ELIJAH'S EPITAPH, AND THE MOTTO OF ALL MORTALS: IN THE Other Reason in the Text, persuading him into a willingness to Die, in these words,  I am no better than my Fathers, 1 Kin. 19.4. 
By Thomas Bradley, D.D. one of his late Majesty's Chaplains, and Praebendary of York; and Preached in the Minster there, and in his Rectory of Ackworth, 1669. Aetatis suae, 72.  
YORK, Printed by Stephen Bulkley, and are to be sold by Francis Mawbarne, 1670.   

Elijah 's EPITAPH, AND The MOTTO of all Mortals, in the other Reason of the Text, persuading him into a willingness to Die, in these Words, I am no better than my Fathers.  
AND now, after this long Parenthesis, I fall upon the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Text, the other Motive persuading the Prophet to make this his Suit to Almighty God to take away his Soul, as it lies in these words, Nam non sum melior Majoribus meis: For I am no better than my Fathers.  
In which words, note these four things clearly offered to our consideration.  

1. An humble Confession.  
2. An ingenious Concession.  
3. A serious Observation.  
4. A contented Submission to the common Condition of Mortals; namely, To Die, and to be gathered unto his Fathers, all comprised in these words, For I am no better than my Fathers.   
First, An humble Confession, wherein he doth not prefer himself before others; but others rather before himself.  
Secondly, An ingenious Concession, wherein he acknowledges of himself, He was no better than he should be.  
Thirdly, A serious Observation, most generally true in all successions, That seldom comes the better.  
Fourthly, A contented Resolution to submit to the common condition of Mortals, To Die, and to follow the Generation of his Fathers: All these four you may Read plainly in these words, For I am no better than my Fathers.  
Of all which I shall speak something briefly, if first, by the way, you will give me leave to take notice of the expression: It is usual with the Ancients, especially in the Old Testament, frequently upon occasion to make Honourable mention of their Fathers. So old Jacob telling Pharaoh of his Age, numbers his Days and Years, by comparing them to the Days and Years of his forefathers: Gen. 47.9. Few and evil are the Days of the Years of the Life of thy servant, and I have not attained to the Days of the Years of the Life of my Fathers. So Joseph's brethren, ask him forgiveness for the wrong they had done him, and fearing now he would revenge himself upon them, Gen. 50.17. Forgive we pray thee, the trespass of the servants of the God of thy Fathers. So David, upon his Deathbed, giving ghostly counsel to Solomon his Son, in the like terms doth even adjure him; 1 Chron. 28.9. And thou Solomon my Son, know thou the God of the Fathers, etc. So frequently, especially in the Scriptures of the Old Testament; and so here.  

Reasons.  
First, It is a grave expression, and well-becoming the gravity of holy and wise men to use; it strikes reverence into the minds both of the speaker, and the hearer.  
Secondly, It adds Authority to that which is spoken, and commands heedful Attention to what is spoke, with respect and reverence.  
Thirdly, 'Tis for the honour of the Ancestors to have honourable mention made of them upon occasion; The Righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance: but the name of the wicked shall rot.  
Fourthly, 'Tis for the honour of Posterity too, to be descended of such Ancestors: The Jews bore themselves high upon this, That they had Abraham to their Father; though they were removed from him by the distance of many Generations.  
Fifthly, 'Tis much for the benefit and advantage of Posterity many ways; that they can derive themselves from such Religious and gracious Ancestors: By this means they come to be partakers of many great blessings, and to have an interest in the Promises of many good things, both temporal and spiritual; both concerning this life, and the life to come. Blessings and good things, oft times become haereditary: Precious Promises made to Abraham, and his Seed: To David, and his Seed: The Promise is made to you, and to your Seed, Acts 2.39. Saint Paul commends the faith that was in Timothy; but withal takes notice, It was not only in him, but also in his Mother Eunica, and in his Grandmother Lois.  
Sixthly, 'Tis an advantage to Posterity in respect of imitation, an invitation, and encouragement to tread in their steps, and to imitate them in the best things: It is a shame to Posterity, and a great reproach, to be descended of worthy Ancestors, famous for their faith, grace, and holiness, and to degenerate from them, and to become lewd and lose, vicious and graceless, whereby they become a reproach, and a dishonour to their Relations, and the Stock they come of: The Virtues of their Ancestors are the great aggravation of their viciousness, and will be their great condemnation another day: Let us so walk in the steps of our forefathers, that if they were living, they need not be ashamed of us, nor our Posterity after us to derive themselves from such Fathers.  
Thus of the expression: We now come to the Observations raised out of it: Of which,  
The first is, His humility, in thinking and speaking meanly of himself, in comparison of others: He doth not exalt himself above them, but makes himself equal to them that were of a lower sort; I am no better than my Fathers: It was his modesty to say so; for he was better than his Fathers, in more respects than one: For,  
First, He was a Prophet; and we do not Read of any of his Race, that they were so: It was an Honour, and an Office, that was not haereditary; it went not by descent, as the Priesthood did, in the Tribe of Levie.  
