Faith and Experience, Part 4
Fourth Branch, Beleevers in death are the Lords.
Shortly of it.
1. The Lord owns them in Death, Pſa. 73. 26. Though my fleſh faileth, and my heart faileth, yet God is the ſtrength of my heart; and my portion for ever. He ownes them in dying, he takes notice of their compoſing themſelves to ſleep, and hath newes brought him to heaven of every Saints ſickening and dying, he hearkeneth and heareth their death ſighes, and grownes, yea and after death more then ever; then the ſoul is returned to God, and imboſomed in him, and mortality is ſwallowed up of life, 1 Cor. 5. 6.
2. They are the Lords then by Vnion; the head, and the members will be then as much one, yea more one then ever they were, they that were one in Grace, are made one in glory; as the ſcattered Sun beames when they are gathered into the Sun, are more gloriouſly one with the Sun, then when there was a ſeeming diviſion of their vnity for the irradiation of the earth, ſo all the Saints which are but as diſtinct beames of the Sun of Righteouſneſſe, when they ſhall be gathered into Chriſt, ſhall yet continue to be one with him, yea and more gloriouſly one then ever. The Bride is now made ready for the Lambe, and the private marriage day is come. The Bride of the Lambe is here but in her mourning gowne, yet Chriſt (who is a pure eſſence of infinite love) delights in her in that dreſſe, and even in that habit will not live from her; when ſhe dyes to the world, ſhe hath dreſt her head, and then is more lovely in his Eye, but by that time the day of judgment comes, ſhe wil be wholy, and compleatly dreſt to come out to Dinner, and everlaſting banquetting in the chambers of love, with the King of Glory.
Laſtly, When he dyes he is the Lords by neare Relation; this is an undoubted conſequence of the other, but yet a little more; Death breaks all Relations, but the Relation that is betwixt God & the beleeving ſoule, and its knife is not ſharp enough to cut this aſunder; ſee this but in two inſtances, 1 Joſh. 2. God ſayes, Moſes my ſervant is dead. Dead; yet my ſervant: we cannot ſay, ſuch a one my ſervant is dead, or if we doe ſay ſo, it is but an improper phraſe of ſpeach; for if he be dead he is not my ſervant; he does me no worke, he takes none of my wages: We can ſay, ſuch a one, that was my ſervant is dead, but if the perſon be dead, the cord of our Relation is broken. Job ſpeaking of death, Job. 3. ſayes, There the ſervant is free from his Master: But God ſayes, Moſes my ſervant is dead, though he be dead, yet he is my ſervant. And we may ſay concerning any holy man, or woman, concerning this remarkable Saint, ſuch a one Gods deare Servant is dead: Dead, yet Gods ſervant; ſhe hath changed her room, and work, yea and her wages too, but not her Maſter, ſhe is but taken to be his chambermaid in glory, from being his Kitchin-maid in the world; her work was before below ſtaires, now it is above. Take but one inſtance more, it is, Joh. 11. 11. Chriſt ſayes, Our friend Lazarus ſleeps, he ſleeps, yet he is Our friend. O ſweet! we ſay when ſuch a one dyes we have loſt a deare friend. But God loſeth not his relation by his Saints death, he is our friend then more than ever, and ſo are we his. And thus I have gone through the ſeverall branches of the Doctrine.
And now what a ſweet doctrine were here for application, if I had any time, but I muſt but hint at things, and lay the letters, and leave them to God to ſtampe upon your hearts.
I will apply it, or rather ſhew you how you may apply it, by way of Inſtruction, Reprehenſion, Exhortation, and conſolation.
Firſt of all by way of Inſtruction, Uſe. 1 and ſo it might be very profitable, 1. To ſhew you the infinite love of God, to poor duſt, and aſhes. That he will be pleaſed to owne us in life, and death; to come, and dwell in houſes made of clay, nay not in all the houſes of clay neither; ſome he will not beſtow the paines to make them cleane, and tenantable for himſelfe; ſome great famous built houſes, built of free ſtoned Nobility & Gentry, learning and honour, adorned with parts and eſteem in the world, he leaves to be an habitation for Owles, and Oſtriches, and comes and dwels in the poor Cottages of his Elect ones. The poore of this world hath God choſen. God loves the houſe well in which he will dwell; you only have I knowne above all the Nations of the Earth, &c. O mercy! that God ſhould ſay to one, that it may be hath not a rag to cover him with, nor a place where to lay downe his head, Here is the ſoule in which I have choſe to dwell, to pitch my name there; who are we that Our Lord ſhould come to us? we have not a room either in head or heart fit for to entertaine him. If he will come he muſt bring his ſtoole to ſit down on, and be welcomed with his own meat, and yet he will come and be a father, an huſband, a friend, and call us his ſervants, his children, his ſpouſe, yea his members. Think, O think what honour it is to be allied to the family of Heaven, yea incorporated in it. It is a big word amongſt men, when they can ſay, my Coſen of Eſſex or Norfolk, &c. to be allied to Earles, Dukes, &c. We think we mightily ſpeak our honour, when he can ſpeake it; is it not a far greater when we can ſay, My brother of heaven, nay my Father, my Lord, my husband, &c? Such honour have all his Saints.
