I Have perused this Sermon entitled Death's advantage, and finding it to be sound and judicious, pious and profitable, I Licence it to be Printed and published. JOHN DOWNAME. DEATH'S ADVANTAGE: OR A SERMON PREACHED AT THE FUNERAL OF THAT Noble and Valiant Gentleman, Colonel WILLIAM GOULD, High Sheriff of Devon: By order of Parliament, and late Commander of the Fort and Island in Plymouth. By STEPHEN MIDHOPE Mr. of Arts. REVEL. 14.13. Writ, Bless are the dead which die in the Lord, from henceforth, yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours, and their works do follow them. LONDON, Printed by L. N. for FRANCIS EGLESFIELD, and are to be sold at the Marigold in Paul's Churchyard. 1644. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL SIR JOHN BAMPFIELD, BARONET, THE WELL-DESERVING AND Honoured Commander of the Fort and Island in Plymouth, Grace and peace in our Lord Jesus Christ. NOBLE SIR: THAT there is a life above that of sensual pleasure; the Heathen by the twilight of Nature could discern, who thought him not worthy the name of a man, that spent a whole day together in sensual pleasure; reckoning such amongst beasts in humane shape, but that there is a life of faith as far above that of reason, as it is above the life of sense, that coming from God, returns to him again, moves by higher principles, and to higher ends, acts all for the honour of the great God, aims in all at the setting up of Christ, and making him glorious before the world; this is such a dark and hidden path, that had we not the fiery Pillar of God's truth to clear it to us, together with a cloud of many witnesses, especially in these last days, that have beaten it out before us, whose life is not in carnal pleasure, nor civil transactions, no, nor yet in philosophical speculations, who lay out all their strength, are ready to exhaust all their blood from Christ and his truth; we must have been for ever ignorant of it. This is not to be found in the School of Socrates, nor in the pit of Democritus. What those Masters of morality groped after in the dark, but could never reach; viz. the right way of living; I have adventured to present to your and the public view in this poor and plain Sermon, which I confess hath no other argument to procure either your view, or patronage, but this one; that it hath the Name of Jesus Christ in it; the want whereof when Austin espied, after conversion, in Tully's Book, abated the heat of his delight which he once took in it. When you meet with weaknesses, may you be pleased to Remember, that not any selfe-forwardnesse, or over-valuing hath obtruded these unpolished Meditations into the public light, but my willingness to put a stop, if it may be, to the false and slanderous aspersions on the dead, that I perceive have already cankered the hearts and mouths of many, and to raise, though upon the ruins of my own credit, a monument of deserved praise to him, to whose fidelity and resolution in the cause of Christ, the Kingdom stands so much indebted to this day. And now, Noble Sir, these rude Notes being forced to look abroad, whither shall they run for shelter but to you? Surely your right is greatest to them, as succeeding the man in his honour and intrustments, as well as in his holy activity for the public good. But I perceive by Austin, Retr. lib. 1. cap. 2. who repent him that he attributed more to Theodorus, to whom he wrote a book, though otherwise he were a godly man, than was meet, that it is easy to over-lash in the commendation of a good man. Only this therefore let me name without flattery, to give the world an account of my choice; Your love to Christ in his Ministers and members, your constancy in sticking to his Cause with the loss of friends and lands in these back-sliding, and forwardness in acting for him in these bleeding times, do more than satisfy me that I have found a Patron suitable to my subject. Wherefore praying your favourable construction and acceptance of this poor mite, I commend you to the Lords grace, who double the spirit of his deceased servant on you, make you high and Noble in all your ends, faithful and constant in all your instruments, courageous and valiant in all your undertake for Christ and his truth. Remember, Sir, riches, honours, high places, may make you great, not gracious, not happy: they pass away daily, and often much faster than they came, I'll add deum copiosus, ille opulentus adveniet, cui astabunt misericordia, patientia, charitas, fides. Lactant. lib. 7. c. 27. and if they tarry with you to your last, yet then must you leave them to others, as they are now left to you. We shall carry nothing with us, but a life spent in, and for Christ, Work apace then, be diligent to take in and put off as much as you can for your Master's advantage, that you may go richly laden to the Haven at the last, and when you have fulfilled your time, receive the crown of righteousness and glory; for which he prayeth who is yours Devoted to serve you in all Gospel's offices, STEPHEN MIDHOPE. DEATH'S ADVANTAGE. PHILIPPIANS 1.21. For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. THE Text is a compendious expression of S. Paul's scope in life, and hope in death. The inference is thus: After salutation and gratulation from the 1. verse to the 12. he proceeds for the better encouragement of the believing Philippians to boldness and constancy in the profession of the Gospel and fellowship with Christ and his Church, to declare unto them: 1. His present estate in bonds, and the good God had wrought out thence, from the 12. verse to the 18. 2. His hope of the like for the future, verse 19, 20. viz. I not only have had, and now have, but I shall still have great cause of rejoicing in my sufferings. For, 1. I know the adversaries work against me, all through the help of your prayers and assistance of the Spirit of God shall still turn to my salvation. 