Secondly, He was no ordinary Prophet, he was a Prophet extraordinary, mighty in word and deed, that wrought such Miracles, as none of the Prophets did besides, not Moses excepted: By his Prayer, he shut up the Heavens for three years and six months, that it should not Rain: And by his Prayers opened them again, that they sent down Rain in abundance, James 5.17, 18.  
Thirdly, In respect of his miraculous Assumption into Heaven in a fiery Chariot, wherein he exceeded Enoch. He was taken up into Heaven also; but not with that State that Elijah was: Elijah was taken up in a fiery Chariot: And in many other things this Prophet was singular; The Lord did honour him exceedingly, and made him, as it were, his Deputy on Earth, and gave him power to do great and marvellous things; yet see, when speaking of himself, he lessons himself in his own estimate, comparing himself with others far below him, Non sum melior; I am no better than they:  
Humility is the badge of Christianity: Hear the Voice of it in the great Patriarch Jacob, Gen. 32. Lord I am less than the least of all thy mercies. Moses a great Prophet of the Lord, that was a King in Jesurum; yet in his temper, the meekest man in all the Earth. Saint Paul an Arch-Apostle, the great Doctor of the Gentiles; yet speaking of himself, see how he lessens himself, If he speak of Saints, I am (saith he) the least, Ephes. 3.8. If of sinners, I am the greatest, 1 Tim. 1.15. The truth is, they that have Grace, know they want more than they have, they are enlightened, and so see their wants, their corruptions, their infirmities, and are sensible of them: Those that are void of Grace, as they have it not, so they do not feel the want of it, nor hunger and thirst after it, for it is an Act of Grace to be sensible of the want of Grace: And a further Act of Grace, to hunger and thirst after it, in spiritual things. None think better of themselves, than they that have least cause. Empty Vessels make the greatest noise, and sound; those that are full do not so: They are the light Ears of Corn that stand staring up in the field, overlooking, and over-topping the rest; those that are weighty with Corn, hang down their heads. In the Pharisee, and the Publican in the Gospel, you have them both, Luke 18. ver. 10.11, etc. I thank God, I am not as other Men, nor as this Publican: I fast twice a week, I pay Tithes of all that I have, etc. An empty Vessel, see what a sound he makes, and all this while, but as sounding brass, and a thinkling Cymbal: The other, with a penitent heart, and a submissive Voice, makes his humble Confession, and Petition to Almighty God, Lord be merciful to me a sinner: He goes away justified rather than the other. The Voice of humble Saints in the estimate of themselves, was wont to be that of David, 1 Chron. 29. Lord, who, or what am I, that thou hast dealt thus bountifully with me, that thou hast brought me hitherto? But now, the Voice of empty, and conceited Christians, hypocrites rather, is clean contrary: What am I not? am I not knowing? am I not wise? am I not holy? had such a conceited Christian all that he pretends to have, and pride himself in it, that very humour would mar all the rest, and take away from it all the thanks, acceptance, and reward, in that he prides himself in that, which is not his own, and robs God of his glory; For what hast thou, which thou hast not received? And if thou have received it, to whom is the praise of it due? to the Receiver, or to the Giver? to the Owner, or to the Donor? David apprehended rightly of this, when he confesseth, That in all the largeness, which he, and the people had given towards the building of the Temple, to the Honour and Worship of God, they had given him nothing, but what was his own: 1 Chron. 29.14. Of thine own have we given thee: Of his own every way; For first, 'Twas he that gave them the substance, which they contributed to that pious use. Secondly, 'Twas he that gave them the heart to do so; so it was his own every way: Of thine own have we given thee. If there be any good in us, whether Natural, Moral, or Spiritual, it is his own: If any evils, that's our own; and this is so much, in comparison of that good which is sound in the best of us, that it doth so over balance it, that it is no more than a drop of water in a bucketfull, in comparison. To keep us humble therefore, and to make us so, look not upon that little good that is in us, which is none of our own; but look upon that evil which is in us, and is truly our own; our sins, our corruptions, our infirmities, our inordinate affections, sinful lusts, unruly passions, and if in this examen, we will deal impartially with ourselves, I believe there is no man knows so much evil by another, as he doth by himself; and therefore shall do himself no wrong, if he confess, as in the Text, He is no better than others. If so worthy a Prophet as Elijah, doth acknowledge, He is no better than his Fathers; well may we, the best of us confess, we are much worse. This of the first Observation, The Prophet's humble Confession.  
