Two Funeral Sermons

THE TESTIMONIE Giuen to M ^rs REBEKKA CRISP at her Burial.

THE Bodies of God's Sants as well as their Souls are members of Christ's body, and Temples of God's Spirit: and are therefore in decent and honest manner to be laid up in the womb of our common Mother the Earth. The performance of this last office to our right dear and deservedly respected Christian Sister, M ^rs Rebekka Crisp, hath occasioned this Assembly. Concerning whose religious course of life and conversation, together with the Conclusion thereof suitable and correspondent to the same, much might be said, and much be spoken, yea so much, that it might to strangers seem either mere formality or plain flattery, yet by those that thoroughly knew her, would not only be acknowledge for truth, but to come far short of that that 〈…〉 But neither 〈…〉 my wont, 〈…〉 I, 〈…〉 long in this kind: 〈◊〉 rather, for that many take therein too much liberty, and this exercise being intended more for the instruction of the living then for the commendation of the dead.

That which I shall speak of her, to the glory of God's grace in her, and the provoking of others to the imitation of her, shall be in few words, and referred to two heads, her Piety, and her Patience.

For the former: it had pleased God to grace her with a measure more then ordinary of spiritual grace, and of such graces as are not so ordinarily incident to that 〈…〉 of 〈◊〉 , and soundness of judgment • . Which 〈◊〉 accordingly applied and employed, (part • y by constant frequenting of the public Ministry, while God gave leave and liberty, and p •• tly: 〈◊〉 both then and during the times of 〈…〉 meditation and private conference with such as reforted unto her, and might that way further her, * to the searching out of the good and holy and acceptable will of God. In this hind she was a great Questionist▪ and (as those religious Roman Ladies were sometime to 〈◊〉 ) a whe • stone to myself, and I doubt not but the like also to others, by her studious inquiry occasioning the mo • e diligent search, and the more exact discovery of many particulars: In regards whereof I may well, and do freely and sincerely confess, that, so oft as I resorted unto her, I did tam proficere quàm prodesse, as well benefit by her, as benefit her.

Neither were these her Questions, as with many, tending to idle speculation; mere curiosities, or vain niceties, like a game at Chess; rather quirks of wit, fit for disputation in schools, then rules of use for direction of life; but of such points as bent and aimed at the practice of piety, the trial of faith, and sound sanctification: That wherein she principally desired and endeavored to profit; and so profited, that I may truly say of her, that she had not an outward show and semblance of godliness, or a verbal discourse of it, (the common fault of too many professors among us) but the very power and efficacy of it in extraordinary manner and measure both imprinted in her heart, and expressed in her life: She had learned, dicta in facta vertere, to turn words into works; and as to treasure up with Mary what she heard and learned in her heart, so to work it into the affection, and to bring it forth into action, to affect it with her heart, and to effect it in her life.

This, among other things, her sincere piety, appeared in her singular Patience. And it is Patience indeed, that putteth Piety to the proof. God had trained her up a long time in the school of affliction; and she was therein a good proficient: her afflictions being unto her, as the waters to Noah's Ark, a means to carry up her thoughts and desires higher to heavenward. It pleased God to bruise her with pains and weakness, and even to grind to po •• der her vigor with continuance of affliction. Which yet she ever sustained with great willingness ofminde, having oft in her mouth that worthy speech of David, Behold, here I am, let him do with me what he will; and desiring ever, as she protested oft in the midst of her pains, not so much the removal of the cross, which she esteemed but light, as patience to bear it, and grace to make use of it: complaining of nothing so much in her afflictions, as that by means of them she was disabled to the performance of such duties as she desired with her Family, and restrained in the intention of her spiritual meditation; if in anything impatient, impatient of • ought that hindered that way.

Neither was this her patience such as proceeded either from some senselesnes and stupidity, or from some kind of immanitie and inhumanity, as in some; (for she was a woman made of meekness and lowliness, of mind, as of a tender constitution her self naturally, and therefore soon sensible of pain and grief, so full of bowels of mercy and tender compassion towards others, and free from all austerity and harshnes of spira) but from an apprehension of God's hand in those things that befell her and a concoience of submitting her will to his pleasure whose wholly she acknowledged herself to be, and was content therefore wholly to be disposed of by him.

But because perseverance, as Bernard saith, is all in all; and is that that carrieth away the crown or the garland from all: As the rest of her life had been, so her latter end was not unlike; full of piety and patience, of alacrity and cheerfulness, wholly taken up with holy and heavenly meditation, and longing exceedingly for the time of her dissolution. God shown in her to all that were about her, that it is not in vain sincerely to serve him; and that a constant course of a religious life will minister abundance of sweet comfort in death.

