A pattern for all, especially for Noble and Honourable Persons, To teach them how to die Nobly and Honourably. Delivered in a SERMON Preached at the solemn interment of the corpse OF THE Right Honourable ROBERT Earl of Warwick. Who aged 70 died April 19 And was honourably buried, May 1. 1658. At Felsted in Essex. By Edmund Calamy B. D. and Pastor of the Church at Aldermanburic. Psal. 82. 6, 7. I said, Ye are God's, and all of you are children of the most High, but you shall die like men, and fall like one of the Princes. Rev. 14. 13. I heard a voice from heaven, saying unto me, write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord, &c. Illius est nolle mori, qui nolit ire ad Christum. Aug. Nobilitas sola est atque unica virtus. De imperatore Theodosio fertur magis se gaudere quod membrum Ecclesia Dei esset, quam caput imperii. Aug. Ultima verba morientis Grynnaei. Ut nunc triste mori est, sic dulce resurgere: quondam Christus ut in vitâ, sic quoque morte lucrum. In terris labour est, requies sed suavis in urnâ, In summo venient gaudia summa Die. LONDON, Printed for Edward Brewster, at the Crane in Paul's churchyard. 1658. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE ROBERT Earl of WARWICK, Baron of Leeze. Right Honourable, THe noble favours which I received from your deceased father, are so many, that I can never sufficiently express them, and (I hope) shall never be so ungrateful as to forget them. The chiefest requital I can now make for them, is to pray for your Lordship, That as you are his heir, and inherit his estate, so you may also inherit his virtues; And that whatsoever was good in him, may live in you. For as it is a happiness, when a son is descended from religious Ancestors (he being hereby made partaker of their good counsels, prayers, and pious examples) so also it is an invaluable blessing, when a father hath religious and virtuous Utin●m caelebs vixissem, aut orbus periiss●m. Prorsus faelicem suturum fuisse (inquit Ausonius) si hunc filium n●n generass●t. children. It was a sad complaint of Augustus, O that I had lived a Bachelor, or died childless! And concerning Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, that he had been perfectly happy, had he not begotten such a wicked son as Commodus was. And that he did injure his country in nothing, but in being the father of such an ungodly child, Hoc solo patriae, quod genuit, nocuit. Some children are blots and blemishes to their Parents, as Manasseh was to Hezekiah. My prayer for your Lordship is, that you may be an honour, glory, and crown of rejoicing to your Family, and by your godly and virtuous life make your Father (though dead) to enjoy a kind of happiness upon earth while you live. And that you may embalm his memory to posterity by the spices, and sweet odours of your godly life, and conversation. It ought not to be forgotten, but for ever to be remembered, That your Lordship may not unfitly be called the Lord's Passeover. For when he took away by death your only son and heir, he passed over you, and instead of the Father took to himself the grandfather. This remarkable Providence is alone sufficient to teach you to pass the time of your sojourning here in 1 Pet. 1. 17. fear; and to purge out the old leaven of sin and iniquity, that you may be a new lump of sincerity and truth; and thereby have an undoubted interest 1 Cor. 5. 7, 8. in Christ your Passeover, who was sacrificed for you. This ensuing Sermon was preached at your father's funeral, and it is now dedicated to your Lordship as yours by birthright, and by many other obligations. It will much conduce (if put in practice) for the encouraging of you in ways of holiness, and righteousness. For it teacheth wherein true Nobility doth consist, and that nothing makes a man truly noble, but piety, and godliness. Sin defiles a person and makes him vile and loathsome, though otherwise never so honourable. David calls a sinner a Psalm 15. 4. vile person, and his son Solomon calls him a loathsome person. Antiochus the great because Prov▪ 13. 5. of his wickedness, is styled by Daniel a vile person. sin makes us not only like unto dogs, Dan. 11, 21. vipers, and swine, but unto devils: Nay, Sin makes us devils. Christ himself calls Judas a devil: and saith, Revelations●. 10. The devil John 6. 70. shall cast some of you into prison, &c. meaning thereby wicked and devilish men. He that is a slave to his lusts is base, and ignoble though a King or Emperor. nobility without virtue is but as a scarlet robe upon a leprous body. A true Christian is of a noble extraction. He is the adopted son of God, brother to Jesus Christ, heir of God, and coheir with Christ. He is partaker of the divine nature, and without all controversy the Noblest man in the world. The Lord give you grace to believe this, that as you are nobly borne in reference to your earthly extraction, so you may be borne from above, and borne of God in reference to your heavenly original. This Sermon will likewise instruct your Lordship how to die nobly and honourably. And that is, to die in the faith. He that dies in his sins, must of necessity be condemned for his sins: but he that dies with a true faith in Jesus Christ, shall certainly live for ever in heaven with Christ. It will teach you to build your Sepulchre in your earthly Paradises, and in the midst of your pleasures to remember your latter end. This will be a golden bridle to keep you from unlawful, and to moderate the use of lawful pleasures. It sets before you a double pattern for your imitation. The lives of the ancient and religious patriarchs, and many commendable, and praiseworthy things in your father's life. And if your Lordship will endeavour to write after these excellent copies and live as they lived, you will be happy both in life and death, which that you may be, is, and shall be the prayer of My Lord, Your humble servant in Christ Jesus. EDMUND CALAMY. A SERMON Preached at the Funeral OF THE Right Honourable ROBERT Earl of WARWICK. Heb. 11. 13. These all died in Faith. THese words are a description of the constancy and perseverance of the Old Testament Saints in holiness, notwithstanding all the difficulties and discouragements they met with. They did not only live in the faith, but they continued in it till death, and died in the same faith in which they lived. All these died in the faith. In the words we have two parts. First, The persons mentioned. Secondly, The things mentioned concerning these persons. 1. The persons mentioned, these all. That is, (as some would have it) all the forementioned Saints, Abel, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, &c. (except Enoch who died not, and yet continued in the faith, and in that faith was taken up) These all. But I conceive that the Holy Ghost Perkins in locum. principally and directly, intends only such of the forenamed Saints, who were heirs of the land of promise, and sojourned in Canaan as in a strange Country. These all. That is, all those who lived in the second world after the flood, Abraham, and Sarah, Isaac, and Jacob; the Husband, and the Wife; the Father, the Son, and the Grandchild. These all. 2. The things mentioned concerning these persons. 1. It is said they died. These all died {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Though they lived long, and many score of years longer than we now do, yet they died at last. Though they were very godly, and religious persons, though very noble, and honourable persons, yet they died. These all died. 2. It is said, That they died in faith, {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. They died according to the faith in which they lived, {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} is here put for {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, or {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} as ver. 9 11, 17. Paraus in locum. Vetus juxt● fidem. Beza, secundum fidem. They died according to the faith; that is, in the faith, in ●ide, seu ●ide, seu per fidem. If you would know what this faith was in which they died, you must take notice of what followeth in the text— not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that, &c. God had promised that the Messiah should come of their seed, and that in him all the nations of the world Gen. 22. 18. should be blessed. God had promised that he would give them the land of Canaun, and not only an earthly, but an heavenly Canuan. Now all these died, persuaded of the truth of these promises, embracing, {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. or (as the Greek word signifieth) kissing them. They saw them afar off, and believed them. Even as a Mariner that hath been long at sea, when he N●●pe sicus navigantes terram, Abraham didicerat expectandos quadringentes annos. Grotius in locum. seeth afar off the desired haven, claps his hands, and skips for joy. So did these holy men. By the prospective glass of faith, they saw the performance of that which came not to pass till four hundred years after, and rejoiced in it as if already fulfilled. They died in the faith of the Messiah, believing not only that he Per fidem illi morituri videbant & spe quadam amplexabantur promissa quae non acceperant. Metaphora à navigantibus qui portum eminus conspicati, laetis acclamationibus salutant, & contingere gaudent. Paraeus. should come in the flesh, but expecting salvation, and life everlasting by him only. They died persuaded of salvation by Christ, and embracing, saluting, and kissing the Lord Jesus. They died in the faith of the promised land of Canaan, and they died looking, waiting, and resting upon God in Christ for a better country, which is an heavenly, ver. 16. In Tria participia, {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, refero ad promissionis rem significatam, patriam coelestem, quam unice desiderabant. Hanc, inquit, in suâ peregrinatione eminus conspicati sunt, consisi sunt, amplexati sunt side. Paraeus. a word, they died believing they should go to that City which hath foundations, whose builder, and maker is God, ver. 10. This was that blessed, happy, and noble close, and end of days which these godly and honourable patriarchs made. These all died in faith. From the words thus expounded I shall gather these following inferences. Doct. 1. Doctrine 1. That though a man liveth never so long, yet he must die at last. These all died though they lived long. Abraham lived one hundred seventy five years, Isaac one hundred eighty, Jacob one hundred forty seven, and yet died at last. Before the flood, some lived seven hundred, others eight hundred, others nine hundred years▪ but it is added as the common Epitaph of them all, Mortuus est, he died, Gen. 5. 