The second now follows, and that is, His ingenious Concession, That he was no better than he should be. For though there was singular modesty, and humility, in this testimony he gives of himself, That he was no better than his Fathers: yet withal, he speaks it as sensible of his infirmities, and that he was not free from those Passions, and corruptions, which humane frailty is subject unto. Saint James making Honourable mention of him, James 5.17. yet baukes not that, Elias was a man subject to like passions with us: And this very request of his in the Text, That the Lord would now take away his Soul, was not altogether free from blame, it discovered some infirmity in him, in not being willing to stay the Lords time, for taking of him out of the World: the Lord had more work for him to do, before he took him away, as it appears afterward in his Story. But God doth not take the advantage of his servants infirmities against them, though we do so one against another; but where he sees an honest heart, an upright mind, truth in the affections, sincerity in the desires, seriousness the endeavours, and the bent of the will to be towards him, and to the fear of his Name, he will pass by many infirmities, and failings in his servants, and lay his hand upon them, that he may not see them to be displeased with them for it, and take notice of that which is good in them, to approve it, to commend them for it, and to reward it; such is the indulgence of our Heavenly Father, Lord have mercy upon us, if he should strictly mark what is done amiss, and deal extremely with us in this matter; the best of us, yea, the best that ever were, we, or our Fathers, Noah, Abraham, Lot, Levi, Moses, Aaron, David, Solomon, Peter, etc. saints of the first List, famous for their faith and ●iety, holiness and obedience, yet had their ●aylings, and those foul ones too, in sins of high nature, scandalous and fearful, up●n Record, all Written for our instruction, ●ot for our imitation: But,  
First, For caution, that we may walk warily ●nd circumspectly, and at every step we tread, ●ook to our footing.  
Secondly, For humiliation, that we should not be highminded, but fear, considering what weaklings, what nothings we are, if God leave us to ourselves.  
Thirdly, For admonition, that we may judge charitably of others in case of offence. And,  
Fourthly, For consolation, in case it may be our own case, that we may not therefore give ourselves for lost, or forsaken of God, but lay hold on Christ by Faith, and recover ourselves by Repentance, assuring ourselves, that the Lord will accept us to grace and mercy, as he did these our Fathers, notwithstanding all these breaches in their obedience, he owned them still to be his servants, and himself to be their God. He is the same God still, that pardoneth, and passeth by the iniquity, and the transgressions of his people, Micha 7.18. because he delighteth in mercy: He will not Sue us at the extremity of his Law, but relieve us in the Chancery of his Gospel, remembering whereof we are made, considering that we are but dust. Gracious, and precious is that Declaration which the Lord makes of himself to us-ward, Malachi 3.6. I am the Lord, I change not, therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. Alas! we do change, and most commonly every change is for the worse: Which brings in the third Note, or Observation arising out of these Words,   

That seldom comes the better.  
In all things wherein there is succession, this Observation is found to be so true, that it is come into a common Proverb, That seldom comes the better; but the World grows worse and worse. It were as endless, as needless, to instance in all particulars, how this is made good: Take one or two in stead of the rest; When God at first Created the World, Behold, all that he had made was exceeding good; and Man more excellent than all the rest: But how soon, and how fast, did he, and his Posterity degenerate, and fall from their primitive purity; so fast, that in ten, Generations, they were so corrupt, That it repent God, that he had made them: and their wickedness so great, That the Earth was not able to bear it, nor the Lord to forbear punishing of it; and that with so great a Judgement, as swept them all away from the face of the Earth. And after the Flood, when in Noah, God had set them upon a new score; How soon was this New World fallen back into the sins of the Old, not only in the Posterity of Cham, which fell off in the very next Generation; but even in Shem, that great Patriarch, after a few Generations, fallen to Idolatry, and to the worship of strange gods in Terah's days, the Father of Abraham? and who knows how long before him? remembered by Joshuah, Josh. 24.2. Your Fathers dwelled beyond the Flood in old time, even Terah the Father of Abraham, and the Father of Nachor: and served other gods. After God had by miraculous Providence brought his People into the Land of Canaan, and there settled them in a happy condition, affording them all helps, and means to keep them so, and to continue them in his fear, and in his true Religion; how soon had they cast off all, and by their multiplied rebellious, murmur, disobediences, and unsufferable provocations, tontinually renewed, even forc't him (after many means used for their reformation in vain, and without success) to cast them off, and to remove them out of his sight, and out of that good Land, that he had given them, and to give them up into the hands of their enemies, Salmanasar King of Asyria, and Nabuchadnezzar King of Babylon, under whose tyranny they suffered great hardship a long time, as is remembered at large, in the 78. Psalm, and 2 Chron. 36.  
Thus take the World in what Epoch, or section of time you will; As, from the Creation to the Flood: From the Flood to Abraham: From Abraham to the settling of them in the Land of Canaan: From thence to the Captivity, and so all along, till the coming of Christ, and so downward from time to time, you shall find it still declining from bad to worse, and generally every Age worse than other; so that if God should not sometimes purge the Land, and take away the evil that is upon it, either by some general Judgements, as of Famine, Sword, Pestilence, Fire, inundations of Water, and the like; or by working some general Reformations in it, to stop the course and current of sin, prevailing and overflowing, if he should not frequently keep (as it were) his Courts of Visitations and corrections in the World, for the suppressing of sin, continually growing, and increasing, the World would grow monstrous, in all manner of sin and iniquity; and the wickedness upon it would be so great, that the Earth would not be able to bear it, every Generation of men adding to the iniquity of their forefathers, and so making the World worse and worse. The Ancient Poets had some apprehension of this, when dividing the World into four Ages, they represented every succeeding Age worse than the former, under the similitude of four kinds of Metals, every one base than the other; Gold, Silver, Brass, and Iron. The first Age they termed the Golden Age. The second, the Silver Age. The third, the Brazen. And the fourth, the Iron Age: Every one worse than other. Or, as another of that apprehension, elegantly hath expressed it, in few words, to the same sense; Aetas Parentum avis, pejor nos peperit progeniem deteriorem: Our Parent's Age, worse than that of our Grandfathers, hath brought forth us an Offspring worse than both of them.  