2. I know likewise that Christ shall be hereby glorified in my body, which whether it be by life or death, by living to him, or dying for him, 'tis all one to me: For to me to live, etc. The words are diversely rendered by Interpreters. The Syriack reads them as do our English Translators; so all the Ancients; so Erasmus with others. Calvin, and after him Beza render them thus; Christ is in life and death advantage; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. supplying the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, so the sense will be: 'Tis indifferent to me whether I live or die; for having Christ, I must be a gainer by both estates; for 'tis Christ alone that makes me happy in life and death. For my part, as I take no pleasure in dissenting from such eminent lights, so I dare not easily departed from the simplicity of the words of the Holy-Ghost, without manifest reason, especially having the consent of all Antiquity. I do therefore approve our English Translation; so the sense is plain, and sweetly agrees with the precedent and following verses. 1. With the foregoing words, vers. 20. According to my etc. viz. this is that I aim at, hearty look and hope for, that Ghrist be magnified: if so, 'tis all one to me whether I live or die: for this is my main scope in living, my very life to glorify Christ by professing, preaching, loving his Gospel, and suffering affliction for his Name; and if I die now in my bonds, besides that I shall seal his truth with my blood, this will turn to my great advantage, in that being dissolved I shall be with Christ. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non connectit, sed insert: Sicut in illo, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; Heinsius in locum. John 15.16. 2. As sweetly doth this agree with the following verses, which I read thus: But if to live in the flesh, this be the fruit of my labour; What then shall I choose? I wots not. For I am in a straight, etc. What fruit? the conversion of souls, that's the only fruit of the ministry, for that end were the Apostles sent. So than if I live, I shall have an occasion of bringing forth fruit to God by my ministry: And what then shall I choose? for to abide in the flesh is better for you. Why? because this is the fruit of my life, to preach Christ, and win souls to him; and I have destined my whole life thereunto: there's his TO ME TO LIVE IS CHRIST, but better for me to be dissolved. Why? because than I shall be with Christ. There's his AND TO DYE GAINE. In these short words of the Text, you have described the life and death of a true Christian in a double proposition; his life by its object and end; Christ. His death by its consequent, and concomitant; Gain. The necessary combination of these, Christ with Life, and Gain with Death, is intimated in the manner of enunciation, which though it be not substantial and formal, but causal only, and per concomitantiam, as Logicians speak, yet it is as like it as may be: his life was so wholly devoted to Christ, spent on Christ, that Christ, and nothing but Christ was to be found in his heart and ways: his gain so inseparably conjoined with his dissolution, glory so sure to follow at the heels of death, as if there had been no difference between them; but that Death had now put off with its sting its nature also, and were now become not a privation, but advancement of his being, not a loss of life, but a gainful addition of glory. Not to detain you longer from that I principally intent: from the propositions thus briefly explained, arise two main points of truth, which I shall desire severally to open, and then for a close jointly to apply. 1. Doctr. The main object of a godly man's employment, is Christ and his glory. Or, Christ is the life of a true Christian. 2. Doctr. A life truly Christian ever ends in a happy and gainful death. For explication of the former of these; two terms must have some light here. 1. Christ. What is carried in that. 2. To live. How Christ is life to a Christian. 1. Christ is not here simply and absolutely considered in his person, Act. 9.5. natures, etc. but Christ in his relations. As Paul once lived against Christ, so now he lives Christ in his Church, Kingdom, Gospel, ways, ordinances. Christ, that is, the magnifying of Christ, by preaching his Gospel, serving his Church, building up his body, obeying his will, doing, suffering for his Name. So much is evident to an observant eye from the context, as hath been already opened. 2 How this is called his life. For the fuller understanding whereof we must note, 1. More generally. Every thing is evidenced to live by its operation, Sum. 1. q. 18.2. that is most proper to it. As the life of a Plant consists in this, that it receives nourishment and growth: Of a beast, in sense and motion: Of men, in reason, and working according to reason. So that the life of a man stands in that which he delights most in, & which he most intends. Now there are not only natural faculties in men, inclining them to suitable operations, but also superadded principles, as habits virtuous or vicious, inclining them to some kind of actions as it were naturally, and making them delightful to them. Hence by way of similitude, that operation that is delightful to man, in which he takes pleasure to walk, to which he directs his course, is called his life. Hence some are said to live a voluptuous, others a worldly life, their thoughts and study are all on the world, all their care is for it, their delight wholly in it. 2. But more particularly there is a life of the heart, and of the hand. 1. Love. 1. Of the heart, where the first weight and springing of the soul is love, that so joins the soul and its beloved, that it lives, as it were, and enjoys itself, Non ubi animat, sed ubi amat. not in the body where it breathes, but in that which it loves. 2. 2. Care. Hence (for love is a commanding passion) the mind, the thoughts are employed about that which the soul loves. Lord (saith David) how I love thy Law! Psal. 119. all the day long is my study in it. And this is set down as a characteristical difference betwixt the life of a married and unmarried person by the Apostle; 1 Cor. 7.32. Esay 32.6.8. the one careth for the things of the world, the other for the things of the Lord: And by the Prophet betwixt the life of the wicked and the godly; the heart of the one works iniquity, he devices wicked devices, the other devices liberal things. 3. 