8, 14, 17, 20, 31. Death is the haven of every man, whether King, or beggar, rich, or poor. Joannes de temporibus Armour-bearer to Charles the great, l●ved 361 years, but yet died at last in the year 1139. So the old man of Bengala in the East Indies, who was 335 years old when he came to the Portugals, from whom for his miraculous age he received a yearly stipend, died at last. Death is the gulf which will swallow us all up. Length of time cannot prescribe against death. The longest day will have a night, and the longest life a death. This life is nothing else but prolixitas mortis (as one saith) or tendentia ad mortem. A lingering kind of death, or a pacing, or journeying to death. Some have a longer journey than others, but all must come to their journey's end at last. There is a statute in heaven for it, Heb. 9 27. It is appointed for all men once to die. And death is called the house appointed for all living, Job 30. 23. And the way of all the earth, 1 King. 2. 2. All flesh is grass, Isa. 40. 6. Use Now then, if they who lived so long died at last, much more must we, who are dwarfs in years in comparison of them, and who are nearer death when first borne, than some of them were when an hundred years old. Let me beseech you frequently, solemnly, and seriously to consider, That though we live never so long and labour by physic, and temperate diet, and wholesome air to prolong our lives, yet we must die at last. As the King of Persia told Constantine Mira quidem haec, se● ut video sicut in Persiâ, sic Romoe hom●nes moriuntur. Gen. ●. 19 Job 17 14. Heb. 13. 14. Pallida mors aequo pulsat pede pauperum, &c. the Emperor, when he had showed him all the wealth of Rome; These are indeed (saith he) wonderful things which you show me, but I plainiy see, that as in Persia, so in Rome also men are subject to death. For dust we all are and to dust we must all return. We must say to corruption thou art my Father, and to the worm, thou art my Mother and my sister. We have here no abiding City. As we had a day to come into the world, so we shall have a day to go out of it. The nature of man is wonderful prone to dream of an eternal abode, and of a lasting happiness here upon earth. Saint Austin tells us of certain heretics called Aeternales, because they held the world to be eternal. We have many such Eternalists, who fancy to themselves a kind of eternity here upon earth, and are ready to say with the rich fool in the Gospel, Soul Luk▪ 12 19, 20 take thy ease, eat drink and be merry, thou hast goods laid up for many years, and in the mean time forget what God said to him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee, than whose shall those things be which thou hast provided? It is said of wicked men, Psalm 49. 11. Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling places to all generations, &c. They are ashamed to utter any such thing, but their inward thought is that they shall abide for ever. Then it followeth, ver. 13. This their way is their folly, yet their posterity approve their Ver. 12. sayings. Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not, &c. Though he thinks he shall abide, yet neither he, nor his heirs shall be continued, but he shall be like the beasts that perish. Therefore we had all need to pray David's prayer, Lord make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days Psalm. 39▪ 4. what it is, that I may know how frail I am. There are few who know practically and applicatively how frail they are. Most men say they are mortal, magis usu quam sensu, more out of custom than feeling; for they live as if their lives were riveted upon eternity, and as if they should never come to a reckoning. Heu vivunt homines tanquam mors nulla sequatur, Aut velut infernus fabula vana foret. Let us supplicate unto God, That he would teach us effectually to remember our frailty, and to consider that there will come a dying time, and that it will come certainly, shortly, uncertainly, suddenly and irresistibly. 1. That it will come certainly. There is an oporte● for 2 Cor. 5. 10. it. We must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, &c. There is nothing certain in life but death. 2. That it will come very shortly. It is not long, but Punctum est quod vivimus, et puncto minus. Psalm 39 5. Jam. 4 14. Job 9 25, 26. we must all go down to the house of rottenness. This life is but as an hand-breadth, as a vapour, &c. swifter than a post, and passeth away as the swift ships, and as the Eagle that hasteth to the prey, it is nothing else but a salve vale. 3. Uncertainly, as to the time when, the place where, and the manner how. Your almanacs will tell you when the next Eclipse of the sun and moon will be. But there is no almanacs will tell you when the Eclipse of your lives will be. This comes uncertainly; And therefore Ideo dies unus celatur ut expectentur omnes. uncertainly, to provoke us to be always ready, because we know not in what hour the Son of man will come, Matth. 24. 42, 44. 4. That oftentimes it comes suddenly like a thief in the night, 1 Thef. 5. 2. Like an evil Babilus the Rom●n General in the very day of his triumph, was killed with a tile from an house. net in which the fishes of the sea, and a secret snare in which the birds of the air are suddenly caught, Eccles. 9 12. Luk. 21. 35. Psal. 73. 19 5. That it comes irresistibly like pain upon a woman with child, 1 Thes. 5. 3. Death will not tarry till we be ready for it. The young man as Gregory the great relates it) when he saw he must die cried out, Inducias Domine usque ad mane, Lord tarry till to morrow; but God would not hear. Death comes unavoidably, and if it finds us unprovided, it sends us to hell without remedy. Add to this 6. It comes but once. It is appointed for all men once to die. When once dead, no living again to provide Heb. 9 27. better for death. And therefore we had need be careful ut semel pie moriamur (as Paraeus saith) that we may once die Si semel moriendum est omnibus, ne igitur immortalitatem in h●c vita sam●●em●●… Sisemel ta●tum moriendum▪ ut semel pie moriamur operam demus, atque ad {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} omenta nos praeparemus. well; for we cannot live again upon earth to live better. 7. That after death comes judgement, and after judgement everlasting happiness, or everlasting misery. Death is nothing else but a passage to judgement. A thoroughfare to heaven, or hell. Did we consider these things, and consider them seriously as we ought to do, it would work very many gracious and most glorious effects in us. Therefore Moses saith Deut. 32. 29. Psal. 90. 12. very emphatically: O that men were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end; and prayeth very earnestly. So teach us O Lord to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. The very heathens have been much in the meditation of death. Plato tells us, that true Philosophy is nothing else but a meditation of death. The Egyptians in all their great feasts had a deaths-head served in as one dish, to teach them sobriety and temperance in eating and drinking. This meditation if sanctified will be 1. A sovereign antidote against all sin. Sume hoc remedium contra omnia peccata. Would you have a preservative against all sin. Remember thy Mr. Ward in one of his Sermons in print tells a story of one who gave a Prodigal a Ring with a Deaths-head, with this condition that he should one hour daily for seven days together look and think upon it; which bred a strange alteration in his life. latter end and thou shalt never do amiss. As a copy is then safest from blotting when dust is cast upon it, so are we from sinning while we remember that we are but dust. Jerusalem's filthiness was in her 〈◊〉, because she remembered not her latter end, Lam. 1. 9 2. It will marvellously wean us from the love of the world. It is the Apostles argument, 1 John 2. 15, 16, 17. Love not the world, nor the things in the world;— for the world-passeth away. It passeth away as Ionas his gourd when he had most need of it; And as Absoloms' mule which passed from under him, and left him hanging on the tree. To what purpose do we provide multum viatici, when we In the Pope's inthronization before he is set in his chair, and puts on his Triple-crown, a piece of tow, or wad of straw is set on fire before him, and one appointed to say, Sic transit gloria mundi. have but parum viae; much victuals, when we have but a short journey? The like argument is used, 1 Cor. 7. 29. 30, 31. 3. It will make Jesus Christ and his righteousness very precious to us. For it is Christ only that can unsting death, and sweeten it, and make it comfortable and desirable. And therefore the Apostle accounts all things dung and dross, that he might gain Christ and be found in him at that great day, not having his own righteousness, Phil. 3. 