And as in matters of Religion; so also in matters of civil concern, (if we compare) we shall find, that we are much worse than our Fathers: We have more Light, but they had more Love: We have more Knowledge, but they had more Conscience: We have more Preaching, but they more Practice, more Charity, more Devotion, more Works, without which, all the rest is but sounding Brass, and we with it, but tinkling Cymbals: Their Love shall outweigh our Light: Their Conscience, our Knowledge: Their Practice, our Profession: Their Charity, our fruitless Faith: Their Fruit, our Leaves and Blossoms, be they never so fair; who exceeded us as far in all Moral Honesty, Truth, Sincerity, and Uprightness, as we do them in the shows of it, and pretences to it. They would deal justly with all men, pay every man his own, do to others, as they would be done unto: In paying of Tithes, they made such Conscience of it, that you shall scarce Read an old Will, but you shall find something set down in it for Tithes forgotten. In making Conveyances, they made not half that ado, that now adays we do, no more but this, 
In witness that this is sooth,  
I by't it with my Tooth;  And that was Seal good enough. But now, if a man make, or take a Conveyance, there's much more to be done, there must be long Leases, Deeds, Bonds, Secucurities, Counter-securities, general Warrantyes, Fines, Recoveries, and a World of businesses, (which the simplicity of our forefathers never knew, nor used) and yet all little enough to secure a man from a lose, and false Chapman, and too little too sometimes. In buying and selling, or bargaining, (in those innocent times of our forefathers) a man might have dealt freely, and safely, and one believe another, and trust him upon his word. But in these dissembling times, that we live in, for the most part, every man in these transactions, must deal as warily with another, as if he dealt with a Cheat; and if he have not good skill in the Commodity he deals for, he is sure to be Cheated, more or less: And if the other he deals withal hath not the like skill, he is as like to be Cheated on the other hand; For there is no trust to be given to words in this case, Thus much it cost me; Thus much it is worth; Thus much I have been bidden for it, saith the Seller, and never a word true. Then on the other hand, It is naught, it is naught, saith the Buyer, but when he is gone, he boasteth, as Soloman observeth. So that our Saviour was not mistaken, Matth. 21. when speaking of such Chapmen in buying and selling, he calls them both Thiefs, both the buyer, and the seller, It is Written, My House shall be called the House of Prayer; but you have made it a Den of Thiefs: To set forth this by a Comparison, there is (me thinks) the same difference between us, and our Fathers of former Generations, in these matters, that there was between Jacob and Esau: The Scripture tells us, Jacob was a plain Man, and dwelled in Tents; but Esau was a cunning Hunter: Even so, our forefathers were plain men, and dwelled in Tents; plain in their dealing, plain in their diet, plain in their apparel, plain in their buildings, plain in their speech, plain in their carriage and behaviour every way; and above all, plain and rich in the rich Jewel of plain Dealing: But the men of our after Ages, (like Esau) are cunning Hunters, they hunt for their Neighbour's Goods, for their Houses, for their Lands, for their Farms over their heads, for their substance, for their Possessions, for their Places, for their Offices, yea, (and where they can have opportunity for it, or any hope they may prevail) for greater gain.  
And thus we have made out the third Observation to be generally too true, That in those things wherein there is Succession, seldom comes the better: Elijah tells us, He was no better than his Fathers; well were it with us, if we were no worse.  
And so much of the third Observation gathered out of this expression of the Prophet, For I am no better than my Fathers. The fourth follows, and that is,  
4th. Obs. His contented submission to the common condition of Mortals, to Die, and to follow the Generations of his Fathers. And here, by his Fathers, may well be meant, all the Generations that were before him, as well the Fathers that were before the Flood, as those that followed after in the second World, from Adam that was first Created, to the last Generation that was before him, I am no better than they, but mortal, as they were, made of the same mould, the Dust of the Earth, as they were; under the same Law and condition that they were, to return to Dust again: They all had their Pilgrimages here on Earth for a time, and in their time served their Generations; their Pilgrimages are ended, and they are dead, and gone, and turned to their Dust; I also have now had my time upon Earth in a tedious Pilgrimage, and now I pray thee, let this day be the last of it, and this place the end of it, here let me die, and be gathered unto my Fathers, For I am no better than my Fathers. In which words we have,  
His humble acknowledgement of his mortality; and in him, of our own, and of all Mankind, throughout all Generations, we, and all our Fathers before us, and our Posterity after us, All Mortals.  