Secondly, It might inſtruct us Inſt. 2 of the happineſſe of beleevers both in life, and death; we are the Lords poſſeſſion, there is no feare of a bad Landlord. Are we his purchaſe? his redeemed ones? no feare of any ſlavery then, his yoke is eaſy, his burthen is light, his ſervice a perfect freedome. Is he our Father, our Maſter, our Huſband, our friend? we have then one that is able to help us, willing to ſuccour us, ready to pitty us; a kind father, a loving husband, a carefull maſter. The Lord is our Shepheard, what can we want? Surely nothing that All-ſufficiency can help us to. We are the Lords in our life; Nor is our portion in this life, Whether we live or dye we are the Lords: we are yet his friends, his ſervants, Joſ. 1. 2. Joh. 11. 11. We are yet his temple in which he doth more manifeſt his glory than in our tabernacle while it comes to be diſſolved; we are yet his purchaſed poſſeſsion, Eph. 1. 16. Dying loſeth us not that friend. O happy, truly happy, and Bleſſed are they that dye in the Lord, for they rest from their labours. It was a leſſon that John was commanded to write, do you remember it, It was written for your Inſtruction, and comfort. Whether ye live or die, ye are the Lords.
Thirdly, this may Inſtruct us Inſtit. 3 that there are but a very few that are true beleevers, that in death ſhall be the Lords. No more then thoſe that live to the Lord, and dye to the Lord. And ah! how few thoſe are? 1. What ſhall become of all prophane wretches, all drunkards, ſwearers, adulterers, all thoſe rabbles of wretches, Rev. 20. v. 8. Eph. 5. 5. 1 Cor. 6. 8, 10. that in ſtead of living to the Lord, live to the Devill, to their baſe luſts and corruptions, and all their ſtudy is, how to obey the fleſh, in the luſts of it? Ah Lord! what will become of theſe poor wretches when they dye, when you ſhall cry out, Animula! quo vadis? poore ſoule whither goeſt thou? It was a dreadfull paſſage I lately heard to have been the dying breath of ſuch an one, Now goes my prore ſoule to pay all its debts. 2. What ſhall become of all thoſe that live to the world, and make their gain the End of their life? whoſe whole life ſounds nothing elſe, But what ſhall we eat? or what ſhall we drink? or what ſhall we put on? What will you gaine (friends) when to gaine the world, you ſhall weep over your loſt poore ſoules; how will you ranſome your ſelves from the pit? And ſo for any other that make any thing below God, the End of their lives. And ah! where ſhall we find a man concerning whom, we may pronounce this text, while he lived, he lived to the Lord, and when he dyed, he dyed to the Lord? And yet this muſt be pronounced of all thoſe that when they dy ſhall be the Lords: O remember your latter end!
4. This may inſtruct us in the right way, to dye comfortably. He that knowes he is the Lords cannot dye ſadly; now wouldſt thou find this? while thou liveſt, live to the Lord: when thou dyeſt, dye to the Lord. O the ſweetneſſe of perfumed death to the Saint! I remember I have heard of an holy man, that when he was about to dye, profeſt to this effect. Now (ſaith he) were all the honors, pleaſures, and contentments of the world on one hand, and death on the other, I would ſcorne them, and imbrace this. O get your hearts into ſuch a frame, which cannot be without making the Lord (while you live) the end of your life and actions.