8, 9 but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. And St. John Rev. 14. 13. saith, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord, for they rest from their labours, &c. He that dies in Christ, shall certainly go to Christ. 4. It will exceedingly quicken us to provide effectually, and to speed and hasten our provisions for heaven. There is nothing will more provoke us to labour for that life which never shall have an end, than the serious consideration that this life will shortly have an end. These all died. This is the first inference. The second Doctrine. Doct. 2. That the best of men must die as well as the worst of 1 Pet. 3. 6. Enoch the best man in his generation lived the shortest time; when others attained some to above 900, others above 800, the least above 500, years of him the Text saith, all the days of Enoch were 365. yea●es, G●●. ● 23. men. These all died. These godly persons died, as well as others. Abraham the Father of the faithful, and Sarah the Mother of the faithful. Godly Isaac, 〈…〉 Jacob. These all died. The husband, and the wife. The father, the child, and grandchild, all godly, and yet all these died. The first that ever tasted of death was a godly man, even godly Abel. For the godly have the same principle of mortality within them which others have. They dwell Job 4. 19 in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust. And they have the same remainders of sin in them to make them liable to death which others have. They have idem fundamentum mortis, & idem demeritum. But besides these, there are proper and peculiar reasons why the godly must die not only as well, but rather than others. For, 1. They shall never be freed from sickness, sorrow, and laborious employments. They shall never have all tears wiped from their eyes till they die. 2. They shall never be free from the persecutions of wicked and ungodly men, and from the temptations of the devil till they die. 3. They shall never be rid of the body of sin, till they put off the body of the flesh. 4. They shall never be perfected in grace till they die. 5. They shall never see God face to face, never be with Christ in glory till they die. They shall never be clothed with the house which is from above, till they be unclothed of their earthly Tabernacle. Therefore blessed be God that they must die. For if they had hope only in this life, they were of all people most miserable. Use O that I could persuade the people of God to look upon death with a pair of Scripture-spectacles. Death in itself considered, is the King of terrors, and of all {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. terrible things most terrible. It is as a fiery serpent with a biting and destroying sting. But to you that are in Christ 〈…〉 all comfortable things most comfortable. It is as a 〈◊〉 without a sting. It is (as the brazen Serpent was to the Israelites) not a hurting, but a healing Serpent. It is your birthday. The birthday of heaven's eternity. It is not an annihilation, or utter extinction of you, 2 Pet. 1. 15. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Phil. 1. 23. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Luk. 2. 29. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. but an {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} as the Apostle Peter calls it, A going out of Egypt into Canaan. An {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} as the Apostle Paul calls it. An hoisting up (as it were) of the sails for heaven, a letting out the soul as a bird out of the cage of the body, that it may fly to heaven. An {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} as old Simeon calls it, a departure from earth to heaven: a going from your own houses, to your father's house: a putting off of the rags of mortality, that you may be clothed with the robes of immortality. In a word. It is an outlet to all misery, and an inlet to perfect and perpetual happiness. It is sepultura laborum, vitiorum & lachrymarum. The burying of all troubles, sins, and tears. When a godly man dies, homo non moritur, sed peccatum hominis. The man doth not die, but the man's sins. Nothing dies in him totally and finally but sin. For the soul doth not die at all, but goes to live with God in endless happiness. And the body (though turned to dust) shall rise again unto A godly man never begins to live till he dies, and then he lives eternally. It was the Epitaph upon the tomb of Joachimus Camerarius, Vita mihi mors est, mors mihi vita nova. the resurrection of life, and be made glorious, like unto the glorious body of Jesus Christ. But the bloody issue of sin is totally and finally dried up by death in every true child of God. Let all that fear the Lord comfort themselves against the fear of death with these considerations. This is the second inference. Doctrine 3. Doct. 3. That rich, great, noble, and honourable persons must die, as well as others. These all died. Abraham a Lord and a mighty Prince or a Prince of God, as he is called, Gen. 23. 6. One who had three hundred and eighteen trained servants in his family. Gen. 14. 14. One who was very rich in silver and gold and in cattle, Gen. 13. 2. even he died. And Isaac his son and heir a person not only gr●●●, but very great, even to the envy of those who dwelled near him, as it is Gen. 26. 13, 14. even he died. And so did Jacob the grandchild, a man of honour, and great renown, one who is called a Prince, and as a Prince had power with Gen. 32. 28. Hos. 12. 4. God and with men and prevailed over both. These all died. The Cardinal of Winchester (commonly called the rich Cardinal, who procured the death of the good Duke of Gloucester in the reign of King Henry the sixth, and was shortly after struck with an incurable disease,) when he understood by his physicians that he could not live; murmuring and repining thereat, cried out, Fie? will not death be hired? will money do nothing? must I die that have so great riches? If the whole realm of England would save my life, I am able either by policy to get it, or by riches to buy it. But yet all would not avail, to keep him from dying of the same disease. What man is he that liveth Psalm. 89. 48. (saith David) and shall not see death? The Hebrew is, What strong man liveth and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? What's become of Alexander the great? Pompey the great? Charles the great? Are they not all dead? This day we have a sad example before us of the death of a very great, and most Noble person. Wise men die (saith David) as well as fools, and great, as well as small. The mortal scythe (saith one) is Master of the Royal sceptre, and it moweth down the lilies of the Crown as well as the grass of the field. These all died. And die they must though never so unwilling. I could tell a doleful story of a great man, who when he saw there was no remedy but he must die, cried out in a lamentable manner, let me live the life of a toad rather than die. But yet he died. And of another, who when he saw he must die, caused himself to be carried to the place where his bags of gold and silver were, and taking them up in his arms, and hugging them, was heard to say, must you and I part? but part they did though unwillingly. Rich men, and noblemen must die whether willing or unwilling. And when they die they must carry nothing out of the Job 1. 21. 1 Tim. 6. 7. world with them. Naked they came out of their mother's womb, and naked they must return thither. They brought nothing into this world, and it is certain they can carry nothing out. And therefore when a rich man dies the ordinary saying is, what hath he left behind him! for he cannot carry any thing with him. There is a famous story of Saladine the great Sultan of Egypt, who when he was dying caused his coffin to be carried through the camp where all his ●everus the Emperor looking upon his Urn had this expression, Tu virum capies quem orbis terrae non capit. Thou shalt contain him whom the whole world owned ot contain. Sceptra ligonibus aequat. soldiers were, with this saying, Saladinus totus Asiae Dominator ex tanto imperio tantisque opibus, &c. Saladine the great Ruler of all Asia, of all his Empire, and all his wealth carrieth nothing out of the world with him, but his coffin and his winding sheet. Death is the greatest of Levellers. It levels the mountains with the valleys. The Skeletons and bones of great men have no inscriptions, or titles of honour put upon them. Diogenes told Alexander that he could find no difference between the bones of his Father Philip, and other men's bones. When the Chesse-men are put into the bag they are all alike. There is no difference between the dust of an Earl, and of a beggar. Use The only use I shall make of this is, To beseech those who are great in estate and in honours to remember that they must die as well as others. Though they be as Psal. 82. 6, 7. Gods upon earth, yet they must die like men. It is no easy matter to persuade rich and noble persons to remember their mortality. Lewis the eleventh King of France in his last sickness commanded his servants not to name the word Death unto him; But when he saw there was no remedy, he sent for the Holy water from Rheims, together with Aaron's rod, as they called it, and other holy relics, thinking therewith to stop death's mouth, and to stave him Epit. Hist. Galt. off; but it would not be. O miser (saith one thereupon) hoc assidue timés quod semel faciendum est? hoc times quod in tuä manu est ne timeas? Pietatem assume, superstitionem omit; mors tua vita erit, & quidem beata & aeterna. O miserable wretch, why dost thou daily fear that which one day must come to pass? why dost thou fear that which is in thy power not to fear? leave off thy superstitions, labour after true piety, and then thy death will become life, yea a most blessed and eternal life. If I be not mistaken this was one reason why Ahashueroah would Ester 4. 