Deaths Deliverance and Elijahs Fiery Chariot

DEATHS DELIVERANCE.

THe heaviest afflictions are sweet mercies to God's Servants; their greatest loss doth prove their chiefest gain; as the red Sea to Israel, proved a grave to their enemies, a passage to them from their Egyptian bondage: as Sampson had honey in the Lion, sweet out of the sour, meat out of the eater; so the Lord's people have light out of darkness, joy out of heaviness, peace out of trouble, life out of death; the wounding arrow, the piercing sword, that sticks in their sides, doth prove a lancing knife; the deadliest poison a sweet purgation; the most mortal enemy doth the labor of a kind and loving friend; as Pharaohs burdens, fury, violence, and high hand, drove Israel from working in an iron furnace, from living under a miserable and slavish bondage: so enemies, afflictions, sorrows, troubles, sickness, violent diseases, and death it self, turn to the singular good of all that love the Lord; for if they perish, if they die, if they lay down their life; oh! it is for their advantage, though others, it may be, do not consider it; for thus the Prophet here hath it:

The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart, and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken from the evil to come.

This Text is to a good man, like the Travelers Inn, bed, and place of repose, after his long and wearisome journey; like the Mariners haven after many violent and stormy Tempests; like the houses wherein the Egyptian Cattle were preserved from the grievous hail, one day threatened, and the next day inflicted; for so the Prophet saith.

The righteous is taken from the evil to come: he shall enter into peace, they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.

In the words we may consider;

1. Quis. Of whom the Prophet here speaketh, of the righteous and merciful man.

2. Quid. What he saith of him, he perisheth, is taken away, the latter word doth well explain the former.

3. Quare. Wherefore, he is taken away from the evil to come.

4. Quomodo. How, in what manner, he is taken away in peace, he layeth down his life in the fear of God, resteth in his grave, as on a bed, till the morning of the Resurrection.

5. Qualiter. How the surviving men are affected with it, they lay it not to heart, they consider it not.

These be the streams flowing from this fountain, because time will not give us leave with Gideon's many thousands to bow down upon our knees, and drink a full draught of these waters, we shall be constrained with his 300. soldiers to lap a little, and so away.

To begin therefore with the two first of these jointly; Quis and Quid, who perisheth, who is taken away, The righteous: God's people are righteous inchoative, as the morning, the dawning of the day is light, but hath darkness mingled with it: as Lazarus came forth of his grave, he was risen, but his grave-cloth bound him. So God's people are risen to a new conversation out of the grave of sin, but their corruptions are yet in some degree remaining in them, a great hindrance to their holy walking. 2. They are righteous affective, they desire it, hunger and thirst after it. 3. They are righteous effective, righteousness is their work, their fruit, their walk. 4. They are righteous imputative, and so they be perfectly righteous, not a part, but the whole righteousness of Christ is imputed to them. They are as Jacob in Esau's their elder brothers garment, and so they win the blessing from God, as Jacob obtained the blessing at the hands of his Father Isaac.

The righteous man here is most properly the man which doth holy and righteous works; that walketh constantly, and conscionably in the way of righteousness; whose exercise is with Paul, to keep a conscience void of offense towards God, and towards man; this man perisheth, is smitten with the arrow of temporal death, falleth in this war, &c.

Merciful men, or men of kindness, or godliness, as the word also signifieth, men easily moved to grieve at the miseries of others, and to succor them: men merciful, even as God is merciful; for in mercy there is the affection of pity, and the effect of help and succor: the men thus righteous, thus merciful, thus qualified, are taken away by death, whence observe,

[Doct.] That such as be most holy and gracious, are subject to a bodily dissolution, as well as others. The sithe cutteth the beautiful, and sweet smelling flower, as soon as the fearne; the Axe heweth down the good tree, as well as the barren, being once laid to the root of it: so is death impartial; as the Deluge over-flowed the meadowes, orchards, gardens, as well as the wilderness, the most fruitful, as well as the more barren parts of the earth: so death spares none. God hath appointed it, the sentence is irrecoverable, and how dieth the wiseman? saith Solomon, as the fool. What is become of all the Saints that lived before us? Have they not all drunk of this cup? Have they not all run this race? Hear what the wise man saith, There is no man (whether rich or poor, high or low, young or old, holy or unholy) that hath power over the spirit, to retain the spirit, neither hath he power in the day of death; and there is no discharge in that war, neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it. The proof of this is as needless, as to prove the going down of the Sun from our Horizon, which every eye may daily behold and see: neither is it strange, for

There is some sin, some corruption in the best, there is that seed [Reasons. 1] which bringeth forth death, as the moth eats the garment, the worm in the tree makes him molder, the leak in the ship letteth in the water, until at length it sink: so sin where it once entereth, once taketh up his abode, death doth ensue and follow after, as the thread followeth the needle, as Ruth followed Naomi, as Jonathan's Armor-bearer said to him, turn thee, behold I am with thee, according to thy heart: so may death say to sin, for which way soever that turns, or goeth before it, death doth without fail ensue and follow after it. This is the wages belonging to it, the payment never faileth: as Solomon saith of other buildings, by much slothfulness the building decayeth, and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through: So may I say of these our earthly Tabernacles, through our corruptions these weak buildings of our bodies do decay, and through the sin which is within us, this house droppeth through, till at length it falleth to the ground, cometh to the grave; sin is the mother, and death the daughter, Lam. 3.42, 43.

[Reasons. 2] This suits with the present condition of God's people, they are Pilgrims, this is not their Country, now they are Travelers, and tend every day to their journeys end and as Israel could not come to Canaan, but through the Red Sea, no more can God's people attain their journeys end, but by death; when the prison walls are beaten down, then they who are kept in fetters there, may go forth, We know (saith the Apostle) that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens.

This maketh them also in some sort [Reasons. 3] conformable to Christ their head; Our Lord and Master hath drunk of this cup, trodden this path before us, and the Disciple must not look to be above his Master: but, as in other things, so in this we must be made like him, to this we are ordained, we must first be like him in his sufferings, and then we shall be like him in his reigning. It is a faithful saying, if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him, if we suffer we shall also reign with him: Therefore as Gideon said unto his Soldiers, Look on me, as ye see me do, so do ye: so must we look on our Gideon, our Christ, our Captain, and do as we have seen him do before us.

This works the utter destruction [Reasons. 4] of sin in them, as Sampson by his death destroyed the Philistines his enemies, so the righteous by their death destroy their corruptions; sin is like a subtle Fox, that cannot be taken till his holds be destroyed; like ivie in the wall, which cannot be totally taken away, till the stones be pulled asunder: Israel could not be freed from the Egyptians, till they came to the red sea; no more can God's people of their sins, till they come to the grave: by death do the righteous gain the cutting off of sin; and death which was a punishment, is turned to a mercy to all that walk uprightly.

But Christ hath died for them, and their sin is forgiven, God's Justice is fully satisfied, how then can God be just in bringing death on them? [Quest.] Shall the principal be arrested and cast into prison, when the surety hath formerly paid the debt for him.

[Resp.] Christ who hath paid the debt for us, was freely given of God to us; given, not instantly to confer upon us an actual freedom from all evils, but in due time, after we have been exercised with variety of trials. God doth not only give Christ, but also apply him unto us, and when there is a full application of Christ to believers, then there shall be a complete redemption from all evils: and thus though Christ have paid the ransom, yet God doth us no wrong, in suffering us to be exercised with many troubles, because there is not yet a full application of this ransom; and because God gave him in such a way and manner to bring his chosen to salvation, as seemed best to his own wisdom. God promised Canaan to Israel, but yet he led them through the red sea before he brought them thither, and in so doing, did them no wrong.

Death to the people of God is not [ 2] evil, the curse is taken away: Death is like Moses serpent, it may at first sight make the people of God afraid, as that did him; but as Moses afterwards took the Serpent in his hand, and it did him no harm, so is death to the righteous. like a Serpent without a sting, like a Soldier overcome, and his weapons taken from him, O death (saith Saint Paul) where is thy sting? O grave where is thy victory? the sting of death is sin, the strength of sin is the Law, but thanks be unto God, which giveth us the victory through Jesus Christ our Lord.

[ 3] Death is ordained of God to be the destruction of sin in his children; as David cut off Goliath's head with his own sword, so will God destroy sin by death, which is held as a sword in sins hand.

[ 4] Death is to God's people as the red sea to Israel, the destruction of the enemies of their salvation, an end of all miseries, a passage to everlasting life: so that God's people have freedom from the evil, but not from the necessity of dying; and herein is the wonderful power, wisdom, and goodness of God very clearly seen, even in changing the nature of death, and making it to his people so useful, which in it self is so hurtful.

[Use.] Do the godly the die, are not the righteous exempted? must they taste of this cup? It is then in vain for the wicked, unrighteous, unmerciful, to dream of escapall: As the Apostle said in another case, if judgment begin at the house of God, what shall be the end of them which obey not the Gospel of God, and as our Savior also said in another case, if they do thus to the green tree, what will they do to the dry? So in this case, if death seize upon, and spare not God's family, the house-hold of faith, the holy and righteous, trees of righteousness, Trees of God's own planting, as the Prophet calleth them, where then be the hopes of the profane man's deliverance: If holiness, if being in Christ, in covenant with God, preserve not the righteous, the merciful man from death; Oh think not then, O profane man, that riches, honor, worldly abilities will preserve thy life, these be shields of no strength to defend us from the darts of death, foundations of sand, unable to bear us up▪ like that whereon the foolish man built his house, Mat. 7. Whereon when the Winds blew, and the waves beat, it fell, and great was the fall thereof: such will be the end of all that build upon the sand of earthly powers, whose very strength is weakness. It was neither the strength, nor height of the tree, nor fairness of the leaves, nor abundance of the fruit, nor extent of the shadow, could preserve it from the sentence of the woe, the which Nebuchadnezzar beheld coming down from Heaven in his vision: so death (when it once cometh, when the God of Heaven sends it) will shake off the leaves, break down the branches, take away the beauty of the fairest, the might of the strongest, not regard the wealth of the richest, but new down the Tree, and cast the body into the grave. I have said (saith the Lord of them that be most rich, most potent, most mighty on earth) ye are God's, and all of you are children of the most High, but ye shall die like men, and perish like one of the Princes. As the fire burns both the shrub and Cedar; so death spares neither poor nor rich. The Lord's wrath will seize upon all the wicked alike, as the the fire devoureth the stubble, & the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust, because they have cast away the Law of the Lord of Hosts: and woeful, miserable and wretched will their death be. For

It shall end all their joys, then [ 1] their Candle will be put out, as the hand writing in the wall marred Belshazzar's feast, so will death mar the wicked man's mirth.

