals we now celebrate.
Concerning whom, if any Panegyrick be expected of his deſerved praiſes, that will by and by be better performed by them whoſe work it is. But as for him, I believe that he was not ambitious with Auguſtus, to go off the ſtage with a Plaudite; ſo for my part, I came not up hither to paint Sepulchers, when the building and adorning, even of thoſe of the Prophets, with our Saviour had no favourable conſtruction.
The Jewes have a ſaying, that non facienda ſunt monumenta juſtis, whoſe words and works are their beſt monuments, and which praiſe the righteous man, as well as the vertuous woman in the Gates, Prov. 31. 31. And truly, if when wee have done well, to hear ill, be a royalty; thenBe…è agere, & male audire regium eſt. much more after a life well led (whether we be rich or poor) to have no more ſaid of us then was of Lazarus, that the poor man died, and was carried by the Angels into Abrahams Lu. 16. 22.boſome. I ſhall ever judge to be a very large Funeral Encomium.
But yet when I read of all Judah and Hieruſalem, doing Hez…kiah 2 Chron. 32, 33. Act. 9. 39.honour at his death, and of the widows weeping, and ſhewing the coats which Dorcas made while ſhe was with them, I am not ſo ſtrait-laced 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 pattern for their imitation.
That this our Brother was ſuch an one, is ſo generally known to you all, and more fully to my ſelf by 34 years experience and acquaintance, that I am the more ſecure, that what I ſhall ſay of him, will be leſs ſuſpected of flattery or falſhood.
He was born at Knighton in Worceſterſhire, of godly Parents, (and David accounteth it his great honorPſal. 86. 16 and bleſſing to be the Son of Gods Hand-maid:) both yet alive, and they happy in ſo bleſſed a Son, and although juſtly ſad that he died ſo ſoon, yet ſo as that they may chearfully bleſſe God, that he lived ſo long, to do ſo much good in his generation.
As they dedicated him to God, ſo in order thereto, they trained him up to School-learning in the Countrey, and when he was fit, they ſent him for further ripening to Emanuel Colledge in this Univerſity: where the Roſe was not cankered in the bud, his youth not corrupted and debauched, as with grief wee have ſeen many ſo tainted and poiſoned, that they have been irrecoverably undone themſelves, and have alſo infected others. But this morning (like that 2 Sam. 23. 4.) was without clouds, not ſullied with any noted miſcarriage, that I can remember; but on the contrary, as it is ſaid of Sampſon, when young, thatJudg. 13. …5. the Spirit of the Lord began then to move him: ſo in his then ſober and ſtudious behaviour, the Sun looked out betime in that Summer morning, and through grace (otherwiſe then it oft falls out in nature) gave promiſing hopes of an after clearer day.
This was taken notice of by the Governours of the Colledge, who thereupon choſe him Scholar of the Houſe, hee (as his Saviour) ſtillLuke 2. 52 foreign Plato in Theag. growing in wiſdom and ſtature, and in favour both with God and man. O that young ſcholars in that vigorous, but yet dangerous age of theirs, would look on ſuch patterns, and go, and do likewiſe.
Some good time for his further perfecting, and the more happy ſeaſoning of his ſpirit, hee ſpent with that man of God, now alſo with God, Mr. Cotton at Boſton in Lincolnſhire; where, upon Gods rich bleſſing of his moſt godly directions and example, and the ſociety he had with him, and other eminent Chriſtians there, he was much improved and furthered, as otherwiſe, ſo eſpecially heaven-way, which moſt happily went along with him to his Journies end.
Upon his return from thence to the Colledge, it was not long before he was choſen Fellow, with general approbation, though upon a moſt ſtrict & double examen, more (I think) then ever was in that Colledge before, or hath been ſince, though it ſtill is, and ever hath been according to the Statutes very ſtrict and ſerious, and which hath been bleſt to be a ſpecial means of holding up true worth and learning in that happy Society.