It is usual in the Scriptures, especially of the Old Testament, to periphrase the death of men departed out of this world, by saying, They are gathered unto their Fathers. Here in this world, men are scattered one from another, in respect of time, by the interposition of many Generations; in respect of place, by the distance of many hundreds of miles; in respect of state and condition, by the variety of differences of high and low, rich and poor, learned and unlearned, bond and free, Kings and Captives, mighty and mean, strong and weak, etc. but Death gathers all together in the Grave, we shall all meet, in the Dust we shall find one another, Death gathers us all into its Net, and lays us up in the Dust. How Courtly the Prophet brings in the Kings, and mighty men of the Earth, brought down to the Dust, saluting one another, and, as it were, complementing one another in the Grave, being met there, and those that were there foremost, welcoming those that came after them to the same House of Darkness! There lies Adam, Seth, Enes, Methushalem, and the rest of the Fathers of the Old World before the Flood. There Noah, Shem, Arphaxad, Terah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the rest of the Patriarches since the Flood: And there all the Generations of our Fathers since them, to these times, wherein we now live; some of them lived longer than others; some of them did great and glorious Acts, in their time, and so were more famous in their Generation than others; but the conclusion of all was this, at the last, And he died, and was gathered unto his Fathers. Adam lived nine hundred and thirty years, and he begat Sons and Daughters, and he died. Seth lived nine hundred and twelve years, and begat Sons and Daughters, and he died. Methushalem, the longest liver of them all, he lived nine hundred sixty and nine years, and begat Sons and Daughters and he died; and so of all the rest, after all the Story of their long Lives, and great things done by them, in their time; yet this was the Catastrophe of them all, And he died. Neither Wisdom, nor Wealth, nor Power, nor Policy, nor Greatness, nor Goodness, nor Grace, nor Holiness itself, can privilege from this common condition of the Sons of Adam, but they must die. We see, That wise men die, as well as fools, Psal. 49.10. and rich men die, as well as poor; and strong men die, as well as weak; and Kings die, as well as Captives, etc. It puts me in mind of a Sage, and grave saying of an Ambassador, (from whom I do not now well remember) but coming to Rome in an Embassy, he was showed all the glory, the state, and the magnificence of that famous City: but it chanced, that while they were showing him all these glorious things, there past by a Corpse, carried to the Grave to be buried; which this wise Ambassador observing, took occasion from thence, to speak these words, That notwithstanding all that greatness, and glory, yet he saw, that men died at Rome, as well as in their Country: so impartial, so inexorable is this common devourer of men, there is no Covenant to be made with Death, no agreement with the Grave: It is one of Solomon's insatiables, which never saith, it hath enough, till it hath us all with our Fathers, For we are no better than our Fathers.  
But what need I Preach mortality to mortals, whose very bodies that they carry about them, daily Preach unto them the same thing; and the spectacles of mortality which we daily see, Preach it more powerfully to our Eyes, than Funeral Sermons can do unto our Ears? Daily we hear the Tollings of the Passing bells, calling us to our long home: Daily we see the bones and skulls of our friends deceased, rak't out of the Grave: daily we see others following after them, and the mourners about the streets. It strikes me deeply into the meditation of mortality, when I do but look over the Register Book, to see in the turning over of how few leaves, I find the same man Baptised, Married, Buried: Thus one Generation passeth away, and another succeedeth, and hasteth after it, as we after them, till we all lie down in the Dust of Death: For we are no better than our Fathers.  
But to draw to an end; I will only show you some Reasons, proving not only the certainty, but the necessity of dying, that so we may make account of it, look for it, and provide for it, and so conclude this Observation also.   

And there are six Reasons which make it not only certain, but necessary, that we should die.  
First, Because we are all sinners: And the wages of sin, is Death, Rom. 6.23. And in the fifth of the Romans, ver. 12. By one man sin entered into the World, and death by sin: and so death went over all men, in whom all men have sinned.  
Secondly, The Sentence of Death is gone out against all mankind, not to be reversed: This Sentence was pronounced in Paradise, and daily put in execution ever since; In quo die commederis, morte moriêris: In the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt die the death.  
Thirdly, The matter whereof we are made, necessitates it, the mean and corruptible dust of the Earth: And of this God puts us in mind, from the very beginning of our being, Pulvis, & in pulverem: Dust thou art, and to Dust thou shalt return.  
Fourthly, From the continual conflict that is between the four contrary qualities that are in us; Of Heat and Cold, Drought and Moisture, one against another: These being the prime qualities of the four Elements, of which we, and all compound, or mixed bodies do consist, are found in us, in one degree, or other; all which being contrary the one to the other, are in continual fight one with another, which never ceaseth, but with the dissolution of the compositum, the compound body wherein they are: Where here these qualities are in aequilibri●, equally balanced, and in some due proportion mingled in the body; there the body is healthful, strong, of an excellent temper, and of long continuance, which was the happiness of Adam, in his first Creation, and of the long-lived Fathers before the Flood, in a great measure: But where one of these qualities doth predominate, and get the upper hand over the other, there follows a distemper, and upon that sickness, and weakness, which by the Art, and care of the skilful Physician may be helped, at least in some measure, and for a time, if he be skilful in these two things. First, to find out, and to discover which of the qualities it is, which hath the predominancy. And secondly, How to correct that quality, and to relieve the other, which is oppressed by it, and so to set them in some equal proportion, and due temper again. But this can no Art of man do so, as to keep them always in an equal balance, but the qualities being so diametrally opposite one to the other, the fight will still be renewed again, and the conflict continued, till the one hath destroyed the other; upon which must needs follow the dissolution of the whole body: so that in these very Elements that we consist of, we carry Death about us, we only stay while the one hath gotten the mastery of the other, and so bring us down to our dust.  