It will rob him of all his pomp, as [ 2] Nebuchadnezzar was turned from his glorious Palace, to eat grass like an Ox; so will death turn the profane man out of all his dignities, bring his pomp to the grave, and make him a companion with the Devil and his angels.

It will leave him as an abomination upon the earth, his memory shall rot, [ 3] as a dead beast casteth an ill savor when he dieth, so the man that is in honor, and knoweth not, is ignorant of God, destitute of his fear, void of his grace, shall be like the beast which perisheth.

[ 4] It shall be the beginning of those miseries which never shall have end, it shall entangle them in that snare whence there is no escaping, and bring them to those burnings, where is no quenching; to that fire which is everlasting, it shall cast them into that lake, from whence there is no out-going. To this slaughter-house must thou come, O riotous, O covetous, O unclean and carnal man, and though thou doest escape a little while; yet it will not be long: thou mayest cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the sight of thine eyes, but for all these things, God at length will bring thee to judgment. Gellius saith of Sejanus horse, no man ever sped well that was owner of him: Such a horse is sin, no man ever speeds well at last, but takes a fall that rides this horse, and is carried head-long to destruction; over-whelmed with everlasting torments, before he is aware of it, over-taken as a woman by her travail, it will come as a thief in the night season. As Absalom's, servants fell on Amnon and murdered him, when his heart was merry with wine: so when the hearts of men are merry with the pleasures of sin, when they be satiated and glutted with worldly and fleshly delights, then sorrow, shame, death, everlasting woes, the servants of sin shall fall upon them, as Absalom's servants upon Amnon. The pleasures of sin are but for a season, they be but a span long, as the afflictions of the righteous be but for a moment, so the pleasures and triumph of the wicked: and one hours torment in Hell, will swallow up the pleasures of a thousand years on earth.

Are the righteous subject to a [ 2] bodily dissolution? Are they taken away as well as others? Then let the Saints and holy servants of God learn, not to set their hearts on things here below, but to be as strangers upon the earth; to live as Tenants at will, in a continual preparedness to depart. The Lord pressed the Prophet to this, by presenting before him the changes which he would work; Behold (saith the Lord) that which I have built, I will break down, and that which J have planted, I will pluck up, even this whole land: and seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not: to this the Apostle persuadeth the people of God, by the consideration of their new conditions: If ye be risen with Christ, seek the things which are above: To this he urgeth the Hebrews, by setting the inconstancy of their outward estate before them, We have no continuing City here, but seek one to come; therefore let us go forth without the Campe, bearing our reproach, let us forsake the Earth, deny ourselves, be willing to be dissolved, that we may enjoy our desired home. And this was of old the exhortation of the Prophet, Arise you and depart, for this is not your rest: And therefore as our Savior said unto the Disciples concerning Judas, rise, let us be going, behold he is at hand that doth betray me: So let me say to you of death, arise, let us go hence, let us take our hearts from things here below, for death which will take our life from us is at hand: And as Matthew arose from the receipt of custom, and followed Christ: So let us arise every man from his sin, from his profane way, from his evil custom, and become sincere, humble, diligent, and constant followers of the Lord Jesus; and as the Virgins at the cry of the Bridegroom's coming, arose and trimmed their lamps: So we (Beloved) hearing now the cry of the coming of death, O let us break off our sleep, cast away our security, prepare our lamps, get the oil of saving grace into our souls: Let us not like the sluggard cry, yet a little more sleep, a little more slumber, a little more folding of the hands upon the bed of sin, lest, as poverty came on him as an armed man, so death come on us as an armed man, and take us unprepared, and then we be undone forever. O therefore seek not peace, seek not fullness, seek not felicity here; as the Angel said of our Savior, he is risen, he is not here, why seek ye the living among the dead: so may I say of these things, why seek ye them here below, they are not here, they are above, our God, our Christ, our Heaven, our home it is above, and there, O there let our hearts forever be.

Are the righteous subject to a bodily dissolution? Are the merciful men taken away? Then comfort yourselves all ye that fear the Lord; there is a Physician coming will heal all your diseases; a Deliverer at hand which will open all prisons; a Conqueror which will overcome all enemies: Therefore let me charge you in this case, as Moses charged Israel at the waters of the Red Sea, Exodus 14.13. Fear, not, stand still, wait a while, the day of death will come, and when that day cometh, the enemies which you see, the miseries and troubles which you undergo, you shall see them, feel them, undergo them no more forever. It was Plutarch’s comfort given to his Soldiers, entering into a dangerous and bloody battle, that they should sup 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in a place invisible; the word signifieth, in heaven, in a place of peace and rest no doubt hemeant. So let us encourage ourselves, whatsoever be our miseries, troubles, disasters, in the days of our life, yet in the Sun-set, in the evening of our age, when death cometh, we shall sup with the Lamb of God Christ Jesus, and there will be great joy indeed: for that is the marriage feast of the Lamb and our souls, Be therefore patient; He that shall come; will come, and will not tarry. The Lord will remove us when it shall be most for his glory and our good: the righteous shall die, the merciful men shall be taken away from the evil to come. And thus are we come to the third thing.

The Lord seeth there be many miseries, many plagues, and great troubles, as wars, famines, pestilences, strange and fearful alterations coming; and to the end holy, righteous, and good men may not see these evils, feel these miseries, God doth take them away. Whence two things present themselves to our consideration, 1. That death is a sweet mercy, a great kindness to God's holy servants. 2. That the death, and taking away of holy persons, is a fearful prediction of ensuing evils. First, a word or two of the former of these.

[Doct.] That death is a sweet mercy, a great kindness to God's holy servants. It is Solomon's Aphorism, the day of a man's death, is better then the day of a man's birth: It is our Savior's proposition, blessed are they that die in the Lord: It is Saint Paul's conclusion, to depart and to be with Christ is far better. For

[Reas. 1] By death they are delivered from many incumbent evils, inward and outward, arising from the flesh, from Satan, from the world: as the Husbandman at the harvest removeth the tares from the wheat; as Abraham turned scoffing and persecuting Ishmael out of the house from Isaac, so God at the day of a good man's death, takes away, turns out whatsoever might annoy him.

By death they are delivered from all ensusing miseries: thus before the Lord [Reas. 2] brought evil upon the house of Jeroboam, he took away his young son, because in him was found some good thing towards the Lord God of Israel, therefore the Lord would take him away, he should not see the evil ensuing.

By death they are brought to the fruition [Reas. 3] of all good, all tears are wiped away, and in God's presence there is fullness of joy, and at his right hand pleasures for evermore.

This, [Use.] if time would give leave to insist upon it, would therefore teach us, and work in us, 1. Carefull preparation for death. 2. Vehement longings after it. 3. Chearefulnesse in entertaining it. 4. Moderation in our sorrow for them that be departed, mourning for our own loss, but rejoicing in their gain: but to pass by this, let us come to the second point.

[Doct.] The death and taking away of holy persons, is a fearful prediction of ensuing evils. When Noah was entered into the Ark, then the Deluge came. When Lot was gone out of Sodom, then fire and brimstone fell upon it and burned it. When the Lord had determined the destruction of Jereboam's house, (as you heard before) first he took away his child, in whom there was some good thing found. Thus when the Lord intended to bring evil upon Jerusalem, and upon the people, he would first gather good Josiah the King, (whose heart was tender, and humbled himself at the hearing of the Law) to his Fathers, and into his grave with peace, and then the evil should come. When Jehoiada was dead, Joash left the House of the Lord God of his Fathers; then the Syrians came with a small Company, and God delivered a very great Host into their hands, & they executed judgment against Joash. The truth of this is moreover manifest, by five benefits arising to the place where good men are.

Their presence doth draw the love [Reason. 1] and favor of God to the place where they are; they are dear to God as the apple of his eye, and he will be a wall of fire about the place where they be: and many times doth God spare the wicked, as the Husbandman spareth the tares, for the wheat growing with them. Thus the Family was spared for Noah's sake; and God would have spared Sodom and Gomorrah, if there had been ten righteous there: the Lord gave Paul all them that failed with him, they were delivered from the storm for his sake. And surely, as Paul said to the Centurion and the Soldiers, of the Shipmen; except these abide in the ship ye cannot be saved: so may I say to you of the holy, righteous, and faithful servants of God, unless these abide amongst us we cannot be in safety, we shall certainly be exposed to many miseries: for as the Prophet said to Jehoram, were it not for good Jehoshaphat I would not look towards thee; so certainly were it not for the presence of the holy, the merciful, the righteous, the Lord would not look towards us, at least with any favorable and shining countenance.

[Reason. 2] God's blessing doth attend the place where they are for their sakes, as the house of Obed-Edom was blessed for the presence of the Ark; so doth God prosper the Kingdom, Town, Family, where the righteous are for their sakes: thus Laban prospered through the presence and service of Jacob; and God blessed Potipheas house for Joseph's sake.

[Reason. 3] Their performance of religious and holy duties doth cause God to be graciously present in the place where they are; if the Father have a child in a Town, or Family, he will often visit that place, he will not be strange, but loving and kind to the people dwelling there. So God, where his Children are, there will he be graciously present, those places will he visit and there will show much kindness, and bestow many favors; for where two or three be gathered together in his Name, in his fear, according to his word, to invocate and worship him, there will he be: for it is among the Candlesticks in the Church, among the believers, where the light of the truth shineth, where duties of godliness are exercised, that Christ walked, and shown himself graciously present.

