THE SAINT'S SUBMISSION TO THE WILL of GOD.  
OR, A Sermon preached at the Funeral of a virtuous young Gentleman, Mr. WILLIAM ELMES, The only Son and Heir of THOMAS ELMES, of Warmington in the County of Northampton, Esquire.  
BY RICHARD RESBURY, Minister of Oundle.  
LONDON, Printed by T. C. for J. Wright at the King's Head in the Old-baily. 1654.   

TO THE READER.  
Reader,  
A Few words in way of preface to the short discourse ensuing. The Argument is, submission to the Will of God in cases of sorest trial. The occasion, the sudden and untimely death of a very hopeful Gentleman, the Top-branch of a very worthy family, who was found fallen from his horse, and ready to expire; which in a very short time he did, against all endeavours to have preserved so precious a treasure as his life. Circumstances brought in to the Jury, made it appear to them, that the cause of his death, and fall in order thereto, was an inward imposthume. Was it not too far below him to question it, I would against all ungrounded surmises of whomsoever, give this clear testimony, upon full enquiry and satisfaction, that as in his constant course, so at this time too, he was free from all distemper and excess. I have but one word more; It was my desire, since it was thought fit this little piece should pass the press, to have put it into a better form, and set forth the discourse more full; but multitude of emergent and unexpected occasions have wholly ravished my time from me; that as an Embryo it comes forth, rather than as a timely birth. If it might be of any use unto thy soul, according to the end intended, I shall rejoice, resting,  
Thy true friend in the Lord, R. RESBURY.   

The Saint's submission to the Will of God.  1 Sam. 3.18. It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good. 
Time's of sad trials are even to the Saints themselves; times of great perplexity and discomposure: an hard thing then to find the true path of duty towards God, and walk in it with an even foot: dark times, and stormy times; the spirits of the Saints, like a vessel in a troubled sea by night; a difficult thing to steer a right course: like wayfarers benighted in a Wilderness, hard to find their paths. The Word of God is a light in a dark place, richly furnished for direction in all cases. The pole Star appearing to guide our nightly course in the most tumultuous seas, it is as the pillar of the cloud, and of fire to Israel in the Wilderness.  
That the near relations of this diseased Gentleman are under a sad trial, needs must we all be sensible; Nay, who amongst us, to whom he was known, is not touched with it. A Gentleman, the hopes of his family, an only son to so worthy parents, singularly virtuous, of lovely demeanour, cut off in the flower of his age, and that by such a sudden stroke. Ravished from the dear embraces of all his friends, by an unexpected surprisal. O it is a dark time; now for a light to show unto poor benighted wanderers their way, that they may not lose themselves. Now for a word of sure direction how to order our spirits towards god in such a time as this: Oh blessed be our wise God, who hath here given us his good word, to be a light to our feet, a lantern to our steps, at this time, and in this Wilderness, in this portion of Scripture now read unto you.  
It is the answer of good old Eli unto Samuel, upon a most severe and terrible message delivered him from God. The message from the 11. to the 15. v. referring to the 2. chap. 31. to the end. This Samuel delivers to the full in the 18 verse; Elies answer, and answer of clear and ready submission (without either the least murmuring, or disputing) unto the will of God. And here now from an excellent precedent we may conclude this Doctrine.  
In all our saddest changes whatsoever, 
Doct.  as they are disposed to us by the hand of God, so it is our duty freely to submit unto his will.  
1. We are to take notice of them, as from him whose providence reacheth to the numbering of our hairs, to the fall of a Sparrow to the ground, much more doth he determine our days, number our months, and appoint our bounds, that we cannot pass; in whom we live, and move, and have our being; in whose hands is our breath, and all our ways.  
We are freely to submit to his will, to resign ourselves to his whole pleasure. The former of these we shall pass over, and insist only upon this. Now a clear and full confirmation of this we have here in my Text, and the History to which it relates.  
Here is a most sad change threatened in due time, and that very shortly too, to be fulfilled: the whole posterity of Eli, both for the present and for ensuing generations were to be cut off untimely, 2. chap. 31, 32, 33. This stroke upon them should be accompanied with public judgement upon the whole Nation, through their sin, vers. 32. Such should be the misery of his posterity whilst alive, that should he live to see it, it should be a most horrible vexation to him, vers. 33. His two sons, (I think all he had) should in and for their sins (as fare as appears) be cut off by the hand of an enemy at once, vers. 34. From the whole race and family the Priesthood to be removed, vers. 35. to utmost beggary and baseness should his offspring be reduced, vers. 36. all this most certainly to be accomplished with evidence of greatest wrath upon his posterity, chap. 3. vers. 11. to 15. and that in way of judgement for his sin, vers. 13.  