And now, through Gods good hand, leading and ſtrengthening him, he proves a diligent and ſucceſſeful Tutor of very many Pupils, and divers of them of quality, who have proved great bleſſings, both in Church and Commonwealth. And thus, as he was before a pattern for young Scholars: ſo in this, of Tutors, great is the truſt, which Parents, the Ʋniverſity, the whole Nation, and God above all puts in them; and great may be the bleſſing, which upon their faithfulneſſe, may come by them; whileſt ſo many Townes, Congregations, Countreys, are bleſſed with ſo many good Magiſtrates, Miniſters, and School-maſters, as they have had Pupils, whom they have been means of doing good to. No one part of their lives (I believe) is of more conſequence, or may be of more ſervice, or will come to a more ſtrict account at their laſt great reckoning. And therefore I both deſire, and hope their care will be anſwerable, eſpecially now, when, as they have more liberty to be, and to do as much good as they will; ſo there will not be wanting ſuch as will be very ready to take the advantage from the miſcarriage either of our ſelves, or of them that are under our charge, to ruine all.
But this our wiſe Maſter-Builder ſatisfied not himſelf, as a Tutor in poliſhing of Builders, but as a faithfull and painful Miniſter, he laboriouſly endevoured to ſquare other lively ſtones for Gods Temple; and1 Pet. 2. 5. ſo as he read to Scholars in the Colledge, ſo he diligently and conſcionably Preached to a neighbour-Congregation S. Andrewsin the Town. Which, I believe, many poor ſouls doe to this day bleſſe God and him for.
Nor was he an hireling, to flie when the Wolf came; but when theJohn 10. 12. plague in this time of his Miniſtery raged in the Town, he then continued with them in the work. The better Shepherd he, that not onelyonlyEzek. 34. 4. 16. fed the ſound, but alſo healed and bound up the torn and weak of the flock. This I am ſure in all unkindneſſes afterward taken by ſome, ſhould not have been forgotten.
But this Alabaſter box of precious ointment thus poured out, filled the whole houſe with its odour, and theJohn 12. 3 ſweet fragrancy of it ſpreadeth abroad, ſo that now he come's to be more taken notice of by many both great and good men, and ſo by ſome of eminent worth and honour, hee was called to the Paſtoral charge of Tichmerſh in Northamptonſhire, where he laboured faithfully in Gods Harveſt about eight or nine years, and partly by Preaching and converſing up and down with others; but eſpecially (otherwiſe then our Erratick Itineraries uſe is) with his own Parochial charge, he proved a great bleſſing not onelyonly to that Town, but alſo to the whole Countrey: like another Bernard Gilpin, in everySee his life written by Biſhop Carlton. place where he came, ſpreading a good ſavour, and leaving it behinde him.
Whileſt he was thus at his work there, for more publick ſervice hee was choſen by the Parliament for one of that County, to attend and aſſiſt in the Aſſembly of Divines, called together by their Authority: where being of very good uſe, hee was often Ordered by the Parliament to Preach before them at their publick Faſts, and upon other their more ſolemn occaſions; was alſo choſen by them to be one of their morning week-dayes Preachers in the Abbey at Weſtminſter. Beſides,S. Martins in the fields. his conſtant Sabbath-dayes pains in another great Congregation, where he was a bleſſing to thouſands.
Thence he was Ordered to be Maſter of Emanuel Colledge in this Univerſity, which not being a ſphere large enough for his activity, he was from thence removed to the Maſterſhip of Trinity Colledge. Where what great good he did, they there can beſt tell; and that happy change proclaime's, from that confuſion (by reaſon of thoſe diſtracted times) in which he found it, to that orderly compoſure and frame, in which, through Gods bleſſing, he left it. How ſolicitous he was for their beſt welfare, his very frequent Preaching in their Chappel to them all, and his writing to their Seniors, ſpeak out fully. And we with them can truly bear witneſſe, how humble and loving to them he was in his carriage, how ſtudious to keep up Colledg-Exerciſes, how zealous to advance Piety and Learning; and for that purpoſe to countenance and prefer ſuch as he obſerved to be eminent in either. Long ſo may that famous Society flouriſh, and long may ſuch be continued with them, who ſhall induſtriouſly endevour to carry on his happy beginnings to perfection.