3. Desire. Reinolds of Passions. Hence also ariseth desire, that is the wing of the soul, whereby it moves, and is carried to the thing which it loves, as the Eagle to the carcase, to feed itself upon it, and to be satisfied with it. And this the Scripture holds forth as the very best character and truest lineament that can be drawn of the life of God and of the world. Actions may be overruled by ends, but desires are always genuine and natural. Pro. 11.23. The desire of the righteous is only good; but the expectation of the wicked is wrath. other defects may attend his actions, this is an inseparable character of a pious soul, that the main stream of his desires, the course and current of his heart is to God and goodness; though he cannot show himself in doing as he would, yet he desires good; because it is Christ in whom is good, and nothing but good, Hag. 2.7. after whom are drawn all the affections and inward long of his soul. On the contrary, what ever specious pretexts may be drawn and held out by the wicked, yet their desires are after such things only from which they cannot hope or expect any thing but God's everlasting wrath: though the one dares not do so much evil as he desires, for fear of shame or punishment; The other cannot do so much good as he desires for want of power; yet according to the prevalency of his affection this way or that way, such is the man in the Scriptures estimate, either righteous, or wicked. 4. Delight. 4. Hereupon follows delight, when we rest in the fruition of that good, whereunto our desires have carried us. This both in Scripture and nature's expression is called life. What is life? not the conjunction of soul and body; for than they in hell should not be said to die the death; but a conjunction of the soul with that it loves and joys in; and this also hath a most inward relation to, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Ethic. l. 2. c. 3. and main influence upon all the actions of life. Joy is the rule of life; such is the life, as is the delight, whether it be good or evil. 'Tis joy to the just to do judgement; but a pastime to the wicked to do wickedly. 5. 5. Endeavour. This draws the endeavour, puts sinews into the hand, makes strong and active in doing and suffering for that we love: this is called the life of the hand, Isa. 57.10. They were industrious to bring about their idol worship, they compassed their design not without much difficulty, got their living by their hands. Vita actuosa est mors qui●ta. Life is in action; so much as we do, so much we may be said to live; what time is spent vainly idly, is to be accounted death; a man without hands is a man without life; an unactive, heavy, sleepy drone is dead while he is alive. Now then sum up all these, and take them in one view, and you have a full description of this notion To LIVE: That which is a man's love, his care, desire, delight, the bent of his heart, the employment of his hand, is his life. Thus, thus Christ is To live to a godly man; his love is drawn out after Christ alone, his care only for the things of Christ, his inward and secret plots, and projects, are only spent for the setting forward grace, and the glory of Christ; the main streams of his desires are after the enlargement of Christ's Kingdom, he has no other delight then in the service of Christ, no other object of his employment, but Christ and his glory. That this is so, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. might be made appear in a full induction of the Saints practices in all ages: but I shall content myself with this only instance in the text, 'tis fully home to all the forenamed particulars. Take a view of S. Paul in his love; how dear was Christ in his Church to this good man? As a nurse cherishing her children, as a father exhorting, comforting, charging them; So was he among the believing Thessalonians. 1 Thess. 2.7.11. How did his love to Christ carry him to a kind of spiritual distraction, and heavenly ecstasis, Phil. 2.17. 1 Thess. 2.8. that he was not only willing to be offered up as a drink-offering on the service of the Church's faith, not only ready to impart with the Gospel his own soul to them, but could wish himself were accursed from Christ, Rom. 9.3. 2 Cor. 11.28. that Christ might be glorified in the salvation of his brethren? Where was his care, on what did he spend his thoughts, but about the Churches? night and day praying, preaching Christ into them. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 15.20. This was his ambitious care. Never a proud Courtier did so study his preferment, cast about his plots how to rise, as he, how to gain souls to Christ, how to enlarge the territories of his Master's kingdom. No less careful was he, parta tueri, where he had planted Churches, to confirm build them up: for this cause he could not forbear visiting them in person, sending to them on all occasions, 1 Thess. 3.1.5 Lest the tempter should have tempted them, and his labour been in vain. His desires how eager, how affectionate were they after Christ in his members? longing after them, Phil. 1.8. Coloss. 1.29. striving as one in an agony for them, that he might present them perfect in Christ Jesus. And was not Christ in his Gospel his only delight? the doing of the work of Christ, fulfilling his ministry, building up the body of Christ; This, Act 20.24. this was his joy, which he prefers to life itself, yea, counted himself then, 1 Thess. 3.8. and so far only to live, as this work did go on and prosper. As for his endeavours; never any that the Scripture sets forth, or story mentions, that lived more, if life be in action: 1 Cor. 15.10. Hear himself professing; I laboured more abundantly than they all. And did not all his actions carry this inscription in the forehead FOR CHRIST? if you follow him in his travels, you shall see him from Jerusalem to Illyricum round about filling souls with the Gospel of Christ. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Rom. 15.19. Miraculum hominum. Look on him at his handicraft; he wrought with labour and travel night and day; what was to be seen here also but Christ in his ways, 1 Thess. 2.8 9 Church glory; he laboured with his hands that he might be an ensample of diligence and industry in the calling to the inordinate walkers; 2 Cor. 11.7 9 to prevent the scandal of the weak, the calumnies of the malignant; lest they should say, that he preached for his belly, or for gain; he therefore laboured that he might make it appear, 2 Cor. 12.14. he sought not theirs, but them, not their goods, but their souls. Thus were his actions. But what were his suffhrings? no other than the dying of the Lord Jesus. We are fools for Christ's sake: 1 Cor. 4.10. 