THey are the words of our Saviour Christ, more covertly intimating that to his Disciples, which pre­sently after hee telleth them in plaine tearmes; to wit,Summe. Lazarus his decease. And they need no curious Analysis; for the sentence is but short; nor large explication; for there is nothing in them ambiguous, but what our Saviour himselfe in the words following explaineth.

In them we may consider;Branches 2.

• 1. The person spoken of:
  1.
  and
• [Page 2]
  2.
  2. His present estate and condition.

Branch 1.The person spoken of is described;

• Person. his 1. Name.
  1. By his name; Lazarus, or
  Ita Tertullian de idolatr. c. 13. & Prudent. hymn [...] de exeq. Vide Rigalt. ad Ter [...].
  Eleazer. For
  Drus. ad voc. Hebr. N.T [...]
  all is one: and it [...]ignifieth one whose aide God is.
• 2 Relation.
  2. By his relation to Christ, and his Disciples. Our Friend.

Branch 2. Condition. His present estate and condition is expressed in a Metaphore. He sleepeth. That is, as our Saviour himselfe by and by after expoundeth it, Verse 14. He is deceased, he is dead.

Points 5.From the words thus opened, these Points of instruction offer themselves unto us.

• 1.
  1. That every faithfull one is one of Christs friends.
• 2.
  2. That every friend of Christ, is a friend of those also that are Christs.
• 3.
  3. That Christs friends dye as well as others.
• 4.
  4. That death, to such especially, is but as a s [...]epe.
• 5.
  5. That this their friendship never faileth: it sur­ceas [...]th not in death, but surviveth their decease.

Point 1.And of these in order, as God shall enable, and the streights of time permit.

First then,

[...]. Cl [...]m. pro [...]rep [...]. I [...]ter b [...] ­ [...]s viros & Deum amiciti [...] est. S [...]nec. de provid. cap. 1. q [...]nqam negare h [...]c videatur Arist. Eth. magn. l. 2. c. 11 Every faithfull soule is a friend of Christ.

Every true Christian is one of Christs Favou­rites. It is the usuall style of Abraham, [...]om. [...].11. the Fa­ther of the faithfull; Gods friend. 2 Chron. [...]0.7. To Abraham thy friend: saith Iehoshaphat to God. And, Es [...]y 41 [...]. ye [Page 3] seed of Abraham my friend; saith God to his peo­ple. And, Iames 2.23. Abraham, saith S. Iames, believed God; and he was called Gods friend. So here, of La­zarus, a Sonne of Abraham, Christs friend. Our friend Lazarus, saith our Saviour. And to his Disciples elsewhere in generall, Luc. 12.4. I tell you, my friends. And, Iohn 15.14. ye are my friends. Iohn 15.15. [...]. Clem. S [...]rom. l. 2. [...]. Ib. l. 7. Potest ergo & servus esse & amicus, qi servu [...] est bonus. Aug. in Ioan. 85. Qos amat, amicos habet, nonservos, amicus fit de magi­stro, neque enim amicos discipulos diceret, si non essent. Bern in Cant. 59. No more servants, but friends.

This will more cleerely appeare unto us,Reason 1. if we shall consider, what the common nature of friendship or amity is.

Friendship is defined, [...]. Arist. Ethic. Nicom. l. 8. c. 2. & l. 9 c. 5. Amor, sive benevolentia mutua, non la [...]ens. A mutuall love manifes­ted: or, more largely, A mutuall love and affecti­on betweene party and party, manifested by some means from either to other. And such is there betweene Christ and the faithfull.

1.Branch. 1. There is [...]. Aristot. Rhetor. l. 2. c. 4. A­micitia est voluntas erga aliquem rerum bonarum illius, ipsius causâ qem diligit, cum ipsius pari volun [...]ate. Cicer. de Invent. l 2. a mutuall love and affection re­quired unto friendship. And such there is be­tweene Christ and the faithfull. For [...]. Christ lo­veth them; and they love him.

He loveth them. Ephes. 5.28. Christ loved his Church; saith the Apostle S. Paul. And Apoc. 1.5. to him that loved us; saith S. Iohn: and they love him. Iohn 16.27. My Father, saith he, loveth you, because you love me: and, 1 Iohn 4.19. we love him, saith S. Iohn, because he hath loved us. And againe, Prov. 8.17. I love them, saith he, that love me: and, [Page 4] Iohn 14.21. if any man love me, the Father will love him, and I will love him too. So that Benè igitur ratio accepti a [...]que ex­pen [...]i inter nos con­ven [...]. Tu me amas, ego te amo: meritò id fieri ut [...]rq [...]e existimat. Plaut. Mostel. 1.3. there is no love lost be­tweene Christ and his. Ej [...]s amor no­strum & praeparat & remun [...]rat. Bern. de dilig. Deo. cap. 3. Et nostrum libenter, qem praecessit subseqitur. Idem. Epistol. 107. He loveth them first: and they love him, because he loveth them: and againe, he loveth them the rather, because they love him. Sweetly therefore Bernard; Nemo se di [...]idat ama [...]i, qi j [...]m amat. Q [...]modo enim redamare pigebit, [...]qi amavit necdum ama [...]tes? Bernard. Epist. 107. Let no man, whose heart can truly testifie for him, that he lo­veth Christ, make any doubt but that Christ loveth him. For how can he choose but love thee, when thou lovest him, 1 Iohn 4.10. who loved thee then, when thou lo­ved'st not him?

Branch 2.2. Unto friendship is required, that this mutu­all love and affection betweene party and party be manifested from either to other. And so is it al­so betweene Christ and the faithfull: the love and affection they beare either to other is by them mutually made manifest from either to other. Iohn 10.14. I know mine, saith our Saviour, and am knowne of mine [...] I know them, and they know me. I know their love to me. Iohn 21.15. Lord, saith Saint Peter to our Saviour, thou know­est that I love thee. And 1 Iohn 4.16. they know my love to them. [...] Gal. 2.20. He loved me, saith the Apostle: and, we know, saith Saint Iohn, the love that God bea­reth to us. And, E [...]hes. 3.18, 19. that with all the Saints, ye may know the love of Christ, saith S. Paul againe. Yea, he hath manifested his Iohn 15.13. Rom. 6.8. matchlesse love to them, by what he hath done and endured for them: by [Page 5] giving himselfe for them, Ga [...]. 2.20. He loved me, saith the Apostle, and gave himselfe [...]or me. And, Eph. 5.25. Christ loved his Church, and gave himselfe for it: and making a bath of his own heart-blood, to bath their soules in, for the curing and healing of them. Ap [...]c. 1.5. He loved us, saith S. Iohn, and washed us from our sinnes in his blood. Besides that, hee hath given them his Spirit, for this very end, to Rom. 5.5. 1 Iohn 4.13. seale up his love to them, and 1 Cor. 2.12. to make them know what, out of his love to them, hee both hath done, and will further do for them. And they manifest and testifie their, though farre meaner, love to him, by their diligent observance of him, and du­tifull obedience to him; by Iohn 14.15.21, 23. keeping his Com­mandements, and Iohn 15.14. doing whatsoever he enjoy­neth them.

Againe,Reason 2. there is a solemne league of amity betweene Christ and the faithfull. Just such as that betweene Ionathan and David. For as they 1 S [...]m. 18.3, 4. Q [...]modo Glaucus & Diomedes in amicitiae [...]ospit [...]li­tatis (que) mutuae [...]esse­ram, [...]. Homer. [...]l. [...]. to confirme that league of amity mutually betweene them, changed apparell one with other: Ionathan took Davids raiment and put it on him selfe; he took his own garments and put them upon David; So our blessed Saviour Christ hath changed apparell with us (a 2 Cor 8.9. [...]. sorry change indeed to him selfe, though advantagious to us) hath taken and put on himselfe our garments, not Heb. 1.16. our nature alone, but even the sorry rags of it, Heb. 4.15. Rom. 1.3. our infirmities, by participation, and Esay 53.4, 5, 6. 2 Cor. 5.21. 1 Pet. 2.24. our iniquities also, by imputation, and he hath taken his owne raiment and put it upon us, [Page 6] 1 Cor. 1.30. the rich roabe of his merits, and the royall roabes of his holinesse and righteousnesse; Rom. 3.24, 25. by imputation, unto justification, the one; and Iohn 1.16. by participati­on, for our sanctification, the other.

Reason 3.In a word, Heb. 3.14. he hath bestowed himselfe upon them; and 2 Cor. 8.5. they have given up themselves unto him. So that Cant. 2.16. he is not more his own now, then he is theirs: 1 Cor [...] 3.23. nor are they now more their own, then they are his. And what neerer or more in­timate amity can there be then this?

Vse 1. for Information.Now the Vse hereof may first be for informa­tion, to informe us of the most high and honoura­ble estate and condition, of every faithfull soule, of every true Christian: he is a friend of God, he is a favo [...]rite of Christ. It is noted as a speciall, yea a singular honour, in Zabud the Sonne of Nathan the Prophet, that 1 Kings 4.5. he was the Kings, to wit, King Solomons, friend. But behold Matth. 12.42. a greater then Solomon here: and a greater honour there­fore then King Solomons favour was able to af­ford. Every true hearted Christian, be he never so meane, be he never so contemptible in the eyes of the world, (for 1 Iohn 3.2. this dignity of theirs, worldly men cannot see, the world is not aware of) is, Iohn 15.15. not a servant only, (and yet were that honour enough; it is that the Apostle prefixeth before divers of his Epistles, as a matter of no small credit to him, Rom. 1.1. Philip. 1.1. Tit. 1.1. Paul a servant of Iesus Christ) but a friend and favourite of him who is Apoc. 19.16. King of Kings, and Matth. 28.18. Lord of Heaven and Earth: then which what estate can be more high or more honourable?