As he was an Ʋniverſity man, he was zealouſly careful of
It's honour, (which the Parliament Houſe can witneſſe) in an unkindely conteſt about it: and alſo his care in collecting the decayed Antiquities of it, whoſe pains in that Argument, I deſire may not die with him.
Of its priviledges, as always, ſo eſpecially the two years together, in which he was Vice-Chancellour, for which he ſuffered in ſome mens reputes unjuſtly.
Of its profit and emolument, beingBy Arch-Biſhop Bancrofts will. Sir John Wollaſton Alderman of the City of London. a ſpecial means of procuring to it from the Parliament, the Lambeth Library, which of right fell to us: and from a noble Knight, both a yearly ſtipend for a Mathematick Lecturer, and alſo large ſummes of money for the fitting of the publick Library, that it might be of publick uſe, which others doe not more deſire, then he endevoured; for the accompliſhment whereof the Univerſity is more wayes then one his debtor.
Finally, of the general good, and well-ordering of it: ſurely it was his careful thought in private with himſelf; for I am ſure it was the matter of his private diſcourſe with others. Scarce was there a time that he met with us, but he was asking or propoſing ſomething or other that way. It ſeemeth his care was to keep up thoſe Ʋniverſities, which others would ruine: which made Grotius pronounce many Chriſtians De jure belli ac pacis lib. 3. ca. 11. ſect. 10.to be worſe then the Philiſtines; for they 1 Sam. 10. 5. would let the company of Prophets alone, even where they kept Garriſon: it hath been not from the good will of theſe men, but from the favour of God, and our Governours, that in the midſt of warres wee have enjoyed the like ſafety and protection. However, ſeeing as the Philoſophers of oldHieronym. Mercurialis de arte gymnaſtica. Ariſtotles de anima lib. cap. Jer. 29. 7. were wont to diſpute in the Temple of Peace, till it was demoliſhed, and Intellectus being in quiete, ſuch a Temple is a Students beſt ſanctuary. Pray we for the Peace of the State, for in it we ſhall have peace, and not be given up to the fury of thoſe whoſe little Learning ſerveth them onelyonly to declame againſt what they want: near of kin to the Fox in the Fable, or to them whom the Prophet calleth foreign, Ardaliones, Burning or brutiſh Ezek. 21. 31.men, and skilful onelyonly to deſtroy. But to return to our Brother. This he was as an Ʋniverſity man.
As a Divine, he was ſound in theTit. 1. 13. Faith, Orthodox in his Judgement, firmly adhering to the good old doctrine of the Church of England; that which in this our Ʋniverſity our famous Whitaker, Perkins, Davenant, Ward, and others maintained in their times: and in the other Univerſity among other great Names there, hee was a very great Admirer of the right Reverend and Judicious Dr. Robert Abbot, Biſhop of Salisbury, and I wiſh hee had there many more ſuch Admirers. The Doctrines of Gods Soveraignty in his decrees, of his inconditionate moſt free electing love, of his free grace againſt free will, and the power of nature in ſpirituals; of juſtification by the imputed righteouſneſse of Chriſt, againſt the perfection o… inherent righteouſneſs now attainable by us in this life; of perſeverance in grace againſt the Apoſtacy of the Saints, and the like. Were not with this our Brother, (as they are now called by ſome) Sects and Notions, matters onelyonly of *Steven Gardners dialect, who calls juſtification an Article of Learning-Fox Acts and Monum. Tom. 2. pa. 726.Learning, and curioſity, and of the Presbyterian faction. But of the life-blood of Faith, which at his death, (as he expreſſed to his friend) he had ſingular comfort from; and in his life firmly believed, conſtantly Preached, and by his Pen endevoured to maintain and defend, and that againſt the great daring Champion of the contrary errors, whom the abuſive wits in this Univerſity with an impudent boldneſſe could ſay, none here durſt adventure upon, whoſe immodeſt ſcurrility his Learned anſwer to that daring adverſary (which he had made ſo fair a progreſſe in) had ſhordy confuted, had not he by his more ſudden death been therein prevented. This of him as a Divine.
As a Miniſter of the Goſpel; In his Preaching he was plain, powerful, ſpiritual, frequent, and laborious; for beſides, what in that kinde he did, as to the Univerſity in this place, and in the Colledge Chappel, which was very happy in his often pains there.