2 Cor. 4.11. Delivered to death for jesus sake, with such like expressions. And lest any might think Paul herein to be singular, he tells us all that are Christians indeed do and ought thus to live, Rom. 14.7, 8. none of us, if we have as well the Spirit of Christ in us, as the Name of Christ upon us, but we live to the Lord, make Christ and his praise the supreme end of our living, preferring his honour above our own welfare, willing to abase ourselves, that we may exalt Christ, bringing forth all our fruit to him, thus do all believers. And else where he tells us, there is great reason it should be so; which leads me to the demonstration of this truth, which I will briefly dispatch. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 1. That this is so, that every godly man lives to Christ, consecrates all his life to Christ, will easily appear; if we consider that every life hath plinciples according to the nature of it, leading it to things suitable. Now where the life of Christ is, that new nature hath new principles, by which they are acted; that carry them to Christ, to set out his glory, lift up his Name. There is an excellent expression for this, Phil. 2.20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. German. godly men have their hearts so plincipled, that they are carried by a natural instinct (I mean of a new nature) to Christ & his Church, to do all the service they can unto them: So that as things that work naturally, work necessarily, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Nyssen. so there is a kind of necessity put upon them, the love of Christ, which is the life of the new nature, constrains them; they can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth, 2 Cor. 13.8. 2. That this should be so; justice requires it. 1. Is it not Christ that hath made us, and not we ourselves? Job. he hath poured us out like milk, by him we were curdled like chief; and have we not our new being from him? Ephes. 2.10. We are God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus: and so he may challenge our hearts and lives as his own, jure creationis, by the right of creation, as the Author of them. Whither should the rivers run but into the sea from whence they come? Eccles. 1.7. Eccles. 12.7. Hebr. 9 and shall not the spirit of man return unto God who gave it? The natural spirit by a statute law at death, the gracious Spirit by the law of Love all along even unto death. 2. He hath redeemed and bought us at a dear rate, his own blood; and therefore we should glorify him with our lives, for we are not our own etc. 3. 1 Cor. 6.20. He hath rescued and delivered us as spoils out of the hands of our enemies, and therefore we are become his servants and own our lives to him as our Patron and Deliverer, Servus quiae in bello servatus. Rom. 6.18.7.6. 4. Besides in Baptism we devoted ourselves wholly to him; and so by right of sale or covenant our lives are his. 5. And lastly, in point of gratitude and thankfulness we have the whole life of Christ, first and last, both here and in heaven laid out for us. He had no business here on earth but for us. To us a Child was borne. 2 Cor. 5.14, 15. He had not died but for us. For us a Son is given. When he risen, 'twas for our justification. And now he is in heaven, he lives for ever to intercede for us. Now than we cannot but judge this to be most equal, that we live spiritually in the fruition of his grace and participation of his Spirit, that had our lives by his benefit, that have the improvement of his whole time for us; should not live henceforth unto ourselves, but to him who died for us, and risen again. He lived wholly unto us; therefore we are bound, if we will not be unthankful, to live wholly to him. In manners we would reciprocate with men, how much more with God? Hitherto of the first point. Now of the second more briefly, which was 2. Doct. A life truly Christian ever ends in a happy and gainful death. Quest. Is not death poena damni? do we not lose by death, all that the devil promised Christ, the world and the glory of it; body, goods, wife, children, dear companions, pleasant friends: that turns to dust; these all shake hands, and leave us at the grave; how then can it be gain? Answ. Yes. For it is a change, we lose none of our comforts, but exchange them to our great advantage. 1. The soul changes its rags, relics of corruption for white robes of spotless purity. Hear Paul complaining in life of a body of death, Rom. 7.24. ● Cor. 5.4. groaning under his burden whilst in this tabernacle of clay. The leprosy is so deep wrought into the walls of this house, that scrape off what we can, 'twill never quite out, till the house of the body be broken down and dissolved: And must not that needs be a gainful change, that brings us to an end of living here, and sinning for ever? 2. It changes all its guilts, griefs, for perfect holiness, and everlasting peace. 2 The body its gain is only privative for present, it's freed from all miseries and calamities of life, it gains only rest for a time Isa. 57.2. the full gain of the body is adjourned to the resurrection, when it shall be made like unto Christ's glorious body. True, the soul also till then sustains some loss, called the pains of death: Acts 2.24. understand not pains of sense, but loss. 1. Of the company of the body its old and dear companion. 2. It comes short of the glory that shall be revealed. Yet as Evagrius bequeathed three hundred pound to the poor in his will, but took bond of the Bishop for repayment in another life with an hundred-fold advantage; and next night after his death appeared to him, delivered in the bond canceled, as fully discharged: So surely, brethren, one day in the presence of God will make amends abundantly, abundantly for all the losses that come by death to soul or body. For this we have not an uncertain story, but the truth of Christ, mortality shall be swallowed up of life: that is, destroyed, brought to nothing; so swallowed up, as there will be no more remembrance or thought of it; he that drinks of this new wine in God's Kingdom, will forget his loss of bodily comforts, and remember his sorrow no more. 3 It's a change of state also. This life is a state of imperfection: now we see as in a glass darkly, love coldly, hope faintly: but then this imperfection shall be exchanged for perfection, clear vision, full comprehension, everlasting fruition. 