[Page 7]A second Vse may be for exhortation, Vse 2. for Exhortation. to in­cite every one of us to labour to be of the num­ber of those, whom this dignity, belongeth un­to. Prov. 29. [...]6. Many, yea Prov 19.6. every one, saith Solomon, seek­eth the face, [...] [...] Facies pro f [...]vore & gra­tiâ Hebraeis passim. Num. 6.25. Psal. 4.6. & 80.3, 7, 19. & 105.4. that is, the favour, of the Prince, of the Ruler. And indeed what will not men do and indure, if there be any hope or possibility, as they conceive, of successe, to insinuate them­selves into the favour of great ones? Creepe on all foure, as 1 Sam. 14.13. Ionathan to get up the Rock, Obsequio gr [...]ssa­re, — & leniter in sp [...]m Arrepe officio­sus. Pers [...]a at (que) ob­dura: seu [...]ubra canicula findat In­fantes statuas, seu pingri tentus omaso Furius hyber [...]a [...] ca [...]â nive conspuit Alpes. Flac. Serm. l. 2. Sat. 5. de­base themselves to the lowest and meanest ser­vices that may be, attend them with neglect of their own affaires and themselves. And why should a man then think any thing too much to do, too hard or harsh to endure, though it be to Matth. 16 24. Luke 9.23. the denying, forsaking, and abandoning of himselfe, (as Matth. 16.25. there is no way indeed but this to save himselfe) Phil. 3.8. for the indeering of Christ to himselfe, for the winding of himselfe into the favour and friendship of Christ. For alas, what is the greatest favour of the greatest Monarch in the World without this? or what is the greatest favour of the greatest on earth unto this?

For first,Difference 1. Princes favours are fickle. A man may be in favour to day, and out of favour the next day: and so [...]. Qui summus bodiè cr [...]s futuru [...] nullu [...] est. aloft now, and as low as the low­est to morrow; yea, or sooner then so. Lubricu [...] est secundu [...] [...]pud regem l [...] ­cus. The se­cond place in Court, said Plati [...] in P [...]. 2. AEneas Sylvius some­time, is a slippery place. Yea, as it is Aul [...] cul [...]en lubricum. Senec. Thyest. slippery, so they that hold it, if they slip and fall (as Confragosa in fastigium dignitatis via est. Non in lubrico tantum illic statur, sed in praerup [...]o. Sen. Ep. 82. & de tranq. c. 10. Quae excelsa videntur, praerupta sunt. [...]. Plut. Symp. l. 2. c. 1. soone [Page 8] they may) Psal [...] 73.15, 18. they come downe with a witnesse, [...]. N.Q. apud Stob. c. 105.— Ex alto magna rui­na venit. Catale [...]. Vi [...]gil. Et gravius summo culmi [...]e missar [...]unt. Maxi­min. Eleg. 1. they fall heavie; their downfall is very dismall and dreadfull. We have an example of it in Est [...]er. 5.11.12. and 7.9.10. Ha­man: I cannot stand to relate it: you may when you will, reade it. Yea, I need not to relate it. For who is ignorant of it, that hath read, or heard read or told the story of Queene Esther? And this may befall those that are in favour with Princes, though they be never so faithfull unto them, never so carefull to please them. But Christs favour is not fickle: it is constant, it is per­manent. Iohn 13.1. Whom he loveth once, he loveth ever. Do thou Deut. 4.4. cleave close to him; and he will never leave thee: Apo [...]. 2.10. be thou faithfull to him; and Heb. 13.5. he will never forsake thee,Psal. 89.32. he will never break his faith with thee.

Difference 2.Againe, Princes favours are no sure shelters. The greatest favourite may bee slaine in his Sove­raignes eye, at his Soveraignes feet. Alas, Psal. 146.3, 4. how can they save them, when they cannot secure themselves? Dominus est vitae tuae [...] qisqis con­tempsit suam. Sen. Ep. 44. Any one is Lord of their life, who sets light by his own life; unlesse the Lord be plea­sed to protect and afford them shelter against such. But Christs favour is a sure shelter. For Esay 63.1. he is able to save; Psalm. 68.20. to give issues against death; Ier. 1.19. to preserve his from death; to protect them so in death; that Iohn. 8.51. though they dye, yet they shall not dye; though Luke 21.16. they be slaine, yet there shall Luke 21.18. [...]t Acts 27.34. 1 Sam. 14.45. [...] Sam. 14 [...]11. 1 Kings 1.52. not an haires harme befall them; and to save them everlastingly after death. For Heb. 7.25. he liveth for ever, to save perfectly all those that bee his.

[Page 9]A third Vse may be for comfort, Vse 3. for Consolation. consolation and encouragement, to every faithfull soule, to every true Christian. For hast thou Christ to friend? [...]. Eurip. O est. [...]. N.Q. apud Suidam. [...]. Eurip. Herc. fur. Thou needest feare no evill; thou n [...]edest dread no enemy. Thou mayest well rest upon him for matter of provision: thou mayest well relye up­on him for matter of protection.

1. For matter of provision. Philem. 17. [...]. Fyth [...]g ap. Laert. Branch 1. for Provision. For all is com­mon among friends that are [...]. Eu­ripid. Androm. Consortium rerum omnium inter nos facit amicitia, in commune vivitur. Sen. Ep. 48. Non, mebercule, [...]am mea sunt, qae mea sunt, qam qae tua. Plin. l. 1. Ep. 4. No [...] qod tuum est, meum est [...] omne meum est autem tuum. Plaut. Trin. 2.2. truly friends. And 1 Cor. 3.22, 23. [...]. Clem. Protrept. if all things be Christs; then all things are thine, if thou be his; and shall not be denied thee, nor detained from thee, Psal. 34.10. & 84.11. when thy necessity shall require them, and they may be for thy good. For well mayest thou reason here, as the Apostle of God; Rom. 8.32. [...]. Chrys. in Rom. Hom. 15. He that spared not his Sonne, but gave him up for us, how much more will he give us all things together with him? So of Christ; He that spared not himselfe, but hath given up him [...]elfe for me, hath be­stowed himselfe upon me, hath not denied himselfe to me, how can he refuse to afford with all unto me, what­soever shall be requisite, either for my support here, or for mine eternall welfare and salvation hereafter?

2. For matter of protection. Branch 2. for Protection. Hast thou Christ to friend? Thou mayest well reason, as the same Apostle doth in the same place, Rom. 8.31. If God be with us; so, if Christ be with us, (for Rom. 9.5. Christ also is God) who shall be against us? as, Si Deus co [...]ra nos, qis pro nobis? Petr. Cellen. ep. 23. lib. 6. if he be against thee, [Page 10] who can be for thee? so, Qid tibi malipo­teri [...] nocer [...]? aut qid tibi boni pote­rit deesse, si [...]lle te diligi [...], qi de [...]ihilo cuncta cr [...]avit? Bern. in Caen. Dom. Qid timendum, si adsit nobis, qi pur­tat omnia? Hebr. 1.3. Idem in Psal. 90 conc. 1. if he be for thee, who can be against thee? And thou mayest therefore, ha­ving Christ to friend, say confidently with the Psalmist, Psal. 27.1 The Lord is my light, [...]nd my salvation, whom should I feare? or of what should I be afraid? as long as he provideth for me, Psal. 23.1. Hebr. 13.6. I shall be sure to want nothing: as long as he protecteth me, I need not to feare any thing. Psal. 23.3. Though I walk, saith hee, through the vale of deadly shade, I will feare nothing, so long as thou art with me. Vbi enim aut [...]ecum male, aut sine [...] bene esse poterit [...] Bern. in advent. 1. [...]. Plut contr. Epicur. For where can a man be in safety without Christ? or where can he be but in safety with Christ?

Vse 4. for Caution.A fourth Vse may be for Caution, to disswade, yea, and deterre men [...] from opposing or wrong­ing any of the faithfull. 2 Sam. 18.12. How fearefull are men usually of offending a favourite? But all the faith­full are Christs favourites. 2 Cor. 11.28, 29. [...] Plut. de mul. amic. How chary are men of the credite, welfare, contentment, safety, and indemnity of their friend? even as chary as of their own; yea, or more. What is more usuall, then when we heare a friend traduced, or threat­ned, to say, [...] Rom. 16.4. 2 Cor. 7.3. & 12.15. Phil. 2.17. [...]. Plato [...] in Symp. [...]. Eurip. Iph. Taur. Dionysio caput Platoni [...]bla [...]u [...] [...]i [...]i [...]ami, m [...]n prius, inqit Xenoc. L [...]eri, l. 4. speak what you please of me; but forbeare my friend: do what you will to me; but meddle not with my friend? And is not Christ think we, as chary, and as regardfull of those that be his? Yes undoubtedly. These are those, in behalfe of whom he giveth warning, and orieth, hands off; saying, Psal. 10 [...].15. Touch not mine anointed ones. It is spo­ken [Page 11] 1 Sam. [...]4.7. & 26.9.11. of Kings, and that 2 Sam. 22.51. Psal. 18.50. & 21.7.12. in a speciall manner, and Psal. 105.14. unto Kings there in their behalfe: as Ch [...]ysost. Theod. Euthymius, Aug. Prosp. Hugo Card, Lyran. in loc. the Ancients generally expound it. Doth thy con­science then tell thee; that such an one though never so poore a wretch, never so meane an ab­ject, is a faithfull soule, a good Christian, one that sincerely feareth God, one that truly loveth Christ? Matth. 18 10. take heed how thou wrongest him. Thou shalt bee sure to heare of it againe at one time or other, if thou doest. He hath Christ to friend: he is one of Christs favourites, Zech. 2.8. Psal. 17.8. as deare unto him, as the very apple of his eye. Ier. 2.3. Matth. 18.6. Nor will he suffer any wrong offered in word or deed, unto any of his, to go unrighed, or unrevenged.