Fifthly, There is a nocessity that we should taste of death, and be turned to our dust again, that so our gross, and corruptible bedies being first putrified, may be purified and refined, and defaecated from all those dregs, and terrestrial groseness, which was in them, while they lived here in the Flesh, and so be raised again spiritual, and incorruptible. This Reason Saint Paul gives, 1 Cor. 15.36. Thou fool, that which thou sowest, is not quickened, except it die. And ver. 53. This corruptible must put on incorruption: but before it put on incorruption, it must put off corruption, and that must be done by death: It shall be raised spiritual; but first, it must lay down that which is carnal in it; this is done by Death, and the Grave, where the body is first putrified, and turned to Dust, that so, as the Phoenix out of it's own Ashes; so the body may be raised out of it's own Dust, and renewed out of it's own Materials, that so, becoming incorruptible, spiritual, and immortal, it may be fit to enter into the Heavenly habitations, and to be partaker of the inheritance with the Saints in glory.  
Sixthly, and lastly, It is necessary that all men should die, and be laid up in the Earth, in order to the great Assizes, the great and general Judgement to come, that so they may be all brought forth, together to their trial, for the greater honour of the Judge our Lord Jesus Christ, the greater glory of the solemnity, and the greater state of the proceed in that high Court, and in that great day. This is the Reason the Apostle gives of the necessity of all men's dying, before the general Judgement: And in order to it, Heb. 9.27. It is appointed for all money once to die, and after that to come into Judgement. Some particular judgements we see daily executed in the World, in which God doth punish some particular sins, by Judgements Nationall, Local, and Personal, that men may know, There is a God that Judgeth the Earth; and that sin shall not always go unpunished: But these are but as petty Sessions, in respect of the Great Assizes to be holden at the General Judgement of the Great Day. That's the Day indeed, the Day of all Days, called, The Day of the Lord, the Day wherein the Lord will be glorified in the sight of Men and Angels, good, and bad, when they shall see the Son of Man coming in the Clouds, with power and great glory, and all the holy Angels with him, with flaming fire rendering vengeance to them that would not know him, nor obey his glorious Gospel, when all Nations shall be gathered before him; and all the Generations of men which have been upon the Earth, from Adam, to the end of the World; when the Angels shall gather the Elect from the four Winds, from all quarters of the World: and the Sea shall give up her dead, and the Earth shall give up her dead; and they shall all, great and small, appear before the Throne, and be set in two mighty bodies, the one on the right hand, and the other on the left, and there stand to hear their final doom; Those on the right hand, the Sentence of Absolution, Venite benedicti: Come ye blessed. And those on the left hand, the Sentence of Condemnation, Ite maledicti: Go ye cursed: So they shall go into eternal life; and these into everlasting fire. I conclude this Discourse with the words of Saint Peter, upon the same subject, 2 Epist. 3. chap. 11. ver. Seeing all these things must come to pass, what manner of people ought we to be in all holy conversation, and godliness? And those of Saint Paul to the same purpose, 2 Cor. 5.11. Considering the terrors of the Lord, we admonish you; What to do? To reconcile yourselves unto God, to go quickly, and make your peace with your adversary, while you are in the way, that is, in this life, before you die, and your soul be taken away; to break off your sins by repentance, that they may be blotted out, and not be found upon the file against you; in the day of account, to make your accounts straight, and ready, that when the Master shall call for them, you may give them up with joy; to get oil into your Lamps, and your lights burning, that you may be ready to enter in with the Bridegroom; to purge yourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, by the sanctifying virtue of the holy Ghost, and get your souls washed in the blood of the Lamb, that so when they shall be separated from the body by death, you may with comfort and confidence, commend them into the hands of God, in the words of the Prophet, and of the Text, and say, Lord take away my soul, and he may own it, and accept it, and take it into the highest Heavens, and assign it a place among the holy souls of the Saints in light, where it shall rest in joy, happiness, and glory for evermore.  
And so we have now put up the Prophet's Petition to Almighty God, in his own words, Lord take away my soul.  
But there is no Petition, but refers to some Answer, which leads us to inquire after the Answer to this: What Answer did the Lord give to this his request? Did he grant his desire, by taking away his soul, or no?  
No, he did not: And why so?  