They are a safeguard to the place and [Reason. 4] people where they are, better then all walls, and Castles; then all Armor and Munition; able to do more by their prayers, then the Soldiers with all their weapons; as Origen saith, one holy man praying, can do more then innumerable sinners can do with fighting. Thus Moses prevailed more by his prayers, then Joshua with all his Soldiers against the Amalekites: and when the Emperor Marcus Aurelius was like to lose his Army through want of water, the Christians in his Army prevaled with God, and obtained rain. As they procure many favors, so they also prevent many evils, which would otherwise fall upon the place where they live: He would (saith the Psalmist) destroy them, had not Moses his servant stood before him in the breach to turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy them. So that as Nabal's servants said of David and his men, The men were very good unto us, and we were not hurt, neither missed we anything as long as we were conversant with them: when we were in the field, they were a wall unto us both by night and by day: so may every Kingdom, Town, and Family say of the holy and righteous servants of God, They have been very good unto us, and we have had no hurt while we have been conversant with them; they have been a wall unto us, both by night and by day.

[Reason. 5] Their example, their counsel, their instruction, their wisdom, their blameless walking, is of great force to restrain others from much evil, to allure and draw them (at least) to the outward performance of many good duties: as Husbands are won by the conversation of the wives, while they behold their chaste conversatiō coupled with fear; won to approve of, and attend upon that word of God, which teacheth their wives to live so chastely, to walk so circumspectly, and to order themselves every way so holily, so meekly, so blamelessly, so that men that are strangers to the power of a godly life, are strongly wrought upon, and very much affected with, and won by the religious and gracious conversation of the Lord's faithful people. Even Saul will prophesy, when he is among the Prophets: the coldest stone will grow hot and full of burning being among the sticks in the fire: and Justin Martyr confessed he was first turned to Christ by Christian Religion, through the admiration he had to behold the innocent and godly life of a Christian, hearing them pray for their good and preservation, who to the utmost endeavored and wrought their ruin: thus forcible, thus effectual, thus prevalent is the example of a godly conversation. Now by the death of God's people there is a removal of these privileges, and so the place of their former abode is exposed to many miseries: for when the godly are removed, when the righteous are taken away,

[ 1] Then Religion and piety faileth, and they become like a people without the Covenant, without God and Christ in the world.

[ 2] Then good Government and even Civility falleth to the ground, like a House without a foundation, then all runneth to ruin like a Ship without a Pilot: Therefore when the Lord would bring confusion upon Jerusalem for her sin, what doth he? He taketh from Jerusalem and Judah the stay and staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water, the mighty man, and the man of war, the Judge, and the Prophet, and the Prudent man, and the Ancient, the Captain of fifty, and the Honorable man, and the Counselor, and the cunning Artificer, and the eloquent Orator, and I will give Children to be their Princes, and Babes shall rule over them.

Then there is none to stand up in the [ 3] gap, to turn away the wrath of the Lord from them, but as Soldiers rush in at the breaches made in the walls, when none are standing there to keep them out; so will all manner of plagues and miseries rush in upon the people, when the righteous, who should stand in the gap, are taken away from them: therefore when the Prophets saw vanity, and a lying divination, when they forsook the word of the Lord, and flattered the people in their sin, then the Lord said, O Israel thy Prophets are like foxes in the De sarts, ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge, for the house of Israel to stand in the battle, in the day of the Lord. And again in another place the Lord by the same Prophet saith, I sought for a man among them that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the Land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none: therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them, I have consumed them all with the fire of my wrath, their own way have I recompensed upon their heads.

[Use.] This then discovereth the folly and impiety of such as love not, desire not, delight not in the presence of God's holy and righteous people; whose delight is not in then that excel in virtue, as Christ's is; whose eyes are not upon the faithful in the Land, as David's was, but rather wish and labor their removal. Many there be, to whom the presence of the righteous is like the Ark to the Philistines; as that was a burden to their Land, and their God, & therefore they sent it away; so are the people of God a burden, a trouble to many profane persons, a cross, a contradiction to their doings, and therefore desire, and labor their absence: and what do they hereby, but in the strength of their impiety, and multitude of their folly, involve themselves in remediles and irrecoverable miseries. The Sodomites took offense at Lots presence, but what became of them when Lot was gone? Did not the fire and brimstone instantly consume them? The presence of Moses was irksome to Pharaoh, he was charged no more to look him in the face, but what ensued? what was the issue of it? were not all the first borne in Egypt thereupon destroyed. Pharaohs servants conceived Israel to be a snare, to be instruments of much evil, endeavored their removal; but when Israel was gone, what became of them? Did not the Red Sea swallow them the very day of Israel's out-going. Thus you see how usually it fares with profane persons upon the removal of the righteous: and is it not strange that notwithstanding all this they should still distaste their presence, still wish and work their absence? Do they not hereby plainly declare, and publicly proclaim, 1. That there is no love of God in their souls, for how can a man love the father, and hate the presence of the child? 2. That they have no union with Christ; do the living members in a body natural, hate and wish each others removal? was it ever heard (saith the Apostle) that a man did hate his own flesh; 3. That there is no saving grace, no presence, no powers of the spirit in such; doth not everything agree with, and rejoice in its like? Do not waters agree and flow together in one Chanell? And had these men the spirit of holiness in them, could they grieve at the presence of God's people? Surely it is impossible; for the Spirit of God is a Spirit of fellowship, love, peace, joy, making men of one accord, and of one mind; and when the righteous are gone, when the merciful men are taken away, who shall stand in the gap then? Shall the profane, shall the worker of iniquity? What can he do; In what account are his prayers? The blind man could see and say this; God heareth not sinners; their prayers are an abomination in his presence, as Solomon doth assure us.

This must therefore teach us deeply [ 2] to bewail, and much to lament the loss of godly men, when they are taken from us; and to fear the evils like to ensue upon their departure; O Beloved, let us not, I beseech you, be like them of whom the Propht here speaketh, that did not consider, that did not lay to heart the taking away of the righteous from ensuing evils. Let us not be like Ephraim, whose strength was devoured by strangers, and he knew it not, that had gray hairs here and there, and much weakness coming upon him, and yet he knew it not: O let us not be unsensible of the declining and decay of our strength and stay, and of the miseries which are coming on us; let us not be like a man in a Lethargy, that hath no feeling of the cutting off, and taking away of a member from him: but rather as David upon the fall of Abner refused to eat till the Sun was gone down, saying to his servants, know ye not that there is a Prince, and a great man fallen this day in Israel, and I am this day weak, and these men the sons of Zeruiah be too hard for me: may not we say the like in this behalf; is not the Church of God weak, are not the enemies thereof too strong? Was not the man now fallen amongst us a Ruler, an eminent man in this place? And is there not in this regard great cause of mourning? Doubtless there is. For whensoever a good man doth fall; 1. The Church of God on earth doth lose one member. 2. The place where they lived doth lose one Pillar, and so, like a house whose pillars fail, is much weakened. 3. Hereby we loose his presence, which was a whetstone to set edge upon us, whose face was, as Jacob said of Esau's, as the face of God unto us. 4. Hereby we lose his prayers, which were as buckets to bring much water out of the wells of Salvation to us. 5. We lose his instructions and counsels, which were as a shining Lamp, as a comfortable Guide to us in the way. 6 We lose his comforts, which were wont to be as the Apothecaries ointments, as the sweet flowers of the Garden to our nostrils, as the Dove with her Olive branch to Noah; as the Wagons which Joseph sent to old Jacob, the reviving of ours, as they were the reviving of his heart. 7. We lose his help and assistance, which was wont like a strong arm to make our heavy burden light, as a fountain of living water to refresh us, as a firm & sure anker to stay us: & therefore as Israel wept 30. days for Moses, so have you great cause of sorrow and lamentation now for the taking away of this Moses, this servant of the Lord here before us: and also at other times whensoever the righteous do thus perish, are thus taken away from the evils ensuing.

And now to say no more, here you see a shining star in your Horizon set, a main Pillar of your house fallen, a choice flower of your Garden taken away, a man eminent for his endowments, well known, & sufficiently tried for his abilities: a man of whom; 1. For his Religion, for his uprightness towards God I think I may say of him, as the Lord himself of Job, He was a perfect and upright man, one that feared God, and eschewed evil, a man that held fast his integrity, though there wanted not occasions and means to move and shake him; as Satan moved God against Job without cause to destroy him; a man he was like the tree growing within the Courts of the Lord's house, bearing much fruit in his old age. 2. For his public Government, he was like them prescribed by Jethro to Moses, an able man, a man fearing God, a man of truth, & hating covetousness: a man in whom there was a sweet and powerful concurrence of all requisite virtues for his calling and office and accordingly he proved a careful Watch-man over this Town and people: he did not like the evil servant hide his talent in a napkin; but his care, study, labor, travel was (I am persuaded) for the public, common, and true good of this place and people. 3. He was in his domestic Government like Abraham, a man commanding, and teaching his children and household after him to walk in the ways of the Lord; a man like David walking in the midst of his house with a perfect heart. 4. He was towards God's people kind, loving, & amiable, showing that his delight was in them that excel in virtue. 5. He was in his conference & communication, wise, grave, holy, full of heavenly discourse, his lips did disperse knowledge. I speak these things not to disparage any living, but to encourage such as knew him, to a careful imitation of what was found praise-worthy in him. The richer his endowments, the greater your loss; the more should be your grief, the greater your care to labor the reparation, and to stop the breach which God hath made by his fall: and whatsoever you have lost in him, labor to repair and increase in yourselves. 1. By growing in all grace, by being filled with all goodness, drawing nearer to God, in all things make his counsel your guide now, that he may receive you to his glory at the last. 2. By being diligent, faithful, careful, conscionable in the employment you have received, that so when you shall be as he is now, you may hear that sweet and comfortable saying of our Savior, Well done thou good and faithful servant, thou hast been Ruler over few things, I will make thee Ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy LORD.