In the Town he ſet up one LectureSt. Michaels. every Sabbath morning in one Church, performed only by himſelf, and chearfully frequented by a great confluence of both Scholars and Townſmen. And another in anotherAll-Hallowes. Church every Lords day in the afternoon, in which he bare at leaſt, the fourth part of the burden, and both gratis, as there are many more ſuch Lectures here performed, much about the ſame rate, weekly by other pious learned men, and more (I believe) then are in any Town or City upon thoſe terms in all England. In Cambridge now, more then any where I know, or in theſe latter times have heard of, you may have foreign, the more to1 Cor. 9. 18. the honour (I ſay not of ſuch thrifty hearers, but) of God in the firſt place, and then of that Reformation which ſo many do ſo traduce and ſpit at: as alſo of thoſe more noble ſpirited Preachers, who ſo freely offer to God that which coſteth them ſo much, for which of men they receive nothing.
But this place did not bound the courſe of this our laborious Preachers Miniſtry; but as it is ſaid ofMatth. 9. 35. our Saviour foreign, that he went about all Cities and Villages teaching and preaching, and of Paul, Rom. 15. 19. Vulg.that from Hieruſalem, foreign, per circuitum, round about, and that to Illyricum, which was in a right line 3…0. German miles, (as Pareus upon the place computes it) he did fully preach the Goſpel, imitating herein, (as Hierome obſerves,) his Lord andin Amos …. Maſter, that Sun of righteouſneſse, whoſe going forth is from the ends of Pſal. 19. 6.the Heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: ut ante eum terra deficeret, quam praedicandi ſtudium. In theſe their bleſſed ſteps, this our Brother trod and followed them in his painful Miniſtery, diligently Preaching (when he had occaſion to be abroad) in remoter parts; but eſpecially in many Towns and Villages nearer hand, round about the Ʋ niverſity, being a means to ſet up Lectures in many of them, and very often aſſiſting in them: and as our Saviour is obſerved, by ſome Divines to have Preached more frequently, the nearer he was to his departure: ſo this his faithful Servant, as it were preſaging that his day would be but ſhort, towards his evening made the more haſte and ſpeed in his journey, towards his end, yet more abounded 1 Cor. 15. 58.in this work of the Lord, and now findes that his labour is not in vain in the Lord. This of him as a Miniſter.
And laſtly, as he was a Chriſtian-
He was active for God, as his Saviour, going up and down, and doing Act. 10. 38good. And although otherwiſe modeſt, yet when the caſe required it, bold in a good cauſe.
Spiritual in communion, ſo that now he is dead, I fear we ſhall want ſuch a quickner.
Fruitful in diſcourſe, by which we might diſcover the frame of hisLoquere, ut te videam. ſpirit; frequent in asking queſtions, which was both his humility, and Chriſtian good Hushandry, thereby to improve himſelf, and time, and company.
Affable to others, of much humility in low thoughts of himſelf, and of great integrity and ſingleneſs of heart, towards God, his truth, ordinances, wayes, and ſervants.
Of a very publick ſpirit, and much affected with the various conditions of the State, eſpecially of the Church and people of God.
A moſt loving Husband to his Wife, and dutiful Sonne to his Parents.
And in his life time much helpful to his other relations, many poor, both of the Ʋniverſity, and Town, will now feel the want of his bounty, which they taſted of in his life, and both they and others had done more at his death, (as appeareth by his intentions of it in the draught of his Will) had not the ſuddenneſſe of it prevented it.
In a long continued Quartan, God had knocked at his door, which in the interim of his recovery awakened him to get all within ready againſt his now coming in, which though to us unexpected, yet found not him unprepared.
In his ſhort ſickneſſe, to one of his friends he expreſſed (as I before hinted) his great comfort and joy in Gods free diſcriminating electing love, which therefore I would have none among us diſpute a way againſt the time that their turn cometh; to my ſelf, about half an hower before his departure (which I hoped had been much farther off) when I enquired of him about the ſetling of his outward eſtate, and inward peace, hee readily and without the leaſt heſitancy anſwered me, through the mercy of God in Chriſt it was made, and that he quietly reſted in it. It ſeemeth that (as it was ſaid of one) he had his faith at his fingers ends, and having before given all diligence to make his calling and election ſure, though ſomewhat ſuddenly called out of this life, he had an abundant entrance now ſet open to him into the everlaſting Kingdome 2 Pet. 1. 10, 11.of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt.