2. not suffer any clothed with sackcloth to enter his Courtgates; lest his excessive mirth and jollity should be damped, and interrupted by the sad thought of death. The wise man tells us, O death how bitter is thy memory to one who hath great possessions! And indeed if the not thinking of death, could free you from the stroke of death, it were worth the while not to think of death. But whether you think of it, or not, death will come, and by not remembering of it your lives prove to be full of abominations, and death is made a trap-door to let you down into eternal damnation. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. And therefore let me beseech you to imitate Philip King of Macedon, who appointed a boy every morning to come to him and to say to him, Remember thou art a man and must die. And the Emperors of Constantinople, who on their Coronation day, had a Mason appointed to present unto them certain marble stones, using these ensuing words, Elige ab his saxis ex quo (invictissime Caesar) Ipse tibi tumulum me fabricare velis. Choose (mighty Sir) under which of these stones Your pleasure is ere long to lay your bones. Or if you will have a Scripture-example, Let me beseech you to imitate that rich and great person, Joseph of John 19 38. Arimathea who built his Sepulchre in his garden. In the midst of all your pleasures and pastimes remember you must shortly leave them. It was a wise speech of Charles the fifth to the Duke of Venice, who, when he had showed him the glory of his Princely Palace, and earthly Paradise, instead of admiring it, or him for it, only returned him this grave and serious memento, Haec sunt quae faciunt nos invitos mori. These are the things which make us unwilling to die. To prevent this unwillingness, build your sepulchers in your earthly Paradises, and remember that you must very shortly die, and that after death comes judgement. And that you must all appear before the tribunal seat of Christ to give a strict and impartial account of whatsoever you Rev 10. 12. have done in the flesh, whether it be good or evil. Let great men remember, That great, and small must stand before the great God of heaven and earth at the great day of judgement, and that their greatness will nothing at all avail them at that day. greatness without goodness will be but as a great faggot to burn them the more in hell. They that are great in place, and greater in sin, shall have P●tentes potenter torque●untur. great damnation. Where God hath bestowed great benefits, if they be accompanied with great iniquities, God will plague them with great punishments. It is said, Rev. 6. Ingentia b●eficia, ingentia vitia, ingentia supplicia. 15, 16. The Kings of the earth and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, &c. hid themselves in the dens, and in the rocks of the mountains: And said to the mountains▪ and rocks Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, &c. Therefore let rich men labour to be righteous as well as rich, and great men to be good as well as great! for riches without righteousness is but as a golden jewel in a swine's snout, and greatness without goodness is, but as the greatness of a man sick of the dropsy which is not his happiness, but his disease. Gen. 2. 23. Remember Abraham▪ who though he was a Lord and a mighty Prince, yet he was also a friend of Gods, and the Father of the faithful: Though he was rich in gold and silver, yet he was richer in faith and obedience. And though he had three hundred and eightteen trained servants in his house, yet he was exactly careful to train them all up in the Gen. 18. 20. ways and commandments of God. And remember Jacob, and how God himself changed his name, and called him Israel because he wrestled with God, and as a Prince had Gen. 32. 28. power with God and man, and by prayers and tears prevailed over them. When greatness and goodness meet together, it is like apples of gold in pictures of silver; It is as an embroidery upon an embroidery. And therefore let great men labour to be good men. The more you have of holiness the fitter you will be for happiness. The more you have of grace, the fitter you will be for glory. This is the third inference. Doctrine 4. Doct. 4. That it is not enough for a Christian to live in the faith, but he must also die in the faith. This text takes notice of the constancy and perseverance of these holy men. They persevered in the faith unto the end maugre all oppositions and temptations to the contrary. They did live in the faith, and continued living in the faith, and as they lived so they died. These all died in faith. Perseverance in grace is maximum donum Dei (saith Austin) the greatest of God's gifts, or graces, without which no other gift, or grace, will avail unto salvation. Therefore Christ saith, he that Mat. 24. 13. Rev. 2. 10. Perseverantia sola coronat. Nemo Christianus nisi qui ad sinem usque perseverave●it. Ter●●l. de prescript. Fz●k. 18. 24. endureth to the end shall be saved. And be thou faithful unto the death, and I will give thee the crown of life. No grace will make us worthy to obtain the crown of glory, but perseverance: he that would go to heaven must not only live well, but die well. Though a man continue never so long in holiness, yet if he fall away before his death, all his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned; in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned in them shall he die. If Methuselah who lived nine hundred sixty nine years had fallen away from grace the last year of his life he had been undone for ever. Use Wherefore my beloved brethren let me beseech you not only to believe, but to persevere in believing, not only to be holy but to persevere in holiness, and as the Apostle 2 Cor 7. 1. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. saith, To perfect holiness in the fear of God. The Greek word is to finish holiness. The beauty, glory and goodness of every thing is when it is finished. A garment till it be finished is of no use, nor a shop, nor a house till finished. A house half built, and half unbuilt is good for nothing. The excellency of a Christian is not only to be holy, but to finish holiness, not only to have a good beginning, but a happy closure, and conclusion of his life. This is a necessary lesson in this apostatising age wherein so many sons of the morning, and children of high illumination are fallen into the darkness of sin, and error: and many, who in outward appearance were as fixed stars, are now proved falling stars; in so much, that if Mr. Fox were alive again, he would see cause rather to write a book of Apostates than a book of Martyrs. And there are also some risen up amongst us, who (being many of them apostatised themselves) begin to preach the Doctrine of the apostasy of the Saints. Give me leave therefore to persuade you, 1. To be rooted and established in the Doctrine of Perseverance. 2. To practise the Doctrine of Perseverance. Impossibile est quod somel vivificavit Deus, ab ●odem vel ab alio occidi. Origen. in Jerem. Hom. 1. 1. To be rooted and established in the Doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints. And to believe that whosoever is truly united unto Jesus Christ by a lively faith, shall be so preserved by Christ in the use of all Gospel-means, that he shall never totally and finally fall away. Christ Jesus at the day of judgement will have a complete body mystical, as well as natural. He will not lose any of his real members, for then his body should be incomplete. There was a book written in King James his days by Bertius, of the apostasy of the Saints. This book the forenamed King calls (in a Repertus est ja● pridem Petrus quidam Bertius Cacotheologus Leydenfis qui librum edere bawd veritus est titulo ●●rte ipso ex●crabile● de Apostatiâ sanctorum. Robert. Abbot professor Regius Dr. Owen. Dr. Kendal. Rom. 8. 30. John 8. 35. John 10. 27, 28, 29. letter written to the States of Holland) A book with a blasphemous title. And a learned Professor of Oxford calls it a book with an execrable title. And surely if it was blasphemous and execrable then, it is as bad now. I will notenter upon the controversy: there are books lately written to very good purpose for the justification of the doctrine of perseverance. To me it is sufficient; that God hath said it; and shall not he do it? he hath said, whom he justified, them he also glorified. He hath said, The servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. He hath said, my sheep hear my voice and I know them, and they follow me, and I will give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them o●t of my hand. My Father which gave them me, is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of my father's hand. He hath said, I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart Jer. 32. 40. 2 Tim. 2. 19 from me. He hath said, nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth who are his, &c. Though Hymeneus and Philetas have not stood sure, yet the foundation of God standeth sure. He hath Phil. 1. 6. said, being confident in this very thing, that he that hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Christ. And that we are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation. And whosoever is borne of God doth not commit 1 John 3. 9 Luk. 22. 