Fiftly, this may further inſtruct Inſt. 5 us, Of the great difference betwixt the wicked, and the Godly, in their deaths, and of the Reaſon of it. The worldling lives to himſelfe, and dyes to himſelfe, perhaps he makes away himſelfe, or dyes murmuringly, and blaſphemes God, he cannot give God a good word at the laſt. The beleever could be content to be preſent with the Lord, yet he waites Gods leaſure and patiently ſubmits to what death God will have him dye, whether it be Naturall or Violent, ſad or joyfull, ſhort or tedious, and whatever his death be, he dyes, joyfully. The One is loth to dye and cannot abide to think of ſhaking hands with ſo many Gods as he hath here below; the other dyes cheerfully, and in his death gives glory to God. The Reaſon of this difference is plain Enough. The Saint, 1. Hath lived to God. 2. Deſires to dye unto the Lord. 3. In death as well as in his life aimes at the glory of God. 4. Knowes that in death he ſhall be the Lords. The other, hath lived to himſelfe. 2. Aimes at nothing in dying but himſelfe. 3. Knowes that if he dyes his ſoule ſinks in hell for ever, can you blame the man for being loth to goe into Everlaſting Burnings?
The ſecond uſe may be Terror Uſe. 2 to thoſe that neither regard while they live to live to the Lord, nor when they dye to dye to the Lord, all thoſe mentioned in the former uſe, that live to their luſts, and pleaſures, to the world, &c. Should here be deeply reproved, Take only two places to reprove you, Iſa. 50. 11. Eccl. 11. v. 9.
3. This doctrine may be applyed by way of Exhortation, And, O that I could perſwade for God this day, ſome or other to begin a life to him, every one ſayes, O that I might dye the death of the Righteous, that my latter end might be like his! but alas! who is there that lives according to his wiſh? wouldſt thou bee the Lords when thou dyeſt? live not then to thy ſelfe but to the Lord, Live not according to thy owne luſts, live not to thy owne ends, but live by Gods law and to Gods glory: who would be the Lords when he dyes, he muſt be ſo while he lives; if God dwell with thy ſoule in life, thy ſoul ſhall dwell with him in death. O, leave trading for your ſelves, you ſpend your ſtrength for nothing, and your money for that which will not profit. What ſhall it profit thee to gaine all the world, and loſe thy owne poore ſoule? Or what wilt thou give in Exchange for it? But I paſſe on (my time being expired, and the whole doctrine being practicall.)
2. Let every beleever, look upon this as an Engagement of his ſoule to God, that In life and death he is the Lords; And from hence learne, while he lives to live to the Lord; and when he dyes to dye to the Lord. To whom ſhould the ſervant live but to the maſter? the wife, but to the huſband? the child, but to the father? and the Saint, but to his Saviour? O quicken up your ſoules to this life, from this principle; your engagments to God are high, let your life be anſwerable; lay out the talents he hath given you, for his advantage; drive on his Intereſt, purſue his ends. You are bought with a price. Bloody friends have you been to Chriſt, who in this hath excel'd the love of men, that while you were yet enemies he dyed for you, that by his death you might be reconciled to God. Let God never complain concerning you, as he once complained of his Iſraelites, Iſa. 1. 2. I have nouriſhed children, but not to my ſelfe; I have brought them up but they have rebelled againſt me. O let your converſation be ſuch as becometh the Goſpell of Ieſus Chriſt. You live in God, live alſo unto God: For none of us liveth to himſelfe, &c.
Laſtly, it may be applyed by way of Conſolation, and ſo I ſhall apply it more generally, or more particularly relating to this occaſion.
1. Generally. It may adminiſter comfort unto us, concerning our owne deaths. 2. Concerning our friends deaths.
1. Concerning our owne death. What, art thou afraid to dye Chriſtian? To let thy ſoule returne to God that gave it?
Conſider firſt, Haſt thou not lived to God? Haſt thou been his factor, and art thou afraid to ſee him? his child, and art thou afraid of returning to thy Fathers houſe? can the faithfull Servant feare a returne to his Maſter?
Conſider ſecondly, Hath it not been thy deſire to glorify God, as he pleaſeth to be glorified? Thou haſt finiſhed thy courſe, runne thy race, done thy work, God hath had his deſired glory of thee in thy life, and now his will is that thou ſhouldſt glorify him by dying to him.
3. Remember that in death, thou art the Lords. To dye to me is gaine ſaith the Apoſtle. While we Phil. 1. 23. 1 Cor. 5. 6.are at home in the body, we are abſent from the Lord. At home doth the Apoſtle call it? a ſtrange home! where we have neither father, nor brethren, nor ſcarce ſo much as a friend. By death thou doeſt but returne like the ſunbeame into the body of the Sun: Thou art yet the Lords friend.
