DEATH'S DELIVERANCE, AND ELIAHES FIERY CHARIOT, OR The Holy man's Triumph after Death.  
Delivered in two Sermons preached at PLYMOUTH, the one the 16. the other the 19 of August: the former at the Funeral of Thomas Sherwill, an Eminent and pious Magistrate of that place. 1631.  
By ALEXANDER GROSS now Pastor of Bridford.  PSAL. 37.37. 
Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright; for the end of that man is peace.  
LONDON, Printed by Thomas Pain, for Francis Eaglesfield, and are to be sold at the Marigold in Saint Paul's Churchyard. 1640.   

TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL JOHN WADDON Mayor of Plymouth, and the residue of that famous Corporation, the blessed increase of all Grace on earth, and the fullness of all Glory in Heaven.  
Right Worshipful, and much respected,  
IT is an Axiom among the Logicians: Quicquid recipitur, recipitur ad modum recipientis: and suitably, we are taught by daily experience, that the welfare and issue of our actions is much dependant upon other men's interpretations: sometimes groundless surmises, causeless jealousies of men's intentions, ends, and purposes, do put an evil construction upon a very good and holy undertaking, and turn the sweetest flower into a loathsome, and unsavoury weed: thus David's 
2 Sam. 10.3.4.5.  servants sent by him in kindness, to visit and comfort Hanun after the death of his father, were upon a groundless jealousy entertained as spies, and not as friends, sent away not with thanks, but with disgrace; having their garments cut off to the buttocks, and their beards shaved off to the half. Sometimes the low estate and condition of the Agent, doth much obscure and darken the glory of the work; thus Solomon tells us, 
Eccle. 9.15.  there was a little City, and few men in it; and there came a great King against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it; now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the City, yet no man remembered that same poor man: the jewel is despised because the Casket is not rich and gilded; & thence it was that they looked on our Saviour, as on a 
Esay 53.2.  dry tree, as on one that had no beauty for which they should desire him; called into 
Mat. 13.54, 55, 56, 57  question his learning, took offence at him, because as man, he had (as they conceived) a poor original; sometimes a prejudicated conceit, a forestalled opinion; this maketh men with 
john. 1.46.  Nathaniel to question whether any good can come out Nazareth. Sometimes want of Compliment, and humane varnishings, to set forth the work; the cloth is not regarded, because the lace wanteth: Thus Paul's preaching seemed 
1 Cor. 1.  foolish to the Grecians, because it wanted the enticing words of man's wisdom. Holy intentions, good and profitable undertake, have many clouds to darken them, many tongues of a vicious and different temper to gloss upon them: But for mine own part (the integrity of mine intentions warranting to mine own heart this enterprise) I am resolved with S. Paul, to take it a small thing to be judged of 
1 Cor. 4.3.  man's judgement. If I may do any good, give any light, minister any comfort, though but to one poor soul, by my weak and despised endeavours, I fear not, I regard not a thousand censures. It is not the importunity of others, the commemoration of past kindnesses, expectation of, or invention unto future favours, but the love I bear to the parties deceased, my desire to have their memorial preserved, continued; the refreshing of your memories with the blessing ye enjoyed by their life, and the loss ye sustain by their death; the quickening of you to an holy conversation, the preparing of you for your own dissolution, are the moving causes of the publication of these two Sermons.  
It is not earthly honour, worldly fullness, fleshly pleasures, vanishing greatness, transitory abundance, that is the richest jewel, the brightest Sun, the sweetest music, the most honourable Crown; all these are sand sinking, exhalations vanishing, thorns pricking, Eagles flying away, 
Prov. 23.5  things which are not. These are often given for a snare, as saul's 
1 Sam. 18 21.  daughter to David; These like 
Judg. 16.19.  Dalilah betray us, after they have sung sweetly to us, cut off our locks, spoil us of what should make us happy, and involve us in an irrecoverable misery: like 
judg. 4.20, 21.  jael, after they have fed us, clothed us, and in our imagination secured us, drive the nail of destruction into our temples: like Absaloms' feast for 
2 Sam. 13.28.  Amnon, they do but prepare us for destruction. To a soul savingly enlightened, unfeignedly humbled, truly sanctified, throughly affected with the taste of God's goodness, blessedly enriched with spiritual and heavenly graces, beautified and adorned with the precious pearl surpassing all earthly merchandise: what these things are let Gregory speak; 
Greg. in 1 Reg. cap. 20.  quid divitiae pereuntes, & transitoriae facultates, nisi stercora, aeterna diligentibus? what are perishing riches, and transitory abilities, but dung to them that love eternity? And thus Paul accounted all to be but 
Phil. 3.8.  dung and dross in comparison of the knowledge of Christ jesus. It is not greatness, but goodness; not worldly riches, but heavenly graces; not the highest top of earthly felicities, but true holiness, is the way leading to the Crown, and joy of never failing continuance. Though (as one saith) the pursuit of purity is deemed the height of folly; yet you shall find this infallibly, constantly, unchangeably true; That true godliness, the religious exercise of holy duties, heavenly walking with God, is a pillar of the greatest strength to support, a star of the brightest light to direct, a jewel of the richest price to enrich, a flower of the most orient and shining beauty to adorn, and a shield of the most tried metal to defend any Kingdom, town, family, people or particular person.  
Many be the instruments and means which God of his goodness hath ordained, prepared, sanctified, for the begetting, breeding, nourishing, establishing, and perfecting of this godliness, this religion in the hearts of his people: among the many, these two, the Ministry of the Gospel, meditation upon our uncertain, yet speedy dissolution, are not the least effectual, prevalent, and powerful, to make us speedy, careful, and circumspect runners in this race, and to forward us in this holy and blessed work. Therefore as the 
Mat. 24.24.  Eagles gather themselves to the Carcase, as the 
Mica. 4.1, 2.  waters flow to the Ocean, as the 
joh. 5.4.5.  lame men came to Bethesda, as the Queen of the South came from fare to hear the wisdom of Solomon; so come ye, attend, wait upon, reverence, receive, embrace and love the holy and faithful Ministry of the Word. Here is the sweetest music that ever ear heard, the delicat'st Feast that ever palate tasted, the most comfortable tidings that ever man brought, the most glorious light that ever eye did see: here is a garden which hath a flower for every sanctified nostril; an Artillerie-house, wherein are weapons for every soldier fight God's battle; an Apothecary's shop that hath a healing medicine for every wounded soul; here is a Counsellor for every circumcised ear, a guide for every traveller, a comforter for every sorrowful and dejected spirit. This is the instrumental staff and stay of God's children; the Crown and glory of the Lords people. But as our Saviour took occasion, from the quality of the persons receiving the Gospel, to say, 
Mat. 11.5, 6.  the poor receive the Gospel, and blessed is he that is not offended in me; So may I take occasion from the condition of the persons preaching, and from their manner of teaching to say, 
Esay 11.6. Psal. 8.2 2 Cor. 10. 1●.  mortal men, weak men, men of low estate and condition, men whose bodily presence is weak, and speech contemptible, preach the Gospel, and that in a plain manner without ostentation: and blessed is he that is not offended, because this Treasure is brought in a wooden Vessel, because men preach not themselves, but Christ; that so the excellency of the power may appear to be of God, and not of men. It is with us indeed, as we are carnal, as it was with Antiochus, 
Livi: lib. 37. Plut. in Comp. Scipio. & Annib.  and his people, in another case. History makes mention, how Antiochus prepared against the Romans an Army very great and huge, of men of many Nations, but white livered Soldiers, not so strong with armour, as glistering with gold and silver: Antiochus himself was amazed at the sight of it, and thought it invincible; and so did the simple fools of his Country: but the Romans contemned it, and Annibal jested at it. So natural men being to wage war against their spiritual adversaries, will 
2 Tim. 4.3.  heap up many teachers, and if their Sermons glister with the gold and silver, or rather with the gilded brass, and copper of humane eloquence, supercilious speeches, curious and acquaint conceits and devices, though there be little or no spiritual power in it; yet they stand amazed at it think that the battle is won, that the day and crown is theirs: when it is too apparent that Satan, and sin, like Annibal and his Romans, do scorn, and are no more moved, no more affrighted with it, then with the admiration used by the 
Acts 19.15.  sons of Sheva, where Satan prevailed, & they ran away wounded; for as Satan said to them: Paul I know, & jesus I know, but what are ye? So in this case the evil spirit will, at least may say: them that preach Christ sincerely, faithfully, powerfully, I know; but what are the feeble say of Heathenish Philosophers, or the rhythms and fictions of fond Poets, who sanctified these as a means to conquer sin and Satan? Two things have I found, (which I propose to the view and censure of all the Lords people) the one by internal sense and feeling, the other by external observation: the first is this; The more or less the Minister of God hath of the Spirit in his preaching, so much the more or less powerful is his Sermon, either for conviction, conversion, or consolation: The second is this, That holy, humble, and faithful Pastors, though for humane Eloquence like Cicero, for their abilities in Philosophy like Aristotle, for their versifying faculty like Ovid; yet in God's Sanctuary have they laid aside these weapons, and studied to preach God & Christ Jesus, not out of Homer, Virgil, Cicero, Aristotle, but of out the Sacred Scriptures, with all 
1 Cor. 14.18, 19  possible plainness, fit for men's capacities. And for mine own part, I think God's Ministers should use humane helps, as Abraham did his 
Gen. 22.5.  Ass and his Servant; they may go with them to the foot of the Hill, & there stay, but not ascend into the Sanctuary, where they preach Christ jesus, and offer their spiritual sacrifice, except in some 
Act. 17.28. Tit. 1.12.  extraordinary cases. For thus S. Augustine: In doctrina sacrae Scripturae authoritatem debet Episcopus praeferre, non saecularium literarum peritiam ostentare; non enim Episcopi est officium Grammaticam exponere, nec laudes jovis personet os pontificis: that is, the Minister must prefer the authority of sacred Scripture in his teaching, and not show forth his skill in secular or humane learning; it is not the duty of a Minister to expound Grammar, or sound forth the praises of Jupiter: this have I made hold to tell you, that you may not stick in cortice, in the naked world of a Sermon, like men that behold only the outside of the house; but open the door, go in, and see what good cheer the Spirit of God doth make there for your souls; 
Origen in Levit. Hom. 39  for as Origen saith, Spiritus divinis verbis convalescit, nutrimenta spiritus sunt divina lectio, orationes assiduae, sermo doctrinae; his alitur cibis, his convalescit, his actor efficitur: It is not an humane but a divine word which nourisheth, and maketh the soul holily operative: it is God's word which doth enlighten the understanding, awaken the conscience, purify the affection, reconcile to God, work peace in the heart, and fill the inward man with all goodness: think of these things, and of many poor souls that amongst you come within the walls of the Lords house, and there stand and see, but hear not, that you may accordingly provide for your own, and their everlasting good.  
And as the holy, and soule-refreshing Ministry of the Gospel, so also the serious meditation of our own slippery standing, fleeting condition, is a spur very forcible to quicken us in the way of righteousness: were that of the Prophet to Ezekiah, 
2 King. 20.  thou mayest not live but die, ever sounding in our ears, and fresh in our memories, it would cause us to set both house and soul in order, it would cause us with the Merchant to buy while the Mart lasteth, with the Traveller to walk while the light shineth, with the Mariner to row while the tide serveth. And that the word of God may now be pleasant and profitable, your death at the last comfortable and gainful; let the presence, power, and increase of these four ensuing graces, like four precious jewels adorn you. 1. Humility, which is in God's eye a 
1 Pet. 3.3.  Pearl of great price, a fruit, an evidence of the 
Prov. 11.2.  wisdom which is from above, the first 
Mat. 11.29.  lesson learned in the School of Christ Jesus, and that which maketh us capable 
jam. 4.6.  of all graces. 2. Sincerity, let your inward disposition, your outward conversation, be like our Saviour's Coat without seam; it is your 
Psal 32.1, 2.  blessedness, your praise before God and all good men now, and will be your joy and your 
2 Cor. 1.12.  glory at the last, to be true Israelites, right nathaniel's, in whom is no guile. 3. Unity, a holy concord, a sweet agreement in every good way betwixt yourselves: this is a fruit of the highest 
joh. 1. jam. 3.17.  wisdom, like a 
Psal. 13 3.1.2.  precious ointment in God's nostrils, a singular sweetening of your mutual conversation, commerce, and communication, a great strengthening, and a powerful prevention of much evil. 4. Constancy in all the ways of God, having begun in the spirit, end not in the flesh, be not weary of well doing; having put your hand to God's plough, look not back, but come forth as the 
Psal. 19.5.  Sun, like a Bridegroom out of his Chamber, adorned with all spiritual splendour and brightness; and rejoice ye like a mighty man to run the race of God's Commandments: 
Isa. 40.31.  mount up like the Eagle, walk on, and faint not; so shall you at the last embrace death as a friend, rest in your grave, as on a Bed of Down, have your souls carried in a fiery Chariot into Heaven, be entertained with most sweet embracements by the LORD JESUS, and have with JEHOVAH blessed for ever, the full fruition of endless joys in his most glorious Kingdom: This He unfeignedly desireth, who ever resteth.  