4 Of campany. Paul here lived among false brethren, that sought to betray him, beasts at Ephesus that sought to devour him; death takes Paul from all these, and puts him out of their reach into the arms of Christ. But what may we think of the violent death of Saints by the sword of the persecutor? such was Paul's condition at this time in chains, in the mouth of the Lion, that he seems to point at such a death as this. Certainly its true of such a death much more: the Millinaries have a conceit of a previous glory, a glory before glory, that martyrs shall enjoy with Christ here on earth; grounded on that Rev. 20. Rev. 20.4, 5. 4.5. to which I only say, a day will declare it. The Schoolmen talk of an Aure●la Martyrum, a Coronet on the crown of righteousness, that the righteous judge shall give to them that suffer death for his name. Matth. 5. Truth itself hath told us, that great shall be their reward that suffer for righteousness sake; and I doubt not but the greater the suffering, the greater will be the glory. Reason. I need add no more for confirmation of so plain and confessed a truth. I shall touch only the ground which is the justice of God, 2 Thess. 1.6. seeing this is a righteous thing with God, saith Paul, as the Saints endeavours do gain to God, so in justice he will see they be gainers by him again; Matth. 25.20. Not here: for if in this life only we had hope etc. therefore it must needs be hereafter. Non si male nunc, & olim sic erit. Ill here and hereafter too with the Saints it cannot be; how then shall the judge of all the world do right? Verily there is a reward for the righteous; that's not here given; the day of this life is a time of working, sweeting, suffering; when the evening of death comes, then comes the penny of eternal bliss. Now for the application of all that hath been said. 1 Then by your life you may judge what gainers you are like to be by your death. If you can truly say, I have not lived to my lusts, they are death to me, the deadness of my heart, the hell of my soul; Nor to the world, I take not thought for the things of it, I use it as if I used it not, rejoice in it as if I rejoiced not, look on all the things therein as impertinent to the main business of my life, reserve the intentions of my soul the chief of my strength for Christ: Quia nomen Jesu non erat. ibi. as Augustine once said he loved Tully nothing so well after his conversion, because the name of Jesus was not there; so you can relish nothing farther than it hath reference to Christ; if Christ be not enjoyed in them, honoured and exalted by them, you look on all as dead things. If you have written on all the rooms of your souls, as sometimes we find on doors where the Court hath been; For the Prince. So on your hearts; For Christ. Your minds, to meditate on his word, your affections to love and delight in his service, hands to act, tongue to speak to, and for him; O then happy are you! When death comes, it shall not spoil you of your life, but you shall be able to say; as dying, but behold we live. 2 Cor. 6.9. Though death be the loss of all other things to you, it cannot be the loss of life; you shall have more life in Christ, then in yourselves, more of that by losing this. Death is gain to me: why? saith Chrysistome; because I shall hereby have more knowledge of Christ my life; more familiar converse, more intimate fellowship with him: this is all the hurt death shall do you, to send you sooner to your life, and free you from this that is not so fit for you. But if you have lived to your lusts, if your life be only carnal, sensual, you can relish your meat, sleep, and walk, and talk, that's all your life to eat, drink, snort, and sport; Or only rational, you can discourse, transact business, yet continue strangers to the life and power of godliness; Or only worldly, you do all for the world, in reference to your gain, honours; make Christ himself come behind the ewes, Religion a very lackey to your covetousness, ambition, etc. if you be active only about sense, and reason, and lust, and gain, the life of holiness not so much as sought after, Christ and his glory, Church, and truth not regarded, well may you be gainers by your life, through sordid and wretched courses; but this I tell you; all that you are like to gain by your death, you may put into your eye, and weep it out again; yea death will bring with it the greatest loss, I say not of heaven, that it may be you little regard, but of all that you now count gay, your gold, your god; death will take you by the sleeve, as Gregory did once the Emperor Anastatius, Psal. 49.17. and tell you; Sir, this silken cassack, this scarlet coat you shall not carry hence with you. One said he was willing to die, but he feared thiefs, that had beleaguered the passages in the air, as he was to pass to heaven. Doubtless if Christ be not your life, if you have only lived the life of pride, covetiousnesse, wantonness, etc. death as the devil's merciless sergeant catchpole will seize upon you, take you by the throat, and by a writ of firmâ ejectione turn you out of house and home, strip you at once of all that you counted precious, and drag your froward and untoward souls to the lowest hell. 2 Suffer, I beseech you, a word of exhortation: would you, be gainers by death? let Christ be a gainer by your life: make this your main design, your only employment, to set up Christ in your own and the hearts of others, to advance his Gospel, enlarge his Kingdom. Let Ministers be burning lights, spending themselves in giving light to the church of Christ, not seeking their own, but the things of Christ. Let Magistrates be as watchmen to keep and defend the Spouse of Christ, Cant. 3.3. Revel. 12.16. as the earth helped the woman against the dragon, to crush all the seeds of rebellion and opposition, that aim at the overthrow of the Gospel of Christ, 2 Chron. 30: 22. ● Chron. 