And thus from this Univerſity (as the Jewes uſe to ſay of a Learned man when he dieth) requiſitus eſt in Academiam coeleſtem.
As to himſelf, having lived a fruitful and gracious life, as Clemens Epiſtol… prima ad Corinth. pag. 58.Romanus ſpeaks of ſome of the firſt and beſt Biſhops, foreign, hee cloſed up all with an happy and bleſſed death.
As to others, he lived approved, and died deſired; and by my ſelf (I am ſure) and by very many, by moſt that ever rightly knew him (I believe) very much lamented. So that although wee leave Ennius to his Nemo me Lachrymis, &c. yet this our Brother with Solon (if his humility would have ſuffered him) might have ſaid, foreign. I have heard, that at Dr. Whitakers Funerals, in this place there were very many wet eyes, and I believe now at Dr. Hills are very many ſad hearts; but why ſhould we grudge him his happineſſe? who may ſay to us, as our Saviour did to the Jewes, Weep not for me, but weep Luk. 23. 28for your ſelves, and for the many ſad evils, which hee is taken from, you may be left to ſee and feel, Iſa. 57. 1. anſwerable to which the Jewes haveforeign a ſaying of ſuch good mens deaths, Quando luminaria patiuntur Eclypſin ſignum malum eſt mundo, It is an ill ſign to the world, when the Luminaries of Heaven are Eclypſed. Deus avertat omen: But certain it is, that wee have loſt in him a great good help to keep off ſuch judgements, and that at ſuch a time, in which he could bee ill ſpared. But wee moſt humbly ſubmit to the Soveraign will of that Supreme All-ſufficient God, who can of ſtones raiſe up children Matt. 3. 9.unto Abraham, and who, (whatever we doe) ſtandeth not in need of his beſt fitted ſervants for the accompliſhment of his work. OnelyOnly the fewer and weaker our hands are which are left, the more wee have need to beſtirre them for his truth, and in his ſervice: or rather, the more earneſtly ſpread and lift them up to him, that he would carry on his own work by his own ſtrength; and if it be his will, (as the Jewes from that in Eccleſ. 1. 5. of the Suns Antequam occidere ſinat Deus ſolem juſti alicujus, oriri facit ſolem juſti alterius. 2 Kings 2. 13. Serm. 87.riſing, and the Suns going down, are wont to ſay, that the ſame day wherein one great man dieth, another is raiſed up, a Joſhua to ſucceed Moſes, and Samuel Eli) that the mantle of this our Elijah may fall upon ſome Eliſha, that ſome may ariſe in his ſpirit and power, and that doubled, as Ambroſe ſaith of Elijah, plus gratiae dimiſit in terris quam ſecum portavit in coelos; ſo that the place of this our David may not bee left empty,1 Sam. 20. 25. In Dr. Arrow ſmiths ſucceeding him in Trinity Colledge. but what is already happily ſupplied to the Colledge, may alſo be made up to the whole Ʋniverſity, and the Church of God.
Mean while, let not us or his ſometimes neareſt Relations ſorrow as men without hope:
Either of our ſelves, as though becauſe he hath left us, God ſhould have left us alſo; but by his death let us take occaſion to love the world Robinſons. Eſſaies, cap. 62.leſſe, out of which he is taken, and heaven more, whither he is gone before us, and where once wee ſhall for ever enjoy him, and bee therePhil. 1. 23. with Chriſt, which is beſt of all.
Eſpecially, becauſe there is no cauſe at all to weep as without hope of him, who undoubtedly reſteth in Chriſt; and though dead, liveth and triumpheth in Heaven, where in that bleſſed Conſort hee now ſing's this joyful foreign in the Text, O death, where is thy ſting? O grave, where is thy victory? Now thanks be to God, who hath given us the victory, through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.