About the beginning of her last sickness, she sent for me to her, whom (though the meanest of many that resorted unto her) in regard of some bond of alliance she desired to be, and made account she might be boldest withal; and before some few of her familiar friends, made a worthy and pithy confession and profession of her Faith, too long to relate; laid open the grounds and notes of her assurance fetched forth of God's word, of God's love unto her, and of her own unto God; requesting either to be better informed, if in ought she were mistaken, or to have further confirmed by pregnant proofs out of God's book, what she rightly apprehended. And this was the work that by her good will she then desired to be continually taken up with; forgetting her pains and weakness when she was about it, and neglecting her natural rest to attend it. So that she might well say to God with David, Oh how love I thy law? it is my continual meditation. And with Job, I have preferred the words of thy mouth, not only before my most desired food, but before my most needful and natural rest. Yea so eager was she upon these things, that I was enforced oft to persuade her to forbear, considering her great weakness, and to intermit the intention of her meditation, by giving some way to rest and repose. And here I cannot pass by one speech used by her vpou such an occasion, which the rather I relate, to provoke others by her example not to neglect the means of mercy and grace that God vouchsafeth them now, while they may follow them. After long discourse to and fro, perceiving, as I thought, her eyes to wax heavy, and her spirits fainty, and well knowing what need she had of some refreshing, I advised her to compose herself unto rest, which her long want of it required, and her eyes seemed to incline unto, that it was best to take it while she might, lest she should after, want it when she would. Her answer was that this was her best rest, & that which she found best refreshing & sweetest repose in; and that, said she, which you say of the one, may I much better say of the other: if to give way to rest I forbear those means of comfort that God by your presence now affordeth me, I may hereafter want them when I would, and shall need them.

Some conflicts she had the day before her departure; but such, through God's goodness, as lasted not long, and ended in that comfort, that continued with her to her end: which was so quiet and peaceable. that her departure was scarce sensible to those that were nearest about her.

I will add but a word, and that I speak unfeignedly: I know God's hand is not straitened, neither is his grace scanted: yet, considering mine own observation & experience, but small, I confess; as I have not hitherto in all points met with her match, so I wish rather than hope to light oft on her like.

But let us leave her with the Lord in happiness, in heaven: and apply our selves unto that, that more principally concerneth us, attending to such instructions as shall (by God's assistance) be delivered, not altogether vnagreable to the present occasion, out of that portion of Scripture, which I have chosen to entreat of, concerning

PAVLES DESIRE OF DISSOLVTION, AND DEATHS ADUANTAGE the ground of that his DESIRE.

THE Apostle Paul was in a great strait, when he wrote this Epistle; in doubt, it seemeth, whether he should rather desire life or death: affected as a loving and loyal wife, saith one, whose husband in a far country advanced to great honor, writeth to her to come to him, but to leave her children behind her, as deer to her as her self; and in that regard distracted, on the one side desirous to enjoy her husband, and on the other side loath to leave her children behind her, especially yet unable to help themselves; and in that regard content yet to defer her own honor and joy in her husband, till she see them better able to shift for themselves: Or, as a beggar-woman, saith Bernard, who coming to a rich man's door with a child on her hand, is offered to come in and warm her and dine well, so she leave her child, because it is unquiet, without; whose bowels earning with natural affection toward the fruit of her womb, make her willing rather to accept of a small pittance without doors with her child, then to dine largely and liberally without it, within. In like manner fared it with the blessed Apostle at this present. He desired to be with Christ his husband, his head in happiness, in heaven. But the Philippians his little ones, whom he had newly bred, and not thoroughly yet nursed up, they hung on his hands, and had need still of his help: whom being loath therefore to leave, he was content for their gain to defer his own good, and to continue yet some longer time in this mortal and miserable life, for the helping of them forward on the way to eternal life .

And this his distraction and doubtfulness of resolution he propoundeth in the former verse, and in the former part of this verse: whereunto are annexed such motives as endeavored to draw his desires either way; his own felicity on the one side, which made him rather desire death ; their necessity on the other side, that moved him rather to accept of then to affect life, to endure it than to desire it . So that the hastening of his own eternal good on the one side, and the furthering of their spiritual gain on the other side; wrought between them a great distraction in him. Yet so, that the things themselves, Life and Death, simply considered; if he should respect, and as he respected his own good and gain in either, his desire was rather to dissolution and departure by decease, that he might be with Christ . Whereof a reason is also rendered, because that simply considered, or in respect of himself, was without all question or comparison, the far greater good of the twain.

Now the main point that hence we observe then is this, that a Christian man may lawfully and justly desire death.

Which point so conceived, divideth it self into two branches, both of them arising necessarily from the words of my text.

The one concerning the lawfulness or warrantableness.

The other concerning the equity or reasonableness of this desire.

For the former, that a Christian man may lawfully desire death in some kind and in some case, (as did Elias, and Simeon upon sight of our Savior) is apparent, in that the Apostle not only professeth it here of himself, but writing by the Spirit of God, approveth it also, as in himself here, so in others as well as himself else-where .

And it may be further confirmed unto us, if we shall consider;

First, that death and departure hence by death, it is propounded as a blessing , promised as a blesing , and bestowed as a blessing ; and therefore may as a blessing also lawfully be desired.

Secondly, that our deaths-day is our dooms-day : that our going to Christ , as that his coming to us . Now a Christian may love, and long after the one , and therefore may lawfully desire also the other.