Now when he hath heard all this, what answer makes he? doth he exclaim? Oh, who is able to bear so great severity from the Lord? doth he dispute? and why? for the children that are yet unborn? shall the wrath of the Lord reach unto them? none of these things, but it is the Lord. This will conclude then the saddest cases, and much more sad than this before us: 1. This providence is shut up in one; here is nothing threatened for the future. 2. In this providence is no character of wrath: of unaccountable dominion, and arbitrary pleasure there is, but not of wrath: For,  
1. Here is no singular provocation declared against, in recompense whereof this stroke should be by way of judgement from the Lord.  
2. It is such a stroke as may befall God's children, Ecclesiastes chap. 9 vers. 1, 2. as hath befallen such: Jobs children; nothing appears but they all died the children of God; not imaginable that none of them died so, yet their stroke far greater.  
3. The life of this Gentleman who fell under it, giveth very hopeful testimony against wrath in this stroke: that he was of a blameless and untouched conversation, so free from the vanities and evils of youth, as it will be hard to find his match; all that know him, and observed him, can witness of him: free from pride, modest and sober in his attire above most his equals in estate, and birth. Nay, (as I am informed) would upon occasion declare his great dislike of pride and vanity that way, and utterly refuse for himself, that which in this proud and vain age passeth for currant, with many others: Free from excess and riot, free from vanity in his speech, above most; hating all immodest and corruption therein: his conversation and deporture affable and lovely, not only inoffensive, but obliging: these things might appear to all that knew but his outside; but they that knew him more inwardly, knew much more. And that which speaks him not only a virtuous moralist, but very hopefully a gracious Christian, a diligent attender upon public Ordinances in love; diligent in duties of private converse with God; of tender and humble affections in those duties, often observed to rise from his knees in family prayer, with tears in his eyes: diligent in the holy observation of the Sabbath; ever against detaining any the meanest servant at home, more than needs must, for making ready provision for the body; looking upon it as a wrong to their souls who had as great a right to the public ordinances, as the greatest in the family. But these things by the way, partly for caution against those misconstructions which the blind world are apt to make of such remarkable providences befalling the Saints: partly to mind those upon whose spirits this providence sits heaviest, how much it behoves them with all clearness of spirit, to submit to the will of God herein; it being fare short of that sad inport which is found in many cases, wherein yet it is highly our duty to submit to the will of God; and particularly of this in my Text, wherein we find so clear a submission. The hopeful piety of the person deceased, as likewise of the family, takes away the sting of this present grief and trouble, and renders it much more light.  
We now return to the Doctrine, In all our saddest changes whatsoever, as they are disposed to us by the hand of God, so it is our duty freely to submit unto his will. Another instance or two, Job 1.21. 2 Sam. 15.25, 26. the highest of all, Matth. 26.39, 42. one thing prayed for in that petition, is, Thy will be done.  
Reasons. The Will of God,  
1. It is a most sovereign will. God hath absolute and unaccountable dominion over man, over all creatures, because Creator: Dominion amongst men, according to the eminency of the Superior, and the dependency of the inferior: God infinitely eminent, the creature wholly dependent. Upon this account the Apostle answers that great objection, against God's arbitrariness in his decrees of election and reprobation, at which the Jesuitical and Arminian generation so endlessly quarrel. Rom. 9.20, 21. with 11, 12, 13, & 18, verses, Austin speaks high here.  
If mankind, which was (as it is evident) at first created of nothing, should be born without the original debt of death and sin; and yet of those the Almighty Creator should will to condemn some to everlasting destruction; who might say to the Almighty Creator, why hast thou done thus? for he, who when they were not, had given them to be, had it in his own power to what their end should be: Neither might the rest say, why when their merits are alike, is the divine judgements so unlike? because the Potter hath power over the clay, to make of the same lump one verssel indeed to honour, another to dishonour: it is an uncreature-like temper to maintain reluctancy against the will of God.  
2. It is a most righteous will: the Lord never wils any thing, nor accordingly doth any thing, wherein he swerves one hair from the rule of righteousness, or wrongs the creature in the least, Psalm 145. vers. 17. eminent in righteousness, Psalm 36. vers. 6. in his most obscure administrations, where his righteousness is least visible to us, yet the Saint always lay down this as a sure conclusion, Jerem. 12.1, 2. And here: We deserve greater sufferings than what in this world befalls us, needs then must non-subjection to Gods will be a very unrighteous thing. Apply two straight things together, they close all along; that which closeth not with what is straight, must needs be crooked.  