ELIAHS FIERY CHARET OR, The holy man's Tryumph after DEATH.

THE sorrows of God's people are often like the waves of the Sea, one rolling upon the back of another; like stones in a building, when one is fallen, another tumbles after: We multiply our transgressions, and God doth multiply our miseries; we are sometimes like men cast into a deep and dead slumber, and God must strike not once but twice before we will awaken: our hearts are often very senseless, stony, stupid; and therefore as Moses stroke the rock twice, that waters might come forth, so doth God often strike us, sometimes in the feet, in our Inferiors; sometimes in the sides, in them that are most dear unto us; sometimes in the arms, in them that be our chief Assistants; sometimes in the head, in them that are our Governors sometimes in the face, in the eye the tenderest part, in our Pastor: and all this the Lord doth to draw from us the tears of true repentance.

I have been to you of this place of late a Messenger, like Cushi to David, bringing nothing but sad and sorrowful tidings of the fall of your friends and acquaintance; like the Messengers coming to Job one after another, with tidings of taking away the sheep, oxen asses, the death and slaughter of his servants, sons, and daughters. It was but on Tuesday last I brought you heavy tidings of the death of a pious and eminent Magistrate, and now am come again with the like sad and doleful message, of the death and departure of your holy, faithful, and painful, Pastor: Of whom whiles they lived, I may say as David did of Saul and Jonathan, from the blood of the slain, and the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty: so these, The sword of the one in the Magistracy, and the Bow of the other in the Ministry prospered and prevailed mightily: of that sweet communion which was between them, of the unparalleled integrity of their conversations, agility, industry, un-weariedns in their callings, I may speak again in the language of David touching Saul & Jonathan, They were lovely & pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided; they were swifter thē Eagles, they were stronger thē Lions. And as to you who lately enjoyed the benefit, the comfort of their presence, labors, abilities, I may say once again with David there, Ver. 24. Ye daughters of Israel weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel; how are the mighty fallen in the midst of battle? So in this case; O Town, O People, O Congregation, weep over these men, who lately sought your welfare, studied your good, were instruments of your peace, of your honor, of your enrichment: whose endeavors, whose desires, whose labors were to adorn you with the choicest ornaments, and to fill you with the sweetest delights. O how are these mighty men fallen in the midst of this Battle! And touching him whose corps lieth now before us, we may all say as David of Jonathan, Verse 26. We are distressed for thee, O holy, and godly Pastor, O zealous and and painful Minister, very pleasant hast thou been to us, thy love to us was wonderful, passing the love of Women; O how is this mighty man fallen! and the weapons of his war perished! And as Elisha in the Text upon the sight of Elijah's translation, so may we beholding the dissolution of this our Elijah, cry out, my Father, my Father, the Charet of Israel, and the Horsemen thereof.

The words declare and set before us Elijah's translation, ascension into Heaven, signifying (in all probability) the Ascension of our Savior: for as Elisha waited to see the translation of Elijah, so the Disciples waited, and beheld the Ascension of Christ. It shadowed also our Resurrection. Enoch was translated before the Law, Elijah under the Law, Christ under the Gospel; to show that the Believers of alages, before the Law, under the Law, under the Gospel, shall in the appointed time ascend into heaven: and it likewise is a divine, evident and assured testimony, that all God's holy people after the passage of this earthly pilgrimage, shall enjoy life everlasting in the Kingdom of Heaven.

In the words some things require a little explication; By the Charets of fire, and Horses of fire, is meant the Angels of God likened to Charets and Horses. 1. For their strength. 2. For their valor. 3. For their fighting for the Church of God, and against the enemies thereof. 4. For their readiness, speed, and quickness in the execution of God's counsels. 5. For their order, submission, and subjection unto God, they are not like horses in an open field running whither they list; but like horses in a Charet, going when whither, and which way the Lord will have them. They are said to be Horses of fire, & Charets of fire, to show that they are zealous, fervent, earnest, and full of life and power, as the burning fire, in the execution of their office. Thus by the Prophet Zechariah they are likened to horses and Charets coming out between the mountains, to show that they come forth with resolution, courage, preparednes in a speedy manner to execute God's Will and Counsel, which is firm like the Mountains: and by the Apostle they are styled a flaming fire, and by the Prophet Isajah they are called Seraphin, ab urendo; to show their fervor in the way and work wherein the Lord doth set them: and for this also they are resembled to the wind, because as the wind is a strong and speedy messenger, so are the Angels of the Lord: and herein we may clearly see, that the more strong, courageous, speedy, obedient and fervent we are in our callings, the more do we resemble the holy Angels.

The words thus explained, fall asunder into two general parts.

• 1. Elijah's Translation.
  Behold there appeared a Charet of fire, and horses, of fire, and parted them asunder, and Elijah went up by a whirl wind into Heaven.
• 2. Elisha's Lamentation.
  And Elisha saw it, and he cried: my Father, my Father, the Charets of Israel, and the Horsemen thereof: And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own cloths, and rent them in two pieces.

In the first of these, Elijah's Translation, we may consider;

• 1. Motus: he went up.
• 2. Terminus a quo, from whence he went up, from the Earth.
• 3. Terminus ad quem, to what place he went, into Heaven.
• 4. Instrumenta motus, a Charet of fire, Horses of fire, and a whirl wind.

In the second; Elisha's Lamentation. There is,

• 1. Motivum: an Inducement to this lamentation: and this is threefold: the 1. external, he saw it; the 2. internal, his affection: my Father, my Father: the 3. mixed, or experimental, drawn from the defense ministered to Israel by Elijah, whereof Elisha was very sensible, and therefore called him, the Horsemen and Charet of Israel.
• 2. Here is Gradus, the degree of his grief, nor a little, but much, he cried.
• 3. Incrementum doloris, the increase of his sorrow, that he should see him no more.
• 4. Signum, the sign of his grief and sorrow, he took hold of his own Cloths, and rent them in two pieces.

Thus you see the words are like a Tree of many branches, each bearing his particular fruit, of some of which we will take a more slender, of others a fuller taste: and first to begin with the first thing noted in Elijah's Translation.

The terminus à quo, from whence he ascended, from the earth: when Elijah, and Elisha were walking together, the Charet of fire, and Horses of fire parted them asunder, and Elijah went up to heaven, he was carried up from the earth: thereby showing,

That the earth is not the abiding place of God's people; [Doct.] We have no continuing City here (saith the Apostle) but seek one to come: 1. This is an enemies country, Satan is styled the God of this world: here we are hated, and therefore as Jacob, when he beheld that Laban's countenance was not towards him as before, that he had ten times changed his wages, took his wives, children, ca … , and returned to his own Country; so we beholding how the world doth frown upon us, how it doth exercise us with many changes, we should willingly forsake it, and gladly go to our heavenly home. 2. Our Christ, our Jesus is risen, ascended, he is not here, and therefore as the Be resteth not till he return to his Hive, as the Dove found no resting place till she came again unto the Ark, no more should we till we return to our God, and our Jesus, and have the full fruition of their blessed presence in the heavens. 3. Our portion is not in this life, the men of the world have their portion here, our Inheritance is reserved for us in the heavens: O therefore let us not labor for the bread which doth perish; let us not lay up for ourselves treasure upon earth, where the rust and the mouth corrupt, and where thieves break thorough and steal, but let us lay up for ourselves treasure in heaven. For this is the terminus ad quem; the place whereunto we must move, as Elijah here did.

It is not long since Elijah ran on foot, and Ahab rode in his Charet; but now Elijah he hath a Charet, a Charet of fire, and Horses of fire, a bright, a glorious, and shining Charet, a company of blessed Angels to carry him into the holy and highest heavens. Let Ahab ride now, Elijah shall ride at the last. God's people shall have their Charets one day as well as others. And here note:

[Doct.] That the future estate of God's servants shall be very glorious, though for the present it be contemptible, and ignominious in external appearance: the greatest honor of God's servants is reserved till after their departure out of this earthly pilgrimage. Now indeed like Elijah, they walk on foot, but 〈◊〉 last they shall be like Elijah in his fiery Charet; how they be like Joseph in prison, then they shall be like Joseph ruling in the sec … place in the Kingdom; for 〈◊〉 they shall be next to God and Christ in the Kingdom of Heaven. 〈◊〉 Solomon had seen of old, servants upon horses, and Princes walking as servants upon the earth: so now, men that are slaves to their own lusts, bondmen to Satan; servants, yea drudges to the world, these are on horse-back, exalted, preferred, endowed with earthly riches, worldly honors, but they who are Kings and Priests to God, these walk like servants on foot, these are in a low and despised estate for the most part; but there is a day coming wherein the Lord will dispel all the clouds of ignominy now covering them, and cause a glorious Sun to shine upon them: they shall then have a very glorious dwelling, a dwelling in the heavens, a dwelling made without hands, a City whose builder and maker is God, a dwelling so rich, so beautiful, so sumptuous, that in comparison hereof, the Palace whereof Nebuchadnezzar so boasted, is but a base Cottage. Then they shall have a Paradise, in respect whereof the most delightful places, the pleasantest garden upon earth, are but a barren wilderness: then they shall have treasure, in resp … whereof the choicest jewels are 〈◊〉 dung and dross, such a tree to gather fruit from, as in regard thereof, the chief Vines are but brambles, and thorns, and briars, such a well-spring to drink of, as in comparison thereof, the sweetest Wine is but slimy water, as it is very fully expressed by our Savior, Rev. 22.1, 2. for then as Cyprian saith, Nihil deerit, nihil oberit, omne desiderium eorum Christus praesens implebit, non senescent, non tabescent, non putrescent ampliùs, perpetua san … , foelix aeteruitat beatitudinis illis sufficientiam confirmabunt • e then nothing shall be wanting, there shall be nothing which shall hurt: the blessed face and presence of Jesus Christ shall fully satisfy all their desires, &c. For

Then there shall be deliverance from all sin, then there shall be gardens without [Reasons. 1] weeds, trees without either superfluous branch, or withered leaf, then there shall be garments without either spot or wrinkle, as Absalom was said to be without bodily blemish, from the crown of the head to the sole of his feet; so shall God's people at last be without all blemish both in their souls, and also in their bodies; now they are as the Moon bright and glorious, yet as the Moon, so they have their spots, and are subject to spiritual waxings, and wanings, but at last they shall be as the Sun, wholly, unchangeably pure, glorious, in an estate more excellent then the estate of Adam in his innocence: in him there was a posse cadere, a possibility to fall, but God's people shall be confirmed as the Angels of God, so that they shall be free from a possibility to be drawn to sin.