A fifth use may be for triall and examination. Vse 5. for Examination. Hereby then thou mayest try thy selfe, whether thou beest a friend of Christ, or no, and one that hath Christ to friend. (For 1 Iohn. 2.4. Frustra nobis in [...]o plaudimus, cujus mandata non im­plemus. Hieron. ad Iovi [...]. l. 2. Ne (que) enim Christianus esse videtur, qi Christiani nominis opus non agit, cum nomen sine act [...] at (que) officio su [...] nihil sit. Salvia [...]. l. 4 c. 1 every professed Chri­stian is not by and by Omne, amici, & omnes inimici [...] om­nes necessarii, & omnes adversarii. Bern. in Cant. Ser. 33. Christs friend. Phil. 3.18. Qi Christianos se dicunt & Christo contradicunt. Aug. Ep. 171. Christiani in contum [...]liam & opprobrium Christi. Salvian. l. 4. c. 11. There are some that so walk; and of professed Christians he speaketh; that they are enemies to Christs Crosse, and to Christ himselfe consequently) If thou beest a Lazarus; one that makest Psal. 70.5. God, not the World thine aide, and thy stay. If thou beest an Abraham; or Luke. 19.9. a childe at least of Abraham; one that Rom. 4.12. Gal. 4.12. Rom. 4.16. Eorum enim filli dicimur, qorum m [...]res imitamur. Orig. in Ezek. 16 [...] Vide Iuvenal. Sat. 8. walkest in the steps of the faith of Abraham, ^y who is the father of all the faithfull.

But these things, you will say, are too generall. Vse 6. for Admonition. We will descend therefore to some particular [Page 12] notes in our ensuing discourse. And so passe we to the sixth and last Vse of this Point: which shall be for Admonition, to admonish us of the duties required of all those that professe or pretend to be in friendship and amity with Christ. Prov. 18.24. He that hath a friend, saith Solomon, must carry himselfe friendly. If thou wilt therefore have a friend of Christ, thou must be Christs friend, (for friend and friend are Correlatives) thou must carry thy selfe as a friend unto Christ.

Duties 4.How is that? you will say.

Duty 1. Faithfulnesse.First, thou must be faithfull and loyall to Christ. For Prov. 20.6 [...] faithfulnesse is especially required of friends, and regarded in friendship. Apoc. 2.10. Be thou faithfull, saith he, unto death. Nor speaketh he of the faith that we Qam habe [...]us in Christum. repose and put in him, but of the faith that we Qam pr [...]sta [...]u [...] Christo. yeeld and performe unto him.

Notes 2.But when are we faithfull unto Christ?

Note 1.I answer. First, when we keep our heart and affections loyall and true to him, not suffering Iames 4.4. 1 Iohn 2.15, 16. this wicked world, or any sinfull lust (for these be the 2 Sam. 15 6. Absoloms that filch our hearts from this our David) to sway in our soules; nor our affe­ctions to be so set upon any outward thing, even such as we may lawfully love, Matth. 10.37. father or mother, husband or wife, childe, friend, or acquaintance, or ought else whatsoever, that it should either 1 Kings 11.1, 4. withdraw our affection from Christ, or minish our love unto Christ, or Luke 14.26.33. that we should not be willing to relinquish it for Christ, if either Licet pa [...]vulus ex c [...]llo pe [...]d [...]at nepos, licet sparso crine & [...]usis v [...]stibus, ubera qibus [...]e nutrierat, ma [...]r ostendat, li­cet in limine pater jaceat, p [...]r calcatu [...] perge patrem: Sic­cis oculis ad vexil­lum crucis evola. S [...]lum [...] pietatis ge­nus est, in hac re esse crudelem, Hier. ad Heli [...]d [...]r. it shall stand betweene Christ and us, or he shall be pleased to require it from us.

[Page 13]Secondly,Note 2. then are we faithfull to Christ, when we are affected as he is; when we love what he lo­veth, and hate what he hateth. For Idem [...]elle & nolle, [...]a demum persecta am [...]ci [...]ia est. Salust. in C [...]til. Hieron. ad Demet. Ennod. l. 6. Ep. 24 [...] Sidon l. 5. Ep. 3. & 9. Minut. Octav. Apul. de Philos. Ioseph. apud Cassi. an collat. 16. Ioan. Sari [...]b. polycra [...] l. 3. c. 4. P [...]t. Cluni. l. 4. Ep. 21. Fulb. Ep. 68 what is true friendship, but when men will and nill the same things? Psal. 97.10. Ye that love the Lord, saith the Psal­mist, hate that that is evill. Whereupon Augustine; Amas Deum? debes odisse qod odit. Aug ib. Doest thou love the Lord? thou must hate what he hateth. So art thou, or wouldest thou be Christs friend? thou must love what he loveth; and hate what he hateth. And what loveth he? Psal. 11.7. & 45.7. He loveth piety, purity, mercy, charity, humility, sobriety, upright dealing, and the like. And on the other side, Prov. 6.16.19. & 8.13. he hateth prophanenesse, uncleannesse, unmercifulnesse, uncharitablenesse, haughti­nesse, drunkennesse, intemperance, falshood, unjust dealing, and the like. If then thou Zech. 8.19. Amos 5.15. lo­vest, affectest, and labourest in the former, not so much because they conduce and are consen­taneous to humane society, (for so one may do that is no friend to Christ or Christianity) as be­cause Christ 1 Iohn 3.22. liketh and loveth them, and they make thee 1 Iohn 3.3, 7. & 4.17. Luke 6.35, 36. like unto him: and Prov. 8.13. Amos [...].15. Rom 12.9. hatest the lat­ter, not so much because they are contrary to civill society, as because Christ Zec [...]. 8.17. hateth them, and they make unlike unto him, Colos. 1.10. whom thou desi­rest to please, and to approve thy selfe unto; yea, whom thou endeavourest 1 Cor. 11.1. Ephes. 5.1. [...]. Marcus Imper. [...]p. Iulian. in C [...]sar [...] [...]. Iust. ad Diog [...] [...]. Gr. Nys. de profes. Christ. to imitate, and strivest to be Rom. 8.29. Phil. 3.10. [...] Marcus Imp. l. 10. c. 8. like unto: knowing that [...]. Plat. leg. l. 4. [...]. Plat. ib. l. 8. [...]. Idem Lysid. qod & Arist. Eth. l. 9. c. 3. [...]. like­nesse [Page 14] breedeth further liking and love: thou art then a true friend to Christ indeed. But on the other side, if thou canst not brook or abide, but hatest the former, which he loveth; and lovest and delightest in the latter, which he hateth and abhorreth; it is certaine, there is I [...]ter dispares [...]nim mores non potest esse amicitia. Ambr. offic. lib. 3. c. 16. In taneâ mo­rum discordia, qae potest esse concordia? [...]ier. ad Nepot. [...]. Plato Phadr. Clem. Strom. l. 5. & Euseb. praep. l. 13. c. 13. no friendship betweene Christ and thee, whatsoever thou maist professe or pretend to the contrary.

Duty 2. Observance.Secondly, if thou wilt shew thy selfe a friend to Christ, thou must diligently observe him. Friends, we see, are carefull to observe either other. Especially, if a meaner person have some great man to friend, how carefull and sedulous will he be to observe and attend upon such an one? And it is expected he should so do. So we finde in story, that it was the manner of those among the Romans that enjoyed the favour of any great ones, Mane salut [...]tum venio, tu diceris ante isse salutatum. Martia. l. [...]. Ep. 1 [...]. Nec venit inanis rustici [...] salutator. idem. l. 3. Ep. [...]8. Mercenari [...] salu­ [...]tor circ [...]voli­tat limi [...] potenti. [...], s [...]um (que) regis s [...]i r [...]ribus a [...]gu [...]atur. Col [...]l. p [...]at. l. 1. to repaire to them every mor­ning, (that was Prima salutan [...]es at [...] altera [...] art [...] l. 4. [...]p. 8. the first work they did, and [...] c [...]re [...]e, cu [...] pr [...]t [...]r li [...]orem i [...]pell [...]t, & ire pr [...] ­ [...]pite [...] [...]ubeas [...] [...] Ne prior [...] 3. strived who should first do it) attend upon them so soone as they came forth, and tender themselves and their service unto them. In like manner, doest thou desire to maintaine friend­ship with Christ? thou must diligently and con­stantly attend upon him in his ordinances, in publick, in private: Psal. 2 [...].8. [...] 27.4 [...] & [...]2.2. & 84.2 [...] & [...]22. [...] repaire frequently to his house; attend at his threshold: (Prov. 8.34. Psal. 84.4. he is a blessed [Page 15] man that so doth) Col. 3.16. invite him oft to thine house: Luke 19.5. Iohn 14.23. he is not dainty of repaire to the mea­nest of his: Io [...]n 1.12. Luke 10.38, 39. he is willing to be entertained of us; and Prov. 8.31. delighteth in such invitements: espe­cially take heed, how, when Apoc 3.20. he knocks at the door of thine heart by the ministery of his Word or the motions of his Spirit, thou either refuse or neglect to open unto him. Ca [...]t [...]5.2.6. Such an oversight the Spouse committed, and she smarted for it, it cost her full deere. And Exclusit. red [...] ­am? Ter. [...]u [...]. 1.1 such unkindnesses oft make shrewd breaches betweene friends. Yea take heed of intermitting and letting fall thine usuall and wonted resorts. [...]. A [...]istot. Ethic l. 8. c. 5. Intermission of en­tercourse breedeth strangenesse betweene friends And such intermission of spirituall entercourse; may, though not cut off all amity, yet breed no small strangenesse between Christ and thy soule.