Yours in all holy services, Alexander Grosse.   

DEATH'S DELIVERANCE.  Isai. 57.1, 2. 
The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart; and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.  
He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.  
THe heaviest afflictions are sweet mercies to God's Servants; their greatest loss doth prove their chiefest gain; as the red Sea to Israel, proved a 
a Exod. 14.28, 29.  grave to their enemies, a passage to them from their Egyptian bondage: as Samson had 
b Judg. 14.14.  honey in the Lion, sweet out of the sour, meat out of the eater; so the Lords people have light out of darkness, joy out of heaviness, peace out of trouble, life out of death; the wounding arrow, the piercing sword, that sticks in their sides, doth prove a lancing knife; the deadliest poison a sweet purgation; the most mortal enemy doth the labour of a kind and loving friend; as Pharaohs burdens, fury, violence, and high hand, drove Israel from working in an iron furnace, from living under a miserable and slavish bondage: so enemies, afflictions, sorrows, troubles, sickness, violent diseases, and death itself, turn to the singular good of all that love the Lord; for if they perish, if they die, if they lay down their life; oh! it is for their advantage, though others, it may be, do not consider it; for thus the Prophet here hath it:  
The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart, and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken from the evil to come.  
This Text is to a good man, like the Traveller's Inn, bed, and place of repose, after his long and wearisome journey; like the Mariner's haven after many violent and stormy Tempests; like the 
c Ex. 9.20  houses wherein the Egyptian Cattle were preserved from the grievous hail, one day threatened, and the next day inflicted; for so the Prophet saith.  
The righteous is taken from the evil to come: he shall enter into peace, they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.  
In the words we may consider;  
1. Quis. Of whom the Prophet here speaketh, of the righteous and merciful man.  
2. Quid. What he saith of him, he perisheth, is taken away, the latter word doth well explain the former.  
3. Quare. Wherefore, he is taken away from the evil to come.  
4. Quomodo. How, in what manner, he is taken away in peace, he layeth down his life in the fear of God, resteth in his grave, as on a bed, till the morning of the Resurrection.  
5. Qualiter. How the surviving men are affected with it, they lay it not to heart, they consider it not.  
These be the streams flowing from this fountain, because time will not give us leave with gideon's many thousands to bow down upon our knees, and drink a full draught of these waters, we shall be constrained with his 300. soldiers to 
d Judg. 7.6.  lap a little, and so away.  
To begin therefore with the two first of these jointly; Quis and Quid, who perisheth, who is taken away, The righteous: God's people are righteous 
e Jo. 13.10.  inchoatiuè, as the morning, the dawning of the day is light, but hath darkness mingled with it: as Lazarus came forth of his grave, he was risen, but his 
f Jo. 11.44  grave-cloth bound him. So God's people are risen to a new conversation out of the grave of sin, but their corruptions are yet in some degree remaining in them, a great hindrance to their holy walking. 2. They are righteous 
g Mat. 5.6. Psa. 119.5.  affectiuè, they desire it, hunger and thirst after it. 3. They are righteous 
h Is. 32.15.  effective, righteousness is their work, their fruit, their walk. 4. They are righteous 
i 1 Cor. 5.21. Rom. 4.6.  imputatiuè, and so they be perfectly righteous, not a part, but the whole righteousness of Christ is imputed to them. They are as 
k Gen. 27.15.  jacob in Esau's their elder brother's garment, and so they win the blessing from God, as jacob obtained the blessing at the hands of his Father Isaak.  
The righteous man here is most properly the man which doth holy and righteous works; that walketh constantly, and conscionably in the way of righteousness; whose exercise is with 
l Act. 24.16.  Paul, to keep a conscience void of offence towards God, and towards man; this man perisheth, is smitten with the arrow of temporal death, falleth in this war, etc.  
Merciful men, or men of kindness, or godliness, as the word also signifieth, men easily 
m Luk. 6.36.  moved to grieve at the miseries of others, and to secure them: men merciful, even as God is merciful; for in mercy there is the affection of pity, and the effect of help and secure: the men thus righteous, thus merciful, thus qualified, are taken away by death, whence observe,  
Doct. That such as be most holy and gracious, are subject to a bodily dissolution, as well as others. The  cutteth the beautiful, and sweet smelling flower, as soon as the fern; the Axe heweth down the good tree, as well as the barren, being once laid to the root of it: so is death impartial; as the Deluge 
n Gen. 7.19.  over-flowed the meadows, orchards, gardens, as well as the wilderness, the most fruitful, as well as the more barren parts of the earth: so death spares none. God hath 
o Heb. 9.27.  appointed it, the sentence is irrecoverable, and how 
p Eccles. 2.16.  dyeth the wiseman? saith Solomon, as the fool. What is become of all the Saints that lived before us? Have they not all drunk of this cup? Have they not all run this race? Hear what the wise man saith, 
q Eccle. 8.8.  There is no man (whether rich or poor, high or low, young or old, holy or unholy) that hath power over the spirit, to retain the spirit, neither hath he power in the day of death; and there is no discharge in that war, neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it. The proof of this is as needless, as to prove the going down of the Sun from our Horizon, which every eye may daily behold and see: neither is it strange, for  
There is some sin, some corruption in the best, there is that seed Reasons. 1 which bringeth forth death, as the moth eats the garment, the worm in the tree makes him moulder, the leak in the ship letteth in the water, until at length it sink: so sin where it once entereth, once taketh up his abode, death doth ensue and follow after, as the thread followeth the needle, as 
r Ruth. 1.16.  Ruth followed Naomi, as jonathans' Armour-bearer said to him, 
s 1 Sam. 14.7.  turn thee, behold I am with thee, according to thy heart: so may death say to sin, for which way soever that turns, or goeth before it, death doth without fail ensue and follow 
t Rom. 5.12.  after it. This is the 
u Rom. 6.23.  wages belonging to it, the payment never faileth: as Solomon saith of other buildings, 
w Eccl. 10.18.  by much slothfulness the building decayeth, and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through: So may I say of these our earthly Tabernacles, through our corruptions these weak buildings of our bodies do decay, and through the sin which is within us, this house droppeth through, till at length it falleth to the ground, cometh to the grave; sin is the mother, and death the daughter, 
x Lam. 3.42, 43.  Lam. 3.42, 43.  
Reasons. 2 This suits with the present condition of God's people, they are 
y 1 Pet. 2.11.  Pilgrims, this is not their 
z Heb. 11.9, 14.  Country, now they are 
a 1 Cor. 9.24.  Travellers, and tend every day to their journey's end and as Israel could not come to Canaan, but through the 
b 1 Cor. 10.1.  Red Sea, no more can God's people attain their journey's end, but by death; when the prison walls are beaten down, than they who are kept in fetters there, may go forth, 
c 2 Cor. 5.1, 2.  We know (saith the Apostle) that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens.  
This maketh them also in some sort Reasons. 3 conformable to Christ their head; Our Lord and Master hath drunk of this cup, trodden this path before us, and the 
d Mat. 10.24.  Disciple must not look to be above his Master: but, as in other things, so in this we must be made like him, to this we are 
e Ro. 8.29.  ordained, we must first be like him in his sufferings, and then we shall be like him in his reigning. 
f 2 Tim. 2.11.  It is a faithful saying, if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him, if we suffer we shall also reign with him: Therefore as Gideon said unto his Soldiers, 
g Judg. 7.17.  Look on me, as ye see me do, so do ye: so must we look on our Gideon, our Christ, our Captain, and do as we have seen him do before us.  
This works the utter destruction Reasons. 4 of sin in them, as Sampson by his 
h Judg. 16.30.  death destroyed the Philistines his enemies, so the righteous by their death destroy their corruptions; sin is like a subtle Fox, that cannot be taken till his holds be destroyed; like ivy in the wall, which cannot be totally taken away, till the stones be pulled asunder: Israel could not be freed from the 
i Exo. 14. Morte peccati praecisionem homo lucratur, ne malum immortale esset, ita poena ipsi in misericordiam cessit. Nazian. Orat. 38.  Egyptians, till they came to the red sea; no more can God's people of their sins, till they come to the grave: by death do the righteous gain the cutting off of sin; and death which was a punishment, is turned to a mercy to all that walk uprightly.  
But Christ hath died for them, and their sin is forgiven, God's Justice is fully satisfied, how then can God be just in bringing death on them? Quest. Shall the principal be arrested and cast into prison, when the surety hath formerly paid the debt for him.  
Resp. Christ who hath paid the debt for us, was freely 
k Joh. 3.16.  given of God to us; given, not instantly to confer upon us an actual freedom from all evils, but in due time, after we have been exercised with variety of trials. God doth not only give Christ, but also apply him unto us, and when there is a full application of Christ to believers, than there shall be a complete 
l Ephes. 1.14.  redemption from all evils: and thus though Christ have paid the ransom, yet God doth us no wrong, in suffering us to be exercised with many troubles, because there is not yet a full application of this ransom; and because God gave him in such a way and manner to bring his chosen to salvation, as seemed best to his own wisdom. God promised Canaan to Israel, but yet he led them through the red sea before he brought them thither, and in so doing, did them no wrong.  
Death to the people of God is not evil, the curse is taken away: Death is like Moses 
m Exod. 4.3, 4.  serpent, it may at first sight make the people of God afraid, as that did him; but as Moses afterwards took the Serpent in his hand, and it did him no harm, so is death to the righteous. like a Serpent without a sting, like a Soldier overcome, and his weapons taken from him, 
n 1 Cor. 15.55, 56, 57  O death (saith Saint Paul) where is thy sting? O grave where is thy victory? the sting of death is sin, the strength of sin is the Law, but thanks be unto God, which giveth us the victory through Jesus Christ our Lord.  
Death is ordained of God to be the destruction of sin in his children; as David cut off 
o 1 Sam. 17 50, 51.  Goliahs' head with his own sword, so will God destroy sin by death, which is held as a sword in sin's hand.  
Death is to God's people as the red sea to Israel, the destruction of the enemies of their salvation, an end of all miseries, a passage to everlasting life: so that God's people have freedom from the evil, but not from the necessity of dying; and herein is the wonderful power, wisdom, and goodness of God very clearly seen, even in changing the nature of death, and making it to his people so useful, which in itself is so hurtful.  
Use. Do the godly the die, are not the righteous exempted? must they taste of this cup? It is then in vain for the wicked, unrighteous, unmerciful, to dream of escapall: As the Apostle said in another case, 
p 1 Pet. 4.17.  if judgement begin at the house of God, what shall be the end of them which obey not the Gospel of God, and as our Saviour also said in another case, 
q Luk. 23.31.  if they do thus to the green tree, what will they do to the dry? So in this case, if death seize upon, and spare not God's family, the household of faith, the holy and righteous, 
r Isa. 61.3.  trees of righteousness, Trees of Gods own planting, as the Prophet calleth them, where then be the hopes of the profane man's deliverance: If holiness, if being in Christ, in covenant with God, preserve not the righteous, the merciful man from death; Oh think not then, O profane man, that riches, honour, worldly abilities will preserve thy life, these be shields of no strength to defend us from the darts of death, foundations of sand, unable to bear us up▪ like that whereon the foolish man built his house, 
s Mat. 7.27.  Mat. 7. Whereon when the Winds blue, and the waves beat, it fell, and great was the fall thereof: such will be the end of all that build upon the sand of earthly powers, whose very strength is weakness. It was neither the strength, nor height of the tree, nor fairness of the leaves, nor abundance of the fruit, nor extent of the shadow, could preserve it from the sentence of the 
t Dan. 4.12, 13, 14.  woe, the which Nebuchadnezar beheld coming down from Heaven in his vision: so death (when it once cometh, when the God of Heaven sends it) will shake off the leaves, break down the branches, take away the beauty of the fairest, the might of the strongest, not regard the wealth of the richest, but new down the Tree, and cast the body into the grave. 
v Ps. 82.6.  I have said (saith the Lord of them that be most rich, most potent, most mighty on earth) ye are Gods, and all of you are children of the most High, but ye shall die like men, and perish like one of the Princes. As the fire burns both the shrub and Cedar; so death spares neither poor nor rich. The Lord's wrath will seize upon all the wicked alike, as the 
w Is. 5.24.  the fire devoureth the stubble, & the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust, because they have cast away the Law of the Lord of Hosts: and woeful, miserable and wretched will their death be. For  
It shall end all their joys, than their 
x Job 18.5, 6.  Candle will be put out, as the 
y Dan. 5.5.  hand writing in the wall marred Belshazzars' feast, so will death mar the wicked man's mirth.  
It will rob him of all his pomp, as 
z Dan. 4.30.  Nebuchadnezar was turned from his glorious Palace, to eat grass like an Ox; so will death turn the profane man out of all his dignities, bring his 
a Isa. 14.11.  pomp to the grave, and make him a 
b Mat. 25.41.  companion with the Devil and his angels.  
It will leave him as an abomination upon the earth, his memory shall 
c Prov. 10.7.  rot, as a dead beast casteth an ill savour when he dyeth, so the man that is in 
d Psal. 49.23.  honour, and knoweth not, is ignorant of God, destitute of his fear, void of his grace, shall be like the beast which perisheth.  