Then there shall be a discharge from all weaknesses, maladies, distempers, disorders of nature, evils and inconveniences whatsoever; then there shall be a cessation from all labor, a removal of all sorrows, the first things shall pass away, the miseries, troubles, and changes attending this life shall be gone, like a Land flood that passeth by, like a cloud driven away by the wind, they shall be wasted away in death, done away in the grave, as the Leprosy of Naaman in Jordan: they shall have an absolute and blessed freedom from all evils both inward and outward, of the body and of the soul, for they shall hunger no more, neither shall thirst anymore, neither shall the Sun light on them nor any heat, for the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of water, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

[Reasons. 3] Then they shall have victory over all enemies, then all adversary powers shall vanish like smoke before the Sun, and fly like the Philistine before Israel: now as Israel had the Canaanites, so have we them that be thorns in our sides, and pricks in our eyes, now we are buffeted by Satan, now we are troubled with the prick in the flesh: but then Satan shall be trodden under our feet, then our enemies shall be made our foot-stool, then we shall have a perpetual triumph, we shall not fear an enemy, nor loose a friend.

Then they shall have the fruition of [Reasons. 4] all good, a glorious dwelling, a City of pure gold, the foundation of the walls garnished with precious stones; and the gates thereof of pearls, as our Savior at large describeth it, Revel. 21. to show that nothing is so precious, so bright, so glorious, so rich, so dear to us, as can sufficiently set out the transcendent and inconceivable excellency of that heavenly City: then also shall we have the sweet communion of the Saints; were the dwelling never so glorious, should a man be constrained to dwell alone, it would prove a great abatement of his contentment, delight, and comfort: therefore for the filling up of the joy of his servants, God hath provided for them not only glorious mansions, but also the comfortable communion of his Saints and Angels: they shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, they shall come to an innumerable company of Angels, to the general Assembly, and Church of the first borne, &c. And which is most of all, more then all the rest, they shall have the blessed vision of God: a glorious house, the company of the children, there is little; without the presence of the Master of the house, the Father of the Family: so heaven, so the communion of the Saints, were little; should we not also behold the face of God; for as the fruition of the husbands presence, the sense of the husbands love doth more solace, satisfy, rejoice, and delight the wife, then the stateliness of the dwelling, the presence of all her companions: so the fruition of God's face and favor, the Lord filling the soul with his celestial brightness and glory, we seeing him face to face, and he becoming all in all unto us, this is much more then all the rest; and herein standeth the perfection, the consummatition of our happiness, therefore our Savior saith, there shall be no more curse, but the Throne of God, and of the Lamb shall be in it, and his servants shall serve him, and they shall see his face.

But if the future estate of God's servants be so honorable, [Quest.] so full of all satisfaction, so glorious; why are they so willing to continue upon the face of the Earth? Will any man desire to continue in a wilderness, when he may live in a glorious Paradise? to abide in an enemies Country, when he may enjoy all fullness in his fathers house? to live in a prison, when he may partake of the sweetest freedom?

The people of God desire long life; [Resp.] 1. Sometimes for the making of their peace with God more fully before they finish this earthly pilgrimage. 2. Sometimes they may also glorify God with their bodies, which by death are disabled to do God any service. 3. Sometimes that they may among men celebrate and praise God for his blessings and favors bestowed upon them, that they may be an encouragement to God's people, anornament to God's truth, a terror to the adversaries of it here upon earth. 4. Sometimes that they may perfect some good Work which they have begun, do good to others in their places and callings: thus Paul, though he knew it was better for him to be dissolved, and to be with Christ, yet he was willing to live longer, because it was good for them that he should continue with them: so that though the people of God sometimes for such causes do desire continuance here, yet it no way denieth this truth, that their future estate in the Heavens is very glorious. And if so be, their future estate be so glorious, so pleasant, so comfortable, as we have clearly seen it is, Then first,

[Use 1] This must teach the people of God patience under their present burdens, troubles, trials, miseries; the joy is behind the glory, the Crown is laid up for hereafter; here like Israel we have but a little taste, a few Grapes in the way, the full Vintage is reserved till at last; here we are like Sampson, the Honey we have is in the belly of a Lyon, but hereafter we shall have sweet without sour, light without darkness, rivers of joy without a tempest: therefore as the servant patiently endureth the heat of the day, in expectation of his wages in the evening; the Soldier the dangerous and deadly wounds of the battle, in expectation of a Crown; the husband-man the heat of the Summer, the cold of the Winter, comforting himself with the coming of a full and liberal harvest: let us do the like in this case, here is a wages, a crown, a harvest, which will abundantly answer all losses, labors, hardness, reproaches, and whatsoever doth for the present annoy us. As our Savior said in another case, a Woman when she is in travel hath sorrow, because her hour is come, but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is borne into the World: so in this case the people of God are now often in great anguish, like a woman in travel but when this life is ended, when our regeneration and new birth shall be fully accomplished, we shall meet with that which will swallow up all our former grief and trouble, and make it as if it had never been: and as Solomon's mother said in that case, Prov. 31. give strong drink to him that is ready to perish, and wine to those that be of a heavy heart; let him drink and forget his poverty, & remember his misery no more: so here is a cup of consolations, here is sweet wine, here is a more pure river, whereof when we once come to drink our full draught, we shall forget our poverty, we shall remember our misery no more: therefore let us according to the charge of the Psalmist, commit our way to God, trust in him, and the Lord shall bring it to pass, he shall bring forth our righteousness as the light, and our judgment as the noon day: and in all our troubles, trials, and against all adversary powers, let us say as the Prophet Micah doth, rejoice not against me, O mine enemy, when I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me: I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness. And reckon also with the Apostle, that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory which shall be revealed in us: & evermore to remember that of S. Paul to the Corinthians, that our light afflictions which are but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding & eternal weight of glory: while we look not at the things which are, but at the things w ^ch are not seen, for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things w ^ch are not seen are eternal: think I beseech you of these things and let patience have her perfect work in all trials, troubles, changes, where with the Lord shall be pleased to exercise you.

This must teach the children of [Use 2] God constancy in the way and work of God: there is a blessed Price at the end of this race, there is joy, peace, glory, fullness, unutterable, inconceivable: O therefore be not like Gideon's many thousands which fainted, which bowed down upon their knees, and drunk of the waters, and so were discarded as unfit for the battle: be not afraid of any loss, of any trouble, of any inconvenience, having given your names to God; O bow not down again to the World, be no more as servants to your lusts, or drudges to the earth: I beseech you say not with the sluggard, there is a Lyon in the way, a Lyon in the street, fear not the Lyon of opposition, of reproach, of earthly loss, or transitory trouble, but go on in the way of God, be faithful in the Covenant of the Lord, be courageous in the service of our God: and then as the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon Sampson, so mightily, that he rent the Lyon in pieces which roared against him, and found at length a Honey comb in the belly of him: so shall the Lord enable you to vanquish all oppositions, and draw very sweet comforts from your present disquietments. Let not the proverb take hold of you, the Dog is returned again to his vomit, and the Sow to her wallowing in the mire; be not like Hymenaeus and Philetus; like unskillful and cowardly mariners, that fly back or make shipwreck with every tempest: do not with Demas forsake Paul, leave the Ministry, become a stranger to the word, and forsake God, and go back again to this present World: be not like the disciples, which followed Christ for the loaves, but afterwards went back, and came no more to him: but like Gideon's 300. Soldiers, go ye on without fainting, without bowing down to the World: resolve in this, as Hester did in that case, Hester 4. If I perish, I perish, whatsoever you loose, whatsoever you endure, here is an ample recompense: be you faithful, be you upright, be ye constant as Elijah was, and you shall at last have a fiery Charet as Elijah had. Walk with God without wavering, as Noah did, as he ceased not frō building the Ark, whatsoever discouragement was ministered, no more do you cease to ad grace to grace, as the builders do stone to stone, till you attain perfection: and then as Noah had his Ark, was preserved in it when others perished, so shall you have safety, peace, joy, comfort, and everlasting triumph, when others shall perish in the deluge of God's judgments. Be constant as David was, and then as he overcame the Bear, the Lyon, the great Goliath, and enjoyed the Crown at length, so shall we the Crown of glory at the last, if we be faithful unto the death: therefore with Moses seeing him that is invisible, and having an eye to the recompense, let us choose rather to endure affliction with the children of God, then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season: and knowing that we have an abiding substance in Heaven, let us with the primitive Christians take the spoiling of our goods joyfully. This is the property of true grace, this is peculiar to the man that is truly pious, to shine more and more like the light unto the perfect day: the Trees of God's planting be known from all other trees, by bearing much fruit in their old age: this is that which hath the promise, who shall reap but he that fainteth not? And who shall be saved, but he that continueth to the end? That corn alone which holdeth out unto the harvest, is gathered into the garner.