Thirdly,Duty. 3. Obedience. our friendship with Christ must ap­peare, as by our diligent observance of him, so by our constant obedience to him. Iohn 14.15 [...]21, 23, 24. Proba [...]io di­lectionis ex [...]ibitio est operis, de dile­ctione conditoris m [...]ns & vita reqi­ratur, nunqam o [...]i­osus est amor Dei, operator si est; sin operari renuit, a­mor non est [...] Greg. in Evang. 10. & Be [...]n. de temp. 106. & can. Dom. q. 8. If a man love me, saith our Saviour, hee will shew his love to mee by keeping my Commandements. And, Iohn 15.14. you are then my friends, and manifest your selves so to be, when you do what I enjoyne you. Yea then indeed do we shew our selves, to esteeme Christ our friend, and carry our selves towards him as towards a friend, 1 Iohn. 5.3. Nil grave aut miserum est mihi, Qod re [...] voluisse: [...]u tant in impera. Oedipus Antigonae in Thebaid. [...]. Minor huic est labor jussa exeqi, qam mihi j [...]bere: l [...]t [...]s imperia excipit. Senec. Herc. fur. 1.1. Facilia fiant cuncta charitati, [...]uiuni Christi Sarcina levis est, qia ea una est Sarcina ipsa qae levis est, Dil [...]ctioni [...] [...] poterit esse grave diligenti? Aut enim non diligit qis, & ideo gravis est; aut di [...]git, & gravis esse non po [...]est. Aug. de nat. & grat. cap. 69. when his Commandements seeme not [Page 16] harsh and grievous unto us: when Ephes. 6.5, 7. with heart and goodwill we serve the Lord Iesus, either in that we do for him, or for others at his request. That which a man doth lumpishly and heavily for a meere stranger, the same yet he doth readily and [...]. Liban. orat. 11. Non sunt onerosi labores amantium, sed delectant ipsi. Iulian. de viduit. c. 21. Nonsentiunt amanies, qod laborant. Sed tunc ab eis plus laboratur, q [...]n­do à labore qis (que) prohibetur. Aug. de Matth. 16.24. cheerefully for a friend. And that is it, that maketh Matth. 11.30. Christs yoake seeme so easie, and his loade so light to his, that Non omnibus sunt onerosa tolerantibus, sed tolerare nolentibus, gravia vel levia facit animus tolerantis. Sicut nihil est tamleve, qod [...]i grave non sit, qi invitus facit: sic [...]ihil est tam grave, qod non ei, qi id liben­ter exeqitur, leve esse videatur. Salvian. de provid. l. 1. c. 2. Facit praeceptum liber, qi facit li­bens. Aug. de grat. Chr. l. 1. c. 13. seeme so unweldy and so unsupportable to others.

Duty 4. Patience.Lastly, it must appeare, as in matter of Obedi­ence, so in matter of Patience; as in constant doing, so in patient enduring any thing whatsoever for him, even Luke 14.26, 33. to losse of liberty, limme, lively­hood, and life it selfe too. For what would not a man do or endure for a deere friend? Or what hath he not done and endured for us? Yea, ap­peare it must, not in patient only and quiet, but in willing and cheerefull enduring, undergoing and going through with, whatsoever we may be called to suffer and sustaine for his sake. Gen. 29.18. Iacob, though hee served for Rachel some tearme of yeares, an Gen [...] 31.38.42. hard s [...]rvice under an harsh Master; by day parcht with the heat, and by night nipt with the frost, yet he went cheerefully through with it, and Gen. 29.20. Amanti enim nihil difficile. Cicer. de orat. perfect. Qid grave n [...]n leviter tolerat, qi amat? Greg. in 1 Reg. 12. those many yeares seemed unto him but as a few dayes, because he loved her. So of the Apo­stles, [Page 17] Peter and Iohn, two of Christs faithfull friends, it is said, that when they had been in the Iewish Consistory, not rated and reviled, nor threat­ned only, but Act [...] 5.40. beaten also, Ac [...]s 5.41. they went away re­joycing, that they [...]. Oxy­moron [...]l [...]gantissi­mum. C [...]s [...]ub. were graced so much as to be dis­graced for Christ. And, Rom. 5.3. we, not rejoyce only, but even [...]. glory, in our afflictions; saith S. Paul, ano­ther of Christs friends, and that in the name of the rest; Rom. 5.5. because the love of God Rom. 8.39. in Christ, and so Rom. 8.35. of Christ, is shed into our hearts by the Spirit that is 1 Cor. 2.12. 1 Iohn 3.24. given unto us.

In a word, what we do or endure for him, must come freely from us. Amor Affectus est, non contractu [...]. Ber [...]. de dilig. Deo. Amicitia non est vectigalis, sed libe­ralis: virtus enim, non qastus est. Amb. Offi. l. 3. c. 16 & Cas [...]io. de amic. c. 2. Multum a be­neficio distat nego­tiatio. Cleanth. Sen. de benef. l. 6. c. 13. Friendship, as love the ground of it, is a free affection; not a trade or traf­fick for lucre and gaine. [...]. A­rist. Ethic. l 8. c. 5. & ibid. l. 9. c. 4. [...]. Idem. Rhet. l. 2. c. 4. That is done by a man [...]reely, that is done for his friend; it is done as for [...]. Marc. Imp. l. 7. Sect. 13. [...]. Ib. Sect. 32 [...]. himselfe: his friend [...]. Arist. Eth. l. 9. c. 4. Amicus alter ipse. Amb. desp. l 2. c. 7. being to him as himselfe. Benefi [...]iorum simplex est ratio, erogantur, non computantur. S [...]n. de benef [...] l. 1. c. 2. Interitura [...]st rei [...]a [...]tae dignitas, si beneficium me [...]cem faci­mus. lb. l. 3. c. 14 [...] Beneficium virtutis est; & turpissimum id causâ ullius rei dare qam ut datum sit. Se intueri & commodum suum, i [...]lud non est beneficium, sed soenus. Ibid. l. 4. c. 3. Non est bene­ficium qod in qastum mi [...]i [...]ur, hoc dab [...]. hoc rec [...]piam, auctio est. Ib. c. 14. We must not stand to demand, or forecast with our selves, as those prophane ones in Iob 21.15. Iob, What shall I get or gaine by what I do or endure? What shalt thou gaine by it? saist thou? It is gaine sufficient, and so art thou to esteeme it, that thou maist do Christ any service. A singular pre­cedent have we of this freenesse of disposition in [Page 18] that Acts 9.16. choice vessell S. Paul: Phil. 1.20, 21. I care not what be­come of me, saith he, so that Christ be magnified in me, be it by life or by death. For all the gaine that I aime at both in li [...]e and death, is Christ: that is, to do service unto Christ, to bring glory unto him, as that D. Ayray in loc. Reverend Doctor of ours rightly ex­poundeth it. Yea as the Apostle, I may well say, expoundeth himselfe, where he telleth those of Ephesus at his taking leave of them, Act [...] 20.22, 23, 24. that he was going to Jerusalem bound thither by the Spirit, not knowing what might befall him when he should come thither: and howsoever from the Holy Ghost he was every where told, that bonds and afflictions there aboade him; yet did none of these things trouble him, nor was his life deere unto him, he regarded not what became of him, so he might joyfully finish his course, and discharge the work of his Ministery com­mitted to him by Christ. That was all he de [...]ired, and all that he aimed at, to do service to his Sa­viour, to finish cheerefully his task assigned him by him. And the like disposition who so can finde in himselfe, may assure himselfe that he is a true friend to Christ, and may build upon it, that he hath Christ to friend.

And thus much for the first Point, that Every faithfull one is Christs friend.

The second followeth, that Every friend of Christ, Point [...]. is a friend also to those that be his.

Lazarus, saith our Saviour, not my friend, but our friend, mine and yours too: as well mine as yours, and yours as mine. And 1. Iohn 1.3. the communion, [Page 19] or society, saith S. Iohn, which you have with God and Christ, ye have also with us.

And so it must needs be. For,

1. Iohn 17.21. All the faithfull are one, Reason. 1. as in Christ, so with Christ. They are Ro [...]. 12.4, 5. all members of one and the same Christs mysticall body; 1 Cor. 12.12. Caput & corpus, unus est Christus. Aug. de Trinit. l. 4. c [...] 9. & in Psal. 45. & de verb. Dom. 49. & 65. & de temp. 40. Bern. Ep. 190. Beda in Ioan. 17. Omnes sancti & fideles cum h [...] ­mine Christo sunt unus Christus. Aug. de pec. mer. & rem. l. 1. c. 31. the head and the whole body making up but one Christ. Nor can a man be a friend [...]o the head, that is an enemy to the heart or the hand, yea to the heele or the toe, to the lowest and meanest member of the body. Acts 9.4, 5. Non potest concordiam habere cum Christo, qi discordare voluerit cum Christiano. August. de verb. Dom. 57. Nor can he be in amity with Christ, who is at enmity with any member of that body, whereof Christ is the head.

2. [...]. A [...]ist. Rhet. l. 2. c. 4. He that hath a friend must be a friend not to him alone,Reason 2. but to his friends also. He there­fore that is a friend to Christ, must be a friend also to them that are Christs friends; and such are all the faithfull; as hath formerly been shewed.

The Vse whereof may be,

First, to admonish u [...] of our duty. Vse 1. for Admonition. Do we pro­fesse our selves to be of the number of Christs friends? We must then be friends also to those that be his. We must shew our love to him by our friendly disposition and cariage towards them; and that,

1. In affection. Branch 1. Affection. We must have Rom. 12.16. Compatiamur affe­ctu. Ambr. Offic. l. 3. c. 16. a sympathie, a fellow feeling, and fellow like affection with them. [...]. Arist. Eth. l. 9. c. 4. & Rhe [...]. l. 2. c. 4. [...]. Friends rejoyce in the good one of ano­ther, [Page 20] 2 Cor. 2.3. as in their own; they [...]. grieve for the evils one of another, as for their own: and Rom. 12.15. so must thou, yea so wilt thou, if thou beest a friend of Christ, Esay 66.10. [...] rejoyce with his when they have occa­sion of joy, 2 Cor. 2.2. [...] Eurip. [...]p [...]. Aul. weepe with them, when they have occasions of griefe. Yea so it is with the members, as of the naturall, so of this s [...]irituall body, 1 Cor. 12.26. if any one be honoured, all rejoyce [...]h it; 2 Cor. 11.29. Heb. 10.34. & 13.3. if any one be afflicted, all sorrow and suffer with it. But how can we rejoyce in the good of our Christian bre­thren, when we 1 Cor. 13.3. envie their welfare? How can we grieve with them in their griefe, when we our selves Rom. 14.15, 1 Cor. 6.8. grieve them, or are Psal. 119.158. 2 Cor. 2.5. causes of griefe to them.