32. sin; for his seed remaineth in him, and he cannot sin because he is born of God. He hath said, I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not. And he is now in heaven at the right hand of his Father making intercession for us. And the chief end of his intercession is, that God would uphold and continue us in his favour unto the end: Christ doth not intercede (as some would have it) That God would save us if we persevere. (There is little need of this, and less comfort in it) But he intercedes, that we may persevere. And God in the Covenant of grace, doth not only promise to give us heaven if we believe, and persevere; but also to give us in the use of means to believe and persevere. Now then, if God the Father hath decreed the perseverance Sanctam Ecclesiam Christus secundum praescientiae suae gratiam de in aeternum permansuris sanctis construxit. Greg. in Cantic. cap. 3. Aurum, quod pravis Diaboli persuasionibus sterni, sicut lutum, potuerit, aurum ante oculos Dei nunquam suit; & qui seduci quandoque non reversuri poss●nt, quasi habitam sanctitatem ante oculos hominum videntur a●ittere, sed cam ante oculos Dei nunquam habuerunt. Gr●g. Mor. lib. 34. cap. 13. of the Saints; if he hath promised that they shall persevere, and that he will enable them by his power unto it. If God the Son hath prayed that the faith of all those who were given to him by the Father should not fail, and if he ever liveth to make intercession for them, that they may never utterly fall. If God the holy Ghost be given to the Saints to abide in them for ever, and if the seed of God abides in them to keep them from total and final apostasy; then we may safely conclude; that the Doctrine of the perseverance of the Saints is most agreeable to Scripture, and that it is our duty to be steadfast and unmovable in it. Quest. Did not Saint Austin himself the great Champion of free grace, against the Pelagians, hold the doctrine of the apostasy of the Saints? For though he saith, That an elect justified person shall never finally fall away, yet he seems to say, that there are many truly justified who are not elect, and that justification, and election are not terms convertible. And that many are justified by a faith working by charity, who (not being elected) fall away totally and finally. Answ. I must not deny but that this opinion is charged upon St. Austin by some learned men; and a Reverend Divine hath lately in a book printed about this subject asserted it as a thing undubitable and without controversy, and for this end he brings many sayings out of his works which favour this opinion. But this learned brother may, if he please, read an answer to most of those quotations long ago given by Bishop Abbot in his animadversions Cap. 8. upon Tompsons' Diatriba de amissione & intercisione justificationis & gratiae. And he may likewise find many sayings brought out of St. Austin which do most fully and clearly prove, that he held not only that no elect man can finally fall away, but also that none but the elect are justified, and that those who are truly justified can never fall away. As for example. Non ergo alios, sed quos praedestinavit, ipsos & vocavit; ill● s●ilicet vocatione secundum propositum; nec alios sed quos ita vocavit, ipsos & justificavit; nec alios, sed quos praedestinavit, vocavit, justificavit, ipsos & glorificavit, illo utique fine, qui non habet fivem. Depraedestin. sanct. cap. 17. God (saith Austin) calleth none with that calling which is according to his purpose, but such whom he hath predestinated; and he justifieth none, but those whom he thus calleth; and glorifieth none, but those whom he hath predestinated, called, and justified, &c. Again, speaking of the vessels of wrath and of the reprobates he saith, That God brings none of them to sound Istorum (id est vasorum irae five ●eproborum) ●eminem adducit Deus ad poenitentiam salubrem & spiritualem, quâ homo in Christo reconciliatur Deo, sivem illis longior●m▪ patientiam (quàm electis.) sive non imparem pr●beat. Aug. Contra. Julian. Pelug. lib. 5. cap. 4. and spiritual repentance, by which a man is reconciled to God in Christ, whether he waits longer on them, (then on the elect) or shorter. In another place he saith, That God doth not forgive the Non ●mnium Deus, s●d corum quos praescivit, & praedestinavit, delicta dimittit. Aug. contra. adversar. leg. & prophet. lib. 2. cap. 11. sins of all men, but only of those whom he hath foreknown and whom he hath predestinated. — Non visibilem Baptismum quem possunt habere & alieni qui regnum Dei non possidebunt, sed hoc donum commendat Spiritus sancti, quod proprium est eorum tantum, qui reg●abunt cum Christ● in aeternum.— Et poste● multa eni●s munera Dei possunt habere & alieni, &c. ipsa etiam quae domui Doi data sunt▪ nonnulla ex eis habent alieni, id est, non possessuri regnum Dei, &c. Hoc est ergo donum spiritus sancti proprium sanctorum, unde nem● communicate alienus. Hoc deest omnibus malignis & gehennae filiis, etiamst christi baptism● baptizentur, sicut Simon ●uerat baptizatus, &c. Aug. de unitato Eccl. cap. 23. again, he saith in another place. That the gift of the holy Ghost, to wit, the love of God shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost is given only to those who shall reign with Christ for ever in heaven. Strangers (saith he) that is such who shall never inherit the kingdom of heaven, have some of those things which are given to the house of God. But the gift of the holy Ghost is proper to the Saints, of which no stranger doth communicate, that is, no man that shall never inherit the kingdom of heaven. This is wanting to all the malignant, and sons of hell, although they are baptised with the baptism of Christ as Simon Magus was. Therefore he calls that a peculiar fountain of waters running down the streets of the Saints, and nowhere else. In other places he saith, That Christ justifieth none but those who are members of his body. And no man is made alive by the Spirit of Christ, but he that is a member of his body. And Non justificat Christus nisi corpus suum. Aug. ep. 5. De spiritu Christi non vivit nisi corpus Christi. Iden in Joan. Traictat. 26. Non est autem never a corpus Christi, quod non erit cum ●o in aeternum. Idem de doctrine. Christ. lib. 3. cap. 32. that no man is indeed and in truth a member of Christ's body, who shall not be with him in heaven to all eternity. These places and many more which might be brought and are brought by the forementioned Author, are sufficient to prove that according to the mind of St. Austin none but the elect of God are in time effectually called, and really justified and pardoned, and made partakers of the holy Ghost and become real members of Christ's body, and therefore the effectually called, and justified, &c. can no more fall away than the elect, which all confess to be under an impossibility of apostasy in St. Austin's judgement. 2. Let me persuade you not only to believe, but to practise the doctrine of perseverance: For there are Divers learned men that are so much scandalised at the great apostasy of some eminent professors in our unhappy days, that they begin to be staggered, and to doubt of the truth of the doctrine of Perseverance. But these men forget the saying of the Apostle, They went out from 1 John 2. 19▪ us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out that they might be made manifest, that they were not all of us. For my part, I conceive, that these Reverend and learned men should rather doubt of the truth of their graces whom they see thus foully to A postatize, than of the truth of the Doctrine of Perseverance. But howsoever, let us take heed of laying this stumbling block: lest by our practical apostasy men should begin to turn Doctrinal Apostates. Let us labour to die well, as well as to live well, to continue and persevere in well-doing. It is the great commendation of the Saints in the text, That they died in the faith. These all died in faith. Remember what Christ Luk. 8. 62. saith, No man having put his hand to the plough, and looking Heb. 10. 38, 39 back is fit for the kingdom of God. And what the Apostle Paul saith: If any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him: but we are not of them who draw back unto perdition, &c. And what the Apostle Peter saith▪ 2 Pet. 2. 21. It had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than after they have known it, to turn from the holy Luk. 17. 32. commandment delivered to them, &c. Remember also Lot's wife. She did only look back, she did not go back, and yet she was turned into a pillar of salt. As God hath fire and brimstone for a Sodomite, so he hath a pillar of salt for an Apostate. Ob. But why do you exhort us to persevere when as you tell us, that if we be true Saints we cannot but persevere? Answ. 1. We do not say, it is simply and absolutely impossible for a Saint not to persevere. (For if you consider the Saints as they are in themselves, and the mightiness and multitude of their spiritual enemies, it is impossible for them not to fall away) But we say it is impossible upon supposition. Considering the unchangeable nature of God, and the unchangeable decree and purpose of God, and the unchangeable Mar 24. 24. Covenant, promises and Oath of God, in this respect we say it is impossible. 2. Scripture exhortations are divine motives and means to persuade and enable the Saints to persevere, and they are so far from interfering with, or nullifying of the promises of faith and perseverance, that they are (many of them) built and grounded upon them. Phil. 2. 12, 13. 2 Cor. 7. 1. Quest. What means must I use that I may hold out and continue unto the end, and not only live in the faith, but also die in it. Answ. 1. Dig deep in humiliation. The stony ground fell away for want of depth of earth. Humility is the best preservative of grace. The lower the foundation, the surer the building. Spiritual pride paves a causey to apostasy. A chestnut put whole into the fire will fly out. It is the broken heart only that will persevere. 