3. It's a most holy will. The Lord wils nothing but in greatest holiness, and accordingly doth nothing wherein he swerves from the rule of holiness in the least measure, he is holy in all his works; the holy one of Israel, cellebrated by the blessed Angels; Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God: so pure that the Heavens are impure in his sight. Hence the Saints when they make their addresses to God, about those his providences wherein they can discern least of his holiness, yet this acknowledgement they hold fast, that he is most Holy, 1. Chap. Habakkuk 13, 14. The Sun and his beams remain pure, though shining through a thick glass: the resistings then of the most holy will of God, must needs itself be unholy.  
4. ' It's a will in conjunction with greatest wisdom, proceeding in all things according to wisest counsels, doing all things in truest order, manner, season, and beauty: The Lord in wisdom made all things. 3. Chap. Proverbs, 19, 20. In wisdom doth he order all things who works all after the counsels of his own will, Ephes. 1.11. Makes every thing beautiful in its time, Eccles. 3.11. A set time and appointed season there is for every event known to him, and ordered by him exactly, and is made truly beautiful, though to us it appears ortherwise; we shall know hereafter the beauty of his Providences in all cases whatsoever: therefore ' its great and perverse folly to repine against his will. Upon these accounts ' its the duty of all men to submit (without all murmuring and disputing) to his will: but further as to the Saints, to them it is  
5. A most gracious will: whatsoever the outside of any providence may be, mercy is the inside to them: mercy is the Soul, whatsoever the Body of it may be, Psal. 25.10. Some of his paths are rough and thorny too; some of them are dreadful to the eye, but all mercy and all truth to such: mercy in faithfulness, having Covenanted to show mercy to them in all his deal with them; all providences work together for good to those that love him: Oh! the blessed condition of the Saints, nothing befalls them but in mercy, nothing but for their good. The wicked are scourged, they are scourged with one and the same rod, the strokes in outward appearance equal. Yet the wicked in wrath, they in mercy: The wicked as slaves, they as Children: The wicked for their ruin, they for their advantage: The wicked for their destruction, they for instruction. This mercy added to the rest of excellent properties of Gods will, makes it lovely indeed: It lays it in fair colours, puts the varnish upon it, whosoever have reason to submit, they have: ' its perverseness, unthankfulness, absurdity of spirits not to submit to the will of God, disposing mercy to us.  
6. It is a perfect will, what the Apostle speaks of his revealed will, or his word according to his will, Rom. 12.2. is true of his whole will, whither revealed, or secret; whether expressed in word or work: perfect, as he is perfect. Now perfection comprehends and shuts up in it all that is good, all that is obliging, sovereignty, righteousness, holiness, wisdom, mercy, faithfulness, beauty, majesty; whatsoever is excellent all is contained in perfection: it is great imperfection, then in man and manifold to harbour displeasure in his breast against the will of God, whatsoever sufferings or troubles it disposeth to us.  
1. To meditate these excellencies of the divine Will in all cross providences that befall us, Use. for calming our spirit and bringing us to clear and free subjection to it: expostulating with our own souls against all their unquietness and tumultuousness. Two things here to be warned of: all harsh thoughts of the Lord and his works, that may any way lessen our love to him, and our trust in him: Would we have worse thoughts of our Physician because the Physic is distasteful to the palate. See Isaiah 40.27. Tumultuous disputing the works and ways of God, questioning the worthiness of his proceed; the Saints themselves apt through infirmities to run into this. Job. 10.2, 3. Psal. 73.2.13, 14. This is unwarrantable; God taketh Job for such excursions and extravagances of spirit and speech. The Psalmist confesseth of himself therein, verse 22. it is malapertness in the creature thus to do.  
2. To take comfort in the saddest events, that all is in mercy to the Saints; Use. what though? yet thou seest it not; if Sea-sick in a storm at Sea, thou for the present finds but little good; but, thou shalt have the fruit of it. All his paths are mercy. Those of greatest weight, and most remarkable accordingly of greatest mercy. Course vessels, but fraught with richest treasure.  
3. To labour to find out and to lay hold on the good that such a providence is fraught with, Use. and for which it is sent: Labour to find, first, what sin especially it is sent to correct. Consider thy heart and ways hereupon. Secondly, what grace or what duties it is sent to quicken: for thus it becomes a path of mercy to the Saints, that they make use of it for these ends.  
FINIS.