2. It may comfort us concerning the death of ſuch our friends, as while they lived, lived to the Lord. Haſt thou a beleeving friend dead?
1. Conſider that he, or ſhe, is where they would be; it is the deſire of every Saint to glorify God in that manner that he deſires to be glorified by them, to ſerve him any where, whether in the Kitchin or the Parlour it makes no matter to them, giving glory to him is that they deſire. Gods will is revealed when thy friend dyes that he would have them come, and ſerve at court. Why weepeſt thou? Thy friend hath his wiſh; ſhe deſired to be diſſolved, and to be with Chriſt which is beſt of all.
Nay,
2. Conſider thy friend hath not only his wiſh but his greateſt happineſſe, thy friend is the Lords, and that in a more ſpeciall, and glorious manner, now than ever; Let this ſtop thy mouth: Thy friend is with the Lord, he hath him, he ownes him: the Sunbeame is but in-bodyed in the Sun, the blood is but runne to the heart. Ah! but we have loſt! What haſt thou loſt Chriſtian? 1. Was not thy friend the Lord's while he lived? the Lords by right, thine only by loan? was he not the Lords purchaſe? & shall not the Lord come when he pleaſe, and take poſſeſſion of it? may he not pull it down, & build it up again, at his pleaſure? ſhal he not do what he will his own? we uſe to ſay, A man may take his owne where ever he finds it; hath not God the like liberty? he hath found one of his lambes in thy paſture; it will argue an ill mind in thee not to bee willing he ſhould take it home; what? becauſe hee hath let thee keep it for him, wilt thou deny his right? His Saint can be ſpared out of heaven no longer.
2. Is he not the Lords poſſeſsion? and ſhal not God take his houſe into his owne hands if he will when the tenants leaſe is out? God uſeth not to renew leaſes: Once I confeſſe he did it to Hezekiah, but his ordinary cuſtome is, as leaſes of Saints lives expire, to take them into his owne hands, till he hath got in all his redeemed morgages, and the full day of redeeming the purchaſed poſſeſsion ſhall come. Mayeſt thou remove thy houſe, and ſhall not God remove his whither he pleaſes? The Saints are Gods dwelling place, here he lives in Cottages of clay, now when the beleever dyes God puls downe his clay-Cottages, intending to fetch away the timber and bricks, to build up himſelfe a temple in the paradiſe of glory.
3. Nay are they not the Lords by nearer relation than thine? ſhall not the father take home his child, becauſe the Schoolmaſter ſhall loſe the beſt Scholler of his ſchoole? ſhall not the husband take home his wife, becauſe her friend ſhall loſe a good companion? Hath God any thing from thee but his owne? wouldſt not thou take it ill, if thy friend ſhould keep thy wife or child, for his owne pleaſure, when thou ſendſt for them after a long abſence?
Laſtly conſider! ſhouldſt not thou thy ſelfe, live to, and rejoyce in, the glory of God? Earth is a loſer of what was none of its owne ever, but heaven is a gainer, there is one Saint more there, one ſtarre more in the firmament of glory. Wilt thou weep becauſe thy friend hath a Kingdome, and one jewell more is ſet in Chriſt diademe? ſhould not the child rejoyce at the increaſe of his fathers family? If at the Increaſe of the family of Grace, then ſurely at the Increaſe of the houſhold of glory. There's one ſervant more added to the Bedchamber: Thy friend lived to the Lord, and died to the Lord, and now in Death is the Lords, and more the Lords than ever.
I have done with my Doctrine, and my generall Application; Let me add a little in particular relating to this occaſion.
You that mourne for this our ſiſter removed, Mourn not, neither weep: while ſhe lived, ſhe lived not to her ſelfe, but to the Lord, when ſhe died, ſhe dyed not to her ſelfe, but to the Lord. In her life ſhe was the Lords, and now in her death, I queſtion not but ſhe is the Lords.
You know it is not my cuſtome to ſpeak any thing concerning any upon theſe occaſions, But there are two ſorts of perſons, concerning whom I think it is fitting, that if they have lived to the Lord while they lived, and dyed to the Lord in their death, their examples ſhould be held out like Dorcas her clothes. 1. Eminent perſons in the Magiſtracie. 2. Eminent preachers in the Church.