[Use 3] Is the future estate of God's servants so pleasant, so eminent, so transcendently glorious? Then this must cause the children of God to entertain death with all cheerfulness; how terrible so ever in it self, though it be as the Philosopher saith, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , of all fearefuls the most fearful; or as Job stiles it, the King of terror: though looked upon in it self, it be to the people of God, as once the face of Esau, a terror to Jacob, yet looking upon the glory, dignity, and fullness of all bliss which doth attend it, it should be to the people of God, as the face of Esau was at last to Jacob, even as the face of God: in the thought of this we should rejoice, as the hireling in his thoughts of the Evening; as the traveler in the thoughts of his bed: as the warrior in the thought of the day of his triumph. For I may say to you of death, as Hugh Laverock said to his fellow Martyr John a Price of the Lord of Londō: Be of good comfort my brother, for my Lord of London is our good Physician, he will cure thee of all thy blindness, and me of my lamen • sse this day: so beloved, all ye that truly fear God, all that put away all filthiness of the flesh, and perfect holiness before him in fear, be of good comfort. Death will be your very good Physician, it will cure all your diseases, end all your miseries, set you free from all troubles. And therefore as the people came readily to Bethesda to be healed of their infirmities; as we come cheerfully to the Physician; so should we to the grave; for what is death to the people of God? what is it to them to die? but as the Inhabitants leaving of an old and ruinous house, the Musicians laying down of a Lute whose strings are broken, the Carpenters putting aside of a worn Instrument, unfit for any longer service, or employment; what is Death to God's children, but as a guest making hast out of his Inn to his long, his lovely, and desired home; as the putting off of a worn, rotten, and ragged suite of apparel, to put on rich, and comely raiment; for while we live, we are like Joshua the high Priest, clothed with filthy garments, but when we die, then we are like Joshua with a fair Mitre upon his head, and comely raiment about his back. And therefore we should earnestly desire to be absent from the body, that we might be present with the Lord. For the day of Death to the body is (as one saith) the birthday of eternity to the soul: Seneca who saw the immortality of the soul, the future felicity of it, but as through a Cloud, by ifs, and ands, yet professeth, that when he thought but a little of it, and had some pleasant dreams thereof, he loathed himself, and all his trifling greatness: Socrates also sweetened his cup of poison, with his discourse of the souls Immortality, to the amazement of the beholders: how much more should Christian, and sanctified souls be ravished, affected, & enflamed with the meditation of it! O how should this cause us to thirst after death, as David after the waters in the wells of Bethlehem, and to break thorough all difficulties, to attain that immortal, and ever-blessed estate which to the people of God attendeth this life, as David's Worthies brake thorough the host of the Philistines, to fetch them, waters; and as Laurence Saunders kissed the stake, and said wilcome be the cross of Christ, well-come be everlasting life: my Savior began to me in a bitter cup, and shall I not pledge him? so should we entertain death, as a very well-come guest, as a very dear friend, our souls should say within us, welcome be death, welcome be everlasting life, my Savior is gone before me, and shall I not go after him? As the Lyon desires to go out of the grate, the Eagle out of the cage, and the prisoner out of the prison-house, so should we with Paul desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ.

[Use 4] This should moderate our grief and sorrow conceived at the departure of our godly friends: For,

1. This is the day of their Freedom, who is not comforted to see his friend come forth of prison, to see him set free from all persecution and trouble? After Elijah went up in his fiery Charet, Jezebel could no more make him fly, she had no more power to molest and persecute him.

2. This is the day of their Honor, now with Elijah they ride in their fiery Charet into heaven; now as Solomon said of the poor wise child, may I say of all that are wise unto salvation though poor, though afflicted, during their abode on earth, yet now they shall come out of prison, out of a troublesome, and low estate, to reign with Christ in his kingdom. And I may well say to all that sorrow for their religious deceased friends, as William Hunter said to his Mother, when he was to suffer Martyrdom: For a momentary pain, I shall have a crown of life, and may you not be glad of that? So they for a slender, troublesome, contemptible condition, have a full, a peaceable, a glorious estate in heaven, and have in that respect great cause of rejoicing.

3. This is the day of their Joy, now they are betrothed, but then the Marriage between Christ and their souls shall be consummate; as the Marshals wife of France said to her husband at the stake, Be of good cheer, your wedding was but a shadow, an earnest of the blessed marriage, which the Lamb will now consummate. This then is the Marriage day of the godly, and who will not rejoice, at least a little with his friend on his Marriage day?

4. This is the day of their Recompence, now their works follow them; now is their harvest; though heretofore they have sown in tears, yet now they reap in joy.

5. God gave our godly friends to us but for a season, we are tenets at will, the Lord may put us out at his pleasure of all our possessions, and therefore we should learn with Job to submit our wills to God's will, and say, the Lord gave, and the Lord taketh, blessed be the name of the Lord.

6. We shall shortly go to them, they cannot return to us, it is but a little while, and we shall forever have their fellowship in the Heavens.

7. God will be instead of all, God will be to the widow, to the woman that hath no husband, instead of a husband, to the fatherless child instead of a father, &c. As Elkāa said to Hannah grieving at the barrenness of her womb, because she had no children; Why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I to thee better then ten sons? So may I say in this behalf, to every woman, every child, every parent, every friend, why weep ye? why eat ye not? why are your hearts grieved? Is not God to you instead of ten husbands, ten children, ten friends? surely in God is all fullness; and as the Sun is instead of all Candles, so should the Lord be to us instead of all others, and infinitely more then all helpers, guides, stays, friends, and comforters: Let then the thought of their advantage, who are gone the way of all flesh before us, and the meditation of God's constant, and never failing goodness, mitigate the sorrow, and sadness which doth usually attend our loss in this behalf; let their gain asswage the grief of our loss, and also quicken us to a careful preparation, that whensoever the day of our dissolution shall come, we may also have a fiery Charet with Elijah to carry us into the heavens.

Thus are we come to the last thing noted in Elijah's translation, and ascension: the instrumenta motus, the Angels of the Lord: whence observe; [Doct.]

That the holy Angels carry the souls of the righteous at the day of their death into the heavens: they now encamp about them, they now minister for their good, and at last will carry their souls to heaven, as they carried Lazarus into Abraham's bosom.

The ground of this their attendance upon the righteous, floweth from the Communion, and conjunction of God's faithful people with the Lord Jesus; a woman joined in wedlock with the Prince, is honored, reverenced, attended, not only by the common subjects, but also by the greatest Nobles in that Princes Court; so the Spouse of Christ, true believers, being married to Christ, are served, attended, waited on, not only by the common creatures, but also by the glorious Angels: O the dignity whereunto man through Christ Jesus is advanced! O that the Name of God might be magnified by us, according to the honor he hath bestowed upon us!

Thus from Elijah's Ascension: let us descend unto, and look upon Elishas Lamentation: wherein you may remember was presented to us a threefold motive. The first external: he saw Elijah ascending, and thereupon cried. Wherein you may see; That the sight of dying or departing is very forcible to move the affections of the surviving; mine eye affecteth my heart, was the saying of the Church in her Lamentations: but this I must now pass by.

The second motive was his internal affection: My Father, my Father: Where also learn; That God's holy Ministers are spiritual Fathers: and therefore they must be to God's people, as fathers to the children; and must be loved, reverenced, honored by the people; as children love, reverence, honor them that be fathers over them.

The third motive was next; drawn from the experience, Elisha had of the safety, and defense ministered to Israel, by the presence of Elijah among them, therefore calling him the Horsemen of Israel, and the Charets thereof; because as the horsemen and chariots are the strength of the people, and the instruments of their defense: so may we hereby learn; That God's faithful Ministers are a singular stay and defense to the people where God hath set them: but because time will not give leave to speak of these particulars, I will from the degree, increase, and sign of Elishas sorrow, and from his affection, crying, renting his cloths, mourning as for a father, propose unto you this observation.

[Doct.] That the death and departure of God's faithful Ministers ought to be deeply & affectionately bewailed by God's holy servants; as David lamented, and all the people wept over Abner when he was slain, being a great man in Israel, a man that went forth to gather all Israel unto David, so have we great cause to mourn for, and bewail the death of the spiritual Captains and Leaders, which are sent forth to gather the people unto God, and to reconcile them, and bring them into Covenant with the Lord: thus Elisha here bewailed the translation of Elijah; and King Joash afterwards in the same words lamenteth Elisha. Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died, and Joash King of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said; O my father, my father, the Charets of Israel, and Horsmen thereof. And this is a part of the Churches lamentation, My Priests and mine Elders gave up the ghost in the Cty, behold O Lord, for I am in distress: and this was a principal part of the people's complaint, a great aggravation of their affliction, We (say they) see not our signs, there is no more any Prophet, neither is there any among us that knoweth how long: and when Paul departed from the people of God at Ephesus, this was their great grief, that they should see him no more, for at his departure from them it is recorded, that he kneeled down, and prayed with them all, and they all wept sore, and fell on Paul's neck, and kissed him, sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake, that they should see his face no more: and that the people of God should thus deeply, thus affectionately bewail the death and departure of God's Ministers, there is great cause: for

Then they are without a Guide, as [Reasons 1] children without a father to instruct, & govern them; as a Ship without a Pilot to conduct them; as an Army without a Captain to order them; as Sheep without a Shepherd to lead them: so that as in the day of the King of Israel's fall, the Prophet in vision, saw the people scattered like sheep without a shepherd, and as men having no master: So when the faithful Minister of God, the spiritual Pastor is taken away, then are the people scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd; then they are as travellers without a guid: then they are as the Syrians, that had their eyes put out, & went they knew not whither, into their enemies City, when they thought they had been travelling to their own Country; so people, when the faithful Ministers of the Gospel are taken from them, they be as men without eyes, they think they are in a good, when they are in a very evil estate; in the way to life, when they be in the very gates of death; for the Ministers are the eyes of the people, therefore called Seers; and as Moses said to Hobab, Leave us not I pray thee, for as much as we are to encamp in the wilderness, and thou mayest be instead of eyes to us; so may the people say to the Minister of God, Leave us not we beseech thee, for as much as we are to travel thorough the Wilderness of this World, and thou mayest be to us instead of eyes: instead of eyes to teach us to discern the things which differ, to foresee evils to come, to show us the mysteries of salvation, to guide us into the ways of peace; & therefore as it would grieve a man to have his eyes put out, so it should much grieve us to have the Ministers of God, our spiritual eyes, taken from us.