In a word, we pray or ought to pray daily , that Christ's kingdom may be fully erected in us; that God's will may be prefectly fulfilled of us: which cannot be either of them wholly effected, but by dissolution and decease.

But here may a question or two be moved.

First, for what cause we may desire death: Secondly, with what caution.

For the former, I answer; we may desire death: First, to be freed from mortality and the miseries of this life ; that we may rest from our labors ; that mortality may be swallowed up of life ; which cannot be in ordinary course but by death.

Secondly, to be freed from spiritual evils , that will not leave us but by death .

And lastly, in regard of those benefits, that death further bringeth with it; that we may come home to God , and be forever with Christ .

To the latter question, I answer, that first this desire it must be without impatience: (that was Jonah his fault :) we may not desire death as weary of God's work, of doing or enduring what he calleth us unto.

Secondly, it must be with submitting of our wills to God's will ; content to wait God's leisure, and to abide God's pleasure for death or for life .

And thus, for these causes, with these cautions; death may lawfully be desired.

Now for the latter Branch, that every Christian man hath good cause & great cause to desire death; (besides that the Apostle as he desireth it, so he hath good ground for his desire in that kind ;) it may further more clearly appear unto us, if we shall consider the evils that death freeth us from, together with the benefits that it bringeth us unto.

The evils that Death freeth us from are either corporal or spiritual.

The corporal evils may be referred to 4 heads: First, those injuries and wrongs that God's children sustain at the hands of worldly men that here oppugn and oppress them. For all that will live, godlily, while they live here, must look to suffer persecution ; and the way to God's kingdom is through many tribulations : the world hateth them, because though they be in it, yet are they not of it : and this hatred will last so long as the world lasts ; so long as the one is in it, and the other of it: neither will it cease to discover it self in mischievous attempts , so oft as ability and opportunity shall meet. In regard whereof, Christian men, saith our Apostle, had they hope only in this life, were of all men the most miserable . Christian men therefore as they have no cause to love life; so they have no need to fear death: yea as they have little cause to love this life, considering the wrongs that here daily they endure; so they have great cause to desire death, that putteth an end to them all; that setteth them and the wicked so far asunder, that they cannot one come anymore at the other , to vex or molest or annoy one the other. In respect whereof it is well said by some of the Ancients, that God's children are never better delivered, then when delivered by death: for that then they are delivered not out of one, but out of all troubles at once ; and so delivered as they need no further deliverance anymore .

Secondly, those temporal corrections and chastisements, that the corruptions of God's children by way of cure here require. For here God is oftentimes constrained to smite them with the wounds of an enemy, in sharp and severe manner, because their iniquities are many and their transgressions great and grievous ; to judge them in this world, that they may not be condemned in the next . But after this life, as there shall be no need of natural food or physic for the body; so there shall be no need of such spiritual physic for the soul. As we shall be rid of corruption, so we shall need no more correction. As there shall be no use of preaching or sacraments, so there shall be no need of such sharp courses, as God is now fain to take with us: for all grief and pain shall be then done away ; and all tears wiped away from our eyes : we shall never fear then to taste of God's anger again ; nor ever know what his displeasure meaneth anymore.

Thirdly, all laborious and painful employments: they rest then from their labors ; which though the works themselves are not evil; yet the pain and toile accompanying them is of the punishment of sin , and so evil in it self. Martha shall not need then to complain of Marie : nor the Prophet need by preaching to waste his lights and his life . As all misery, so all mercy and works of mercy shall then cease . As there shall be then no hunger nor thirst, nor other necessities of nature : so we shall not need there either to feed the hungry, as we did here , or to have a fellow-feeling of their hunger; that which maketh us many times as miserable, as those themselves are to whom we show mercy .

Fourthly, all infirmities and bodily pains and diseases. Death is the best Physician , the best physic for them : it cureth us not of one but of all, and of all at once; not for once only, but for ever .

And what speak I of diseases, or of other diseases? Death cureth us even of death.

Old age; saith one, is a disease evil enough of it self : yea our life it self is a disease , and a deadly disease, a disease unto death : and there is no means to cure us of this disease but by death. We 〈◊〉 freed from death by death; as by death Christ destroyed death ; while mortality is swallowed up of life , and immortality, the only true health , is achieved by death.

The spiritual evils that death freeth us from, are also of 4. sorts.

The first of Satan's temptations. The Christian soul, while it is in this world, is in fight ever with Satan , who is continually laboring to work our evil , and to work us unto evil : and if he can not draw us out of God's way, by beating and buffeting us to vex and annoy us , and so to make God's way as tedious and troublesome, as he can possibly, unto us . And this course he continueth with us to our lives end, raging many times most furiously when we draw nearest to our end, because he knoweth his time then is but short . But by death we prevail against him, and get full victory over him ; when he is not only so cast out of us , that he cannot sway in us, as before our conversion sometime he did ; but is so shaken off from us, that he can never once return again, as with our Savior he did sometime , to tempt us. For our souls are out of his reach, when they are taken up into heaven , whither that wicked one hath now no access .