Of the firſt ſort ſhe was not, Not of the Noble and great perſons of the Earth, but out of a poor family did the Lord chuſe this elect veſſell, to declare the Riches of the glory of his grace in. But you ſhall pardon me the expreſſion, if I ſay, that while ſhe lived, ſhe was an Eminent preacher, and give her the character which our Saviour gave S. Iohn, ſhe was a burning, and a ſhining light; and I am confident, did more good, to poore ſoules, in the three yeares of her ſickneſſe, by telling them her experiences, directing, quickning, exhorting, ſtrengthening, ſatisfying, them, than God hath honoured any of us who have been preachers of his word, to doe in much more time. I meane not that ſhe was a Pulpit-preacher, No, God had taught her to be wiſe to ſobriety, ſhe preached as Noah, by making the Ark, nay more, as Priſcilla & Aquila, by privately inſtructing others in the wayes of God.
I ſhall ſpeake but little of her, who while ſhe lived ſpake her ſelfe ſo much, I meane the ſtrength, and grace of God in her ſelf, for I muſt not exalt her, whoſe conſtant deſigne, and practice, was ſo much to debaſe her ſelfe, and all creatures, that the Creator might have the glory of all.
I ſhal not commend her for her mor all vertues, and naturall duties, which is too uſual upon ſuch occaſions as theſe (ſurely becauſe better things cannot be ſpoken.) But I shall ſet out her example to you, ſo as to exalt the infinite grace of God towards her, and to let you ſee, who they are whom the Lord delighteth to honour, and how acceptable it is to him, for yong ones to returne to their Father early, and for the poor to receive his goſpell. Give me but leave to repeat my text, and Sermon over her, and I have done.
While ſhe lived, ſhe lived to the Lord, when ſhe dyed, ſhe dyed not to her ſelfe, but to the Lord.
It was but a little acquaintance I had of her, not yet two full years, in which time too, my multitude of occaſions were too much enemies to my happines, in denying me ſo many opportunities of ſeeing her, as I deſired. I ſhall not ſpeak any thing, from others, but only what I have heard, and ſeen will I declare. Her whole time, ſince I knew her, was a Schooling time of Affliction (without any ceſſation) As I remember ſhe wanted ſome yeares of thirty, when ſhe dyed; and for three yeares and upward before that time, ſhe was Gods cloſe priſoner; and the greateſt part of that time (ſo bitter was her cup) was ſpent in her bed.
I have heard her relating the beginning of her converſion, and for that I ſhall referr you to her owne account penned (by a faithfull See the precedent Relation.friend) from her owne mouth. Her life was a life of afflictions. 1. Inward, then outward. Inward, by the temptations of the Devil, terrors of conſcience, and ſuch uſuall pangs as accompany the firſt birth: beſides that her God was ſometimes afterward behind the Curtain, and when he hid his face ſhe was troubled; when after much ſeeking, ſhe had found him whom her ſoule loved, and had got inward peace, that ſhe was, as it were rapt into the third heavens, then leſt ſhe ſhould be exalted above meaſure ſhe had a thorn in the fleſh given to buffet her, God viſited her with a long, and tedious affliction, how ſhe demeaned her ſelfe in the beginning of it, what ſhe met with, how ſhe conquered, you may take from her owne mouth in the precedent Relation: I ſhall only ſupply the Chronicle of her dayes where her owne Relation ceaſed.