34.33. as Hezekiah speaking comfortably to the Levites that teach the good knowledge of God; as good Josiah, making the people to serve the Lord; compelling them to come in, that God's house may be full. And you Captains of the Lords host, and all you that fight his battles, let this be the inscription on your weapons of war, as Alphonsus once had on his shield; pro lege, & pro grege; so you, for Christ and his Kingdom, for his Church and his Gospel. All you christians, Revel. 14.1. let the name of Christ be written in your foreheads, in all your hearts, as they say 'twas in the heart of Ignatius in golden letters. let all your thoughts, affections, desires and endeavours be truly christian: labour in a heavenly ambition the advancement of the honour of your Master's Kingdom, be valiant in your places and stations for his truth and Gospel. This is truly to live; to live only to and for Christ: this the only life, till we come to live with Christ in heaven for ever. Here is all that can make a life comfortable, the worldlings Trinity is truly here, and here only to be found. 1 This is the only honourable life called the divine nature, the image, life and glory of God, 2 Cor. 8.23. 2 Cor. 8.23. they that live to the benefit of the Church, are the glory of Christ. 2 True pleasure is to be found only here. To live a life of carnal pleasure, 1. Is to live a base life. Epicures are spots, vile persons, in the Scriptures and natures account. 2. A vain life, Ecle: 2.2. a challenge to all the most cunning inventours of pleasure, to tell if they can what true good is in it. 3 A dead and deadly life: Sensual pleasure deads' the heart to God the fountain of life, and leads to the chambers of eternal death. Hos. 4.11. Prov. 9.18. But now to have Christ for the Alpha and Omega of our lives, while others are sunk in the dregs of the world, to work up to God, to move to Christ as our only centre, acting all we do for the glory of his name; How sweet a life must this needs be, carrying with it a spiritual, heavenly, glorious joy, as fare above all carnal delights, as glory is above shame, heaven above hell? Archimedes. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. If Heathens found such sweetness some in philosophical speculations, others in famous achievements for the good of their country, which were but the exercises of a rational moral life; What sweetness then must that soul needs find, that lives in Christ, acts for the honour of Christ, every such action being an exercise of the life of God, and a seed of glory? 3. The only gainful life. Godliness is profitable for all things: 1 Tim. 4.8. makes a gain of all: trades with God's talents, and gets ten for one; a gain of all estates, sickness, losses, the greatest gain of the greatest loss, TO DYE IS GAIN. These are, my brethren, adventuring times, and men hazard fare, persons, states, lives and all; and what to get? Some their Helena of lust, Others their Dagon of superstition, they plead, fight for Baal; Others to get a name by doing exploits; Others drive a trade of these wars, building their houses with blood: All would gladly attain to the end, but the most of men weary themselves in vain, not knowing the way. Eccles. 10.15. Would you have highest honour, lasting pleasure, truest gain? know all these interests of yours are wrapped up in Christ; if you make him a gainer you cannot lose: you need go no farther than the magnifying of Christ in your flesh, for the ground of all your honour, comfort, happiness here and hereafter. Quest. Answ. But how may I be enabled thus to live? 1 Learn that lesson of selfe-denial well. Self and Christ cannot agree together▪ a mans own things and the things of Christ are ever in competition; and St. Paul makes them incompatible in this respect, none can seek both their own things, Philip. 2.21. and Christ's together, not their own case, not their own praise, nor their own profits with the things that are Jesus Christ's: A man will never look to Christ in any thing, until he have learned to look beyond himself in all. Now because this is a hard saying, Consider, 1 The end of our being is nor Self, but Christ: mark what a high end the Apostle sets up 1 Cor: 10.31. Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. which he enforceth by his own practice in the last verse Even as I seek not my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved: where note again the antithesies: self honour, self profit, and the profit of the Church and glory of Christ, although they are compatible and may be conjoined in the event, yet in the endeavour they cannot; he that makes his own advantage his main end, can neither seek the profit of the Church, nor the glory of Christ. 2 This is very profitable, 1. For security; 2. For improvement, you have Christ's own words in plain assertions for both. 1. That this is the best way to secure whatsoever you are willing to deny yourselves in for Christ, be it credit, estate, life, any thing, truth itself assures you, Joh. 12.25. Mark. 8.35. if in comparison or competition with Christ we can be willing not only to lay down and lose, but even hate the dearest things of this world, when they stand in the way of the public cause of Christ, and Religion; as now God calls us to lay down our estates, lives, and all for his truth; it may be he will not take them from us, but save them for us, and continue them to us; but if he do; veleat vita, pereat pecunia, as once said that virgin Martyr: let them take all the goods in our houses, children of our flesh, blood in our veins, all: we are sure to save all to life eternal: we shall have more life in Christ then in ourselves, as hath been said, more riches in him, then in the world, even unsearchable riches that can never be stolen away, never be exhausted. 2. for improvement we have a promise for this also, Matth. 