It shall be the beginning of those miseries which never shall have end, it shall entangle them in that snare whence there is no escaping, and bring them to those burn, where is no 
e Luk. 16.24.  quenching; to that 
f Judas v. 7.  fire which is everlasting, it shall cast them into that 
g Rev. 21.8.  lake, from whence there is no out-going. To this slaughter-house must thou come, O riotous, O covetous, O unclean and carnal man, and though thou dost escape a little while; yet it will not be long: thou mayest cheer 
h Eccles. 11.9.  thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the sight of thine eyes, but for all these things, God at length will bring thee to judgement. Gellius saith of Sejanus horse, no man ever sped well that was owner of him: Such a horse is sin, no man ever speeds well at last, but takes a fall that rides this horse, and is carried headlong to destruction; overwhelmed with everlasting torments, before he is ware of it, over-taken as a woman by her 
i 1 Thess. 5.3.  travail, it will come as a thief in the night season. As Absaloms', servants fell on Amnon and murdered him, when his heart was 
k 2 Sam. 13.28.  merry with wine: so when the hearts of men are merry with the pleasures of sin, when they be satiated and glutted with worldly and fleshly delights, than sorrow, shame, death, everlasting woes, the servants of sin shall fall upon them, as Absaloms' servants upon Amnon. The pleasures of sin are but for a 
l Heb. 11.25.  season, they be but a 
m Ps. 39.5.  span long, as the afflictions of the righteous be but for a 
n Rom. 8.18.  moment, so the 
o Job 20.5.  pleasures and triumph of the wicked: and one hours' torment in Hell, will swallow up the pleasures of a thousand years on earth.  
Are the righteous subject to a bodily dissolution? Are they taken away as well as others? Then let the Saints and holy servants of God learn, not to set their hearts on things here below, but to be as 
p 1 Pet. 2.11.  strangers upon the earth; to live as Tenants at will, in a continual preparedness to departed. The Lord pressed the Prophet to this, by presenting before him the changes which he would work; Behold (saith the Lord) 
q Jer. 45.4, 5.  that which I have built, I will break down, and that which I have planted, I will pluck up, even this whole land: and seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not: to this the Apostle persuadeth the people of God, by the consideration of their new conditions: 
r Col. 3.1, 2.  If ye be risen with Christ, seek the things which are above: To this he urgeth the Hebrews, by setting the inconstancy of their outward estate before them, We have no 
s Heb 13.12, 13.  continuing City here, but seek one to come; therefore let us go forth without the Camp, bearing our reproach, let us forsake the Earth, deny ourselves, be willing to be dissolved, that we may enjoy our desired home. And this was of old the exhortation of the Prophet, 
t Mica. 2.10.  Arise you and departed, for this is not your rest: And therefore as our Saviour said unto the Disciples concerning Judas, 
v Mat. 26.46.  rise, let us be going, behold he is at hand that doth betray me: So let me say to you of death, arise, let us go hence, let us take our hearts from things here below, for death which will take our life from us is at hand: And as Matthew 
w Mat. 9.9.  arose from the receipt of custom, and followed Christ: So let us arise every man from his sin, from his profane way, from his evil custom, and become sincere, humble, diligent, and constant followers of the Lord Jesus; and as the Virgins at the cry of the Bridegroom's coming, arose 
x Prov. 6.10, 11.  and trimmed their lamps: So we (Beloved) hearing now the cry of the coming of death, O let us break off our sleep, cast away our security, prepare our lamps, get the oil of saving grace into our souls: Let us not like the sluggard cry, yet 
y Prov. 6.10, 11.  a little more sleep, a little more slumber, a little more folding of the hands upon the bed of sin, lest, as poverty came on him as an armed man, so death come on us as an armed man, and take us unprepared, and then we be undone for ever. O therefore seek not peace, seek not fullness, seek not felicity here; as the Angel said of our Saviour, 
z Luk 24.5, 6.  he is risen, he is not here, why seek ye the living among the dead: so may I say of these things, why seek ye them here below, they are not here, they are above, our God, our Christ, our Heaven, our home it is above, and there, O there let our hearts for ever be.  
Are the righteous subject to a bodily dissolution? Are the merciful men taken away? Then comfort yourselves all ye that fear the Lord; there is a Physician coming will heal all your diseases; a Deliverer at hand which will open all prisons; a Conqueror which will overcome all enemies: Therefore let me charge you in this case, as Moses charged Israel at the waters of the Red Sea, 
a Exod. 14.13.  Exodus 14.13. Fear, not, stand still, wait a while, the day of death will come, and when that day cometh, the enemies which you see, the miseries and troubles which you undergo, you shall see them, feel them, undergo them no more for ever. It was Plutarch's comfort given to his Soldiers, entering into a dangerous and bloody battle, that they should sup 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in a place invisible; the word signifieth, in heaven, in a place of peace and rest no doubt hemeant. So let us encourage ourselves, whatsoever be our miseries, troubles, disasters, in the days of our life, yet in the Sunset, in the evening of our age, when death cometh, we shall sup with the Lamb of God Christ jesus, and there will be great joy indeed: for that is the 
b Rev. 19.7, 8, 9  marriage feast of the Lamb and our souls, Be therefore patiented; 
c Heb. 10.37.  He that shall come; will come, and will not tarry. The Lord will remove us when it shall be most for his glory and our good: the righteous shall die, the merciful men shall be taken away from the evil to come. And thus are we come to the third thing.  Quare: why the righteous die; why merciful men are taken away; there is evil to come. 
The Lord seethe there be many miseries, many plagues, and great troubles, as wars, famines, pestilences, strange and fearful alterations coming; and to the end holy, righteous, and good men may not see these evils, feel these miseries, God doth take them away. Whence two things present themselves to our consideration, 1. That death is a sweet mercy, a great kindness to God's holy servants. 2. That the death, and taking away of holy persons, is a fearful prediction of ensuing evils. First, a word or two of the former of these.  
Doct. That death is a sweet mercy, a great kindness to God's holy servants. It is salomon's Aphorism, 
d Eccle. 7 1  the day of a man's death, is better than the day of a man's birth: It is our Saviour's proposition, 
e Reve. 14.13.  blessed are they that die in the Lord: It is Saint Paul's conclusion, 
f Phillip 1.23  to departed and to be with Christ is fare better. For  
Reas. 1 By death they are delivered from many incumbent evils, inward and outward, arising from the flesh, from Satan, from the world: as the Husbandman at the harvest removeth the tares from the wheat; as Abraham turned scoffing and persecuting 
g Gen. 21.14.  Ishmael out of the house from Isaac, so God at the day of a good man's death, takes away, turns out whatsoever might annoy him.  
By death they are delivered from all ensusing miseries: thus before the Lord Reas. 2 brought evil upon the house of jeroboam, he took away his young son, because in 
h 1 King. 14 10, 11, 12, 13.  him was found some good thing towards the Lord God of Israel, therefore the Lord would take him away, he should not see the evil ensuing.  
By death they are brought to the fruition Reas. 3 of all good, 
i Reve. 1.4, 5.  all tears are wiped away, and in God's 
k Psal 16.11.  presence there is fullness of joy, and at his right hand pleasures for evermore.  
This, Use. if time would give leave to insist upon it, would therefore teach us, and work in us, 1. Careful preparation for death. 2. Vehement long after it. 3. Cheerfulness in entertaining it. 4. Moderation in our sorrow for them that be departed, mourning for our own loss, but rejoicing in their gain: but to pass by this, let us come to the second point.  
Doct. The death and taking away of holy persons, is a fearful prediction of ensuing evils. When Noah was entered into the Ark, than the 
l Gen. 7.12 13.  Deluge came. When Lot was gone out of Sodom, than 
m Gen. 19.24.  fire and brimstone fell upon it and burned it. When the Lord had determined the destruction of jeroboams' house, (as you heard before) first he took away his child, in whom there was some good thing found. Thus when the Lord intended to bring evil upon 
n 2 Kings. 22.16, 17, 18, 19, 20.  jerusalem, and upon the people, he would first gather good josiah the King, (whose heart was tender, and humbled himself at the hearing of the Law) to his Fathers, and into his grave with peace, and then the evil should come. When 
o 2 Chro. 24.18, 24  jehoiada was dead, joash left the House of the Lord God of his Fathers; then the Syrians came with a small Company, and God delivered a very great Host into their hands, & they executed judgement against joash. The truth of this is moreover manifest, by five benefits arising to the place where good men are.  
Their presence doth draw the love Reason. 1 and favour of God to the place where they are; they are dear to God as the 
p Zach. 2.5, 8  apple of his eye, and he will be a wall of fire about the place where they be: and many times doth God spare the wicked, as the Husbandman spareth the 
q Mar. 13.30.  tares, for the wheat growing with them. Thus the Family was spared for Noah's sake; and God would have spared Sodom and Gomorrah, if there had been 
r Gen. 18.32  ten righteous there: the Lord gave 
s Acts. 27.24  Paul all them that failed with him, they were delivered from the storm for his sake. And surely, as Paul said to the 
t Vers. 31.  Centurion and the Soldiers, of the Shipmen; except these abide in the ship ye cannot be saved: so may I say to you of the holy, righteous, and faithful servants of God, unless these abide amongst us we cannot be in safety, we shall certainly be exposed to many miseries: for as the Prophet said to jehoram, were it not for good 
u 2 Kin. 3.13  jehosaphat I would not look towards thee; so certainly were it not for the presence of the holy, the merciful, the righteous, the Lord would not look towards us, at least with any favourable and shining countenance.  
Reason. 2 Gods blessing doth attend the place where they are for their sakes, as the house of 
w 2 Sam. 11.6  Obed-Edom was blessed for the presence of the Ark; so doth God prosper the Kingdom, Town, Family, where the righteous are for their sakes: thus Laban 
x Gen. 30.30  prospered through the presence and service of jacob; and God blessed 
y Gen. 29.3, 23  Potipheas' house for josephs' sake.  
Reason. 3 Their performance of religious and holy duties doth cause God to be graciously present in the place where they are; if the Father have a child in a Town, or Family, he will often visit that place, he will not be strange, but loving and kind to the people dwelling there. So God, where his Children are, there will he be graciously present, those places will he visit and there will show much kindness, and bestow many favours; for where two or three be gathered together in his 
z Mat. 18.20  Name, in his fear, according to his word, to invocate and worship him, there will he be: for it is among the 
a Rev. 1.13.  Candlesticks in the Church, among the believers, where the light of the truth shineth, where duties of godliness are exercised, that Christ walked, and shown himself graciously present.  
They are a safeguard to the place and Reason. 4 people where they are, better than all walls, and Castles; then all Armour and Munition; able to do more by their prayers, than the Soldiers with all their weapons; as Origen saith, one holy man praying, can do more than innumerable sinners can do with fight. Thus Moses 
b Exod. 17 11.  prevailed more by his prayers, than joshua with all his Soldiers against the Amalekites: and when the Emperor Marcus Aurelius was like to lose his Army through want of water, the Christians in his Army prevaled with God, and obtained rain. As they procure many favours, so they also prevent many evils, which would otherwise fall upon the place where they live: 
c Psal. 106 23.  He would (saith the Psalmist) destroy them, had not Moses his servant stood before him in the breach to turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy them. So that as Nabals' servants said of David and his men, 
d 1 Sam: 25.15, 16  The men were very good unto us, and we were not hurt, neither miss we any thing as long as we were conversant with them: when we were in the field, they were a wall unto us both by night and by day: so may every Kingdom, Town, and Family say of the holy and righteous servants of God, They have been very good unto us, and we have had no hurt while we have been conversant with them; they have been a wall unto us, both by night and by day.  
Reason. 5 Their example, their counsel, their instruction, their wisdom, their blameless walking, is of great force to restrain others from much evil, to allure and draw them (at least) to the outward performance of many good duties: as Husbands are won by the conversation of the wives, while they behold their chaste conversation coupled with fear; 
e 1 Pet. 3.1, 2.  won to approve of, and attend upon that word of God, which teacheth their wives to live so chastely, to walk so circumspectly, and to order themselves every way so holily, so meekly, so blamelessly, so that men that are strangers to the power of a godly life, are strongly wrought upon, and very much affected with, and won by the religious and gracious conversation of the Lords faithful people. Even Saul will 
f 1 Sam. 10.10  prophesy, when he is among the Prophets: the coldest stone will grow hot and full of burning being among the sticks in the fire: and justin Martyr confessed he was first turned to Christ by Christian Religion, through the admiration he had to behold the innocent and godly life of a Christian, hearing them pray for their good and preservation, who to the utmost endeavoured and wrought their ruin: thus forcible, thus effectual, thus prevalent is the example of a godly conversation. Now by the death of God's people there is a removal of these privileges, and so the place of their former abode is exposed to many miseries: for when the godly are removed, when the righteous are taken away,  
Then Religion and piety faileth, and they become like a people without 
g Ephes. 2.12.  the Covenant, without God and Christ in the world.  