2. Labour for sincerity and uprightness of heart. As the firmness of a pillar is in the uprightness of it (if once it begins to bow, it will quickly break.) So the firmness and stability of a Christian is in his sincerity and uprightness. Rottenness of heart betrayeth a man into apostasy. A rotten apple will quickly appear so outwardly; So will a rotten Christian. If ever you would persevere, take heed of making use of Religion for the promotion of your carnal interest. He that serves God for an earthly kingdom, when he bathe got what he sought for, will forsake God as Jehu did. He that followeth Christ only for the loaves, will leave Christ when he hath got them. 3. Labour for a tender conscience. This will keep us from the least degree of apostasy. As hot water grows cold by degrees: first it is lukewarm, before it is stark cold: So a Christian declines into apostasy by degrees. Lot's wife first lingered, and then afterwards looked back: first we slack our pace in Religion, than we stand still, and at last turn back. But now a tender conscience will keep us from the least abatement of zeal and forwardness in Religion. 4. Be not high minded but fear. I speak not of a fear of diffidence and distrustfulness, but of a fear of diligence and watchfulness. He that would be secure from fear, let him fear to be secure. Mr. Saunders by his fear of falling away kept himself from apostasy: whereas Dr. Pendleton by his notorious presumption, and overbold confidence fell away. 5. Take heed lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} will end in {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}: apostasy is the child of unbelief. Faith will set us upon a rock higher than us, even such a rock against which the gates of hell shall never prevail. 6. Take heed of the inordinate love of the world and of the base fear of men. The love of money is reckoned by the Apostle as the root of all evil in general, and more especially of apostasy, 1 Tim. 6. 10.— Which while some coveted after they have erred from the faith, &c. And the base fear of men was the cause which made thousands apostatise in Queen Mary's bloody days. And therefore if ever you would persevere, you must labour to love God above your corruptions, relations, and possessions, and to fear sin more than the loss of estate, or life. He that loves God above the world, will never forsake God to gain the world. He that fears sin more than death, will rather die than sin. 7. Pray unto God the Father, Son, and holy Ghost, that they would uphold you and enable you not only to live, but to die in the faith. Pray to the Father that he would keep you by his power through faith unto salvation: that he would uphold you by his mighty hand and keep you from falling, as it is Psalm 37. ●4. Psalm 94. 18. That he would put his fear in your hearts that you may never depart from him. Pray to the Son, that he would apprehend you and hold you so fast in his arms that none may pluck you out of his hands, and that you may every day enjoy the benefit of his Intercession. Pray unto the holy Ghost that he would abide in you for ever, and give you the Eph. 1. 14. Eph. 4. 30. earnest of your inheritance, and seal you up unto the day of Redemption. So much for the fourth inference. Doctrine 5. Doct. 5. That to die in the true faith, is a noble, gallant, blessed, and happy ●anner of dying; These all died in faith. Herein especially consisted the happy condition of these godly patriarchs, that they lived, and died in the faith. It is put down by way of commendation, and left upon record as a pattern for us to learn to die by. They died in the faith of the Messiah, expecting salvation by him only. They died persuaded of the promises and embracing the Lord Jesus. Looking, waiting and confidently hoping for a City which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. There is a double manner of dying. 1. A dying in sin. 2. A dying in faith. 1. A dying in sin. Of this we read, John 8. 24. If you believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. This is a said manner of dying. If any should desire me to give him a character of a man in a cursed condition, I would answer, He is one who is dead in sin while he lives, and dies in his sins when he dies. It is a happiness to be dead to sin, but to die in sin is misery unexpressible. For he that dieth in his sins shall certainly go into everlasting damnation. He that dies in his sins dies out of Christ; and he that dieth out of Christ shall never go to Christ. 2. A dying in faith. This is a noble, gallant and blessed manner of dying; heaven itself bears witness to this, Rev. 14. 13. I heard a voice from heaven, saying unto me write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord, that is, united unto the Lord Jesus Christ by a true and a lively faith. Such as these are happy, if you will either believe a voice from heaven, or the voice of the Spirit, for it followeth in the text— so saith the Spirit. And they are blessed from the very instant of their death. So it is in the same place— from henceforth {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} from that very minute: for their souls go immediately to God to enjoy perfect and perpetual rest and happiness, and their works follow them. It is a greater happiness to die in the Lord than to die for the Lord. If a man die for the Lord, and be not in the Lord, he is not blessed in his death. A man may die for the Lord's cause, and not for the Lord's sake, but out of vainglory. This is hinted by the Apostle, Though I give my 1 Cor. 13. 3. body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. If I do it not out of love to God, but out of love to myself and mine own praise, it is nothing worth. But he that dyeth in the Lord is certainly blessed. Use The only use I shall make of this, is to beseech the New Testament Saints to follow this Old Testament copy and pattern. You have been often taught how to live well, give me leave to teach you this day how to die well. It is not long but you must all die. Let it be your care, that when you come to die, you may die in the faith of the Lord Jesus. There is a double faith in which you must labour to die; In fide quae creditur & quâ creditur. 1. In the true doctrine of faith. 2. In the saving grace of faith. 2 Pet. 2. 1. 1 Tim. 4. 1. Gal. 5. 19, 20, 21. Acts 15. 24. ● Tim. 2. 18. 1. In the true doctrine of faith. For there are damnable doctrines as well as damnable practices. There are doctrines of Devils as well as works of Devils. A man may go to hell for heresy as well as ●or iniquity. The Scripture tells us of some opinions which subvert the soul, and overthrow the faith: which T●rtullian calls doctrines devouring a man's Dogmata salutis devoratoria & Christianae religionis carcinomata. Jude 3. Heb▪ 10. 23. salvation, and the cankers of Christian Religion. And therefore let it be your care to avoid all soul-subverting doctrines, to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the Saints, and to hold fast the ancient Catholic and Apostolical faith. Now if you ask me in what Religion I would have you to die; I shall quickly return an answer without the least hesitation. In the true Christian Protestant reformed Sr. Humphrey Lynd●. Religion. This is via tuta ad vitam aeternam, A safe way unto eternal life, as a learned Knight hath sufficiently made known to the world: my soul for yours he that dies in this Religion, wants nothing in point of doctrine necessary to salvation. For it is built wholly & only upon the Scriptures; It is purely Apostolical, and teacheth us to deny ungodliness and all worldly lusts, and to live godly, soberly and righteously in this present world. It requires us to believe in Christ for justification, and to manifest the truth of our faith by our holiness towards God, and our righteousness, mercy and charity towards our neighbour. And when we have done all to account ourselves but unprofitable servants, and to trust only to the merits of Christ for salvation. It hath been sealed by the blood of many Martyrs; and he that professeth it and liveth according to the directions of it, may die with a tribunal-proof confidence of everlasting salvation. Let us therefore be steadfast and unmovable in this faith: and take heed of the Arian and Socinian heresies which unchristianize a man, and of all doctrines that are contrary to godliness, which drown the soul in perdition and destruction. Let us abhor the heresy, Idolatry and tyranny of the Romish Synagogue, always remembering that sad text, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his Rev. 14. 9, 1●. mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out witbout mixture, into the cup of his indignation, and he shall be tormented with ●●re and brimstone in the presence of the holy Angels, and in the presence of the Lamb. Let us be sure, that when we come to die, we may be able to say with the Apostle Paul, I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Bishop Jewel in his life. Though I have lost my liberty, wealth, and honours, yet I have kept the faith; And with that Reverend Bishop, I can deny myself, my estate, my reputation, but I cannot deny my faith. 2. In the saving grace of faith. He that dieth with faith in Christ, shall certainly go to live in heaven with Christ. He that dieth embracing Christ, shall go from Christ, to Christ; from Christ by grace, to Christ in glory. But than you must be sure that this faith be a true justifying-faith. A heart-purifying, sanctifying, and world-overcoming faith. A painted faith will never bring you to a real heaven. A dead faith will never please a living God. O quam ●ulti ●um b●c van. î ●ide ad ater●os labores desce●d●●t. Faith without works will send a man merrily to hell instead of lifting him up to heaven. It is faith unfeigned, the faith of God's elect, the faith which worketh by lov●, which will make the hour of death desirable and comfortable. And let me add That you must not only labour to die with a true faith, Heb. 10. 22. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. but with a full assurance of faith; not only to die bel●eving, but fully assured that your faith is of a right stamp. This is a heaven upon earth. This will put you into heaven before you come to heaven. This will cause you to die rejoicingly and triumphantly, as Stephen did, when he saw the heavens opened, and Christ standing at the right hand of God ready to receive him; And as old Simeon did with Christ in your spiritual arms, and singing a Nunc dimittis, Now Lord let thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation. This then is thy great work O Christian, industriously to endeavour, that when thou comest to die thou mayest die in the true doctrine, and true grace of faith, and in the full assurance of faith, that so thou mayst 2 Pet. 1. 11. have an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Quest. But what must I do that I may be able to make this gallant and noble end? Answ. He that would die in the faith, must first live in the faith. For if you observe it, it is not said in the text, that all without limitation died in faith. But all these: that is, all those who lived in the faith, died in the same faith in which they lived: These blessed patriarchs had not their faith to get when they came to die, but they had got it in health. They lived a holy life, and died a happy death. Life and death for the most part are like the voice and the echo, the body and the shadow. Such as the voice is, such is the echo. Such as the body is, such is the shadow. Qualis vita, finis ita. If we would die happily, we must live holily. If we would die gloriously, we must live graciously. If we would go to Christ when we die, we must get into Christ while we live. If we would die with assurance, we must while we live labour to get assurance▪ Woe be to those who have their faith to get when they are dying, that begin to amend their lives when they are putting an end to them. Woe be to those who begin to serve God when they can do him no service. That begin to live when they are ceasing to live. And sad is the condition of those, who have their evidences and comforts to seek when they are going out of the world. And yet I will not absolutely deny (as some rashly do) but that it is possible for a man to live a thief and die a Saint, to live wickedly and to repent at death. We have one, and but one example of this. But this is not God's ordinary way; and if I had ten thousand souls, I would not adventure one of them upon a deathbed repentance. We must not think to dance with the Devil all day, and to sup with Christ at night. To live all our life-time in Dalilah's lap, and to go to Abraham's bosom when we die. The ordinary way to die well, is to live well. In a word, If you would die as Abraham did, you must live as he did: you must imitate Abraham's faith, obedience, and heavenly-mindedness. If you would die as Jacob did, you must wrestle with God in prayer as he did. If you would partake of their happiness when you die, you must be followers of their holiness while you live. This is the fifth inference. Doctrine 6. Doct. 6. That it is an unvaluable blessing when husband and wife, Father and child, and child's child live and die in the true faith. These all died in faith. Not only some of them, but all. Abraham the husband, and Sarah his wife. Abraham the Father, and Isaac his Son, and Jacob his grandchild. All these died in the faith. Behold a true noble blood, a holy kindred, a blessed generation. Worthy is Abraham of all honour who was the root of such a noble and blessed brood. And worthy are Isaac and Jacob of so good a Father, who stained not their blood by forsaking their faith, but held it as they received it, and lived and died in the true faith handed to them by their Father. Behold here you that are great in place and birth; behold, I say, wherein true Nobility and Gentry doth consist; and what is the fountain of all true honour. It is to live and die in the true faith. In this faith Abraham died: and Isaac his son and heir did not only inherit his father's estate, but his father's Religion also. And Jacob the grandchild follows both his father and grandfather, and dieth in the same faith with them. Behold here Jacob a true Gentleman in blood. His holiness and Religion is in the third descent. Let great men learn to adorn their Gentility and Nobility with these ensigns of true honour. It is a rare blessing when there is a succession of godliness in a family; when godliness is entailed upon children, and children's children. When a man can say to God as Moses: O God thou art my God, and my father's God, and Exod. 15. my Grand-Fathers God. There are many families in which there is a succession of drunkards, swearers, and adulterers, &c. in which sin and iniquity is entailed, of whom it may be said, my father was an adulterer, a drunkard, a scoffer at Religion, so was my grandfather and so am I. This is a sad pedigree. O labour for a holy succession. Let Parents write a fair copy to their children, let them live and die in the true faith, and let children learn to follow such a copy. Let husbands be patterns and examples of godliness to their wives; and let wives follow their good examples. Let wives imitate Sarah, Parents Abraham, and children Isaac and Jacob. Let us and ours so live, that when we come to die, it may be said of us, not that we died in our sins, but as it is in the text that we died in the faith. These all died in faith. I have done with the text. But there is another text of which I must of necessity speak something. And that is concerning the sad occasion of our meeting here this day. Give me leave to speak to you in the language of 2 Sam. 3. 31. David concerning Abner: Know you not that there is a Prince, a great man fallen this day in Israel? and in the language of the children of Seth concerning Abraham, Gen. 23. 6. A Lord and a mighty Prince is this day to be buried: One who had so much worth and excellency in him, that whosoever will undertake to speak of him needs not fear (as Nazianzen saith of his sister Gorgonia) lest he should spea● too much, but rather lest he should speak too little, and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. by coming so far beneath his due deserts, should dispraise him, even whilst he is praising of him. For without all controversy he was a person who had not only noble and honourable titles, but was truly noble and honourable. It is an observable speech of Gregory the great, A King may cause a man to be called a Nobleman, but he cannot make a man truly noble. He may command such a man to be called an Earl, or a Lord; But it is the noble mind which makes the man truly noble. Such a nobleman was the Earl of Warwick. He was not only a nobleman by Parchment, but he had a noble mind, a large heart, an intrinsical worth and excellency in him. His Nobility was enameled with humility. He was great in place, but humble in carriage, as all who knew him will testify. There was in him a blessed constellation, and consociation of Nobility, humility, piety, and charity. He was not only a great man, but that which is above all, he was (I hope) a godly and religious man. I should be loath to give flattering titles to any man whether alive or dead; for in so doing my Maker would soon Job. 32. 22. take me away as Job saith. It was well spoken by that Mr. Vines. learned Minister who preached at the funeral of the Earl of Essex (a kinsman of this Earls) That funeral encomiastickes of the dead do often prove confections of poison to the living; for many whose lives speak nothing for them, will draw the example into consequence, and be thereby led into hope, that they may press a hackney Funeral Sermon to carry them to heaven. And St. Austin if I be not much mistaken, doth somewhere bitterly inveigh against those Ministers who were overlavish in the commendation of the dead, telling us, That there are many who are Laudantur ubi ●on sunt, & t●rquentur ubi sunt. Bishop Halt. commended where they are not, and in the mean time tormented with fire unquenchable where they are. Sure I am that a learned Bishop doth quote a sharp censure (though in another case) of a Popish Casuist concerning noblemens' Chaplianes, saying, that few confessors of great men went to heaven, because by their base flattery they became guilty of soul-murder, and for want of telling them of their faults, destroyed both their own, and their patron's souls. And therefore God forbid that I should say any thing this day for the hurt and disadvantage of the living, whilst I am speaking in the praise and commendation of the dead. And yet notwithstanding all this I should be loath to offend in the contrary extreme. For I am not so straitlaced Dr. Tuckney at the funeral of Dr. Hill. or superstitious, as when any man's life hath been eminently remarkable and exemplary, lest I should be guilty of Idolatry in adoring him, to commit sacrilege in robbing both the dead of his just praise, and the living of an useful pattern for their imitation. And besides, (as the forementioned author saith) Though common Mr. Vines. graves have no inscription, yet Marble tombs are not without some Epitaph. Heroical examples should not go with a common pass, but with a Trumpet. And therefore I doubt not, but I may safely say without the least suspicion of flattery or falsehood concerning this honourable person, That I have just ground in charity to believe, that this Noble Earl was not only under the awe of Religion, but that he had the substance, and power of it in his heart. And therefore his death is the more to be lamented by us, because that goodness and greatness do so seldom centre in one and the same person. In the God of heaven they both meet. He is optimus, maximus; infinite in goodness, as well as in greatness. But in the Gods upon earth they rarely meet: They are many of them pessimi maximi, greater in vices than in riches. It was a bold speech of Buchanan to King James, who sent a messenger to him when he was dying to visit him, and to know how he did; Buchanan desired the messenger to tell the King, 1 Cor. 1. 