Then they are without spiritual food, as children that have lost their Father, their Mother, their nurse, are often without bodily food; for the Ministers of God are their spiritual Fathers, the Nurses which must draw forth the breasts of spiritual consolations to nourish them, the shepherds which must feed them with knowledge and understanding, the stewards which must bring forth old and new out of their treasury, which must open and apply both the Law and the Gospel to their conscience: faithful stewards, dividing the word aright, giving everyone his portion, and that in due season. Without these there is a spiritual famine, a famine not of bread and water, but which is far worse, a famine of hearing the word of the Lord. Without these the people at the best are but like the sheep brought by Laban's daughters to the well, but could not drink, till Jacob rolled away the stone; for what else doth an un-teaching Minister, but gather the people to the well, call them to the word, to hear the Scriptures; but are unable to roll away the stone, to give the sense as Ezra did, to divide the word, and give them waters out of the wells of life: and therefore as it would much trouble us to be in a bodily, so should it much more disquiet us to be under a spiritual famine.

[Reasons 3] Then they be without their spiritual comforter, as children when their parents are gone, then their Comforter is gone: the faithful Ministers are the Comforters of Zion, these have the charge given to minister consolation to the people; comfort ye, comfort ye my people, (saith our God) speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, &c. These are the sons of Consolation, these are the Doves which bring the Olive branch of peace to the soul in the deluge of trouble: their voice through God's blessing doth appease the troubled conscience, as the voice of our Savior appeased the stormy tempest: these under God are the Physicians which heal our wounded souls, when all the World cannot cure us, nor minister any peace or comfort to us, as our Savior cured the woman of her bloody issue, after that she had spent all that she had upon the Physicians, and yet was not healed: for these are the men to whom God hath given the tongue of the learned, to minister a word in due season; when these therefore are gone, the Instruments of our comfort are gone, our star is set, we are left in darkness, and are as the Church when she had no Comforter. Lament. 1.9.

Then they are without the means [Reasons 4] of their spiritual freedom, easily taken and kept in the bondage of Satan; when the Parents are gone, strangers use to make a pray of the children; so when the Ministers of God are taken away, when the spiritual Parents are removed, then sin, Satan, and the world easily make a pray of the people; for the faithful Ministry of the Gospel is the thunder by which the devil must be cast down to the ground like lightning: this is the warlike weapon which is mighty thorough God to cast down the strong holds of sin; as the walls of Ierico were thrown down by the sounding of the Rammes horns, so the walls of sin, the strong holds of Satan are overturned by sounding forth the trumpet of the Gospel. Before Philip came to Samaria, Satan had the possession there, but when he came and preached the Gospel, then the unclean spirits went out of many that were possessed with them; thus is the Ministry of the word an instrument of victory to God's people over the enemies of their salvation: but when the Ministry faileth, then Satan's Kingdom is erected, then his throne flourisheth; when the gardener is taken away, then the garden becometh a wilderness; when the shepherd is gone, the flock is scatered, the wild beast maketh a pray of it; as the Psalmist saith in another case, the Lord maketh darkness, & it is night, wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth, and the Lions roar after their prey; so here when the Lord taketh away the light of the Gospel, bringeth darkness, a spiritual night upon us, then sin, and Satan the roaring Lyon creep forth, then they make a prey of the souls of men, then they fill them full of all uncleanness, then the faithful City becometh an harlot, a den of darkness, a lodge of all uncleanness: behold this in the Churches, once eminent, & famous for their knowledge, faith, and holiness, but now very sinks of sin, and all abominations.

Then they are without their defense, [Reasons 5] as a child when the father is dead, when the parents are gone, is in a sort without a Protectour; as a flock without a shepherd, lieth open to the mouth of every Dog, Fox, Bear, Lyon, Thief: therefore are the Ministers styled, the Horsemen and Charets of Israel, because they are the strength and safeguard of the place where they are: where the word of God is purely and sincerely taught, there God is after a peculiar manner present, showing his power in the defense of the place and people: to the Minister of God hath made a very gracious promise, Behold (saith the Lord to Jeremy) I have made thee this day a defensed City, and an iron Pillar, and brazen wall against the whole Land, against the Kings of Judah, against the Princes thereof, against the Priests thereof, and against the people of the Land: And they shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee, for I am with thee to deliver thee. And the Lord is not only a defense to the Ministers themselves, but also to the place and people where they are; thus when the Syrians compassed the City Dothan where Elisha was, then were the mountains full of Charets and Horses, the Angels of the Lord like an Army standing in the defense of Elisha, so that the Syrians could hurt neither Elisha nor the place where he was: thus also when the Priests, the Levites, and such of the Tribes of Israel, as set their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel, came to Jerusalem, then they strengthened the Kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam strong, even so many years as he walked in the ways of David and Solomon. It is not so much the number of the people, the great abundance of riches, and other munition and furniture, as holy and faithful Ministers, pious and religious people, that are the strength, stay, & instruments of safety to a Kingdom, place or people: therefore when Jehoshaphat sent forth them that taught in Judah, and had the book of the Law of the Lord with them, and went about throughout all the Cities of Judah, and taught the people; then it is said, the fear of the Lord fell upon all the Kingdoms of the Lands that were round about Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat: yea they did not only forbear to annoy and hurt him, but then also the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents, and tribute silver, and the Arabians brought him flocks, seven thousand and seven hundred Rammes, and seven thousand and seven hundred He-goats: behold here the blessed safety, the great defense ministered to the place & people, where the Lord giveth faithful and teaching Ministers to instruct them: see and consider in this, the singular good attendant upon, and derived unto the places which the Lord endowes with sanctified and able Pastors; they by their labors convert many to true holiness, fill the souls of many with much goodness, make them very fruitful in the good works of all righteousness, bring them to be God's dear favorites; they by their prayers also previle with God for the removal of much evil hanging over, and for the procuring of much good to the place and people where the Lord doth set them: and thus they are instrumentally a singular defense unto them, but these being removed, the people become like a City having neither wall nor watchman.

[Reasons 6] Then they are without their honor, for as the Parents be in some sort the honor of the children, as well as the children be the crown of the parents; so are the Ministers and ordinances of God the crown and glory of the people, which enjoy them: therefore Moses tells Israel, that there was no Nation so great as they, because there was no Nation had God so nigh unto them, that had such statutes as they, and this was their wisdom and understanding to keep them: and therefore also when the Ark, which was to Israel a testimony of God's presence, as the Ordinances of God are now to us, when this Ark I say was taken from them, the wife of Phineas refused to be comforted, saying, the glory was departed from Israel: for as the stars be the glory and ornament of the heavens, so are the Ministers of God the stars in the right hand of Christ, the ornaments and glory of the Church: a great privilege, a rare favor are God's ordinances where he doth vouchsafe them: He showeth his word (saith the Psalmist) unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel: he hath not dealt so with any Nation, and as for his judgments, they have not known them.

Then they are in great danger of Apostasy, when Moses was but a few days [Reasons 7] absent from the people, they erected a golden calf to go before them: when Iehoaida died, Jehoash soon turned aside from the way of God to Idols, the soldiers will soon go back, if their Leader be once gone; the ship will quickly miscarry, make shipwreck, if there be no Pilot in it.

[Reasons 8] Lastly then, they are, in a manner without religion, without piety, yea without God and Christ in the world: when the people were without the Law, and a teaching Priest, they were said to be without God. The taking away then of the faithful Ministers being no less then a depriving of the people of their guides, food, comforters, means of spiritual freedom, instruments of defense, this robbing them of their glory, exposing them to the danger of Apostasy, and making them like men without God in the World, we cannot but confess that the death and departure of God's faithful. Ministers ought to be deeply and affectionately bewailed by God's holy servants.

[Use.] This therefore serveth for the just and sharp reproof of all such as do not heartily, feelingly, and affectionately bewail the departure, death, and want of God's faithful ministers, the removing of these candlesticks, the going out of these bright and shining lights: many of us now are like Israel of old, weary of our heavenly Manna, as they of theirs, and as they fell a lusting after the onions, and flesh pots of Egypt' so do many of us after the old Egyptian doctrine, though the Gospel was never taught amongst us, opened to us with such clearness, power, evidence, and demonstration of the spirit as now, yet because it hath been long continued, many begin to loath it, to grow very weary of it, to take, at least, no pleasure in it. It was Seneca his observation of old, Sol spectatorem non habet, nisi cum deficit, nemo observat Lunam, nisi laborantem, adeo natural est magis nova quàm magna mirari; the Sun hath no beholder except eclipsed, no man observeth the Moon, unless when she is in travel; so natural it is unto us to admire new things, rather then great things: The doctrine which is styled Popish we reject, because it hath an old name, but let the same doctrine come under a new name, a doctrine as like the Popish, as one egg is like another, as the Sun that shines now, is like that which shined many years ago; or rather if ye will, as the bramble which groweth now, is like the bramble which grew a hundred years since; though a man might say to the teachers and embracers of it; as the Prophet to Jeroboams wife disguising her self, come in, come in, thou wife of Jeroboam, why fainest thou thyself to be another then thou art? So we in this case, for as she was the same woman, only her apparel and gesture was changed, so let this be the same doctrine with that which we call Popish, yet because under a new name, a little disguised, somewhat arrayed in another apparel, it will be by some highly esteemed, strongly embraced, the fall of truth and faithful Ministers of God not at all bewailed: and what do men by this declare, but that 1. They were never of the truth. 2. That they never unfeignedly loved the truth. 3. That they never felt the saving power nor heavenly comforts of it, if they had tasted the sweetness of it, been acquainted with the joy and peace which this ministereth, had they seen the beauties, the glory and excellency of God in it, then as Peter beholding the glorious transfiguration of our Savior, said, It is good being here, let us build three Tabernacles, &c. so would they say, it is good being under the Gospel, it is pleasant, it is comfortable being here, let us build our Tabernacle here, O let us dwell under this forever.