The second sort is of worldly provocations and evil examples. The children of God while they are in the world, cannot but live among, and converse with the wicked of the world : and living among them, and conversing with them, they can not but hear their blasphemous speeches , and see their lewd courses , whereby they abuse and dishonor God: that which is a matter of no small grief and vexation to God's children ; yea so great that it maketh them oft á-weary of their lives . As indeed how can it be but a grievous heart-sore to any faithful subject and well-affected to his Sovereign, to be constrained to abide in such a place, and among such people, where his Lord and master is daily railed on and reviled in his hearing, and those things done daily in his sight, that tend to the disgrace and dishonor of him, whom he deservedly most respects? But we are freed from all these evils also, when we go out of the world . For howsoever here the grain and chaff lie together in one field ; yet there the chaff goeth one way, and the good grain another way , the tares are cast one way, and the good corn is carried another way , even into God's garner, to a place where there shall be no matter of scandal , to make them stumble and fall or to vex and grieve them anymore.

The third sort of spiritual evils is of sin and corruption; then which nothing is more burdensome and cumbersome to a Christian soul , not so much for fear of wrath, as for desire to please God, and for grief that thereby he should show himself unkind and unthankful to him, whom he hath ever found so gracious and good to himself. And if this be so heavy to a Christian soul, that he should so displease and dishonor his heavenly father by his errors and over-sights , whose honor ought to be dearer to him than all the worlds wealth, yea then his own soul it self ; how is death then to be desired of him, that freeth him from this burden; that giveth an utter ease from it, an eternal discharge of it? For he that is dead, is freed from sin . Death, it strippeth us of our old man, our old skin, all at once, not, as sanctification doth it here, by degrees: yea it placeth us in far better estate, then our first parents were in before their fall . For they were so free from sin, that yet they might have will to sin: we shall be so freed by death from sin, that we shall never have either will or mind again thereunto.

The fourth sort of evils spiritual is of divine desertion, whereby God in this life, though he never indeed leave his children , yet sometime seemeth to forsake them ; though he ever remember and regard them , yet sometime seemeth to forget them : he doth many times, for secret causes best known to himself, with-draw from them the sight and sense of his gracious presence and assistance, and look upon them with a frowning and a lowering countenance. Which thing how grievous and heavy it is to God's saints for the present, may appear by those mournful plaints that they pour out in such cases : even so grievous, that (for the time) they seem to be in the very suburbs of hell. Whereas by death they are freed from all such dreadful desertions; being placed in such a state thereby, that as God shall never be again displeased with them, so he shall never in displeasure again turn his face away from them .

And thus have we seen the evils of all sorts, that death is a means to free us from.

Now in the next place, consider we the Benefits that death bringeth us unto: which may likewise be reduced to 4. heads.

The first is the full consummation of Grace, that is here but imperfect and in part : as first fruits , but an handful to the whole crop; as an earnestpenny given in pledge of full payment. But if the first-fruits be so precious , those small beginnings of Grace, that the true Christian, the wise merchant, would not take the world in exchange for them ; that he counteth all the wealth of this world, but as trash, as dr • sse and dongue in regard of them ; oh what will the full crop be? if the earnest-penny be so precious, what will the entire payment be? And if we then thirst and long after growth of grace, how should we desire death that bringeth with it a full consummation of grace, that bringeth grace to it full growth?

The second Benefit is a perfection of glory ; such an excellency as shall make us not only gracious in our selves, but most glorious also in the eyes of all that behold us: that which the Apostle calleth an exceeding excessive eternal weight of glory: and saith further,that all the afflictions of this life, are not worthy once to be named with that glory, that in the next life shall be manifested, not unto us only, but even in us .

When the sun of righteousness shall shine full upon us , and shining full upon us, shall make us like unto himself ; so that we shall also shine as the sun in the kingdom of heaven . This we are not able to conceive what it is. We can guess somewhat at the former, because we have the first-fruits of it here: but this we are not able to give almost any guess at. But the Apostle Peter, in Christ's transfiguration, seeing a glimpse of it ( oh it is good being here, saith he) would fain have stayed there still . And the Apostle Paul that had seen it, could not utter what he had seen , but longed exceedingly after it, as one never well till he were there . And undoubtedly, enlarge we our minds all that may be, we shall say, when we shall come to see and enjoy it, as the Queen of the South, when she came and saw Solomon's royalty , the one half, nay the hundredth part of that we shall find there, was never either reported unto us, or conceived of us here.

The third Benefit, is the inseparable company of Christ. They shall follow the Lamb there, whithersoever he goeth . In this world is Christ said to be with us : after this life are we said to he with him .

Here he is said to be with us, while we sojourn from him : there are we said to go to him, and to be at his home with him . And if it be matter of much joy to have Christ with us here, what will it be to abide forever with him there ? If Christ's presence by his spirit be so comfortable here, that it is able to cheer us up in all our greatest afflictions : what shall his glorious presence be eternally there?