19.29. if we can believe it, Every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, etc. never any that tried but he found God a good paymaster: sweet experience have many of Gods plundered suffering Saints in these evil days of his giving in good measures of this precious truth into their bosoms, heaped up, and pressed down, and running over. 3 This is most comfortable in life and death, when we can look bacl on our lives wholly laid out for Christ, 2 Cor. 1.12. and say with St. Paul, This is our rejoicing, that in Simplicity and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom, we have had our conversation in the world: not in policy to bring about our own ends, but as the sincere servants of Christ for the good of his Church. and as this is the comfort of his life, so when a man shall come to lie on his death bed, he may comfortably plead it with God and man; With man, as Frederick the godly, said to his friends standing about his sick bed; Hitherto I have lived for you, now let me live for myself; With God, as Nehemiah, that was full of self-denial, you see how he was inboldned to put his God in mind to think on him for good according to all that he had done for his people. Heb. 5.14, 19 So St. Paul when the time came that he should die, you see he that had lived only to Christ, preached not himself, but the Lord Jesus, driven no ends of his own, sought not his own advantage, but the profit of the Churches; as he was full of self-denial in life, so he ended his days full of comfort: 2 Tim. 4.7. when he had done his work, saith he, I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith, henceforth is laid up for me the Crown of righteousness. Contrarily self-livers as they decline the true end of their being, making themselves their own end, Selfish in all; So they cross their own profit and comfort in life and death. Many think now in these perilous times to save their own stake by sparing from the cause of Christ; they will have something to live on, which way soever the world go: No, this is the way to lose all: truth itself hath told us, whatsoever it be we are loath to lose for Christ, be it state, persons, lives; at length we shall lose that, Matth 16. ●4. Luke 9.23. and selves and souls too. No less uncomfortable will the estate of self-livers be at the last. True, many do very much bless themselves while they live in their heaped up and reserved stores; and men may praise them while they do well unto themselves: but mark the sad catastrophe: He shall go to the generation of his fathers, Psa. 49.18, 19 they shall never see light, they are shut out from the least glimpse of comfort after death: but what comfort have they in death? Man being in honour understandeth not: inebritated with present comforts, or distracted with worldly cares, they apprehend not the true scope of life, and end of their being, to direct their endeavours after that; but drown themselves in the cares and pleasures of life, as if they had been borne only thereunto: thus they live, but how die they? like the beast that perish: as in other respects, so especially in this, there is no regard had of the death of a bruit beast: doth God take care for oxen living or dying? no more care takes he for self-seeking men: that that dies, let it die, will God say, Zach. 11.9. Rom. 14.7. that that is to be cut off, let it be cut off; they lived to themselves, and therefore let them die to themselves. Let all self-seekers, Gallioes in the matters of Christ know, as little as they care for God and his cause in life, so little will he regard them in death; but will say unto them; go unto the gods whom you have served; do you come to me, and commend your souls to me; go to your lusts: these were your lords in life, to those you offered your service, gave up your hearts; see if they can now save you in the day of your trouble. Cold comfort to a drooping dying soul; yet this will be the forlorn and cast off condition in death of a self-seeking life: the greatest self-seekers will prove the greatest self-losers at the last. 2 Get the life of Christ in you. If Christ be in you, you cannot but live to him. Quest. Answ. But how may this be done? I can hardly stay to tell you briefly; this is effected on God's part, inwardly by his Spirit, outwardly by his Word: On our part only by believing: so fare as any man knows Christ and believes in him, 1 Joh. 5.11.12 so fare he lives in Christ. God gives us life in his Son, and faith takes it: there is no difference betwixt believing and having in the language of the holy Ghost. The stung Israelites looking on the brazen serpent, though but with a squint weak, yet a pitiful wishly eye were healed: he that but looks on Christ in the Gospel earnestly fastening his mind on him, reaching out his soul after him, a broken selfe-denying heart, affectionately desiring that Christ may come and live there, cannot go off empty, but while we are thus beholding Christ in the mirror of the Gospel we are changed into the same image from glory to glory as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Cor. 3.18. To clear this mystery yet a little more; life is in the will and affections; to love is to live: now the Gospel is the ministry of love, and therefore of life. Would you have life? go not to mount Sinai, Galath. 4.24. Psal. 133.3. that gendereth to bondage, and works fear: but go to mount Zion; there the Lord hath commanded a blessing of love and life for evermore. Hebr. 12.18, 19, 20. That which keeps many in a state of strangeness from the life of God, is, that they look on God as on a terrible Judge offended with them, his wrath kindled, ready to consume them in their transgressions, this amazeth, fills with confusion, perplexity and fear; they look upon the Law as impossible to be kept, charging duty without giving any strength to perform, written in letters of blood, threatening wrath, and curse, and death to the disobedient: this makes men ready to fly in the face of God, or to fly from him, willing to give all the world, if they had it, to be free of the terrors of the Lord, and challenge of conscience upon so fearful a sentence as the law pronounceth against them: they desire to hear no more of God, to have no more to do with him: seeing Justice only in God, and no mercy, impotency in their natures to fulfil the law, an utter impossibility to help themselves by any thing they can do, or to do any thing better than they have done; no drawing near to God for them, think they. But when they come to mount Zion, see the goodness, and mercy, and tender compassion of God toward them, see the covenant of grace and the blood of sprinkling, that their sins shall be