First, He had more work for him to do, before he meant to take him away: He was to Anoint Huzael King of Syria: Jehn King of Israel: And Elisha Prophet, in his room. It was after this, that he had that great bustle with Ahab, about Naboth's Vineyard, and denounced a heavy judgement from the Lord upon him, for that his oppression, and injustice, which fell upon him accordingly; And as great a controversy with Ahaziah his Son, whom he sentenced to death, for seeking to the god of Ekron for help in his sickness. And many other great things did he, before God took him away. Therefore the Lord would not grant this his request at this time, though it seemed to be reasonable, and modest, To take away his soul; he would not do it yet, he had more work for him to do first.  
Secondly, If God had granted this his request now, it had been much to his loss, it had prevented his glorious assumption into Heaven in a fiery Chariot, which honour he had afterward, as we read, 2 Kings 2. Besides, the glory that he got upon those two Kings, Ahab, and Ahaziah, in sentencing them to death for their wickedness: And upon the two Captains of Ahaziah, in calling for fire from Heaven to devour them, and their fifties, sent to take him, 2 Kings 1. It had been much to his loss, if God had granted him his request, therefore he would not grant it, to take away his life, but sent an Angel with Provision, to satisfy his hunger, and his thirst, and to preserve him from famishing in the Wilderness, he had no worse Katerer, 1 Kings 19.6. and afterwards taken up both body and soul into Heaven in a fiery Chariot.   

From hence I raise these two Observations.  
The first, That God doth not always grant the Suits of his servants, but sometimes may, and doth for good reason deny them.  
The second this, That God doth oftentimes give unto his servants greater things, than they ask, he out-grants their own ask.  
To the first, Moses had a desire to go into the Land of Canaan: God would not suffer him; He carried him up to the top of Mount Nebo, where he might take a view of it; but he would not grant he should go into it: but there he took away his soul, Deut. 34.4, 5. Saint Paul was a great favourite of Heaven, and he Prayed again and again, that the Messenger of Satan might departed from him; yet was content to sit down without an Answer: And when, at last, with much importunity, he obtained an Answer, it was not so directly to his request; but only a general promise of God's Grace to support him under the conflict, My Grace is sufficient for thee: For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might departed from me: and at last he obtained this answer, My Grace is sufficient for thee. Supplicat primo, Grace is denied: Supplicat secundo, Grace is denied again: Supplicat tertio, Grace is granted; yet all this while, he doth not gratify him in granting what he requested in specie; but granted him something else, that he in his wisdom thought fit for him, My Grace is sufficient for thee. Deus non semper dat ad voluntatem, sed Deus dat at sanitatem: God doth not always give according to our will; but God always giveth for our weal, as a Father speaks, Deus audit misericorditer, Deus non audit misericorditer: When God heareth us it is in mercy; when God heareth us not, it is in mercy too. Sometimes we in our ignorance ask such things, as are not fit for us to receive; sometimes such things, as 'tis not fit for him to give: In both these cases, it is no wonder, if we ask, and have not, sometimes we ask amiss; and then, no marvel, if he deny us, sometimes unseasonably; and then no marvel, if he delay us: Yet let not all this discourage from ask, but let it make us, First wise, and prudent, in framing our Petitions, both for the matter, and the manner of them: To take to us words, and go to God; to consider he is in Heaven, and we on Earth, and therefore to let those words be few, but weighty. Secondly, To mark well the returns of our Prayers, whether God hath answered them, or no? or how? If he hath answered them in specie, and directly, then there's a special ground of Faith, and farther confidence in God. 2ly. By special matter, and occasion of praise, and thanksgiving, I will hear thee, and thou shalt praise me, Psal. 50.15. And thirdly, Great encouragement, and invitation to Pray again, and to go with boldness to the Throne of Grace, not doubting to obtain like help again in the time of need, I am well pleased, that the Lord hath heard the Voice of my Prayer, that he hath inclined his ear unto me: Therefore will I call upon him as long as I live, Psal. 116.1, 2.  
But, if God hath not so answered in specie, by granting thee, just the thing that thou didst desire, mark well if he hath not commuted with thee, giving thee something else in the room of it, that may be to thee as good as it, as he did to Saint Paul, or far better, as here to our Prophet in the Text: And then, If where thou askest a stone, he give thee bread: Or, Where thou askest a scorpion, he give thee a fish: Or, Where thou askest temporal things, he give thee spiritual; say, thou art no loser by the change, though thou have not punctually that, which thou didst desire. So it is here with our Prophet in the Text, He desires the Lord to take away his soul: No, saith God, I will not do so; but I will do that which is far better for thee: I will preserve thy soul in thy body for a time, wherewith thou shalt do me more service and that honourable service, which shall be to thy eternal fame and glory: and that done, I will take away thy soul and body both, and carry them to Heaven in a fiery Chariot. Which brings in the second Observation.  
2. Obs. That God oftentimes doth better for his servants, than themselves desired, he out-grants their own ask: Thus he dealt by Solomon, 1 Kings 3.  