Conceive we it by some comparisons. It were a great grace, and such as would minister much comfort to a Courtier lying sick at home of the gout, to have the Prince not only to send to him, but in person also to visit him: but much more comfort and joy would it be to him, to be able, being recovered, to repair to the Court, and there enjoy his Princes presence, with such favors and pleasures, as that place may afford. How much more then, in this case, is it a great grace and a comfort, that God vouchsafeth to visit us here by his spirit , sometime more familiarly and feelingly, but ever so effectually, as thereby to support us even in our heaviest afflictions? but yet how much more exceedingly shall our joy and comfort be increased, when being freed from all infirmities, we shall be taken home to him, that we may live in joy and bliss forever with him? As that Courtier having assurance given him of recovery by such a time, would exceedingly rejoice to think of the joy of that day, and count every day a week, if not a year, to it, wherein he should being recoured return again to the Court, and be welcommed thither in solemn manner by all his friends there, the Prince himself principally: so well may the faithful soul not a little joy to forethinke with it self, what a joyful hour that shall be unto it, wherein by death parted from the body, it shall be solemnly presented before the face of Christ, and entering into the heavenly palace, shall be welcomed thither by the whole court of heaven, by all the blessed spirits that there abide .

Again; this life is the time of our contract with Christ after this life cometh our marriage-day . Now as a virgin espoused to one that is travailed to the East-Indies, if she do indeed faithfully and unfeignedly affect him, though she joy to read a letter, or to see some token from him, yet it is nothing in that kind that can give her contentment , but she longeth for his presence, desireth to hear of his return, and joyeth to think on that day, when meeting again they shall be so matched, as they shall never more again be so severed. So here, though the Christian soul contracted to Christ, during the time of this contract, in his absence from her , receive many favors and love-tokens from him , as are all the blessings she enjoyeth here, be they spiritual or temporal ; yet they cannot all of them give full contentment unto her, but help rather to enflame her affection towards him, and make her, if she sincerely love him, as she professeth and pretendeth to do, the more earnestly and ardently to long for that day, wherein she shall come inseparably to be linked unto him, and everlastingly to enjoy his personal presence, which above all things she most desireth.

The fourth and last, but not the least Benefit that death bringeth us unto, is immediate communion with God: when God shall be all in all and unto all : when we shall draw our delights from the fountain of all , from the well-head : when God shall convey and minister unto us immediately by himself, whatsoever he now communicateth unto us by means . This (though it be the greatest benefit of all, yet we can say the least of all of it. Only thus much: If the means whereby God now imparteth his mercies unto us, be so sweet to God's saints, (the ministry of his word, his holy mysteries, and religious offices) that they earnestly thirst after them when they want them , delight exceedingly in them when they have them, seem to be even ravished and enamored with them , prefer the sweetness of them before the sweetest sweets , yea seem to dote so upon them, that they have never enough of them if the dim beams, I say, of God's face and favor shining through these thick clouds and veils be so comfortable to them, that they esteem all worldly joys and delights, as nothing in regard of them ^b : oh what shall God himself be, when we shall see him fully face to face , when we shall find all together in him, draw all immediately from him, and enjoy whatsoever our heart can desire or mind imagine, yea far more than either of them can possibly now reach to , in him.

And thus we have seen the benefit of death, both in regard of the evils from which it freeth us; as also in regard of those good things that thereby accrue unto us: whence we may well conclude, that as God's children may lawfully desire it, so they have just cause and great cause earnestly to long after it.

Now the Use then of this point is first to overthrow the opinion of those that think it not lawful in any case to wish or desire death, yea in regard of freedom from outward evils; sithence it is promised, as we have shown, by God as a blessing, and as a blessing in that very kind .

Yea but, may some say, if we may desire it, we may do it: we may then hasten our own end.

It followeth not. A man may desire many things to be done, which yet he himself may not do. A man may desire the ministry : yet he may not make himself a minister . He may desire to have some malefactors taken away by the sword of justice: yet, being a private person, he may not do it himself. So a man may desire death, and seek it at God's hands; but not procure it or hasten it by any means of his own .

Secondly, it serveth to shame and condemn such as are so loath to die, that they cannot endure to hear of death and dissolution: so far from desiring that which they have so great cause to desire, that they cannot brook or abide any mention or motion of it, can worst of anything away with it: in so much that some forbear the doing of some things, some matters of conveniency, yea some necessary duties, as making of their Wills, out of a frivolous and superstitious conceit, that they shall die shortly, if they do them.

Yea many though they cannot live, yet are unwilling to die . Though they live in that misery, that they can have no joy of their lives, that their life is rather a lingering death than a life , yet would they rather continue still in such miserable plight, then be content to have an end put to their intolerable torments, much more bitter than many deaths, by an easy dissolution, by a speedy dispatch. No pain, no torment, no pangs of death, can prevail so with them, as to make them willing to undergo what they cannot avoid , or content to go to God.

Now for Heathen, or such as have no hope but here , to be thus affected, were not greatly to be wondered at. But for Christians, that profess themselves to be but pilgrims and strangers here , this world a strange country to them, and heaven their own country , their home, their fathers house; for them to be so unwilling to leave this world, to depart hence, to return to their own home, as if their fathers house were not an heaven but an hell, it is a foul shame, it is no small blemish to their Christian profession.