Branch 2. Action.2. In action: we must shew our love unto Christ by doing good unto them. Psal. 16.2. O Lord, saith David, thou art my God, Acts 17.25. [...]. Eurip. Herc. f [...]. Clem. Strom. l. 5. Plut. de Stoic. Contradict. c. 37. Ipse est Deu [...] tuu [...], qi [...]o [...] eget bonis tuis. Aug. in Ps. 80. Nec ille collat [...] eget, nec nos ei qic­ [...]am conferre pos­s [...]mus. Senec. de [...]f. l. 4. [...]. 9. thou hast no need of me; all my goodnesse, or well-doing, cannot reach unto thee. Ps. 16.3. But unto thy Saints that are here upon earth, to such as excell in grace and vertue, my desire and delight is to be doing good unto them. What I would, but cannot do unto thee, that for thee I do to them. So here, Acts 3.21. Christ indeed himselfe is in Heaven; nor can ought we do reach to him, nor hath he need of it himselfe. But in his stead he commends un­to us his poore limmes here on Earth. Mat. 26.11. Me have you not alwayes with you; but my poor [...] members you have, and you may do them good when you will. Non eget miseriâ, sed eget misericordi [...]: non eget deitate pr [...]se; sedeget pietate pro suis. Salvian. cont. avar. l. 3. Yea though he wanteth not himselfe, yet he suffer [...]th want in them. Mat. 25.35, 36, 42, 43. An non ege [...], qi esurire, [...]i sitire se qeritur [...] Salv. ib. [...]. I was, saith he, naked, and a thirst, [Page 21] and a hungry, and sick, and restrained: and, Matth. 25.40, 45. what­soever is done to them, it is done to him, and whatso­ever is denied unto them, it is denied unto him.

And hereby therefore we may well try and examine our selves,Vse 2. for Examination. whether we be indeed, as we professe, true friends unto Christ; if we shew our love to Christ, by Ga [...]. 6.10. 1 Iohn 3.17, 18. our beneficence and well do­ing to those that be Christs. Which if we faile in, we faile in truth of affection to him, whatsoever we may pretend. For as the Apostle reasoneth, Iohn 4.20. How can he love God, whom he never saw, that lo­veth not his neighbour, whom he daily seeth? So, how can any man say he is a friend to Christ, whom he never conversed with, if he shew no friendship to such members of Christ, his Christi­an brethren, with whom hee daily conver­seth?

Besides that,Vse 3. for Consolation. it may be a comfort to every sin­cerely faithfull soule, that every true Christian is his friend; and he hath interest therefore both in the 1 Cor. 12.7, 25. parts, and in the Rom. 1.9. Ephes. 1.16. Colos. 1.3. 2 Cor. 1.11. prayers of all the faith­full, a great stay to a Christian soule, when it can­not satisfie it selfe with its own suits. Yea, that it hath a stock going with them every where: though it have little of its own. But I hasten.

The next Point is,Point 3. that

Christs friends dye as well as others. Iames 2.23. Abraham Gods friend: and yet Iohn 8.52. Gen. 25.8. Abraham is dead. Amos 3.7. Iohn 15.15. The Prophets Gods favourites: and yet Zech. 1.5. Iohn 8 52. the Prophets are dead too. Lazarus Christs friend: and yet Vers. 14. La­zarus is dead. The Apostles Luke 4.4 [...] Christs friends: and yet 2 Tim. 4 6. 2 Pet. 1.14. the Apostles are dead. Yea, Iohn 21.20. the beloved Dis­ciple, [Page 22] Christs Iohn 13.23, 24. chiefe favourite is dead. For Iohn 21.23. Christ did not say, that he should not dye.

And no marvell. For,

• Reason 1.
  1. They are made
  [...]. Clē. Strom. l. 2. Iob 6.12. [...]. Chrysost. de Compunct. [...]. Greg. Naz. pro [...]aup.
  of the same mould that others are: though they be possessed of pretious treasure, yet
  2 Cor. 4.7.
  is it but an earthen vessell that the same is contained in.
• Reason 2.
  2. They are subject to the like casualties that others are. For
  Eccle. 9.2. Cuivis po [...]est acci­dere, qod cuiqam potest. P. Syrus.
  all things here come alike unto all; to the good and the bad, the pure and the im­pure: to Christs friends, and Christs foes.
• Reason 3.
  3. They are by their naturall condition and constitution, as
  Esay 40.6, 7. 1 Pet. 1.24, 25.
  the grasse; which though it be not cut downe, yet will wither of it selfe.

Objection.Yea, but as the Iewes reasoned, when they saw Ioh [...] 11.35. Christ weepe at Lazarus his grave, Iohn 11.36. Behold how he loved him: say some of them. And againe other some, Iohn 11.37. Could not he that made the man borne blinde to see, have caused that this man should not have dyed? As if they had said, If he Iohn 11.5. loved Laza­rus so, Solution. why did he suffer him to dye, whom he could have saved from death? So may some say, If the faithfull be Christs friends, why doth he suffer them to dye? when as Dan. 3.17. Iohn 21.22. he might, if he pleased, deliver them from death?

Reason 1.I answer. 1. Because it is for their good. For they dye, Apoc. 14.13. to rest from their labours; to be Rom. 6.7. Qod à malo libe­rat, qis non bonum pronunciabit? Tert. Scorp. c. 5. rid of sin; to be 2 Cor. 5 [...]4. Excu­titur morte ve [...]er­nus mortis. mors morte dissolvitur; vita a [...]fer [...]n [...] confertur. Tert. ib. [...]. An [...]han. Moriar? desi [...]a [...] m [...]ri posse. S [...]. Ep. 24. freed from death; to 2 Tim. 4.8. [...]eceive the re­ward [Page 23] of their well doing; to 2 Cor. 5.8. go to God; to Phil. 1.23. be with Christ.

2. It is according to their own desire that they so do.Reason 2. Their desire with Luke 2.29. Simeon is to 1 King. 19.10. be dis­missed: they desire to be 2 Cor. 5.6. eased of that burd [...]n, Rom. 7.24. released from that body of death, that they beare here about them; Vide Methodii parabolam de ca­prifici radicibu [...] & radicum fi­bris templi parieti­bus inna [...]is, q [...] nisi compag [...] dissolutâ eximi p [...]ni [...]us n [...]n possunt [...] apud Epi­p [...]an. in [...]a [...]e [...]. [...]4. which cannot be done but by death; they desire to Psal. 120.5, 6. leave this wicked and wretched world, and to 2 Cor. 5.8. go to their own home, to their Iohn 14.2. Fathers house, 2 Cor 5.1. to Heaven: they desire to depa [...]t hence, that they may Phil. 1.23. Iohn 14.3. be with the Lord Iesus, and 1 Thes. 4.17. abide with him for ever.

3. It is for Gods glory that they dye;Reason 3. and that they regard too as much as their own good. For Phil. 1.20. Christ is magnified in them as well by their death, as by their life; as well by their pious and patient end and conclusion, as by their godly course of life and conversation. And a man may thereby as well glorifie God, though he dye in his bed, as if he dyed at a stake, or with Iohn 21.19. Saint Peter on the Crosse.

4. They Iohn 8.51. [...]. Calli­mach. Epig. 14. dye not, Reason 4. though they dye: death is no death to them: as they Prov. 14.32. hope even in death; so they Iohn 11.26. live even in death. [...]. Ch [...]ys. in Phi­lip. Hom. 3. As others are Luke 9.60. 1 Tim. 5 [...]6. dead while they live; so they Luke [...]0.38. live when they dye. As to the wordly their Per vitam ad moriem transitu [...] es [...]. life is but a passage unto death; So to the godly their Per mor­tem ad vitam reditus est. Am [...]r [...] de bon. mort. death is but an entrance in­to life: their Eccles. 7.1. deaths-day is better to them then their birth-day: it is the Apoc. 21.4. birth-day of their immor­tality, the AEternina [...]alu est. Senec. Epist. 102. birth-day of their eternity.

[Page 24] Vse 1. for Admonition.Now it is so, that even the faithfull, though Chri [...]ts friends, yet are as well as others subject to death; are no more priviledged or exempt from it, then others are? This may then first serve to admonish us that have such friends, to make use of them while we have them, not to be like those fooles, of which Solomon; Prov. 17.16. why is there a price in the [...]ands of a foole to get wisdome with, when he hath no heart to make use of it? Nor like those, whom the Heathen man speaketh of, that Virtutem in co [...]lumē odimus: sub­la [...]ā ex oculis qae­rimus invidi. Flac. carm. l. 3. od. 24. cannot brook or abide such while they live, and yet lament for t [...]em, and wish them againe alive when they are dead: but Hab [...]mus tan­qam amissuri, tan­qam recessuri, in ò recedentibus uta­ [...]u [...]: tanqam ex­tēplo abituros pos­sideamus, Senec. ad Marc. c. 10. to make the best use we can of them for our spirituall good while we have them, not know­ing how soone or suddenly they may be taken away from us.

Vse 2. for Consol [...]t [...]on, and Encouragement.Againe, it may serve as to encourage us against the feare of death, so to mitigate our griefe for the decease of such our friends; since that nothing therein shall betide us, or hath befallen them, but Psal. 49. [...]0. Esay [...] 57.1. what all Gods friends and Christs favourites have undergone before us, and doe daily undergoe. Nor would he suffer the same to befall those that are his intimatest friends, his best beloved, his dearest darlings, his neerest favourites, were there any Prov. 1.33. Nihil accidere bo­ [...] viro mali potest. Son. de provid. c. 2. evill in it, yea or were it not for their Rom. 8.28. Etiam pro ipsis est. Senec. ib. c. 3. good.

Point. 4.And so passe we to the next Point, to wit, that Sanctorum mors som [...]. Hieron. in Matth. 25. Death, to such especially, is but as a sleepe.

So here, Our friend Lazarus [...]. C [...]llimach. Epig. 14. sleepeth, and Acts 7.60. Steven, when he had so said, fell a sleepe: and, Acts 13.36. Da­vid, when he had served his time, fell asleepe: and, [Page 25] 1 Cor. 11.30. for this cause some among you are sicke, and some sleepe: and, 1 Cor. 15.6. whereof some are asleepe, and some yet survive.

And indeed in divers respects is death to such as a sleepe.