forgiven, and nature cleansed, and they enabled by the spirit for keeping the new covenant in such a manner as God requires, and will accept; this melts the heart, renders it pliable to God, begets a disposition of love to God, which the Scripture calls the new life. 3 Get your hearts filled with the graces of Christ. They are all springs, as it were, living principles, in abling and inclining to live to God. 1 Cor. 13. Especially labour to get your souls filled with the love of Christ: love is bountiful: 'twill make a man think nothing too much to be done for Christ, no zealous and godly walking, no reading, hearing, humbling, confessing, no duties too much whereby Christ may be exalted, and itself expressed; yea love will make a man not think his life too dear for Christ, and his Gospel: I count not my life dear unto myself that I might finish my course etc. Act. 20.18. so he: so in effect this noble Colonel whose funerals we now solemnize; he was of Saint Paul's spirit; he thought nothing too much, too dear to be laid out for Christ, his Church and you. He might truly say with our Apostle; I am willing to spend and to be spent for you. and I think go on: although the more I love, the less I am beloved of you. I intent not any portraiture of him: if I did, or he needed my attestation; I could tell you of his sweet temper, mildness to admiration, yet resolutions gallant and vigorous in all public expeditions, not fearing to take the lion by the beard, nor turning his back to the sword. I could tell you of his gentleness to all, indulgence to the Gospel & best Ministers, meekness in packing up injuries to himself, digesting without the least perturbation harshest carriages, as if with St. Paul he took pleasure in reproaches, persecutions for Christ and his cause: yet was he impartially active in punishing malignants against the cause of Christ, therein another Moses: indeed he was of a very sweet humble selfdenying frame. Concerning his last service in these parts, it being his own choice, and desire to do worthily in Ephratah, be serviceable in his own country; I must profess as St. Paul once of his Timothy, I know no man like minded, that naturally cared for your matters. I condemn not all that went before him, I know some meant well, but were unequally yoked, overmatched. As for others, I need not tell you what burning firebrands they have proved to the West, publico malo nati, as if they had been borne for public mischief; who forsook their faith, betrayed the country wherewith they were entrusted, and with it as much as in them lay, the religion, laws and libertyes of the whole Kingdom. But for this Noble Colonel you know the proof of him, and I dare make my appeal to you as S. Paul once did to the elders of the Church, from the first hour that he came into this town you know, his behaviour among you at all seasons, how watchful, industrious was he night and day for your safety? what arts did he use? at what expense was he to keep the hearts of the soldiers to him, especially of such as were in places of chief trust & greatest danger? I think there are none that are able to judge, but will give him the testimony of a faithful prudent commander; as for those that misrepresented his best actions, invying him while alive, and reproaching him now he is dead; I dare appeal as john Husse once did, from Pope Alexander to Pope Alexander; so I, from themselves to themselves, from their tongues to their hearts. I'll but name our duties towards him, and I have done. 1 Shall I say, let us lament him, or bless God for him? Surely both become us. 1. Lament him. Our loss is great. The, Church, State, town, country will find a miss in him. 1. He was a bravo Commander, resolute & active, of judgement, of public use and spirit, and shall we send him to the grave without an Ah. his glory! and not weep over his beir as David over Abners; know ye not that a great man is fallen this day in Israel? 2 The Church will have a great want of him, he was a hearty & true promoter of the cause of Christ, he cast in all he had into the Church's treasury, his parts, estate, strength, person, life: never a good Minister in the town, but had encouragement from him: indeed he was a man of special use and service for Church and commonwealth: so that we have cause to lament him, if we knew our loss. And I think there is no good man, that knew the estate of the town when he died, but took up some such lamentation as Micah did: woe is me, the good man is perished out of the earth! blessed be God that hath since supplied that loss; and I pray God from my heart, that this town may still be so furnished, that you may have no want of valiant Colonel Gould. 2. Or rather (for why should we reckon our friends gains, our losses, he died, I doubt not, in good time for himself, but to us, to the town, country, kingdom too soon) let us give God the glory, and him his due double honour, spreading his name which is the last, the all we can do for him, with some such attestation as Deborah gave her volunteer governor's: Judg. 5. bless ye the Lord that raised up the person and spirit of Colonel Gould to stand for the public cause of religion, laws, liberties, & to spend his time, strength, estate, parts, and to jeopard his life for the same: blessed be God that raised up his spirit to such a pitch of magnanimity and resolution in such a time as that was: and let his memory be blessed though envy bark, and his name be precious with the Lord, and with the generation to come. 2 All that I have to say to you, Noble and resolute commanders, & wish for you, is, that you would express him. Be humble, be serviceable, be active for Christ. You cannot do or suffer too much in his cause. Be constant & faithful in your intrustments, resolute to live and die with the Church of Christ and for it in one word, live, live, live much, spend your thoughts on Christ, which way you may set up his Name, what may be for his honour, advancement of his cause, and not what is for your own advantage. Lay out your time, strength, parts, your all for Christ. Fear not loss here: you cannot drive a more gainful trade: in life you shall be honoured, desired, in death honoured, lamented; after death crowned with a crown of glory that fadeth not away. FINIS