Yea it showeth such persons to be possessed still with a great measure of hypocrisy. For what is it but hypocrisy, when our prayers and our practice concur not, when the one is directly contrary unto the other, when we are most unwilling to that, that daily we would seem to desire Or how do not our prayers and our practice the one directly cross the other, when we pray daily to have, not our will, but God's will to be done ; and yet when it cometh to the point, that God calleth us to come to him, we hang back, and are unwilling to do what he willeth us , would rather writh God's will to ours, than conform our will to his, would rather have our own will done against God's will to our own evil, then the will of our loving father wrought on us for our good? How do not our tongues and our hearts apparently and exceedingly jar, when we pray daily to God, that his kingdom may come , and yet we wish and desire rather to stay here still, where Satan's throne and kingdom is; and where we our selves are in some degree still of thralldom , then to be translated hence unto that eternal kingdom ; where we shall be absolutely free from all spiritual servitude, and shall reign in glory forever with Christ Jesus our head?

And surely strange it is to see here, as one well observeth, how contrariwise we are in this kind affected to our own courses otherwise. For the laborer hasteth to repose himself ; the mariner roweth with all might to gain his port, and is glad at the heart when he is once come within kenning of it; the traveler is never quiet till he be at his ways end. And yet we tied in this world to a perpetual task, tossed as on the sea, with continual tempest, toiled and tired out with a tedious and cumbersome passage, can not see the end of our pains but with grief, view our port but with tears, think on our home but with horror and dread: Seeme weary of our work, of our waves, and our way; and yet when death cometh to rid us of them, to set us at an end of them, and to put us into our port, we shun it as a rock, and cannot endure the sight of it : do as little children, that go crying out of some malady all day, and at night when the medicine cometh that should heal and help them of their pain, or the Barber-Surgeon that should pluck out the akingtooth, have no grief more now, but are well enough without it; fear the means of ease more than the disease,: the medicine more than the malady itself so we fear what we should wish for, and wis what we should fear; yea fear most and abhor what we have most cause to desire .

Oh but life is sweet, will some say: and man is a creature that loveth life .

Do we love life? let us love true life, love eternal life, love that life that is life indeed . For this life is no life, but a death rather than life . It is no true life that yieldeth to death, that tendeth to death, that endeth in death : that is true life, that is eternal: that is true life, that cannot be dissolved by death . If we desire such life then, let us desire death: for there is no way to such life but by death

As a Christian man therefore hath no cause to fear or abhor death , because it can neither bereave him of spiritual , nor debar him of eternal life : (he dieth not, though he die : his death is no death:) so he hath great cause to love and desire death, because it bringeth him to perfection of spiritual life , it placeth him in possession of eternal life . As he hath no cause to dread death, because it cannot sever him from Christ : so he hath good cause to desire death, because it bringeth him home unto Christ . And it is no death, but life, to be joined unto him; as it is no life, but death, to be severed from him

[Use 3] Thirdly, this serveth to show the efficacy and excellency of faith: it maketh those things most cheerful, most comfortable, most desirable, that are most dreadful, & discomfortable, and terrible in themselves: it altereth clean the nature of things: it maketh the world irksome to Paul , which all men naturally desire and delight in: it maketh death and dissolution desirable and delightsome unto him, which all men naturally abhor; insomuch that though they be weary of life, yet they are unwilling to die; though they have no pleasure of their life, yet loath are they to leave life, and to die once, that they may live ever. It is clean contrary with Paul. His life is not deer to him : and death is desired of him : yea so much desired, that he can hardly, but for others, induce himself to live longer : it is as hard a matter to make him patient of life, as it is to make other men patient of death : it is a mastery with them to make them willing to die; it is a mastery with him to make himself willing to live. And surely a great matter it must needs be, that maketh a man die cheerfully, not as one weary of life , but as desirous of death ; as desirous of death, as other men are of life, because in death and by death he looketh for life .

Fourthly, this should incite us to the love and desire of that, which we have so good, so great cause to desire ; For what should we desire rather than to be at rest, at an end of all our troubles and travels; to be freed from the burden and bondage of sin, from Satan's assaults, from the present wicked world; to be rid of infirmity; to be stripped of our mortality; to be made perfectly gracious, and unspeakably glorious; to be in joy inconceivable, and in happiness eternal; to be present with Christ, and forever with God? This was the end of Christ's descending, that we might ascend : of his descending to us, that we might ascend unto him: he to misery, we to glory; he to be crucified, we to be crowned; he to be crucified for us, we to be crowned with him. And if he were content to do the one, how much more we the other? If he counted it meat and drink to do that for our good , how much more should we desire to do this for our own good? And indeed his descending cannot be beneficial unto us, unless we ascend unto him . That was the end of his descending: and that is the end of his ascending. As he descended, so he ascended that we might ascend : he went into heaven before us, to prepare a place for us , and to draw us up to him , that we might reign forever with him . And shall we then be unwilling to follow him to our eternal glory, to our endless good? Certainly with an evil will would we accompany him to the cross, if we be so unwilling to come after him to the crown. Oh let us rouse up therefore our dull and drowsy spirits; let us sharpen and whet on our affections and desires hereunto, that we may be willing to die, that we may even desire death. For, He liveth but evil, that cannot die well . And, It is one point of well-dying, to be willing to die . And no man dieth more willingly, than he that desireth death.