Then good Government and even Civility falleth to the ground, like a House without a foundation, than all runneth to ruin like a Ship without a Pilot: Therefore when the Lord would bring confusion upon Jerusalem for her sin, what doth he? He taketh from Jerusalem and 
h Isa. 3.1, 2, 3  Judah the stay and staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water, the mighty man, and the man of war, the judge, and the Prophet, and the Prudent man, and the Ancient, the Captain of fifty, and the Honourable man, and the Counsellor, and the cunning Artificer, and the eloquent Orator, and I will give Children to be their Princes, and Babes shall rule over them.  
Then there is none to stand up in the gap, to turn away the wrath of the Lord from them, but as Soldier's rush in at the breaches made in the walls, when none are standing there to keep them out; so will all manner of plagues and miseries rush in upon the people, when the righteous, who should stand in the gap, are taken away from them: therefore when the Prophets saw vanity, and a lying divination, when they forsook the word of the Lord, and flattered the people in their sin, than the Lord said, O Israel thy Prophets are like 
i Ezek. 13.4, 5.  foxes in the De sarts, ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge, for the house of Israel to stand in the battle, in the day of the Lord. And again in another place the Lord by the same Prophet saith, 
k Ezek. 22 30, 31  I sought for a man among them that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the Land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none: therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them, I have consumed them all with the fire of my wrath, their own way have I recompensed upon their heads.  
Use. This then discovereth the folly and impiety of such as love not, desire not, delight not in the presence of God's holy and righteous people; whose delight is not in then that 
l Psal. 16.3  excel in virtue, as Christ's is; whose eyes are not upon the 
m Psa. 101.6.  faithful in the Land, as david's was, but rather wish and labour their removal. Many there be, to whom the presence of the righteous is like the 
n 1 Sam. 6 1, 5.  Ark to the Philistines; as that was a burden to their Land, and their God, & therefore they sent it away; so are the people of God a burden, a trouble to many profane persons, a cross, a contradiction to their do, and therefore desire, and labour their absence: and what do they hereby, but in the strength of their impiety, and multitude of their folly, involve themselves in remediless and irrecoverable miseries. The Sodomites took offence at Lot's presence, but what became of them when Lot was gone? Did not the 
o Gen. 19.24.  fire and brimstone instantly consume them? The presence of Moses was irksome to Pharaoh, he was charged no more to look him in the 
p Exod. 10.2, 8.  face, but what ensued? what was the issue of it? were not all the 
q Exod. 11 5.  first borne in Egypt thereupon destroyed. Pharaohs servants conceived Israel to be a 
r Ezod 10 7.  snare, to be instruments of much evil, endeavoured their removal; but when Israel was gone, what became of them? Did not the 
s Exod. 14  Red Sea swallow them the very day of Israel's out-going. Thus you see how usually it fares with profane persons upon the removal of the righteous: and is it not strange that notwithstanding all this they should still distaste their presence, still wish and work their absence? Do they not hereby plainly declare, and publicly proclaim, 1. That there is no 
t 1 joh. 5.1  love of God in their souls, for how can a man love the father, and hate the presence of the child? 2. That they have no union with Christ; do the living members in a body natural, hate and wish each others removal? was it ever heard (saith the Apostle) that a man did 
u Ephes. 5 29  hate his own flesh; 3. That there is no saving grace, no presence, no powers of the spirit in such; doth not every thing agree with, and rejoice in its like? Do not waters agree and flow together in one Channel? And had these men the spirit of holiness in them, could they grieve at the presence of God's people? Surely it is impossible; for the Spirit of God is a Spirit of 
w Phil. 2.1, 2  fellowship, love, peace, joy, making men of one accord, and of one mind; and when the righteous are gone, when the merciful men are taken away, who shall stand in the gap then? Shall the profane, shall the worker of iniquity? What can he do; In what account are his prayers? The blind man could see and say this; God heareth not 
x joh. 9 31.  sinners; their prayers are an 
y Prov. 28.9  abomination in his presence, as Solomon doth assure us.  
This must therefore teach us deeply to bewail, and much to lament the loss of godly men, when they are taken from us; and to fear the evils like to ensue upon their departure; O Beloved, let us not, I beseech you, be like them of whom the Propht here speaketh, that did not consider, that did not lay to heart the taking away of the righteous from ensuing evils. Let us not be like Ephraim, whose strength was devoured by 
z Hos. 7.9  strangers, and he knew it not, that had grey hairs here and there, and much weakness coming upon him, and yet he knew it not: O let us not be unsensible of the declining and decay of our strength and stay, and of the miseries which are coming on us; let us not be like a man in a Lethargy, that hath no feeling of the cutting off, and taking away of a member from him: but rather as David upon the fall of Abner refused to eat till the Sun was gone down, saying to his servants, 
a 2 Sam. 3.35, 38, 39  know ye not that there is a Prince, and a great man fallen this day in Israel, and I am this day weak, and these men the sons of Zerviah be too hard for me: may not we say the like in this behalf; is not the Church of God weak, are not the enemies thereof too strong? Was not the man now fallen amongst us a Ruler, an eminent man in this place? And is there not in this regard great cause of mourning? Doubtless there is. For whensoever a good man doth fall; 1. The Church of God on earth doth lose one member. 2. The place where they lived doth lose one Pillar, and so, like a house whose pillars fail, is much weakened. 3. Hereby we lose his presence, which was a whetstone to set 
b Pro. 27.17.  edge upon us, whose face was, as jacob said of Esau's, as the 
c Gen. 33.10.  face of God unto us. 4. Hereby we lose his prayers, which were as buckets to bring much water out of the wells of Salvation to us. 5. We lose his instructions and counsels, which were as a shining Lamp, as a comfortable Guide to us in the way. 6 We lose his comforts, which were wont to be as the Apothecary's ointments, as the sweet flowers of the Garden to our nostrils, as the Dove with her Olive 
d Gen. 8.11  branch to Noah; as the Wagons which joseph sent to old jacob, the reviving of ours, as they were the 
e Gen. 45.27, 28.  reviving of his heart. 7. We lose his help and assistance, which was wont like a strong arm to make our heavy burden light, as a fountain of living water to refresh us, as a firm & sure anchor to stay us: & therefore as Israel 
f Deu. 34.8.  wept 30. days for Moses, so have you great cause of sorrow and lamentation now for the taking away of this Moses, this servant of the Lord here before us: and also at other times whensoever the righteous do thus perish, are thus taken away from the evils ensuing.  
And now to say no more, here you see a shining star in your Horizon set, a main Pillar of your house fallen, a choice flower of your Garden taken away, a man eminent for his endowments, well known, & sufficiently tried for his abilities: a man of whom; 1. For his Religion, for his uprightness towards God I think I may say of him, as the Lord himself of job, 
g job 1.1.  He was a perfect and upright man, one that feared God, and eschewed evil, a man that held fast his 
h job. 2.3.  integrity, though there wanted not occasions and means to move and shake him; as Satan moved God against job without cause to destroy him; a man he was like the tree growing within the Courts of the Lords house, 
i Psal. 92.12.  bearing much fruit in his old age. 2. For his public Government, he was like them prescribed by jethro 
k Exo. 12.21  to Moses, an able man, a man fearing God, a man of truth, & hating covetousness: a man in whom there was a sweet and powerful concurrence of all requisite virtues for his calling and office and accordingly he proved a careful Watchman over this Town and people: he did not like the evil servant hid his 
l Mat. 25.30  talon in a napkin; but his care, study, labour, travel was (I am persuaded) for the public, common, and true good of this place and people. 3. He was in his domestic Government like 
m Gen. 18.19  Abraham, a man commanding, and teaching his children and household after him to walk in the ways of the Lord; a man like David walking in the midst of his 
n Psal. 101.3.  house with a perfect heart. 4. He was towards God's people kind, loving, & amiable, showing that his 
o Psal. 16.3.  delight was in them that excel in virtue. 5. He was in his conference & communication, wise, grave, holy, full of heavenly discourse, 
p Pro. 1●. 7  his lips did disperse knowledge. I speak these things not to disparage any living, but to encourage such as knew him, to a careful imitation of what was found praiseworthy in him. The richer his endowments, the greater your loss; the more should be your grief, the greater your care to labour the reparation, and to stop the breach which God hath made by his fall: and whatsoever you have lost in him, labour to repair and increase in yourselves. 1. By growing in all grace, by being filled with all goodness, drawing nearer to God, in all things make his counsel your 
q Psal. 73.24.  guide now, that he may receive you to his glory at the last. 2. By being diligent, faithful, careful, conscionable in the employment you have received, that so when you shall be as he is now, you may hear that sweet and comfortable saying of our Saviour, 
r Mat. 25.23.  Well done thou good and faithful servant, thou hast been Ruler over few things, I will make thee Ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy LORD.  
FINIS.   

ELIAHS' FIERY CHARIOT OR THE HOLY MAN'S TRIUMPH after Death.  
A SERMON PREACHED at Plymouth the nineteenth of August 1631. At the Funeral of the late faithful and worthy Minister of Jesus Christ, MATHIAS NICOLS Bachelor in Divinity, and late Preacher to the Town of Plymouth.  
By A. G.  1 Sam. 25.1. 
And SAMVEL died, and all the Israelites were gathered together, and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah.  
Printed at LONDON, 1640.   

ELIAHS' FIERY CHARIOT OR, The holy man's Triumph after DEATH.  2 Kings 2.11.12. 
Behold there appeared a Chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder, and Eliah went up by a whirlwind into Heaven.  
And Elisha saw it, and he cried, my Father, my Father, the Chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.  
And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own , and rend them in two pieces.  
THE sorrows of God's people are often like the waves of the Sea, one rolling upon the back of another; like stones in a building, when one is fallen, another tumbles after: We multiply our transgressions, and God doth multiply our miseries; we are sometimes like men cast into a deep and dead slumber, and God must strike not once but twice before we will awaken: our hearts are often very senseless, stony, stupid; and therefore as Moses struck the rock 
a Num. 20.11.  twice, that waters might come forth, so doth God often strike us, sometimes in the feet, in our Inferiors; sometimes in the sides, in them that are most dear unto us; sometimes in the arms, in them that be our chief Assistants; sometimes in the head, in them that are our Governors sometimes in the face, in the eye the tenderest part, in our Pastor: and all this the Lord doth to draw from us the tears of true repentance.  
I have been to you of this place of late a Messenger, like 
b 2 Sam. 18  Cushi to David, bringing nothing but sad and sorrowful tidings of the fall of your friends and acquaintance; like the Messengers coming to job one after another, with 
c job. 1.  tidings of taking away the sheep, oxen asses, the death and slaughter of his servants, sons, and daughters. It was but on Tuesday last I brought you heavy tidings of the death of a pious and eminent Magistrate, and now am come again with the like sad and doleful message, of the death and departure of your holy, faithful, and painful, Pastor: Of whom whiles they lived, I may say as David did of Saul and jonathan, 
d 2 Sam. 1.22.  from the blood of the slain, and the fat of the mighty, the bow of jonathan turned not bacl, and the sword of Saul returned not empty: so these, The sword of the one in the Magistracy, and the Bow of the other in the Ministry prospered and prevailed mightily: of that sweet communion which was between them, of the unparallelled integrity of their conversations, agility, industry, un-weariedns in their callings, I may speak again in the language of David touching Saul & jonathan, 
2 Sam. 1.23.  They were lovely & pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided; they were swifter then Eagles, they were stronger then Lyons. And as to you who lately enjoyed the benefit, the comfort of their presence, labours, abilities, I may say once again with David there, Ver. 24. Ye daughters of Israel weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel; how are the mighty fallen in the midst of battle? So in this case; O Town, O People, O Congregation, weep over these men, who lately sought your welfare, studied your good, were instruments of your peace, of your honour, of your enrichment: whose endeavours, whose desires, whose labours were to adorn you with the choicest ornaments, and to fill you with the sweetest delights. O how are these mighty men fallen in the midst of this Battle! And touching him whose corpse lieth now before us, we may all say as David of jonathan, Verse 26. We are distressed for thee, O holy, and godly Pastor, O zealous and and painful Minister, very pleasant hast thou been to us, thy love to us was wonderful, passing the love of Women; O how is this mighty man fallen! and the weapons of his war perished! And as Elisha in the Text upon the sight of Eliahs' translation, so may we beholding the dissolution of this our Eliah, cry out, my Father, my Father, the Chariot of Israel, and the Horsemen thereof.  
The words declare and set before us Eliahs' translation, ascension into Heaven, signifying (in all probability) the Ascension of our Saviour: for as Elisha waited to see the translation of Eliah, so the Disciples waited, and beheld the 
f Acts 1.10, 11.  Ascension of Christ. It shadowed also our Resurrection. Enoch was translated before the Law, Eliah under the Law, Christ under the Gospel; to show that the Believers of alages, before the Law, under the Law, under the Gospel, shall in the appointed time ascend into heaven: and it likewise is a divine, evident and assured testimony, that all Gods holy people after the passage of this earthly pilgrimage, shall enjoy life everlasting in the Kingdom of Heaven.  