For 1.Reason 1. sleepe giveth Somnu [...] malorum domi [...]or, reqies ani­mi: [...]ars humanae melior vitae Senec. Herc. fur. Vtmors, sic somnus miseros foelicibus aeqa [...]. [...], E [...]stath. ad [...]. Inde dictū, [...]. Aristot. Eth. l. 1. c. 13. ease of paines and of trou­bles for the time: and so doth death to the faith­full: for Apoc. 14.13. they rest from their labours, their trou­bles, their travels. But sleepe doth it only, as those Delinimenia, si­ve lenocinia morbi, non remedia. Sen. de beat. c. 17. & Salvian. de provid. prafat. palliating medicines that empiricks usually give, that abate the paines for the present, but work no sound cure, so that the paine returneth after againe as fresh and fierce as before: where­as death with the faithfull worketh Iob 3.13, 18. Mors simulut ve­ni [...], dolores, no [...] a [...]get, (non mitigat) sed aufert: ut remedium esse videatur, non poena. Ambr. de Cain & Abel. l. 2. c. 10. Pro reme­med [...]o data est, qasi finis malorum. Idem de fid. resur. a perfect cure of all evils either Esay 57.1, 2. corporall or Rom. 6.7. Reason 2. spirituall, so as they never feele them, or see them, or heare of them any more.

2. Those that sleepe are Iohn 11.12. not perished, are not dead; they are alive still: there is with them only a [...]. Arist. Ethic. lib. 1. cap. 13. [...]. Sive, [...]. Idem de somn. cap. 1. & 3. suspension and an intermission of some naturall actions and of [...]. Aristot. Ethic. lib. 1. cap. 8. Hinc Heraclitus. [...]. Plut. de superst. Anima in somno sic patitur, ut alibi agere videatur, dissimulatione praesentiae futuram absentiam ediscens. Tertul. de anim. cap. 43. all worldly imployments. Vers. 12. [...]. Solet enim esse somnus aegrotantium, salutis i [...]dicium. August. in Ioan. 49. Lord, if he sleepe, say they, he shall do well. In like manner, [Page 26] 1 Cor. 15.18. Mors non est per­emptoria, per qam non adimitur Vita. Ambr. de Cain & Abel. [...]. 10. those that sleepe in Christ, are not perished; though to the outward eye, to carnall sense they may so seeme. ( [...]sai. 57.1. The righteous, saith he, perisheth, and no man considereth it,) yet in truth it is not so: all Eccles. 9.6. Iob 14.21. Esay 63.16. worldly imployments indeed are suspended and surceased with them, but they Esay 57.2. rest in their beds, and they Luke 20.38. live unto God.

Reason 3.3. Sleepe is but for a time; men are wont to Psal. 3.5. [...]. Arist. de Somn. c. 1. awake againe after a while; and [...]. Chrys. de stat. orat. 5. Stul [...]e qid est somnu [...], gelid [...] nisi mor­tis imago? Lo [...]ga qi escendi tempora fata dabunt. Naso Amor. 2.9. death is but a sleepe somewhat longer then ordinary. Iob 14.12. Man, saith Iob, if he dye, shall not be awakened againe, untill 2 Pet. 3.10. the Heavens be no more. But then Iohn 11.24. Vere dormit, qia de mor [...]e, velut de somno erat surrecturus. August. de temp. 104. he shall, at the worlds end, when he shall heare that voice of our Saviour, Esay 26.19. Awake ye that sleepe in the dust of the earth, and Iohn 5. [...]8. all hearing it shall arise.

Reason 4.4. Men usually rise from sleepe, [...]. Arist. de somn. c. 2. Hac re­parat vires, mem­bra (que) fessa levat. Naso Ep. 4. refreshed with it, in better plight then they were when they layd them downe to rest. So shall the 1 Cor. 15.42.44 faithfull rise againe from death, in farre better plight then ever they were while they lived here. Psal. 17.15. When I awake, saith David, I shall behold thy face, and shall be satisfied with thine image. For 1 Iohn 3.2. then shall we become perfectly like unto him, not 1 Iohn 3.3. in grace alone, but Colos. 3.4. in glory, too, when we shall see him as he is.

Vse 1. for Enco [...]ragement.Now is death then but as a sleepe to the faithfull? then first [...]. Chrys. de stat. orat. 5. [...] [...] Ibid. why should any faithfull, any friend [Page 27] of Christ feare death? It is a childish thing for a man to be afraid to put off his cloathes and go to bed; and what is death more then a stripping of us, that we may lay our selves down to rest? It is true indeed that in some diseases even sleepe it selfe is so [...]. Plut. de sup. [...]. Hom [...]r. Odys. [...]. restlesse and troublesome to the sick (it was Iob 7.14. Iobs case sometime) and they are so ill after it, that they are Qomodo interest in ipsis, qi qotidiè dor [...]iunt & ex­urgunt, qid qis (que) videat in somnis: alii sentiunt laeta somnia, alii tor­qentia, ita ut evi­gilans dormire ti­meat, ne ad ipsa iterum redeat: sic unusqis (que) hominum cum causâ su [...] dor­mit, cum causâ su [...] surgit. Aug. in Ioan. 49. afraid and loath to sleepe: and so indeed Mors enim peccatori finis est naturae, non p [...]ae. Ambr. in Luc. l. 7. c. 1 [...]. it is, or may well be, in this case with the wicked. But it is not so with the godly: they may well say with the Prophet, Ierem, 31.26. I slept, and my sleepe was sweet unto me. The sleepe of death is no dreadfull, but [...]. Iliad. [...] Ibid. [...] & [...] dulcis qies mortis. Ambr. de bon. mort. c. 8. a sweet sleepe unto them.

Secondly,Vse 2. for Comfort. is death as a sleepe, and such a sleepe, to the faithfull? [...]. Chry­sost. de [...]at. orat. 5. there is no cause then to mourne and take on for such deceased. We reade of a peo­ple that De morib. gent. Autor. incertus. [...]. Theod. de Chrysost. [...]ra [...]. 3. used to houle and keepe an hideous coile every day at the setting of the Sunne, as if they feared he would never rise againe. Would wee not condemne such of extreame folly? or would we not deeme him little better then a mad man, that should stand weeping and wring­ing his hands over one that were falne asleepe, as supposing he would never awake againe? Yet the like doest thou, when thou doest so over the dead: since that they are but in a deepe sleep. 1 Cor 15 18. They are fallen asleepe in Christ. And, 1 Thes. 4.13. Contrist [...]mur in nost [...]o [...]ū m [...]r [...]ibus, de necessi [...]a [...] amit­tendi: s [...]d cons [...]lemur, de sper [...]cipiendi, ideo enim d [...]rmire dicuntur, [...]t cum dormientes audi­mus, evig [...]la [...]u [...]os ne d [...]speremus. Aug. de Ve [...]b. Ap. 32. I would not there­fore, [Page 28] saith the Apostle, that you should be grieved and sorrow for those that be D [...]rmientes ap­pellavit, qi [...] resur­recturos praenun­ciavit. Aug. in Io­an. 49. asleepe, as men that have no hope, as if you thought they would never awake againe. For 1 Thes 4.14. Manet ergo corum vita, qos manet re­surrectio. Ambr. de obit. Valent. those that be asleepe in Christ, will God awake, and bring againe together with Christ.

Vse 3. for ConfirmationThirdly, this may helpe to strengthen Somnus mors di­citur, propter futu­ram resurrectio­nem, velu [...] evigi­l [...]tionem. August. Ep. 1 [...]0. c. 32. Id [...]o mortu [...]s consu [...]vit, Scriptura dicere do [...]mientes; qia ev [...]gilaturos, id est, resurrecturos vul [...] intelligi. Idem in Psalm. 87. Q [...]re enim dormientes dicantur nisi qia di [...] suo resuscitantur? Idem de verb. Dom. 23. Cum evigilav [...]ri [...] corpus, reddi [...]um officiis ejus, re­su [...]r [...]ctionem tibi adfirmat. Ita per imaginem resu [...]rectionis fidem initiaris, spem meditaris, discis mori & vivere. Tertullian. de anim. cap. 25. our faith in the assurance of the resurrection of the dead. Augustine speaking of those words of our Saviour, Mat [...]h. 9 24. The Damosell is not dead, but sleepeth: Dormiebat: sed illi, qi poterat excitare [...] Aug. de verb. Dom. 44. she sleepeth indeed, saith he; but to him who is able to awake her. So, Sor [...]ribus mortu [...] erat; Domino d [...]r­ [...]iebat, hominibus mortuus erat, qi eum suscitare non poterant: nam Dominus tan [...]â eum facilitate excitabat de Sepul [...]ro, qan [...]â tu non excitas dormientem d [...]lecto. A [...]gustin. in Io [...]n. 49. Lazarus sleepeth here, but to Christ, who Iohn 11.43, 44. was able to awake him, and M [...]rtuos tanqam è somno suscitavit. Martial. Epist. 2. Sect. 1. to raise him up againe with a word. He sleepeth, saith he here: but I go to awake him. And indeed as easie a thing it is for Christ with a word to raise out of this sleepe, not Tardius qi [...] de som [...]o susci [...]a [...]ur, qam Lazarus de m [...]te. August. de temp. 104. Lazarus alone, but Iohn 5.28. Omnes pla [...] ei, qi po [...]est exci [...]are, dormiunt. Nemo tam facilè excitat d [...]rmi­entes in lecto, qam Christus mor [...]uos in Sepulchro. August. de verb. Dom 44. all those, that shall be found deceased at the 1 Cor. 15.51. last day, as for any of us 1 Thes. 4.16. by making a noise to awake any one that lyeth fast asleepe.

Vse 4. for Admon [...]ion.Lastly, is death as a sleep? We have that daily [Page 29] then before our eyes that may minde us of death. Somnus mortis imago. Naso am [...]r. l. 3. cl. 9. Speculum mortis s [...]mnus & exemplar. Tert [...] l. de anim. c. 24. Pro­p [...]nitur tibi corpus amicâ vi sopori [...] el. s [...]m, bla [...]dî qi­e [...]is prostratum, i [...] ­mobile situ, qale ante vitam j [...]cuit, & qale post mortem jacebit, ut tes [...]atio plasticae & sepul [...]urae, exp [...]ans anim [...]m qasi nond [...]m c [...]nlatam, & qasi jam ereptam. Ibid. cap. 43. Our sleepe is a lively embleme of it: Qoties dor­mis & vigilas, toties moreris & resu [...]gis. Petr. Chrysolog. Ser. 59. so oft, saith he, as thou layest thee downe to sleepe, and awakest againe from sleepe: so oft, in a similitude, as the Apo­stle Heb. 11.19. of Isaac, thou dyest, and risest againe from the dead. And well were it for us, could we take oc­casion thereby daily so to Deut. 32.29. minde our end, that we might live Iob 14.14. in a continuall exp [...]ctation of it, and a continuall Psal. 90.12. preparation for it.