Now that we may (with this blessed servant and Apostle of Christ) love death and desire death, let us so live as we may not fear death. For how can a man desire what he feareth ? Wouldest thou therefore have death to be not terrible and horrible, but desirable and delectable; not lamentable, but comfortable; not dreadful, but cheerful and delightful unto thee? (For it is not, neither can it so be unto all, but unto some only ; to those alone that are qualified so, as our Apostle here was.)

Then first suffer not thy soul to be glued to this world. For it is the love of this life that maketh death bitter . Therefore are so few content to be dissolved, because they are so wedded to the world ; whereas to a mind that loatheth and misliketh the world, nothing is so welcome as death, that taketh him out of the world.

Yea take heed that the good blessings that God here vouchsafeth thee, cleave not too close to thee. For even they are often unto us, as Absalom to David , a means privily to filch our affections from God, and to make us more unwilling to go hence unto God. Let us remember that these things, though good things, are but as rings and louetokens that God wooeth us here withal. And as it were but an harlotry love in us, to affect the present more than the party that sendeth it ; so an absurd and a preposterous thing, that God's louetokens sent to us, should lessen our love to him, and make us less desirous of the fruition of him. Which that therefore they may not do, we must take heed that our hearts be not set too much on them ; that we use them so that we do not abuse them ; that we be not so desirous still to retain them, that they make us more unwilling, parting with them, to depart to him that sent them, when he shall call us to come to him. Let us so possess them, that they hang loose about us: then when death cometh to strip us of them, they will go off with ease, as we slip off our garments, when we lay us down to sleep. Otherwise if they cleave to us, we shall not part but with pain; as the shirt that sticketh fast to the ulcerous body, and pulleth skin and flesh away withal: as the tooth, that standeth fast in the head, cometh not out but with much difficulty, teareth the gum, or bringeth a piece of the jaw away with it; when the tooth that is loose, cometh out with ease.

Secondly, hate sin, and death will be delightful unto thee. It is the love of their corruptions, that maketh men loath to leave them , and loath to appear there, where they must be called to account for them. The love of sin maketh men fear death: and the hatred of sin would make men love and desire death. For he that hateth sin in himself , cannot but desire to have the body of sin wholly abolished in his soul : which, because it will last with him as long as he liveth , and will not be utterly abandoned till death; therefore the more he hateth it, the less he loveth life; the more he abhorreth it, the more he desireth death. As the more impatient of sickness, so the more impatient of sin, the more desirous of death .

Thirdly, lay a good foundation for life eternal . Labor to keep a good conscience, and the comfort of a good conscience , and death shall not be dreadful but cheerful unto thee. For the godly hath hope even in death . The worldly man hath his hope, as his happiness, in this life alone. And therefore so long as life lasteth, some sory hope he may have But when he dieth, his hope dieth with him . And therefore justly feareth he death, that putteth a final end, as to his happiness, so to his hopes. Whereas the godly man retaineth his hopes, even when life decayeth therefore justly rifest then with him, because he approacheth then nearest to the accomplishment of them. And therefore little reason hath he to fear or abhor death, much cause to affect it, and cheerfully to expect it? For he that is in the state of grace and life, cannot be put beside it, or deprived of it by death . And he may well cheerfully expect, and even with triumph entertain death , that is to receive and enjoy a crown of eternal life after death . That therefore we may be confident in these our desires, in coveting to remove hence, that we may go unto God; let us study so to carry our selves, that both staying here, and removing hence, we may be acceptable unto him .

Labor then for this: yea labor not only for it; but labor further, in the fourth place, to get assurance of it to thine own soul . Labor (I say) to get assurance of God's favor in thy life, and thou shalt not need to fear death . A man will never be afraid to go to God, if he know that in Christ he is reconciled unto God . He will never be afraid to lay down this cotage of clay, if he be assured that he hath an eternal housing, not made with hands, reserved for him in the heavens . The want of the former, of the thing it self, maketh the unfaithful fear death; and not without cause; because they have laid no foundation for life after death; and therefore when they die, they die irrecoverably, they die eternally, they pass not from death to life, but from death to death , or from death to such a life, as is worse than any death, a dying life and a living death . The want of the latter, to wit, of the assurance of it, maketh even many faithful fear death; (though that without just cause;) because, though they have laid a sure foundation for life, and therefore cannot miscarry, but must needs do well in death; yet they want the comfort of it, because they do not apprehend it, because they are not assured of it : which maketh them therefore with fear to expect death, as a sergeant that came to arrest them, and to carry them away to hell; which, if they could consider of things aright, they had cause rather with great joy to welcome, as God's messenger, sent to convey them hence to heaven.