In the words some things require a little explication; By the Charets of fire, and Horses of fire, is meant the Angels of God likened to Charets and Horses. 1. For their strength. 2. For their valour. 3. For their fight for the Church of God, and against the enemies thereof. 4. For their readiness, speed, and quickness in the execution of God's counsels. 5. For their order, submission, and subjection unto God, they are not like horses in an open field running whither they list; but like horses in a Chariot, going when whither, and which way the Lord will have them. They are said to be Horses of fire, & Charets of fire, to show that they are zealous, fervent, earnest, and full of life and power, as the burning fire, in the execution of their office. Thus by the Prophet Zacharie they are likened to 
g Zach. 6.1, 2.  horses and Charets coming out between the mountains, to show that they come forth with resolution, courage, preparedness in a speedy manner to execute God's Will and Counsel, which is firm like the Mountains: and by the Apostle they are styled a 
h Heb. 1.7.  flaming fire, and by the Prophet Isajah they are called 
i Isa. 6.6.  Seraphin, ab urendo; to show their fervour in the way and work wherein the Lord doth set them: and for this also they are resembled to the wind, because as the wind is a strong and speedy messenger, so are the Angels of the Lord: and herein we may clearly see, that the more strong, courageous, speedy, obedient and fervent we are in our callings, the more do we resemble the holy Angels.  
The words thus explained, fall asunder into two general parts.  

1. Eliahs' Translation. Behold there appeared a Chariot of fire, and horses, of fire, and parted them asunder, and Eliah went up by a whirl wind into Heaven.  
2. Elisha's Lamentation. And Elisha saw it, and he cried: my Father, my Father, the Charets of Israel, and the Horsemen thereof: And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own , and rend them in two pieces.   
In the first of these, Eliahs' Translation, we may consider; 

1. Motus: he went up.  
2. Terminus a quo, from whence he went up, from the Earth.  
3. Terminus ad quem, to what place he went, into Heaven.  
4. Instrumenta motus, a Chariot of fire, Horses of fire, and a whirl wind.    
In the second; Elisha's Lamentation. There is, 

1. Motivum: an Inducement to this lamentation: and this is threefold: the 1. external, he saw it; the 2. internal, his affection: my Father, my Father: the 3. mixed, or experimental, drawn from the defence ministered to Israel by Eliah, whereof Elisha was very sensible, and therefore called him, the Horsemen and Chariot of Israel.  
2. Here is Gradus, the degree of his grief, nor a little, but much, he cried.  
3. Incrementum doloris, the increase of his sorrow, that he should see him no more.  
4. Signum, the sign of his grief and sorrow, he took hold of his own , and rend them in two pieces.    
Thus you see the words are like a Tree of many branches, each bearing his particular fruit, of some of which we will take a more slender, of others a fuller taste: and first to begin with the first thing noted in Eliahs' Translation.  
The terminus à quo, from whence he ascended, from the earth: when Eliah, and Elisha were walking together, the Chariot of fire, and Horses of fire parted them asunder, and Eliah went up to heaven, he was carried up from the earth: thereby showing,  
That the earth is not the abiding place of God's people; Doct. 
k Heb. 13.14.  We have no continuing City here (saith the Apostle) but seek one to come: 1. This is an enemy's country, Satan is styled the 
l 2 Cor. 4.4.  God of this world: here we are 
m john 15.19.  hated, and therefore as Jacob, when he beheld that Laban's countenance was not towards him 
n Gen. 31.2  as before, that he had ten times changed his wages, took his wives, children, ca …, and returned to his own Country; so we beholding how the world doth frown upon us, how it doth exercise us with many changes, we should willingly forsake it, and gladly go to our heavenly home. 2. Our Christ, our Jesus is 
o Luk. 24.6  risen, ascended, he is not here, and therefore as the Bee resteth not till he return to his Hive, as the 
p Gen. 8.9.  Dove found no resting place till she came again unto the Ark, no more should we till we return to our God, and our Jesus, and have the full fruition of their blessed presence in the heavens. 3. Our portion is not in this life, the men of the world have their 
q Ps. 17.14.  portion here, our 
r 1 Pet. 1.4.  Inheritance is reserved for us in the heavens: O therefore let us not labour for the bread which doth 
s joh. 6.27.  perish; let us not lay up for ourselves treasure upon 
t Mat. 6.19 20.  earth, where the rust and the moth corrupt, and where thiefs break thorough and steal, but let us lay up for ourselves treasure in heaven. For this is the terminus ad quem; the place whereunto we must move, as Eliah here did.  
It is not long since Eliah ran 
u 1 Kin. 18.45, 46.  on foot, and Ahab road in his Chariot; but now Eliah he hath a Chariot, a Chariot of fire, and Horses of fire, a bright, a glorious, and shining Chariot, a company of blessed Angels to carry him into the holy and highest heavens. Let Ahab ride now, Eliah shall ride at the last. God's people shall have their Charets one day as well as others. And here note:  
Doct. That the future estate of God's servants shall be very glorious, though for the present it be contemptible, and ignominious in external appearance: the greatest honour of God's servants is reserved till after their departure out of this earthly pilgrimage. Now indeed like Eliah, they walk on foot, but 〈◊〉 last they shall be like Eliah in his fiery Chariot; how they be like joseph in prison, than they shall be like joseph ruling in the sec … place in the Kingdom; for 〈◊〉 they shall be next to God and Christ in the Kingdom of Heaven. 〈◊〉 Solomon had seen of old, 
* Eccl. 10 7  servants upon horses, and Princes walking as servants upon the earth: so now, men that are slaves to their own lusts, bondmen to Satan; servants, yea drudges to the world, these are on horseback, exalted, preferred, endowed with earthly riches, worldly honours, but they who are Kings and Priests to God, these walk like servants on foot, these are in a low and despised estate for the most part; but there is a day coming wherein the Lord will dispel all the clouds of ignominy now covering them, and cause a glorious Sun to shine upon them: they shall then have a very glorious dwelling, 
x 2 Cor. 5.1  a dwelling in the heavens, a dwelling made without hands, a City whose 
y Heb. 11.10.  builder and maker is God, a dwelling so rich, so beautiful, so sumptuous, that in comparison hereof, the 
z Dan. 4.30  Palace whereof Nabuchadnezzar so boasted, is but a base Cottage. Then they shall have a 
a Luke 25.43.  Paradise, in respect whereof the most delightful places, the pleasantest garden upon earth, are but a barren wilderness: then they shall have treasure, in resp … whereof the choicest jewels are 〈◊〉 dung and dross, such a tree to gather fruit from, as in regard thereof, the chief Vines are but brambles, and thorns, and briers, such a wellspring to drink of, as in comparison thereof, the sweetest Wine is but slimy water, as it is very fully expressed by our 
b Rev. 22.1, 2.  Saviour, Rev. 22.1, 2. for then as Cyprian saith, Nihil deerit, nihil oberit, omne desiderium eorum Christus praesens implebit, non senescent, non tabescent, non putrescent ampliùs, perpetua san …, foelix aeteruitat beatitudinis illis sufficientiam confirmabunt●e then nothing shall be wanting, there shall be nothing which shall hurt: the blessed face and presence of Jesus Christ shall fully satisfy all their desires, etc. For  
Then there shall be deliverance from all sin, than there shall be gardens without Reasons. 1 weeds, trees without either superfluous branch, or withered leaf, than there shall be garments 
c Eph. 5.26  without either spot or wrinkle, as 
d 2 Sam. 14 25.  Absalon was said to be without bodily blemish, from the crown of the head to the sole of his feet; so shall God's people at last be without all blemish both in their souls, and also in their bodies; now they are as the Moon bright and glorious, yet as the Moon, so they have their spots, and are subject to spiritual waxings, and wanings, but at last they shall be as the Sun, wholly, unchangeably pure, glorious, in an estate more excellent than the estate of Adam in his innocency: in him there was a posse cadere, a possibility to fall, but God's people shall be confirmed as the Angels of God, so that they shall be free from a possibility to be drawn to sin.  
Then there shall be a discharge from all weaknesses, maladies, distempers, disorders of nature, evils and inconveniences whatsoever; then there shall be a cessation from all 
e Rev. 21.4.  labour, a removal of all sorrows, the 
f Rev. 21.4.  first things shall pass away, the miseries, troubles, and changes attending this life shall be gone, like a Land flood that passeth by, like a cloud driven away by the wind, they shall be wasted away in death, done away in the grave, as the 
g 2 King. 5.14.  Leprosy of Naaman in jordan: they shall have an absolute and blessed freedom from all evils both inward and outward, of the body and of the soul, for they 
h Rev. 7.16 17.  shall hunger no more, neither shall thirst any more, neither shall the Sun light on them nor any heat, for the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of water, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.  
Reasons. 3 Then they shall have victory over all enemies, than all adversary powers shall vanish like smoke before the Sun, and fly like the 
i 1 Sam. 17  Philistin before Israel: now as Israel had the 
k jude 2.2.  Canaanites, so have we them that be thorns in our sides, and pricks in our eyes, now we are 
l 2 Cor. 12 7.  buffeted by Satan, now we are troubled with the prick in the flesh: but then 
m Rom. 16 20.  Satan shall be trodden under our feet, than our enemies shall be made our 
n Math. 22 44.  footstool, than we shall have a perpetual triumph, we shall not fear an enemy, nor lose a friend.  
Then they shall have the fruition of Reasons. 4 all good, a glorious dwelling, a City of pure gold, the foundation of the walls garnished with precious stones; and the gates thereof of pearls, as our Saviour at large describeth it, 
o Revel. 21 17, 18, 19  Revel. 21. to show that nothing is so precious, so bright, so glorious, so rich, so dear to us, as can sufficiently set out the transcendent and unconceivable excellency of that heavenly City: then also shall we have the sweet communion of the Saints; were the dwelling never so glorious, should a man be constrained to dwell alone, it would prove a great abatement of his contentment, delight, and comfort: therefore for the filling up of the joy of his servants, God hath provided for them not only glorious mansions, but also the comfortable communion of his Saints and Angels: they shall 
p Mat 8.11 Heb. 12.22 23.  sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and jacob, they shall come to an innumerable company of Angels, to the general Assembly, and Church of the first borne, etc. And which is most of all, more than all the rest, they shall have the blessed vision of God: a glorious house, the company of the children, there is little; without the presence of the Master of the house, the Father of the Family: so heaven, so the communion of the Saints, were little; should we not also behold the face of God; for as the fruition of the husband's presence, the sense of the husband's love doth more solace, satisfy, rejoice, and delight the wife, than the stateliness of the dwelling, the presence of all her companions: so the fruition of God's face and favour, the Lord filling the soul with his celestial brightness and glory, we seeing him face to face, and he becoming all in all unto us, this is much more than all the rest; and herein standeth the perfection, the consummatition of our happiness, therefore our Saviour saith, 
q Rev. 22, 3, 4.  there shall be no more curse, but the Throne of God, and of the Lamb shall be in it, and his servants shall serve him, and they shall see his face.  
But if the future estate of God's servants be so honourable, Quest. so full of all satisfaction, so glorious; why are they so willing to continue upon the face of the Earth? Will any man desire to continue in a wilderness, when he may live in a glorious Paradise? to abide in an enemy's Country, when he may enjoy all fullness in his father's house? to live in a prison, when he may partake of the sweetest freedom?  
The people of God desire long life; Resp. 1. Sometimes for the making of their 
r Psal. 39.13.  peace with God more fully before they finish this earthly pilgrimage. 2. Sometimes they may also glorify God with their bodies, which by death are 
s Psal. 6.4, 5.  disabled to do God any service. 3. Sometimes that they may among men 
t Psal. 30.10. Psal. 84.10 11, 12.  celebrate and praise God for his blessings and favours bestowed upon them, that they may be an encouragement to God's people, anornament to God's truth, a terror to the adversaries of it here upon earth. 4. Sometimes that they may perfect some good Work which they have begun, do good to others in their places and callings: thus 
u Phil. 1.23.  Paul, though he knew it was better for him to be dissolved, and to be with Christ, yet he was willing to live longer, because it was good for them that he should continue with them: so that though the people of God sometimes for such causes do desire continuance here, yet it no way denieth this truth, that their future estate in the Heavens is very glorious. And if so be, their future estate be so glorious, so pleasant, so comfortable, as we have clearly seen it is, Than first,  
Use 1 This must teach the people of God patience under their present burdens, troubles, trials, miseries; the joy is behind the glory, the Crown is 
2 Tim. 4.7, 8.  laid up for hereafter; here like Israel we have but a little taste, a few 
x Num. 13.13.  Grapes in the way, the full Vintage is reserved till at last; here we are like Samson, the Honey we have is in the 
y Judg. 14.14.  belly of a Lion, but hereafter we shall have sweet without sour, light without darkness, rivers of joy without a tempest: therefore as the servant patiently endureth the heat of the day, in expectation of his wages in the evening; the Soldier the dangerous and deadly wounds of the battle, in expectation of a Crown; the husbandman the heat of the Summer, the cold of the Winter, comforting himself with the coming of a full and liberal harvest: let us do the like in this case, here is a wages, a crown, a harvest, which will abundantly answer all losses, labours, hardness, reproaches, and whatsoever doth for the present annoy us. As our Saviour said in another case, a 
z John 16.21.  Woman when she is in travel hath sorrow, because her hour is come, but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembreth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is borne into the World: so in this case the people of God are now often in great anguish, like a woman in travel but when this life is ended, when our regeneration and new birth shall be fully accomplished, we shall meet with that which will swallow up all our former grief and trouble, and make it as if it had never been: and as salomon's mother said in that case, 
a Pro. 31.6 7.  Prov. 31. give strong drink to him that is ready to perish, and wine to those that be of a heavy heart; let him drink and forget his poverty, & remember his misery no more: so here is a cup of consolations, here is sweet wine, here is a more pure river, whereof when we once come to drink our full draught, we shall forget our poverty, we shall remember our misery no more: therefore let us according to the charge of the Psalmist, 
b Ps. 37.5, 6.  commit our way to God, trust in him, and the Lord shall bring it to pass, he shall bring forth our righteousness as the light, and our judgement as the noon day: and in all our troubles, trials, and against all adversary powers, let us say as the Prophet Micah 
c Mica. 7.8 9  doth, rejoice not against me, O mine enemy, when I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me: I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgement for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness. And reckon also with the 
d Rom. 8.18.  Apostle, that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory which shall be revealed in us: & evermore to remember that of S. Paul to the Corinthians, that 
e 2 Cor. 4.17, 18.  our light afflictions which are but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding & eternal weight of glory: while we look not at the things which are, but at the things which are not seen, for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal: think I beseech you of these things and let patience have her 
f Jam. 1.4.  perfect work in all trials, troubles, changes, where with the Lord shall be pleased to exercise you.  