This must therefore move us to bewail [ 2] the loss of God's faithful Ministers, the removing of these comfortable and shining Candlesticks; as the child bewaileth the loss of his parent, the Traveler the loss of his Guide, the Patient the death of his Physician, the Army the fall of their General; and as all Israel was gathered together, and lamented the death of their Samuel: so have you great cause to lament the death of your Samuel, the departure of your faithful Pastor: As Jonah was much grieved at the withering of the Gourd, which was a shadow over his head, a comfortable protection and refreshment to him, so have you great occasion to be grieved much at his withering, at his dissolution, who was a shadow, an instrument of much, of sweet refreshment (whiles he lived) to your souls. And as Hagar sat down and wept because her bottle was empty, so have you great cause now to sit down and weep, because the well which was wont to send forth waters of consolation, is now dried up: for now you may behold how your Elijah, like him of old, though not in body, yet in soul is gone in his Fiery Charet into Heaven; he who shined like the Sun to you of this place for some years, is now gone down from your Horizon, whom your eyes shall see no more till the morning of the Resurrection: the Tree whose fruit lately fed you, whose branches lately shadowed and refreshed you, is now withered, dead and dry, no more fruit to be gathered from him: he that was in some respect the Father, the Charets and Horsemen of this place, is now like Elijah parted asunder from you; he that stood like Jacob, to roll away the stone from the Well, to open and give you the sense of the Scriptures, can now no more do that office for you: He that lately stood like a Watchman upon your walls, to awaken you, to warn you, is now by death put to silence, and can no more call upon you: he who of late like a good Steward brought out of his storehouse old and new, brake the bread of life amongst you, hath now given account of his stewardship, and shall no more be steward over you. God gave you a great blessing in him, the Lord grant there be no curse attend his removal. Sure I am as the people said of David, thou art worth ten thousand of us; so may we say of him, he was worth a great number of them that do survive him: the greater was his worth, the more should be your grief, yet as our Savior said to the daughters of Jerusalem, Daughters of Jerusalem weep not for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children; so may I say to you, weep not for him that is now departed frō you, but weep for yourselves & for your children, for the great loss you have taken; as for the gain which he hath gotten, the crown which he hath won, there is cause of rejoicing: for he you well know, was a man in whom there was a rare confluence of all virtues, as of lines meeting in one Center, streams running into one Ocean; there was indeed a singular completeness in him, his soul was a rich storehouse, a glorious garden, having jewels and flowers of all sorts, a Tree laden with all kind of fruits: I may say of him as Horace in another case, — Micat inter omnes Iulium sydus, velut inter ignes Luna minores: and as the people said of Saul in regard of his endowments, He was the head and shoulders above many others: For

1. The Lord enriched him with much knowledge, according to the prophesy he was filled with this, as the Sea with waters, his Lamp was full of this oil; he was as our Savior said of the Baptist, a bright and shining light, the Lord gave him the tongue of the learned to minister a word in due season. 2. The Lord replenished him with such a rare dexterity, singular wisdom, to discern, advise, and give counsel fit for every estate and undertaking: of whom I may say in this behalf, as Pharaoh of Joseph, Can we find such a man as this was, a man in whom the spirit of God was; surely there are few so discreet and wise as he was. 3. He was diligent and laborious in his calling, a good Steward, ever breaking the bread of life amongst you, a loving Nurse always drawing forth his breast unto you; he was not a cloud without rain, a Well without water, he did not hide his talent in a napkin; he did not put his light under a bushel; but as the Sun doth often visit the earth, so did he this place: as Paul said of the Macedonians in regard of their contribution to the Saints, to their power, and beyond their power they were willing: so this man in his calling was willing to his power, and as some conjecture, beyond his power in regard of his bodily infirmities. 4. He was not only diligent in his calling, but also profitable in his teaching, it was not chaff, but good wheat which he sowed amongst you, not the sand of human devices, but the firm and sure Rock of God's Word, did he lay as a foundation for you thereon to build; he sought not with human eloquence, vain flashes, idle quirks, fantastical conceits, and enticing words of man's wisdom to please men, but his labor was to speak and preach in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power; that your faith might not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God: and this indeed is not the least part both of the wisdom and fidelity required of God's messengers to stoop to the capacity of the people, to present the counsel of God plainly to their understanding. Bonorum ingeniorum est insignis indoles (saith Augustine) in verbis verum amare, non verba: quid enim prodest clavis aurea si aperire quod volumus non potest, aut quid obest-lignea, si hoc potest, quando nihil aliud quaerimus nisi ut pateat quod clausum est? This is a singular property of wisdom, in words to love the truth, and not the words: what doth a golden key profit if it cannot open what we would have unshut; what doth a wooden key hurt or hinder, if it can open, when as we desire no more but that which is shut may be opened, that which is hidden may be unfolded? he is surely in God's school the best scholar in God's Church the most eminent and worthy teacher, that doth with most clearness, plainness, power, fullness and evidence of the spirit open and apply God's counsels to the consciences of the hearers. 5. He was also in his discourse very holy, and profitable, a seeds-man always sowing, a light always shining, very constant in doing good by his communication. 6. He was in the order of his conversation very sincere and upright, so far as ever I observed, and I am persuaded it was the joy and rejoicing of his heart, that he had his conversation in sincerity and uprightness, and not in fleshly wisdom. 7. He was very friendly to God's people, with them he delighted to converse, God's image, true goodness in them, was a load-stone very powerful to move and draw his affection. 8. He was open-handed to such as needed, ready out of his fullness to pour plentifully into such vessels as he found empty. 9. By his conversation he gave a good example, he did not build with one hand and pull down with the other, but his doctrine and his conversation were at a sweet agreement, like Ruth and Naomi they went hand in hand together. 10. He was not one in public, another in private, but everywhere the same; as they said of Valerins Court, so may we say of his house, it was a Church of God in regarded of the holy orders orderly there observed, and religious duties there performed. Now therefore walk ye in that light which he hath caused to shine unto you, bring forth the fruit of that seed which he hath sown among you, and build up that sacred and saving truth which he hath proposed and set before you. And now lastly;

[ 3] If the death, departure, & loss of God's faithful Ministers be so deeply to be bewailed, if our estate without them be so wretched, so uncomfortable; then you must show yourselves very careful in repairing the loss which you have now sustained, do not ye say as Galienus the Emperor when he had lost Egypt, cannot we be without the hempe and flax of Egypt; and when he had also lost France, two great and mighty Countries, cannot the Lord (said he) stand sine sagis trabeatis, without these soldiers cassockes which France doth send us. Beloved, I beseech you do not so say of the departure of God's Ministers, do not slight the loss of them, as if it were but the loss of a little flax, hempe, or a few soldiers coats; but look upon it I entreat you, and consider it, and be affected with it, as with one of the greatest losses could ever be sustained, and accordingly declare and show your wisdom, circumspection, care diligence, faithfulness, and conscionableness for an able supply. And for your better direction in this behalf, let it be your care.

1. To go to God, and by prayer & fasting seek his counsel and assistance, as the people in the days of Ezra by prayer and fasting sought of God a way for them and their little ones; so do you now by prayer and fasting seek of God an able and faithful Minister, to guide both you and your little ones in the way that leadeth to peace and everlasting happiness. As the people after the death of Joshua, went to God and asked him, who should go up for them to fight against the Canaanites, so must you now after the death of your spiritual Leader, go to God, and ask of him, who shall go up for you to fight for you in this war against sin and Satan: this is not more holiness then is requisite, for thus the Disciples sought to God by prayer and fasting, to direct them in the choice of a successor in the room of him that fell.

2. Seek not too much to please yourselves, be not too indulgent to your own affections, but let your special aim be at the glory of God, and the general and saving good of the people of this place: let that man which in all probability, and upon good evidence will be most zealous for God's glory, and do best service to the people of this place, be without any by or sinister respect the man of your choice. This do, or else for anything I know God may require the blood of this people at your hands.

3. Be careful that the man whom you choose be a man after God's own ^h heart, a holy man, a man able to feed you with knowledge and understanding, a man experienced in the work of God's word upon his own soul: for as Christ was made like unto us in all ^m things sin excepted, that he might have compassion on us in all our estates and conditions; so it is requisite the Minister of God should be made like the people in all things, I mean in being sensible of the burden of sin, of the trouble of an afflicted conscience, of the buffetings of Satan, of the work of God's word and spirit upon his own heart: and then shall he be fit to compassionate, comfort, teach the people, and know how to minister a word in due season.

[ 4] 4. Remember that of the Lord to Samuel, judge not after the outward appearance; and take this for a sure rule, that God doth not always do the greatest works by men of greatest earth-abilities: the Lord over-turned the Midianitish host by a barley cake, by Gedion whose family was poor in Manasseh and that was the liast in his fathers house: the Lord caused the waters to come forth out of the rock, by no other, no worthier instrument, then the stroke of a rod. It was not in Saul's armor, but with a sling and a stone that God enabled David to overthrow Goliath, and delever Israel. They were Trumpets neither of gold nor silver, but rams horns, contemptible things in the eyes of men, which God caused the Priest to sound, and at whose sounding the walls of Jericho fell. And the Psalmist telleth us, that God hath ordained strength out of the mouths of babes, and sucklings: and the Apostle layeth it down as a general and constant rule, the foolishness of God is wiser then men, and the weakness of God is stronger then men: for ye see your calling brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble men are called, but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wife: and God hath chosen the weak things of the world, to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised hath God chosen; yea and things which are not, to bring to naught things which are: and he rendereth the reason of the Lord's so doing, that no flesh should glory in his presence: Think on these things, and be not wise in your own eyes; this have I spoken not as under-valuing abilities human, but as advising that you fasten not your eyes too much upon them, least they prove a sandy foundation. And as for him that shall succeed your now deceased Pastor, my prayer is, that as the spirit of Elijah was doubled upon Elisha, so the spirit of this man may be doubled on him that shall in this place succeed him, that he may prove to you as a bright and a shining star to lead you, as the star led the wise men to Christ Jesus; and as the fiery pillar conducted Israel form Egypt to Canaan, so may he lead you from the Egypt of sin, and bondage of Satan, to the heavenly Canaan, that place of glory, rest, peace, and all fullness, which God hath provided for his children in the holy and highest heavens.