The last point is,Point 5. that

This friendship beweene Christ and the faithfull never faileth.

It surceaseth not in death, but surviveth their decease.

So here, Vers. 14. Lazarus is dead, and yet, our friend still, saith Christ, and of Abraham, God, when he had beene many hundreds of yeares deceased, Esay 41.8. Abraham my friend.

And no marvell. For,

1. Neither doth Christs love to them, nor theirs to him surcease, at their decease. Reason 1. He ceaseth not then to love them still: for Iohn 13.1. whom he loveth he loves for ever. Nor do they cease then to love him: nay they love him more then, then ever before, better then, then ever they did, or could do: they never did or could love him so well as then, when the grace of 1 Iohn 4.17, 1 [...]. love, as 1 Cor. 13.10 [...] all other, comes to be perfected in them.

[Page 30] Reason 2.2. So far is it from this, that death should breed any enmity, or infringe that amity, that is between Christ and them, that it removeth utterly all the reliques and remainders of that, Colos. 1.21. that at first bred an enmity betweene God and them, and maketh some Esay 59.2. & 57.17. & 54.7, 8. breaches betweene them now and then, while they live here, to wit, Rom. 7.24. & 6.7. sinne and corruption; which sanctification indeed eateth out here by degrees, but death utterly destroyeth.

Reason. 3.3. Christ and the faithfull, they part not in death. Ruth 1.17. The Lord do so to me & more too, saith Ruth to Naomi, if ought but death do part thee and me: and it is a solemne clause in our espousals, till death us So should it be read, not, depart. do part. But it is more then so betweene this loving couple; betweene the faithfull soule and Christ. As David saith of Saul and Ionathan, 2 Sam. 1.23. they are lovely and amiable either to other in their life, nor are they divided and sundred in death. Mark 6.16, 27. The sword and death may sever the Christian mans head from his body, and his body from his soule: but neither Rom. 8 [...]35. sword nor Rom. 8.38, 39. death can sever him either from his head Christ, or from the love of God in Christ.

Reason 4.4. Death bringeth Philip. 1.23. Christ and the faithfull neerer together 2 Cor. 5.6. then ever: it bringeth them to a 2 Cor. 5.8. Apoc. 14.4. 1 Thes. 4.17. more entire & immediate communion either with other, to 1 Cor. 15.28. a fuller fruition either of other.

Vse 1. for Exhortation.First then would'st thou have a sure friend, a constant friend both to thee and thine, one that may stand by thee and stick to thee, when all other may forsake thee, yea of necessity must leave thee? Make Christ thy friend, and Gen. 28.15. Iosh. 1.5. Heb. 13.5. he will never leave thee, though 2 Tim. 4.16, 17. all others do, when all others [Page 31] shall. Ad limen carce­ris deduxerunt vo [...]. Tertul. ad Martyr. c. 2. Your wordly friends, saith Tertullian, wri­ting to the Martyrs in prison, tooke leave of you, and left you at the prison doore: but Vobisc [...]m carce­rem intro [...]it. [...]b. c. 1. Christ your best f [...]iend went in with you. So thy wordly friends, yea all other thy friends will shake hands with thee and leave thee, if not before, yet at the Mundi buju [...] p [...] ­ [...]tica mors. Peral [...]. Sum. de vit. po­sterne gate of this life, either at their death, or, at furthest, at thine: but if thou hast made Christ thy friend, he will never leave thee, he will for ever be thy friend, unto death, in death, and af­ter death, unto all eternity.

Yea, hast thou made Christ thy friend? Vse 2. for Consolation. He will continue so Gen. 17.7. Exod. 20.6. Psal. 37.25, 26. & 115.13, 14. not to thee only, but to thine also for thee. It troubleth men many times (and well may it, considering [...]. Eu­rip. Stob. c. 127. the untrustinesse and un­faithfull dealing of many professed friends) upon their sicke, and as it may fall out, their death-beds, to think whom they should intrust with their charge, their children, if God shall call them away. This may well ease in part the minde of the godly man in this case: Christ Iesus thy friend he will undertake the charge of them, he will be a trusty friend to thee as well when thou art gone, as while thou art here. 2 Sam. 9.1. Who is there left, saith David, of Ionathans issue, that I may shew kindnesse unto for Ionath [...]ns sake? Nor could Da­vids love to his friend Ionathan surviving his de­cease, prevaile more with him, to move him to deale kindly with those that he left behinde him, then Christs love will with him towards those that have been, yea that are still, though deceased, his friends, to cause him to deale friend­ly [Page 32] with those whom deceasing they leave here behinde them,Vse 3. for Imitation. or at their decease commit unto his charge. It is the Argument that God useth to his people, to encourage them to depend upon him, not doubting of the continuance of his kindnesse to them, Esay 41.8. because they were the seed of Abraham his friend.

And herein let us learne to imitate, our both Lord and friend, Iesus Christ. [...]; Eurip. Hecub. Let not our friend­ship to the faithfull deceased dye with them: [...]; Soph. Aj [...]c. [...]. Stesichor. [...]. Archilich. as the manner of the world, and worldly men is: but let us make it to appeare, that it lives and surviveth still with us; by Inimicitiae qo (que) suscipiende sunt propter amici inno­centiam, cum resti­teris vel responde­ris, qando amicus arguitur & accusatur. Ambr. offic l. 3. c. 16. apologizing for them, and maintaining of their credit and good name, if need be; [...]. Eurip. Di [...]n Pr [...]s. orat. 37. by faithfull discharge of any trust reposed in us by them; and [...]. D [...]mosth [...] Epist. 3. [...]. Is [...]crat. ad D [...]m [...]n. Amicitia pa­rentum rectè in liberos transferuntur, [...]t charitas semel inita successorib [...] e [...]rum haereditario jure proficiat. Symmach. l. 7. Ep. 87. Religiosa curae es [...], qae amicorum liberis ex [...]ibetur. Idem. l. 9. Ep. 31. Ad pos [...]er [...]s ami [...]o [...]n cur [...]m tra [...]fe [...]re debem [...]; ne fides cum hominibus interiisse vide­ [...]tur. Id. l. 9. Ep. 45. by a ready perfor­mance of all friendly offices [...] unto those they leave behinde them. Let us shew it then, I say, and [...]. Eurip. Ip [...]ig. Taur. [...]. Me [...]nand. then most, when there may be [...]. Eurip. Herc. sur. most need of it, more it may be, then while they yet survived: that so it may be said of us, as Ruth [...] 2.20. she sometime of Boaz, that we cease not to shew kindnesse both to the living and to the dead; as [...]. de Capan [...]o Eurip [...] Supplic. Caduca enim & fragili [...] [...]ffectio est, qae non & amic [...]rum liberos amore propagato [...]omplecti [...]ur. Symmach. l. 9. c. 31. a true friend indeed will do.

[Page 33]And so much for my Text, Testimony given to the Deceased. and the Points of Instruction observable out of it.

Let me now crave your patience a little fur­ther, for the Application of it, and that that hath beene delivered out of it, to the present occa­sion.

Of our deceased Christian Brother therefore, M^r. Iohn Parker, whose remaines are at this time to be laid up in Terra novissimè complex [...] gr [...]i [...] j [...]m à reliqâ natu­râ abdicatos tum maxime, ut mater, operiens, Plin. l. 2. c. 63. the bosome of the Earth, as in Esay 57.2. Hi [...] disposicion in generall. a bed of rest; I may well say, as in the words, so in the name of our Saviour, Ou [...] friend Lazarus sleep­eth. For he was indeed a Lazarus, though not in name, yet in truth, one that made God his aide, his helpe, his strength, his stay. Nor was he lesse a friend to Christ, and to all that were Christs; to his Ministers, to his members; yea to all for Christ, with this aime, either to bring them on unto Christ, or to build them up in Christ.

And he was indeed Eccles. 7.28. a man of a thousand; yea such an one for a private man, Q [...]le [...] vix rep­p [...]rit [...]num Milli­bu [...] è multis. Au­s [...]n. idyl. 16. as among many thousands, I suppose few to be found that might every way match him. For those things that are wont to be [...]. Greg. Naz. in Pa­trem. severally eminent in others, were in an [...] Idem in Ba [...]il. eminency more then ordinary [...]. Id. ib. combined to­gether in him.

He was one of a sweet and sociable disposition;In Particular. of a meek and an humble spirit; just and upright in his dealings; faithfull in his trusts; firme and sure of his word; of a pittifull heart; of a bountifull hand; truly [...]. De Pio Marc [...] Imp. l. 6. Sect. 30. religious, without superstition or ostentation; [Page 34] zealo [...]s in [...]n high degree, but with spirituall dis [...]re­tion; industrious in his Calling, (one that abhorred idlenesse) yet so as [...]is sedulity therein should not withdraw him from due attendance on better things; of a good understanding; a sound judgement; a ten­der conscience; a circumspect cariage; a strict course of life, yet without austerity or censoriousnesse: in a word, of a wise and prudent temper in all things.

I remember a story in Plut. in Pr [...]c [...]pt. p [...]litic. Plutarch of an Artist at Athens, who being called among others to the undertaking of a piece of work for the publick, when one of his fellow-workmen had made a long speech, to shew them in what manner he would do it, if they would put it into his hands, he being a man of few words, but of good skill, said no more but this, [...]. As this man hath said it, so will I do it. To apply it to our purpose. We have spoken much [...] of the duties that are required of all those that pro [...]esse friendship with Christ; their faithfulnesse to him, their ob [...]ervance of him; their obedience to him; their loving what he loveth, lo­ving whom he loveth; and the like. Now of this our brother we may well and truly say, What we have said [...] he did: he made good all we have said in a methode, in a manner, in a measure more than ordi­nary. And for the making good of what I say, that which I shall deliver unto you, shall be the most of it, out of his own remembrances, (for he kept journals as well of his spirituall [...]stat [...] and [...]mployments, as of his worldly reckonings and af­faires) and the rest either from mine own know­ledge, or the credible relation of those that con­versed [Page 35] versed most constantly and inwardly with him.