That King had a large offer, and promise from Almighty God, That let him ask what he would, it should be given him, 1 Kings 3.5. He asked Wisdom that he might be able to govern that mighty people committed to his charge. The Lord was so well pleased that he had asked this thing, that he tells him, That he hath not only given him that which he asked; but he also gave him that which he had not asked, Riches, and Honour, etc. ver. 13. and that in such abundance, that no King ever had the like, nor should have after him. Jacob being to take a long Journey, through dangerous ways, into a strange Country, and being but ill provided with viaticum for such a Journey, begs of God, That he would but grant him food and raiment, and he should be happy; he asks no more: Oh if God will but give me Bread to eat, and Raiment to put on, how thankful shall I be for it? And if you look but a little farther in the Story, to the 32. Chapter, you shall find how abundantly God answered his request, with measure running over, pressed down, and shaken together; He gave him not only Food and Raiment in his Journey, but Wealth, and Honour, and Riches in abundance, as he doth thankfully acknowledge, ver. 10. O Lord, I am less than the least of all thy mercies, for with my staff came I over this bridge, and lo, thou hast made me two bands; so far doth his bounty exceed our very hopes and expectations. As in Jael's entertainment of Sisera, Judges 5. He asked Water, and she gave him Milk. And as Naaman to Gebazi, He asked him one change of Raiment, and one Talon of silver; nay, (saith he) take two. Such is the bounty of our Heavenly Father, that giveth abundantly, above all that we can ask, or think, Ephes. 4. We ask temporal blessings, and he gives us spiritual; earthly, and he gives us heavenly. He asked life of thee, and thou gavest him a long life, yea, even for ever and ever.   

Uses.  
First, It serves to admonish us, to give unto God the Glory that is due unto his Name in this respect, even the Glory of his bounty, that delights in giving, and is never weary of giving, that loads us with his mercies, and poureth his benefits upon us, an inexhausted treasure, a Fountain never drawn dry, but continually springing up, with new supplies of Grace, and good things of all sorts, to all them that seek them, and to him for them.  
Secondly, 'Tis much for the consolation of his poor Saints, and servants, though of themselves they have nothing, nor are nothing, but with the Laodiceans, are poor, and miserable, and blind, and naked; yet, as long as they have such a Heavenly Father, they have enough, what can they want, that have such a Magazine to go unto, such a Father to turn themselves unto in all their wants, and necessities, as willing as able to relieve, and to supply them, that taketh care for them, and is engaged by promise to see they shall want nothing that is good for them: All is yours, and you are Christ's, and Christ is Gods: What would they more?  
Thirdly, Here's encouragement enough, to go boldly unto the Throne of Grace, (where the gate of mercy stands open, and the Golden Sceptre is held forth unto us) with full assurance, that we shall speed in our suits surely, and if we have not, it is because we ask not; and if we ask and have not, it is because we ask amiss.  
Fourthly, Let this teach us wisdom, and good manners too, in all our suits, never to put them up, but with submission to his will: If Christ the Son of God did so, well may we ever put in, or at least tacitly imply, Not my will, but thy will be done: Beware of limiting the holy one of Israel, or prescribing what he shall give, or in what measure, or when, or how, or in what manner he shall answer our suits; he may deny, delay, commute, give less than we ask, or more, and all in great wisdom too, and upon good reason. The Disciples seeing Christ now risen from the dead, and thereby having such an experiment of his power and glory, will needs know, Whether now he will restore the Kingdom to Israel, which the Romans had lately taken from them, Acts 1.6, 7. And the two favourites, James and John, expecting such a Kingdom now to be set up, put in betimes, and bespoke high places under him in it; That the one may sit on his right hand, and the other on his left in this Kingdom, (though it was their Mother, which they put upon it, to prefer the Petition;) yet that they had a hand in it, appeareth by the indignation the rest of the Disciples took against them for this their ambition: Christ liked neither of these suits, and therefore answers both accordingly; To the former, Non est vestrum: To the latter, Non est meum: To the former, It is not for you to know the times, and the seasons, which the Father hath kept in his own power: To the latter, To sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give; but it shall be given to those, for whom it is prepared, Mat. 20.23. Again, in other cases, he is pleased to over-grant the Petitions of his servants, and to give them abundantly, beyond their own ask, as in the instances before given, and in the Text, The Lord doth not immediately take away the Prophet's soul, at his request, but reserves it in his body for a time, till they had done some more work, which he had for them to do; And then he takes up both his soul and body, in a wonderful manner into Heaven, in a fiery Chariot, 2 Kings 2.11.  
I conclude this Petition of the Prophet, and my discourse upon it, in the words of the Prayer of the Church, set forth, and commended to us, in our despised Liturgy, as the conclusion of the Prayers of the second Service.  
O Lord, which knowest our necessities before we ask; and our ignorance in ask; we beseech thee have compassion upon our infirmities, and those things which for our blindness we cannot ask; or, for our unworthiness we dare not, vouchsafe to give us, for the worthiness of thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with thee, and the holy Spirit, three Persons, and one God blessed for ever, he all Honour and Power, Praise and Glory (as is most due) for evermore, Amen.  
FINIS.