Fifthly, learn to die whiles thou livest; learn to die before death . Forecast thine end think oft on it ; fit thyself for it; that though it come never so soon, never so suddenly, it may not surprise thee unawares, it may not find thee vnfitted. He can not die with alacrity, he cannot in holy manner desire death, that hath not fitted himself for death, that hath not before hand seriously thought on his end, and addressed himself thereunto . Therefore men fear it, because they are not prepared for it: therefore they dread it, because it cometh ere they expected it . As thou art wont therefore ere sleep come upon thee, to compose thyself unto rest, by stripping thyself, lying down in or on thy bed, drawing the curtains about thee, closing thine eyes, acting sleep as it were, before thou sleepest: So endeavor daily, before death seize on thee, to compose and address thyself unto death , by the serious meditation of thine unavoidable end, as most certainly not far of , so uncertain how near, by laboring to work out of thy mind such secular, carnal, or satanical conceits, as may bring thee out of love with it, and by striving to bring thyself acquainted with it, yea to work thine heart to a love and a liking of it, that when it cometh, thou mayest entertain it, neither as a foe, nor as a mere stranger, but as a wonted guest, as an ancient acquaintance, as a familiar friend It is a matter, as of much consequence, for the furtherance of a cheerful departure, so of great difficulty, not so soon achieved, not so easily learned, as many men imagine: yea it is that, that we may well all our life long be a learning; since it is, or ought to be the main aim of every man's whole life, to prepare and fit him for death .

Sixthly and lastly, when thou lookest towards death, look withal ever further than it. When thou meditatest on death, meditate withal on those benefits that shall accrue unto thee by death. Oh could we see them, as Paul did, when he was wrapped into the third heaven : we would never be well, until we were there. Nay, could we see but some glimpse, as those three Disciples did , of that glory; we would never lin longing till we were entered or entering into it. But this since we cannot hope for, till we come there; let us labor with Moses the mean while, with the spiritual eye of the soul, with the eye of faith and meditation, to see him that cannot be seen ; yea to see that, that cannot be seen ; to see that with the spiritual eye, that cannot be seen with the natural eye: with our Apostle, to look not on the things that are seen, but on the things that are not seen : not consider death as it showeth it self to the eye of flesh and blood, and as it is in it own nature, as an enemy to man, as a punishment of sin ; but as it is manifested to the eye of faith out of God's word, as it is now altered and changed through God's mercy in Christ, as a great benefit, as a blessing, as the messenger of God ; as God's messenger, I say, for the good, yea for the endless good of all those that belong unto God. Open the eye of thy soul to look not upon it, but beyond it. Muse oft upon the happiness that shall ensue upon it, and cannot be attained but by it. That will make thee desire death, though not for it self, yet for it ; yea it will make thee even in love with death, if thou beest in love with it; since thou canst not but by death attain unto it.

Fifthly, this helpeth to confute certain erroneous conceits.

First, the popish opinion of Purgatory. For what cause or reason should Christian men have to desire death, if they were to go to such a place after death? to pass not from pain to ease and rest, but from pain to pain, from lesser pains to greater pains; to greater torments after death, then ever they did or could endure in this life : not to go unto Christ, bnt to go further from Christ; not to converse with him immediately after death, but to be deprived of those means, whereby they had spiritual society with him, and did comfortably enjoy him by his spirit here upon earth. A mere dotage of man's idle brain, having no shadow of ground or warrant out of God's word, teaching the Saints of God to expect after death woe and pain and hell, where the Spirit promiseth nothing but life , rest , joy , and heaven .

Secondly, it confuteth likewise another unsound assertion, to wit, of those that deny unto the souls of the Saints deceassed entrance into heau'n, and access unto the presence of Christ, until the last day. This erroneous conceit was of old broached by Irenaeus , and was of late again revived by Pope John 22 . But was then opposed by the most of his Cardinals, and confuted by the Divines of the University of Paris, and the Pope himself (as some write) constrained by Philip the Faire, then King of France, publicly to recant it ; as also Benedict 12. his next successor, solemnly condemned it .

And it is a point indeed directly contrary to the promise of Christ, and to the Desires of the Saints.

To the promise of Christ made to the Thief on the Cross; This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise : which Paradise this our Apostle expoundeth to be the third Heaven , the present place of Christ's residence and abode .

To the Desires of God's Saints; this our Apopostle, and others, as well here, as else-where, who desire to remove hence, that they may go thither to Christ . But in vain should they desire for that end to remove hence, if when hence they departed, they should not go to christ, but wait without, I wot not where, secluded from all access to him, and from the sight of him. So that of necessity either we must shut Christ himself out of heaven, or else we must admit the souls of the Saints, who by direction of the Spirit of God (which cannot mis-inform them, either delude or deceive them,) desire therefore to be dissolved, that they may go immediately to be and abide with him where he is.

Lastly, it teacheth us not to mourn excessively for the deceassed . For how can we desire to go after them, if we mourn for them, as if some evil had befallen them? or what cause have we to bewail them, that are therefore happier than us, because they are gone thither before us , whither we must once follow them, and can never be fully happy here, until we be there with them? Rather; are they gone before us, that were near and deer unto us? Let their departure from us, that were so much affected of us, be a means to draw our affections more to the place whither they are gone before us; and to those courses, whereby we may be partakers with them, as in the grace of God here, so in glory hereafter.