We commonly ſay Affliction is a ſpending time, it was not a beginning to her but it was a growing time of grace. The firſt time I came to viſit her (when I was but a ſtranger to her and to this City) I remember her firſt queſtion was, Sir I beſeech you tell me how I may glorify God in my affliction. I told her, either by patient ſubmitting to his hand, and quieting our ſelves in his will, acknowledging his righteouſneſſe, &c. Or by Speaking to his glory to others, &c. For the paſſive part, it was a leſſon ſhe had ſo well learned, that no diſcontent could either be read in her carriage or countenance, nor a repining word be heard from her lipps. And it was no light Affliction, for a young and Active body in its ſtrength to have Gods fetters laid upon it, and to be kept ſo cloſe a priſoner, as ſhe was, ſo long a time. But her God had ſubdued her ſpirit to the feet of his owne will. The latter and Active part ſhe ſo practiſed, that her chamber was as a room of paradiſe, none came in there, but went away Inſtructed, or Satisfied, or quickned, or ſome way or other bettred. The greateſt part of her work was Angelicall, a ſpeaking well of God, admiring and exalting his free grace, telling what he had done for her ſoule; yet ſhe remembred, that while ſhe was in the body ſhe had a duty to doe to others, and never did any labour more for God with the ſoules of others than this pretious one. Grace had made her eloquent; her birth, and breeding was meane, but the Lord had given her the tongue of the excellent. O the abundance of grace that was powred out into her lipps! I appeale to you, did not your hearts burne within you when you heard her ſpeak, the Excellency of ſenſe, ſpirituall ſenſe? I ſomtimes (as my occaſions permitted) went to viſit her, and while I thought to ſpeak, my eares ſilenced my tongue, and gave her leave to be the preacher, for the gain of thoſe in the room, and that I my ſelf might learn Righteouſnes: who ever heard her, mentioning her affliction? diſcourſing of any worldly thing? O that my tongue were ſo ſanctified! ſhe ſeemed to have loſt all ſenſe of Affliction, and while ſhe was in the body, to have been out of it; ſhe would often call upon thoſe yong ones that were babes of grace and came frequently to viſit her to labour after more communion with God. I remember one thing ſhe would often Vrge, and I beſeech you to remember it, viz. The excellency of the benefit the ſoule might reape by private prayer. She told you for this what was her and (if you be not your owne foes) may alſo be your experience. To make my diſcourſe ſhort, The time of her life grew ſhort, and as ſhe grew nearer the Earth, ſo ſhe grew more heavenly in her Hallelujahs, making of it then her onelyonly work to Glorify God, by admiring his grace, and exalting his name. I went to viſit her the day before the Lord took her to himſelf, I found her bereaved of moſt of her ſenſes; but yet God gave her the liberty of ſpeech, which ſhe ceaſed not to improve to his glory. Many of her friends were weeping over her, ſhe was diſcourſing of the Creators Excellency, and the Creatures vanity, and that in ſuch language, that one would have thought ſhe had had the tongue of the Eloquent as well as the Excellent: And ſo inceſſant was ſhe in that her ſpirituall worke, that ſhe would ſpeake even till ſhe had loſt her ſpeech, and pawſing a little (to recover her ſelfe) renewed her diſcourſe, to the admiration of my ſelfe, and thoſe others that heard her; ſhe had ſo far loſt her underſtanding, that upon ſuch pawſes ſhe ordinarily forgat what she had ſaid, and renewing her diſcourſe, would either beg the help of the ſtanders by, or goe on upon ſome new, but (as heavenly) diſcourſe; to give thee a taſt thereof, take what I took that day from her own mouth Her words were theſe:
I tell you (friends) if any Chriſtian ſit down ſhort of Chriſt, he ſhall faile; what is your duties, your righteouſnes, but a menſtruous cloath, loathſome to your ſelves, abominable to God? Our boaſting is excluded, we can doe nothing, what ſhould we ſtay in any thing that we cannot doe? O ſet up nothing of your own; Let God have all, your ſelves are nothing. I will tell you my friends, my own experience, I have found, the creature is nothing, God is an Ocean, &c.
[Here her ſpeech failed, and pawſing till she had recovered her ſelf, she was not able to remember what she ſpake laſt, but went on]
O the depth! the height! the length! the breadth! of Gods eternall decrees of love! Of his love in Christ to poore creatures. Study that Ocean; It may be ſome of you have known what that Fountaine, that Ocean of love is. Now whatſoever the ſoule ſets up, or eſteems beſides that, is but a ſhadow, a fancy. Let a man ſit never ſo long by a ſhadow, when he removeth, he cannot carry it away with him: If we get the ſubſtance, that will alſo carry the ſhadow with it; If you get the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, you get both ſubſtance and ſhadow; whatever you have without him, is but the ſhadow without the ſubſtance; follow not after ſhadowes, purſue them not: ſtrive after Chriſt, and you ſhall in time ſee much of God. Sit not ſtill becauſe you ſee ſome difficulties in the purſuance of this; there is ſcarce any of you but if you knew where to get 5 or 20 ſhillings, but would riſe up early, and worke hard to get it. O why are not Chriſtians covetous? why ſhould not they be ambitious? Aas! the work is ſmall, why wil you ſit ſtill. But take heed of resting in your performances; doe them, but reſt not in them. Do not think of going to publike Ordinances, and duties enough. Alas! what are publike Ordinances and duties, if they be not followed on by private prayer, and ſeeking God in ſecret? O ſeek him in ſecret, ſo you ſhall find him, and that ſhall make you love him more. But when you have done thus, reſt not in it, for I tell you again, if you ſit downe any where ſhort of Chriſt, you loſe all, whatſoever you think you enjoy, look higher then your ſelves, than your bare performances, &c. And if you looke well into them, you will ſee nothing in them, but abundance of cauſe to be aſhamed. Nothing ſhort of Christ (I tell you againe) can make you acceptable, or amiable to God. It hath in it the baſeneſſe of our corrupted fleſh. What if you thinke a good thought? (which yet you cannot doe of your ſelves) if you reſt in it, it is naught. Chriſtianity is a work, the naturall man knowes. Alas! poor creatures think it is, &c.