26. That he was going to a place where few Kings come. Indeed the Scripture saith, Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. But yet some are, though not many. Such a one was Job, the greatest, and the best man in the East. Such were Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Such was Joseph of Arimathea. And such a one was (I hope) Robert Earl of Warwick: And therefore the loss of him is the greater. For great men are like looking glasses according to which all the country dress themselves, and if they be good they do a world of good. Acts 18. 8. Gen. 34. When Crispus the chief Ruler of the Synagogue believed, many of the Corinthians hearing of it believed also. When Schechem and Hamor were circumcised they quickly persuaded their people to be circumcised. Let me tell you, That we have lost this day one of the best natured noblemen in England, & one who had not only a good nature, but (as I verily believe) gracious principles, and religious inclinations, and dispositions. He was religious, 1. In his own person: For he was very exact in closet duties. I have been often with him at private prayer in his closet in which he was very zealous and devout. And he hath left behind him real manifestations of his personal piety, by many religious collections written with his own hand for the good of his soul. 2. In reference to his dear and near relations, both by giving them a good example, and good instructions. And my prayer to God is; that though the instructor be deceased, yet the instructions may live, and never die. 3. In his family-government. For he was very constant in his morning and evening public service of God, and herein a rare pattern to the Gentry of the Country: He would not suffer any sports or pastimes to divert him from his daily public devotions. It is a great honour to God, and credit to Religion when there is a form and outside (though but a form and outside) of godliness in great families. This is like a candle set upon a hill to illighten all inferlour families. It is reported of Theodosius the Emperor, that by his religious carriage in his family, he made all his Court a nursery of religion. And it is said of the house of George Prince of Anhalt, that for the good Ecclesia, Academia, Curia. orders therein observed it was a Church, an Academy, and a Court. 4. In his conscientious observation of the Lord's day, and in causing the Sermons preached to be repeated in his presence to the whole family. In his frequent attendance when he was at London upon weekly Lectures, and by his example and encouragement, drawing many persons of quality to our congregations. And (which is very remarkable) in the month in which he died, he went constantly to the Morning-exercise at St. martin's in the fields, thereby (as by a secret instinct) fitting and preparing himself for his death, which happened towards the end of it. 5. In his extraordinary care and diligence in preparing himself for the receiving of the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ. Herein he was very exact in setting apart a sufficient space of time for self-examination. And besides this, give me leave (without offence) to relate a passage which in my opinion conduceth much to his honour, and may through God's blessing become an example to his relations, and to the noblemen and Gentlemen of the Nation. When he first came to the Sacrament at Aldermanburic, he freely presented himself to the Minister and Elders to be examined: and although he gave ample satisfaction, yet being at that time indisposed in body by reason of a sudden distemper, he afterwards wrote me a letter in which he signified, that if we were not satisfied, he would rather come again, than come without giving full satisfaction; here was humility in a high degree; here is a pattern to be admired, and imitated. 6. In his faithfulness to the trust committed to him as in other things, so more especially in disposing of his Church-livings. Herein he was very eminent, and very exemplary, being always exactly careful to prefer able, godly, and painful Ministers to them. And I doubt not, but there are thousands blessing God in heaven for the good they have got by the Ministers put in by this Noble Earl. The truth is, he was a great Patron and Maecenas to the pious and religious Ministry. We Ministers may say of him as they did of the Centurion, he loved our Nation; we have great cause to weep over his hearse, and to bemoan his death: For we have this day lost one of the greatest friends that the godly and painful Ministers had in England. 7. I might add (if need were) as a further, and a most signal testimony of his godliness, his singular care, that not only while he was living, but that after his death also his Church-livings might be rightly disposed, but I forbear. 8. There are three things yet behind which I must not omit. 1. He was bountiful and princelike in his hospitality and house-keeping. 2. He was very merciful and charitable to the poor members of Jesus Christ. I have often and often been his Almoner to distribute considerable sums of money to necessitous and pious Christians. 3. He was a liberal and most loving Master to his household-servants, and hath given competent pensions to all his old servants during life. 9 In a word: He was one who did not make use of religion for his own private gain and interest; he had no politic design in professing godliness: his whole aim both by sea and land, both in Parliament and in private was, to be serviceable to Church and State, and in this particular he was a true Nathaneel in whom there was no guile: he was a countenancer of religion in the worst times,: he appeared for God and for his cause and servants, when it was both dangerous and disgraceful in the eyes of the leading men of the Nation; he received Mr. Burroughs (that eminent Minister of Christ) into his family, and protected him for a long while, till at last he was forced to fly out of the land. He was a very special friend unto that man of God of famous memory Dr. Sibbs. To sum up all in a few lines, As it is said of Socrates (as I remember) that he was so good a man that all that knew him loved him; and if any man did not love him, it was because they did not know him. So it may be said of the Earl of Warwick: All who knew him loved him, and if any man did not love him, it was because he did not know him. As for the manner of his death, it was somewhat sudden: but you must know, that a child of God never dies suddenly, though he die never so suddenly; though he may die suddenly in regard of time, yet he never dies suddenly in regard of preparation. A wicked man dies suddenly though he dies never so lingeringly, because he dies unpreparedly; but he that dies with grace in his heart, cannot be said to die suddenly though he die never so suddenly. And yet this sad stroke of death was not altogether unexpected. For when the funeral of his grandchild was delayed longer than he desired or expected, he was heard to say, That if they tarried a little longer, they should carry him down also to he buried with him. My hope is, That he died as these Noble patriarchs in the text, he died in the faith in which he lived. He died professing the true doctrine of faith, and (I hope) having his heart adorned with the grace of faith. And let me assure you; that as he lived much desired, so he now dyeth much lamented, especially by men professing godliness. I have heard a memorable story of an ancient and religious Gentleman Mr. Knightly of Northamptonshire (well known to some here) who coming to Lose, and beholding the brave parks, and goodly gardens, and other suchlike accommodations there to be enjoyed, was heard to say to this our Earl, My Lord, you had need be very good, it is ill going to hell from such a Paradise: it will be a doleful and dismal exchange. Or as others relate it; My Lord, you had need make sure of heaven, or else when you die you will be a great loser. A rare speech worthy to be laid to heart by all Noble persons. Now I verily persuade myself, that this our dear and honourable Christian brother is no loser, but a great gainer by his death. He is gone (I hope) from earth to heaven, from an earthly Paradise to a heavenly palace, from a house made with hands to a house made without hands eternal in the heavens. It is true (and it must be confessed lest I should be accounted a flatterer) he had his failings, and his many infirmities; which I trust Jesus Christ hath covered with the robe of his righteousness. My prayer to God is, That all his infirmities may be buried in the grave of oblivion, and that all his virtues and graces may supervive, and live in his son and heir; that as he inherits the estate, so he may also inherit the virtues of his Father. And that religion, piety, and godliness may be entailed upon the Noble family of the Riches, from one generation to another till the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ unto judgement; That while they live they may be professors of the true faith, and endued with the heart-purifying grace of faith: And when they come to die, they may make that gallant, noble, and blessed closure and conclusion of their days which these godly patriarchs in my text did, of whom it is said, These all died in faith. FINIS.