This must teach the children of Use 2 God constancy in the way and work of God: there is a blessed Price at the end of this race, there is joy, peace, glory, fullness, unutterable, 
g Isa 64.4.  inconceiveable: O therefore be not like gideon's many thousands which 
h Judg. 7.5, 6, 7.  fainted, which bowed down upon their knees, and drunk of the waters, and so were discarded as unfit for the battle: be not afraid of any loss, of any trouble, of any inconvenience, having given your names to God; O bow not down again to the World, be no more as servants to your lusts, or drudges to the earth: I beseech you say not with the sluggard, 
i Prov. 26.13.  there is a Lion in the way, a Lion in the street, fear not the Lion of opposition, of reproach, of earthly loss, or transitory trouble, but go on in the way of God, be faithful in the Covenant of the Lord, be courageous in the service of our God: and then as the spirit of the Lord came 
k Judg. 14.5, 6, 8.  mightily upon Samson, so mightily, that he rend the Lion in pieces which roared against him, and found at length a Honey comb in the belly of him: so shall the Lord enable you to vanquish all oppositions, and draw very sweet comforts from your present disquietments. Let not the proverb take hold of you, 
l 2 Pet. 2.22.  the Dog is returned again to his vomit, and the Sow to her wallowing in the mire; be not like 
m 1 Tim. 1.19.20.  Hymeneus and Philetus; like unskilful and cowardly mariners, that fly back or make shipwreck with every tempest: do not with 
n 2 Tim. 4.10.  Demas forsake Paul, leave the Ministry, become a stranger to the word, and forsake God, and go back again to this present World: be not like the disciples, which followed Christ for the 
o John 6.66.  loaves, but afterwards went bacl, and came no more to him: but like Gideons' 300. Soldiers, go ye on without fainting, without bowing down to the World: resolve in this, as Hester did in that case, 
p Hester 4.16.  Hester 4. If I perish, I perish, whatsoever you lose, whatsoever you endure, here is an ample recompense: be you faithful, be you upright, be ye constant as Eliah was, and you shall at last have a fiery Chariot as Eliah had. Walk with God without wavering, as 
q Gen. 6.9.  Noah did, as he ceased not from building the Ark, whatsoever discouragement was ministered, no more do you cease to add grace to grace, as the bvilders do stone to stone, till you attain perfection: and then as Noah had his Ark, was preserved in it when others perished, so shall you have safety, peace, joy, comfort, and everlasting triumph, when others shall perish in the deluge of God's judgements. Be constant as 
r 1 Sam. 17 33.34.  David was, and then as he overcame the Bear, the Lion, the great Goliath, and enjoyed the Crown at length, so shall we the Crown of glory at the last, if we 
s Rev. 2.10  be faithful unto the death: therefore with Moses seeing him that is 
t Heb. 11.26, 27.  invisible, and having an eye to the recompense, let us choose rather to endure affliction with the children of God, then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season: and knowing that we have an 
u Heb. 10.34.  abiding substance in Heaven, let us with the primitive Christians take the spoiling of our goods joyfully. This is the property of true grace, this is peculiar to the man that is truly pious, 
w Prov. 4.18.  to shine more and more like the light unto the perfect day: the Trees of Gods planting be known from all other trees, by bearing 
x Ps. 92.13.  much fruit in their old age: this is that which hath the promise, who shall reap but he that 
y Gal. 6.9.  fainteth not? And who shall be saved, but he that 
z 1 Mat. 13.13.  continueth to the end? That corn alone which holdeth out unto the harvest, is gathered into the garner.  
Use 3 Is the future estate of God's servants so pleasant, so eminent, so transcendently glorious? Then this must cause the children of God to entertain death with all cheerfulness; how terrible so ever in itself, though it be as the Philosopher saith, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, of all fearefuls the most fearful; or as job styles it, the 
s Job. 18.14  King of terror: though looked upon in itself, it be to the people of God, as once the face of Esau, a terror to jacob, yet looking upon the glory, dignity, and fullness of all bliss which doth attend it, it should be to the people of God, as the face of Esau was at last to jacob, even as the 
t Gen. 33.10, 11.  face of God: in the thought of this we should rejoice, as the hireling in his thoughts of the Evening; as the traveller in the thoughts of his bed: as the warrior in the thought of the day of his triumph. For I may say to you of death, as Hugh Laverock said to his fellow Martyr john a Price of the Lord of London: Be of good comfort my brother, for my Lord of London is our good Physician, he will cure thee of all thy blindness, and me of my lameness this day: so beloved, all ye that truly fear God, all that put away all filthiness of the flesh, and perfect holiness before him in fear, be of good comfort. Death will be your very good Physician, it will cure all your diseases, end all your miseries, set you free from all troubles. And therefore as the people came readily to 
u John 5.4 5.  Bethesda to be healed of their infirmities; as we come cheerfully to the Physician; so should we to the grave; for what is death to the people of God? what is it to them to die? but as the Inhabitants leaving of an old and ruinous house, the Musicians laying down of a Lute whose strings are broken, the Carpenters putting aside of a worn Instrument, unfit for any longer service, or employment; what is Death to God's children, but as a guest making haste out of his Inn to his long, his lovely, and desired home; as the putting off of a worn, rotten, and ragged suit of apparel, to put on rich, and comely raiment; for while we live, we are like 
w Zach. 3.3, 4, 5.  Josua the high Priest, clothed with filthy garments, but when we die, than we are like josua with a fair Mitre upon his head, and comely raiment about his back. And therefore we should earnestly desire to be 
x 2 Cor. 5.8.  absent from the body, that we might be present with the Lord. For the day of Death to the body is (as one saith) the birthday of eternity to the soul: Seneca who saw the immortality of the soul, the future felicity of it, but as through a Cloud, by ifs, and and's, yet professeth, that when he thought but a little of it, and had some pleasant dreams thereof, he loathed himself, and all his trifling greatness: Socrates also sweetened his cup of poison, with his discourse of the soul's Immortality, to the amazement of the beholders: how much more should christian, and sanctified souls be ravished, affected, & inflamed with the meditation of it! O how should this cause us to thirst after death, as 
y 2 Sam. 23, 15, 16.  David after the waters in the wells of Bethlem, and to break through all difficulties, to attain that immortal, and ever-blessed estate which to the people of God attendeth this life, as David's Worthies brake through the host of the Philistines, to fetch them, waters; and as Laurence Saunders kissed the stake, and said wilcome be the cross of Christ, welcome be everlasting life: my Saviour began to me in a bitter cup, and shall I not pledge him? so should we entertain death, as a very welcome guest, as a very dear friend, our souls should say within us, welcome be death, welcome be everlasting life, my Saviour is gone before me, and shall I not go after him? As the Lion desires to go out of the grate, the Eagle out of the cage, and the prisoner out of the prisonhouse, so should we with Paul desire to be 
z Phil. 3.23.  dissolved, and to be with Christ.  
Use 4 This should moderate our grief and sorrow conceived at the departure of our godly friends: For,  

1 Freedom  1. This is the day of their Freedom, who is not comforted to see his friend come forth of prison, to see him set free from all persecution and trouble? After Eliah went up in his fiery Chariot, jezabel could no more make him fly, she had no more power to molest and persecute him.  

2 Honour.  2. This is the day of their Honour, now with Eliah they ride in their fiery Chariot into heaven; now as Solomon said of the 
a Eccles. 4.12.  poor wise child, may I say of all that are 
b 2 Ti●●. 12.  wise unto salvation though poor, though afflicted, during their abode on earth, yet now they shall come out of prison, out of a troublesome, and low estate, to 
c 2 Tim. 2.11, 12.  reign with Christ in his kingdom. And I may well say to all that sorrow for their religious deceased friends, as William Hunter said to his Mother, when he was to suffer Martyrdom: For a momentany pain, I shall have a crown of life, and may you not be glad of that? So they for a slender, troublesome, contemptible condition, have a full, a peaceable, a glorious estate in heaven, and have in that respect great cause of rejoicing.  
3. This is the day of their joy, 
3 joy..  now they are 
d Hos. 2.19 2 Cor. 11.1, 2, 3.  betrothed, but then the Marriage between 
e Rev. 19.7.  Christ and their souls shall be consummate; as the Marshal's wife of France said to her husband at the stake, Be of good cheer, your wedding was but a shadow, an earnest of the blessed marriage, which the Lamb will now consummate. This then is the Marriage day of the godly, and who will not rejoice, at least a little with his friend on his Marriage day?  

4. Recompense.  4. This is the day of their Recompense, now their 
f Rev. 14.13.  works follow them; now is their harvest; though heretofore they have 
g Ps. 126.5, 6.  sown in tears, yet now they reap in joy.  
5. God gave our godly friends to us but for a season, we are tenants at will, the Lord may put us out at his pleasure of all our possessions, and therefore we should learn with job to submit our wills to Gods will, and say, 
h Job. 1.21.  the Lord gave, and the Lord taketh, blessed be the name of the Lord.  
6. We shall shortly 
i 2 Sam. 12 23.  go to them, they cannot return to us, it is but a little while, and we shall for ever have 
k 1 Thes. 4: 13.14.17.  their fellowship in the Heavens.  
7. God will be instead of all, God will be to the widow, to the woman that hath no husband, instead of a husband, to the fatherless child instead of a father, etc. As Elkana said to Hannah grieving at the barrenness of her womb, because she had no children; 
l 1 Sam. 1.8.  Why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I to thee better than ten sons? So may I say in this behalf, to every woman, every child, every parent, every friend, why weep ye? why eat ye not? why are your hearts grieved? Is not God to you in stead of ten husbands, ten children, ten friends? surely in God is all fullness; and as the Sun is instead of all Candles, so should the Lord be to us instead of all others, and infinitely more than all helpers, guides, stays, friends, and comforters: Let then the thought of their advantage, who are gone the way of all flesh before us, and the meditation of God's constant, and never failing goodness, mitigate the sorrow, and sadness which doth usually attend our loss in this behalf; let their gain assuage the grief of our loss, and also quicken us to a careful preparation, that whensoever the day of our dissolution shall come, we may also have a fiery Chariot with Eliah to carry us into the heavens.  
Thus are we come to the last thing noted in Eliahs' translation, and ascension: the instrumenta motus, the Angels of the Lord: whence observe; Doct.  
That the holy Angels carry the souls of the righteous at the day of their death into the heavens: they now 
m Psa. 34.7  encamp about them, they now 
n Heb. 1.13  minister for their good, and at last will carry their souls to heaven, as they carried 
o Luke 16 22.  Lazarus into Abraham's bosom.  
The ground of this their attendance upon the righteous, floweth from the Communion, and conjunction of God's faithful people with the Lord Jesus; a woman joined in wedlock with the Prince, is honoured, reverenced, attended, not only by the common subjects, but also by the greatest Nobles in that Prince's Court; so the Spouse of Christ, true believers, being married to Christ, are served, attended, waited on, not only by the common creatures, but also by the glorious Angels: O the dignity whereunto man through Christ Jesus is advanced! O that the Name of God might be magnified by us, according to the honour he hath bestowed upon us!  
Thus from Eliahs' Ascension: let us descend unto, and look upon Elishas' Lamentation: wherein you may remember was presented to us a threefold motive. The first external: he saw Eliah ascending, and thereupon cried. Wherein you may see; That the sight of dying or departing is very forcible to move the affections of the surviving; 
Note.  
p Lam. 3.51  mine eye affecteth my heart, was the saying of the Church in her Lamentations: but this I must now pass by.  
The second motive was his internal affection: My Father, my Father: 
Note.  Where also learn; That Gods holy Ministers are spiritual Fathers: and therefore they must be to God's people, as fathers to the children; and must be loved, reverenced, honoured by the people; as children love, reverence, honour them that be fathers over them.  