Here her ſpeech failed, and she again pawſed. It being Saturday, my private ſtudies called me off, and I ſaw her no more, she dying the next day: But by the report of her friends, she continued her work, till God ſaid, It is enough, and then she quietly ſurrendred her ſoule to him that redeemed it. What paſſages she had nearer her death I shall omit, being not an ear-witneſſe.
Thus I have now ſet before you her holy Example, and have shewed you, how while she lived, ſhe lived not to her ſelf, but unto the Lord, and when ſhe dyed, ſhe dyed not to her ſelf, but to the Lord. And now to what purpoſe (doe you thinke) have I done all this? What, meerly to commend her? God forbid; But 1. For the glory of God. 2. For your good. 1. For the ſetting out Gods glory, in the riches of his free grace, 1. That he would reveale himſelf …o ſuch a Babe, when he conceales himſelfe from the wiſe and prudent. 2. That paſsing by the great men, and rich men of the earth, he would chuſe this meane one (in compariſon of others) to make knowne ſuch a fulneſſe of grace in of all kind of grace, both for her uſe and comfort, as I have never before in any met with the like. It is rare to ſee one that hath ſo much both ſtrength and peace as this precious one had, to her laſt houre.
Secondly, I have done it for your good. You have ſeene a quickning Example, and heard quickning words, the Lord give to me and you quickned hearts. Learne hence,
1. You that are young, O ſlip not your golden Age. God delights much in young ones, reveales himſelfe much to babes that begin their life to him.
2. You that are mean in the world, learne to walke with God, to keep cloſe to Chriſt; you may be richer in the grace of Chriſt, than the great men your Rulers.
3. Let all learne to be carefull of reſting in any thing ſhort of Chriſt: It was her counſell, O let her dying words ſticke faſt; she was full of duties, holy in her conſtant converſe, yet nothing but Chriſt comforts her.
4. Let all learne from her, though not to reſt in duties, yet to performe them, and that in ſecret. O be much with God in your cloſets, she tels you how ſweet it will be.
5. Learne from her Example to be holy, yet humble, her knowledge puffed her not up; yet I dare ſay, she had a great deale more of heaven in her, than ſome hundreds of thoſe that thinke they know enough to be Preachers: she was as heavenly as they, but not ſo proud and wanton.
6. Learn from her to lay in grace betimes. The Winter may come ſuddenly, her ſnow was fallen early.
7. Learne from her, in affliction to poſſeſſe your ſonles with patience, to remember it is Gods hand, and be ſtill. Who heard her murmure?
8. Learne from her, to tell others what God hath done for your ſoules. This she made her work.
9. Learne from her, to reprove, direct, comfort, quicken, ſtrengthen thoſe that are your brethren. This was her work upon all occaſions.
In ſhort, learne from her example,
Not to live to your ſelves, but to the Lord, and when you dye, not to dye to your ſelves, but to the Lord, that both in life and death you may be the Lords.
There came to my hands a ſheet written cloſe, containing ſeverall promiſes, which ſhe by her diligent reading had gathered up to ſute her ſoule in the time of need, indeed, ſo many, and ſo aptly applyed, that it would cauſe admiration to conſider how ſhe could containe them in her memory, or readily find them as they lye ſcattered in the Booke of God (without the help of a Concordance). But in regard theſe ſheets have ſwell'd too far already, and in regard the promiſes Skippon on the Promiſes. Leigh on the Promiſes. The Saints Legacy.are already ſweetly rank'd (in ſeverall Books printed) I thought good to omit the inſerting of them. Now to the God of grace be Honour and Glory.
FINIS.
End of the text · John Collinges, Faith and Experience (1649)