The third motive was next; 
Note.  drawn from the experience, Elisha had of the safety, and defence ministered to Israel, by the presence of Eliah among them, therefore calling him the Horsemen of Israel, and the Charets thereof; because as the horsemen and charets are the strength of the people, and the instruments of their defence: so may we hereby learn; That Gods faithful Ministers are a singular stay and defence to the people where God hath set them: but because time will not give leave to speak of these particulars, I will from the degree, increase, and sign of Elishas' sorrow, and from his affection, crying, renting his , mourning as for a father, propose unto you this observation.  
Doct. That the death and departure of God's faithful Ministers ought to be deeply & affectionately bewailed by God's holy servants; as 
q 2 Sam. 3.22.  David lamented, and all the people wept over Abner when he was slain, being a great man in Israel, a man that went forth to gather all Israel unto David, so have we great cause to mourn for, and bewail the death of the spiritual Captains and Leaders, which are sent forth to gather the people unto God, and to 
r 2 Cor. 5.18.19.  reconcile them, and bring them into Covenant with the Lord: thus Elisha here bewailed the translation of Eliah; and King joash afterwards in the same words lamenteth 
s 2 Kings 13, 14.  Elisha. Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died, and joash King of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said; O my father, my father, the Charets of Israel, and Horsemen thereof. And this is a part of the Church's lamentation, 
t Lam. 1.19 20.  My Priests and mine Elders gave up the ghost in the Cty, behold O Lord, for I am in distress: and this was a principal part of the people's complaint, a great aggravation of their affliction, 
u Psa. 74.9  We (say they) see not our signs, there is no more any Prophet, neither is there any among us that knoweth how long: and when Paul departed from the people of God at Ephesus, this was their great grief, that they should see him no more, for at his departure from them it is recorded, 
* Acts 20.37, 38.  that he kneeled down, and prayed with them all, and they all wept sore, and fell on Paul's neck, and kissed him, sorrowing most of all for the words which he spoke, that they should see his face no more: and that the people of God should thus deeply, thus affectionately bewail the death and departure of God's Ministers, there is great cause: for  
Then they are without a Guide, as Reasons 1 children without a father to instruct, & govern them; as a Ship without a Pilot to conduct them; as an Army without a Captain to order them; as Sheep without a Shepherd to lead them: so that as in the day of the King of Israel's fall, the Prophet in vision, saw the people scattered like sheep without a 
x 1 King. 22 17.  shepherd, and as men having no master: So when the faithful Minister of God, the spiritual Pastor is taken away, then are the people scattered abroad, as 
y Mat. 9 36  sheep having no shepherd; then they are as travellers without a guide: then they are as the Syrians, 
z 2 Kings 6 18, 19  that had their eyes put out, & went they knew not whither, into their enemy's City, when they thought they had been travelling to their own Country; so people, when the faithful Ministers of the Gospel are taken from them, they be as men without eyes, they think they are in a good, when they are in a very evil estate; in the way to life, when they be in the very gates of death; for the Ministers are the eyes of the people, therefore called 
a Isa. 30.10  Seers; and as Moses said to Hobab, 
Numbers.  Leave us not I pray thee, for as much as we are to encamp in the wilderness, and thou mayest be instead of eyes to us; so may the people say to the Minister of God, Leave us not we beseech thee, for as much as we are to travel thorough the Wilderness of this World, and thou mayst be to us instead of eyes: in stead of eyes to teach us to discern the things which differ, to foresee evils to come, to show us the mysteries of salvation, to guide us into the ways of peace; & therefore as it would grieve a man to have his eyes put out, so it should much grieve us to have the Ministers of God, our spiritual eyes, taken from us.  
Then they are without spiritual food, as children that have lost their Father, their Mother, their nurse, are often without bodily food; for the Ministers of God are their spiritual 
b 1 Cor. 4.16.  Fathers, the 
c 1 Thes. 2.7.  Nurses which must draw forth the breasts of spiritual consolations to nourish them, the shepherds which must 
d Jer. 3.15. Joh. 21.16.17.  feed them with knowledge and understanding, the 
e Mat. 13.52.  stewards which must bring forth old and new out of their treasury, which must open and apply both the Law and the Gospel to their conscience: 
f 1 Cor. 4.1.  faithful stewards, 
g 2 Tim. 2.15.  dividing the word aright, giving every one his portion, and that in due season. Without these there is a spiritual famine, a famine not of bread and water, but which is fare worse, a 
h Amos 8.11.  famine of hearing the word of the Lord. Without these the people at the best are but like the sheep brought by Laban's daughters to the well, but could not drink, till jacob rolled away the 
i Gen. 29 8 10.  stone; for what else doth an un-teaching Minister, but gather the people to the well, call them to the word, to hear the Scriptures; but are unable to roll away the stone, to give the 
k Neh. 8.8  sense as Ezra did, to divide the word, and give them waters out of the wells of life: and therefore as it would much trouble us to be in a bodily, so should it much more disquiet us to be under a spiritual famine.  
Reasons 3 Then they be without their spiritual comforter, as children when their parents are gone, than their Comforter is gone: the faithful Ministers are the Comforters of Zion, these have the charge given to minister consolation to the people; 
l Isa. 40.1, 2.  comfort ye, comfort ye my people, (saith our God) speak ye comfortably to jerusalem, etc. These are the sons of 
m Act. 4.36  Consolation, these are the Doves which bring the Olive branch of peace to the soul in the deluge of trouble: their voice through God's blessing doth appease the troubled conscience, as the 
n Mat. 8.25 26.  voice of our Saviour appeased the stormy tempest: these under God are the Physicians which heal our wounded souls, when all the World cannot cure us, nor minister any peace or comfort to us, as our Saviour cured the 
o Mark. 5.39.  woman of her bloody issue, after that she had spent all that she had upon the Physicians, and yet was not healed: for these are the men to whom God hath given the 
p Isa. 5.40.  tongue of the learned, to minister a word in due season; when these therefore are gone, the Instruments of our comfort are gone, our star is set, we are left in darkness, and are as the Church when she had no Comforter. Lament. 1.9. 
q Lam. 1.19.   
Then they are without the means Reasons 4 of their spiritual freedom, easily taken and kept in the bondage of Satan; when the Parents are gone, strangers use to make a pray of the children; so when the Ministers of God are taken away, when the spiritual Parents are removed, than sin, Satan, and the world easily make a pray of the people; for the faithful Ministry of the Gospel is the thunder by which the devil must be cast down to the ground like 
r Luke 10.18.  lightning: this is the warlike weapon which is mighty through God to cast down the strong 
s 2 Cor. 10 4.5.  holds of sin; as the walls of 
t Jos. 6.20.  jerico were thrown down by the sounding of the Rams horns, so the walls of sin, the strong holds of Satan are overturned by sounding forth the trumpet of the Gospel. Before Philip came to Samaria, Satan had the possession there, but when he came and preached the Gospel, than the 
u Acts 8.8 9  unclean spirits went out of many that were possessed with them; thus is the Ministry of the word an instrument of victory to God's people over the enemies of their salvation: but when the Ministry faileth, than Satan's Kingdom is erected, than his throne flourisheth; when the gardener is taken away, than the garden becometh a wilderness; when the shepherd is gone, the flock is scattered, the wild beast maketh a prey of it; as the Psalmist saith in another case, 
w Psal. 104 20, 21.  the Lord maketh darkness, & it is night, wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth, and the Lions roar after their prey; so here when the Lord taketh away the light of the Gospel, bringeth darkness, a spiritual night upon us, than sin, and satan the 
x 1 Pet. 5.8  roaring Lion creep forth, than they make a prey of the souls of men, than they fill them full of all uncleanness, than the faithful City becometh an harlot, a den of darkness, a lodge of all uncleanness: behold this in the Churches, once eminent, & famous for their knowledge, faith, and holiness, but now very sinks of sin, and all abominations.  
Then they are without their defence, Reasons 5 as a child when the father is dead, when the parents are gone, is in a sort without a Protector; as a flock without a shepherd, lieth open to the mouth of every Dog, Fox, Bear, Lion, Thief: therefore are the Ministers styled, the Horsemen and Charets of Israel, because they are the strength and safeguard of the place where they are: where the word of God is purely and sincerely taught, there God is after a peculiar manner present, showing his power in the defence of the place and people: to the Minister of God hath made a very gracious promise, 
y jer. 1.18, 19  Behold (saith the Lord to Jeremy) I have made thee this day a defenced City, and an iron Pillar, and brazen wall against the whole Land, against the Kings of Judah, against the Princes thereof, against the Priests thereof, and against the people of the Land: And they shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee, for I am with thee to deliver thee. And the Lord is not only a defence to the Ministers themselves, but also to the place and people where they are; thus when the Syrians compassed the City Dothan where Elisha was, then were the mountains full of Charets and Horses, the Angels of the Lord like an Army standing in the defence of Elisha, 
x 2 Kings 6 16, 17.  so that the Syrians could hurt neither Elisha nor the place where he was: thus also when the 
a 2 Chro. 11.13, 14, 16, 17.  Priests, the Levites, and such of the Tribes of Israel, as set their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel, came to Jerusalem, than they strengthened the Kingdom of judah, and made Rehoboam strong, even so many years as he walked in the ways of David and Solomon. It is not so much the number of the people, the great abundance of riches, and other munition and furniture, as holy and faithful Ministers, pious and religious people, that are the strength, stay, & instruments of safety to a Kingdom, place or people: therefore when jehosaphat sent forth them that taught in judah, and had the book of the Law of the Lord with them, and went about throughout all the Cities of Judah, and taught the people; than it is said, 
b 2 Chro. 17.9.  the fear of the Lord fell upon all the Kingdoms of the Lands that were round about judah, so that they made no war against jehosaphat: yea they did not only forbear to annoy and hurt him, but then also the Philistines brought jehosaphat presents, and tribute silver, and the Arabians brought him flocks, seven thousand and seven hundred Rams, and seven thousand and seven hundred He-goats: behold here the blessed safety, the great defence ministered to the place & people, where the Lord giveth faithful and teaching Ministers to instruct them: see and consider in this, the singular good attendant upon, and derived unto the places which the Lord endowes with sanctified and able Pastors; they by their labours convert many to true holiness, fill the souls of many with much goodness, make them very fruitful in the good works of all righteousness, bring them to be Gods dear favourites; they by their prayers also previle with God for the removal of much evil hanging over, and for the procuring of much good to the place and people where the Lord doth set them: and thus they are instrumentally a singular defence unto them, but these being removed, the people become like a City having neither wall nor watchman.  
Reasons 6 Then they are without their honour, for as the Parents be in some sort the honour of the children, as well as the children be the crown of the parents; so are the Ministers and ordinances of God the crown and glory of the people, which enjoy them: therefore Moses tells Israel, that there was no Nation so 
c Deut. 4.6  great as they, because there was no Nation had God so nigh unto them, that had such statutes as they, and this was their wisdom and understanding to keep them: and therefore also when the Ark, which was to Israel a testimony of God's presence, as the Ordinances of God are now to us, when this Ark I say was taken from them, the wife of Phineas refused to be comforted, saying, the 
d 1 Sam. 4.21, 22.  glory was departed from Israel: for as the stars be the glory and ornament of the heavens, so are the Ministers of God the 
e Rev. 1.19  stars in the right hand of Christ, the ornaments and glory of the Church: a great privilege, a rare favour are God's ordinances where he doth vouchsafe them: 
f Psal. 147 19, 20.  He showeth his word (saith the Psalmist) unto jacob, his statutes and his judgements unto Israel: he hath not dealt so with any Nation, and as for his judgements, they have not known them.  
Then they are in great danger of Apostasy, when Moses was but a few day's Reasons 7 absent from the people, they erected a 
g Exod. 32 1, 2.  golden calf to go before them: when jehoaida died, 
h 2 Chr. 24.2, 17, 18.  jehoash soon turned aside from the way of God to Idols, the soldiers will soon go bacl, if their Leader be once gone; the ship will quickly miscarry, make shipwreck, if there be no Pilot in it.  
Reasons 8 last then, they are, in a manner without religion, without piety, yea without God and Christ in the world: when the people were without the Law, and a teaching Priest, they were said to be 
i 2 Chro, 15.2, 3.  without God. The taking away then of the faithful Ministers being no less than a depriving of the people of their guides, food, comforters, means of spiritual freedom, instruments of defence, this robbing them of their glory, exposing them to the danger of Apostasy, and making them like men without God in the World, we cannot but confess that the death and departure of God's faithful. Ministers ought to be deeply and affectionately bewailed by God's holy servants.  
Use. This therefore serveth for the just and sharp reproof of all such as do not hearty, feelingly, and affectionately bewail the departure, death, and want of God's faithful ministers, the removing of these candlesticks, the going out of these bright and shining lights: many of us now are like Israel of old, weary of our heavenly Manna, as they of 
k Num. 11.56.  theirs, and as they fell a lusting after the onions, and flesh pots of Egypt ' so do many of us after the old Egyptian doctrine, though the Gospel was never taught amongst us, opened to us with such clearness, power, evidence, and demonstration of the spirit as now, yet because it hath been long continued, many begin to loathe it, to grow very weary of it, to take, at least, no pleasure in it. It was Seneca his observation of old, Sol spectatorem non habet, nisi cum deficit, nemo observat Lunam, nisi laborantem, adeò naturale est magis nova quàm magna mirari; the Sun hath no beholder except eclipsed, no man observeth the Moon, unless when she is in travel; so natural it is unto us to admire new things, rather than great things: The doctrine which is styled Popish we reject, because it hath an old name, but let the same doctrine come under a new name, a doctrine as like the Popish, as one egg is like another, as the Sun that shines now, is like that which shined many years ago; or rather if ye will, as the bramble which groweth now, is like the bramble which grew a hundred years since; though a man might say to the teachers and embracers of it; as the Prophet to Jeroboams' wife disguising herself, 
l 1 King. 14.  come in, come in, thou wife of Jeroboam, why fainest thou thyself to be another then thou art? So we in this case, for as she was the same woman, only her apparel and gesture was changed, so let this be the same doctrine with that which we call Popish, yet because under a new name, a little disguised, somewhat arrayed in another apparel, it will be by some highly esteemed, strongly embraced, the fall of truth and faithful Ministers of God not at all bewailed: and what do men by this declare, but that 1. They were never of 
m joh. 18.37 joh. 2.19.  the truth. 2. That they never unfeignedly 
n 1 Thes. 2.10  loved the truth. 3. That they never 
o 1 Pet. 2.2, 3  felt the saving power nor heavenly comforts of it, if they had tasted the sweetness of it, been acquainted with the joy and peace which this ministereth, had they seen the beauties, the glory and excellency of God in it, then as Peter beholding the glorious transfiguration of our Saviour, said, 
p Mat. 17.4.  It is good being here, let us build three Tabernacles, etc. so would they say, it is good being under the Gospel, it is pleasant, it is comfortable being here, let us build our Tabernacle here, O let us dwell under this forever.  
This must therefore move us to bewail the loss of God's faithful Ministers, the removing of these comfortable and shining Candlesticks; as the child bewaileth the loss of his parent, the Traveller the loss of his Guide, the Patiented the death of his Physician, the Army the fall of their General; and as all Israel was gathered together, and 
p 1 Sam. 25.1  lamented the death of their Samuel: so have you great cause to lament the death of your Samuel, the departure of your faithful Pastor: As jonah was much grieved at the 
q jonah 4.6, 7, 8.  withering of the Gourd, which was a shadow over his head, a comfortable protection and refreshment to him, so have you great occasion to be grieved much at his withering, at his dissolution, who was a shadow, an instrument of much, of sweet refreshment (whiles he lived) to your souls. And as Hagar sat down and 
r Gen. 21.16.  wept because her bottle was empty, so have you great cause now to sit down and weep, because the well which was wont to send forth waters of consolation, is now dried up: for now you may behold how your Eliah, like him of old, though not in body, yet in soul is gone in his Fiery Chariot into Heaven; he who shined like the Sun to you of this place for some years, is now gone down from your Horizon, whom your eyes shall see no more till the morning of the Resurrection: the 
s Mat. 13.22.  Tree whose fruit lately fed you, whose branches lately shadowed and refreshed you, is now withered, dead and dry, no more fruit to be gathered from him: he that was in some respect the Father, the Charets and Horsemen of this place, is now like Eliah parted asunder from you; he that stood like 
t Goe 29.8, 10.  Jacob, to roll away the stone from the Well, to open and give you the sense of the Scriptures, can now no more do that office for you: He that lately stood like a 
u Isa. 60.6.  Watchman upon your walls, to awaken you, to warn you, is now by death put to silence, and can no more call upon you: he who of late like a good Steward brought out of his store-house old and new, broke the bread of life amongst you, hath now given account of his stewardship, and shall no more be steward over you. God gave you a great blessing in him, the Lord grant there be no curse attend his removal. Sure I am as the people said of David, 
w 2 Sam. 18.3.  thou art worth ten thousand of us; so may we say of him, he was worth a great number of them that do survive him: the greater was his worth, the more should be your grief, yet as our Saviour said to the daughters of Jerusalem, 
x Luk. 23.28.  Daughters of Jerusalem weep not for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children; so may I say to you, weep not for him that is now departed from you, but weep for yourselves & for your children, for the great loss you have taken; as for the gain which he hath gotten, the crown which he hath won, there is cause of rejoicing: for he you well know, was a man in whom there was a rare confluence of all virtues, as of lines meeting in one Centre, streams running into one Ocean; there was indeed a singular completeness in him, his soul was a rich store-house, a glorious garden, having jewels and flowers of all sorts, a Tree laden with all kind of fruits: I may say of him as Horace in another case,— Micat inter omnes Iulium sydus, velut inter ignes Luna minores: and as the people said of 
y 1 Sam. 10.22.  Saul in regard of his endowments, He was the head and shoulders above many others: For  
1. The Lord enriched him with much knowledge, according to the prophecy he was filled with this, as the Sea with 
z Isa. 11.6  waters, his Lamp was full of this oil; he was as our Saviour said of the Baptist, a bright and shining 
a john. 5.35.  light, the Lord gave him the tongue of the learned to minister a word in 
b Isa. 50.4.  due season. 2. The Lord replenished him with such a rare dexterity, singular wisdom, to discern, advise, and give counsel fit for every estate and undertaking: of whom I may say in this behalf, as Pharaoh of 
c Gen. 40.38, 39  joseph, Can we find such a man as this was, a man in whom the spirit of God was; surely there are few so discreet and wise as he was. 3. He was diligent and laborious in his calling, a good Steward, ever breaking the bread of life amongst you, a loving Nurse always drawing forth his breast unto you; he was not a cloud without rain, a Well without water, he did not hid his talon in a napkin; he did not put his light under a bushel; but as the Sun doth often visit the earth, so did he this place: as Paul said of the Macedonians in regard of their contribution to the Saints, to 
d 2 Cor. 8.3.  their power, and beyond their power they were willing: so this man in his calling was willing to his power, and as some conjecture, beyond his power in regard of his bodily infirmities. 4. He was not only diligent in his calling, but also profitable in his teaching, it was not 
e jer. 23.28  chaff, but good wheat which he sowed amongst you, not the sand of humane devices, but the firm and sure Rock of God's Word, did he lay as a foundation for you thereon to build; he sought not with humane eloquence, vain flashes, idle quirks, fantastical conceits, and 
f 1 Cor. 8.3.  enticing words of man's wisdom to please men, but his labour was to speak and preach in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power; that your faith might not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God: and this indeed is not the least part both of the wisdom and fidelity required of God's messengers to stoop to the capacity of the people, to present the counsel of God plainly to their understanding. Bonorum ingeniorum est insignis indoles (saith Augustine) in verbis verum amare, non verba: quid enim prodest clavis aurea si aperire quod volumus non potest, aut quid obest-lignea, si hoc potest, quando nihil aliud quaerimus nisi ut pateat quod clausum est? This is a singular property of wisdom, in words to love the truth, and not the words: what doth a golden key profit if it cannot open what we would have unshut; what doth a wooden key hurt or hinder, if it can open, when as we desire no more but that which is shut may be opened, that which is hidden may be unfolded? he is surely in God's school the best scholar in God's Church the most eminent and worthy teacher, that doth with most clearness, plainness, power, fullness and evidence of the spirit open and apply God's counsels to the consciences of the hearers. 5. He was also in his discourse very holy, and profitable, a seedsman always sowing, a light always shining, very constant in doing good by his communication. 6. He was in the order of his conversation very sincere and upright, so fare as ever I observed, and I am persuaded it was the joy and 
g 2 Cor. 1.12.  rejoicing of his heart, that he had his conversation in sincerity and uprightness, and not in fleshly wisdom. 7. He was very friendly to God's people, with them he delighted to converse, God's image, true goodness in them, was a loadstone very powerful to move and draw his affection. 8. He was openhanded to such as needed, ready out of his fullness to pour plentifully into such vessels as he found empty. 9 By his conversation he gave a good example, he did not build with one hand and pull down with the other, but his doctrine and his conversation were at a sweet agreement, like Ruth and Naomi they went hand in hand together. 10. He was not one in public, another in private, but every where the same; as they said of Valerins' Court, so may we say of his house, it was a Church of God in regarded of the holy orders orderly there observed, and religious duties there performed. Now therefore walk ye in that light which he hath caused to shine unto you, bring forth the fruit of that seed which he hath sown among you, and build up that sacred and saving truth which he hath proposed and set before you. And now lastly;  
If the death, departure, & loss of God's faithful Ministers be so deeply to be bewailed, if our estate without them be so wretched, so uncomfortable; than you must show yourselves very careful in repairing the loss which you have now sustained, do not ye say as Galienus the Emperor when he had lost Egypt, cannot we be without the hemp and flax of Egypt; and when he had also lost France, two great and mighty Countries, cannot the Lord (said he) stand sine sagis trabeatis, without these soldier's cassocks which France doth send us. Beloved, I beseech you do not so say of the departure of God's Ministers, do not slight the loss of them, as if it were but the loss of a little flax, hemp, or a few soldier's coats; but look upon it I entreat you, and consider it, and be affected with it, as with one of the greatest losses could ever be sustained, and accordingly declare and show your wisdom, circumspection, care diligence, faithfulness, and conscionableness for an able supply. And for your better direction in this behalf, let it be your care.  
1. To go to God, and by prayer & fasting seek his counsel and assistance, as the people in the days of Ezra by 
h Ezra 8.21.  prayer and fasting sought of God a way for them and their little ones; so do you now by prayer and fasting seek of God an able and faithful Minister, to guide both you and your little ones in the way that leadeth to peace and everlasting happiness. As the people after the death of 
i Jud. 1.1.  joshua, went to God and asked him, who should go up for them to fight against the Canaanites, so must you now after the death of your spiritual Leader, go to God, and ask of him, who shall go up for you to fight for you in this war against sin and Satan: this is not more holiness than is requisite, for thus the Disciples sought to God by 
k Act 1.24  prayer and fasting, to direct them in the choice of a successor in the room of him that fell.  
2. Seek not too much to please yourselves, be not too indulgent to your own affections, but let your special aim be at the glory of God, and the general and saving good of the people of this place: let that man which in all probability, and upon good evidence will be most zealous for God's glory, and do best service to the people of this place, be without any by or sinister respect the man of your choice. This do, or else for any thing I know God may require the blood of this people at your hands.  
3. Be careful that the man whom you choose be a man after Gods own ʰ heart, a holy man, a man able to feed you with knowledge and understanding, a man experienced in the work of God's word upon his own soul: for as Christ was made like unto us in allm things sin excepted, that he might have compassion on us in all our estates and conditions; so it is requisite the Minister of God should be made like the people in all things, I mean in being sensible of the burden of sin, of the trouble of an afflicted conscience, of the buffet of Satan, of the work of God's word and spirit upon his own heart: and then shall he be fit to compassionate, comfort, teach the people, and know how to minister a word in due season.  
4. Remember that of the Lord to Samuel, 
n 1 Sa. 16.7.  judge not after the outward appearance; and take this for a sure rule, that God doth not always do the greatest works by men of greatest earth-abilities: the Lord over-turned the Midianitish host by a 
o Jud. 7.23  barley cake, by 
p Judg. 6.15.  Gedion whose family was poor in Manasseh and that was the liast in his father's house: the Lord caused the 
q Exod. 17 6  waters to come forth out of the rock, by no other, no worthier instrument, than the stroke of a rod. It was not in saul's armour, but with a 
r 1 Sa. 17.54.  sling and a stone that God enabled David to overthrow Goliath, and delever Israel. They were Trumpets neither of gold nor silver, but 
s Ios. 6.20  rams horns, contemptible things in the eyes of men, which God caused the Priest to sound, and at whose sounding the walls of jericho fell. And the Psalmist telleth us, that God hath ordained strength out of the 
〈◊〉. 8.2.  mouths of babes, and sucklings: and the Apostle layeth it down as a general and constant rule, the 
u 1 Cor. 1.26, 27, 28, 29.  foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men: for ye see your calling brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble men are called, but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wife: and God hath chosen the weak things of the world, to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised hath God chosen; yea and things which are not, to bring to nought things which are: and he rendereth the reason of the Lords so doing, that no flesh should glory in his presence: Think on these things, and be not wise in your own eyes; this have I spoken not as under-valuing abilities humane, but as advising that you fasten not your eyes too much upon them, lest they prove a sandy foundation. And as for him that shall succeed your now deceased Pastor, my prayer is, that as the spirit of Eliah was doubled upon Elisha, so the spirit of this man may be doubled on him that shall in this place succeed him, that he may prove to you as a bright and a shining star to lead you, as the star led the wise men to Christ jesus; and as the fiery pillar conducted Israel form Egypt to Canaan, so may he lead you from the Egypt of sin, and bondage of Satan, to the heavenly Canaan, that place of glory, rest, peace, and all fullness, which God hath provided for his children in the holy and higest heavens.  
Laus Deo soli.  
FINIS.