When it pleased God to bring him first ac­quainted with Christ, His first Conver­sion. and to discover unto him the vanity of those courses that he had formerly ta­ken; albeit he had a great measure of inward re­morse, and was much humbled for the same, and he was now res [...]lved upon a new, and that a strict course of life; yet it troubled him not a little, that he could not shed teares, as he desired, for his sinnes, and his fore-passed excesses; that which made him somewhat doubtfull therefore of the sincerity of his then present repentance: nor did he leave earnestly begging of this grace and favour at Gods hands, untill it pleased God to vouchsafe it in great abundance unto him. In which te [...]res of his he professeth that he found more sound comfort, [...]. Eurip. He­len. [...]. Greg. Naz. pro pauper. [...] [...] Chrysost. in Phil. Hom. 15. [...]. Basil [...] Caes. Hom. 4. [...]. Basil. Caes. Hom. 19. more hearty joy, more true contentment, then all his former mirth and jolity, ever did, yea then all the mirth and merry company in the world (and he knew by experience to his griefe what such things meant) were able to afford unto any.

Being now thus growne into some intimacy with Christ;Observa [...]ce of Christ by atten­dance on him in his Ordinances. that no strangenesse by neglect might accrew betweene him and Christ, he was care­full to maintaine it by a frequent and constant at­tendance upon him in his ordinances, both in pri­vate and in publick. For his ordinary addresses un­to God in private: Ordinary. Private. he used prayer constantly, as Psal. 55.17. David, and Dan. 6.10. Dani [...]l, thrice a day; morning and [Page 36] evening with his fa [...]ily; and some other time of the day a part, either with his religious consort, if she were in the way, or in her absence, alone by himselfe. On the Lords-day his common course was, not as the manner of many. Yea the most, to lye longer in bed, and take their ease more on that day, then on others; but to get up early, that he might be an houre at least, if not more, some­time two, in private with God: after which he used to spend some time in prayer with his family: yet so, let me tell you, that the publick might not be drownd and swallowed up in the private;Publick. (for it was ever his saying, that the private must yeeld and give way to the publick) but that both he and his might be present in the congregation, as well at the publick prayers and service of the Church as at the preaching of the Word: after which pub­lick performances also, his constant course was at his returne home to repeate with his family, and presse upon them, (which well he could doe) those things that had in publick been delivered unto them. And for the Week-dayes, once or twice at least, ordinarily he frequented the ministery of some of those of the best note about the City. And thus much of it I had from himselfe (the rest from those that conversed familiarly with him) when some halfe a yeare or thereabout before his decease, advising with me concerning some thoughts that he then had, of either aban­doning, or abatement of his worldly employments, for the freer pursuit of spirituall things, which he most eagerly thirsted after, he related to me in parti­cular [Page 37] what liberty he had, notwithstanding his then present engagements by his trade and traffick, for the prosecution of the better part.

This then was his ordinary course of addresses unto God, and attendances upon Christ. But besides these he had solemn days of humiliation upon spe­ciall occasions:Extraordinary [...] Dayes of Humiliation. and no businesse of more then ordinary weight did he lightly undertake with­out some such imployment. It is said of Cornelius, Acts 10.4. Thy prayers and thine almes, and Esay 58.6, 7. Qi vul [...] orati [...]nem suam i [...] coelum vo­lare, fa iat ei duas al [...]s e [...]e [...]mosynam & j [...]junium. Aug. de t [...]mp. 59. Erg [...] qi orat, j [...]j [...]ne [...]: qui jejunat, misereatu [...]: audiat petente [...], qi petens opta [...] audir [...]: audi­tum Dei ape [...]i [...] sibi, qi su [...]m suppl [...]can­ti non cl [...]udit a [...]di­ [...]um. Es [...]rien [...]em sentiat, qi vult De­um sentire qod es [...] ­ri [...]: misereatur, qi misericordiam spera [...]: pi [...]tatem, qi qaerit, faciat: qi praestari sibi vult, praestet: improbus pe [...]itor est, qi qod a [...]iis negat, sibi postulat. Chrysolog. Serm. 43. these two con­stantly concurred, as with Acts 10.2. Cornelius, so with him: for the day after ever abroad he went with the b [...]g, and no small summes in it, to distribute, where he supposed most need was, or deemed most good might be done: for neither did hee [...]. Isid. l. 1. Ep. 44. Collocare te vult Dous, q [...] habes, non projicare. Aug. de 10. Cho [...]d. cap. 12. Multi sunt, qi non d [...]nant, sed pro. jiciunt. Senec. Ep. 21. Beneficia nec in vulgus effundenda sunt: & nullius rei, minin è benefi­ciorum, hon [...]sta largitio est. Senec. de benef. l. 1. c. 2. throw that he gave away, hand over head, but carried this, as [...]sal. 112.5. other his actions, E [...]rat, siqis exi­stima facilem rem esse donare, plurimum ista res habet difficultatis, si modo consilio tribu [...]ur, non casu & impetu spargitur: habebit sapiens sinum facilem, non persoratum; ex qo multa exe­ant, nihil excidat. Senec. de beat. [...]it. cap. 24. with an ad­vised discretion: without which liberality is Ambitio & jactantia & effu [...]io, & qidvi [...] po [...]us qam liberalitas existimanda est, cui ratio non constat. Pl [...]n. pan [...]g. B [...]n [...]fici [...] si detrax. e [...]is judi [...]ium, de [...]iaunt esse beneficia, in aliud qodlibet incidunt nomen. Senec. de benef. lib. 1. cap. 2. nothing lesse then that it beareth the name of.

Now as he had such times of solemne seeking to God;Gratulation. so he kept a due account of the successe of his [Page 38] suits, and the returne of his addresses: and he had then accordingly, solemne dayes of gratulation and thanksgiving; on which the bag likewise with the greater summes walked, out of that stock and store, of which anon, that he had set a part for such purposes: that so the poor servants of God partaking with him in that wherewith God had blessed him, might blesse God for him, and to­gether with him.

Obedience.Thus much then for his due and diligent obser­vance of Christ and attendance upon him. Now for matter of obedience; (Prov. 15.8. & 21.17. Esay 1.11.14. & 66.3. Ier. 17.2 [...].23. Ezek. 20 39. without which all such observances are but loathsome, nor accepta­ble, but abominable in Gods eye) he was one that Colos. 1.10. in all things endeavoured to approve himselfe unto God, desirous, as the Apostle speaketh, H [...]b. 13.18. to keepe a good conscience in all things. And indeed he was a man of a very tender, yea of a scrupulous consci­ence, out of a feare to do ought, though unwit­tingly, that might be offensive unto God. To which purpose I can truly testifie of him that he made many a journey over of purpose unto me (that which also first occasioned mine acquain­tance with him) to request resolution in such ca­ses as seemed any whit ambiguous, Iuxt [...] illud R. Gamalielis in Di­ctis P [...]t [...]um, c. 1. Sect. 16. [...] Ab [...]ineas [...]e à re dubiâ. Il­lud (que) c [...]utissimi cu­ [...]us (que) praec [...]ptum, Qod dubites, [...]e f [...]ce [...]is. Plin. l. 1. ep. 18. Siqidem benè praecipiunt, qi ve­tant [...]icqam agere, qod dubites, aequm sit [...]n iniqum. Cicer. offic. l. 1. not daring to undertake them, till he knew what warrant there were for them, nor desiring to deale in them, unlesse he might see some good ground for what he did. In which kinde I know that he forbore diverse things, because they seemed doubtfull, which might in likelyhood have pro­ved very advantagious unto him, and that few would have stuck at.

[Page 39]Againe,Examination. because he knew well, that though a man be never so circumspect, yet [...]. AEschyl. ap. St [...]b cap. 3. [...] G [...]eg. Naz in Patr. [...]. Idem in Basi [...]. Iames 3.2. N [...] in uno sed in m [...]l [...]s nec qosdam, sed omnes offende­re dicit. Aug. Ep. 29. Non dixit, of­fenditis, sed offen­dimu [...], inqi [...]: &, in multis, praemisit; omnes subjunxit. Beda. in many things he may faile, either in doing that he should not do, or not doing that he should, or not doing it as he should; that he might not therefore runne far behind hand with God, he had his nightly ex­ercise, as he tearmeth it, both in his remembran­ces, and (where he seriously commendeth it also to his) in his Will: Iuxta illud Py­thagorae monitum. [...]. La [...]rt. in Pythag. Plut. d [...] superf [...]. & de Cu­rios. Epictet. dissert. l. 4 c. 6. Non priu [...] in dulcem de [...]linat lumina somnum, Omnia q [...]m longi transege [...]it acta diei, Qo praetergressus? qid gestum in tempore? qid non? Cur isti facto de [...] ab­fuit, aut ratio illi? Qod mihi p [...]aeteritum? cur haec sententia sedit, Qam m [...]liu [...] mutâss [...] fuit? [...] Qid volui, qod nolle bonum fuit? utile honesto, cur malu [...] [...]ntetuli? —Sic dicta p [...]r [...]mnia fa­cta (que) Ingrediens, orto (que) à vespere c [...]ncta revolvens, Offensus pravis, dat palma [...] & pramia rectis. Aus [...]n. idyl [...] 16. Idem de Catone Cicero de Senect. de Sext [...]o S [...]neca de irâ. l. 3. c 36. de s [...] idem ibid. de Christianis qibusdam Climacus Scalae grad. 4. Vide Chrys [...]t. Tom. 8. orat. 10. wherein having withdrawne himselfe a part, he used to take a strict surveigh and account of his employments the day past: to the end that if he found ought therein amisse, he might humble himselfe for it, and by renewed repentance make up the breach; if he found nothing, he might yet, with Psal. 19.12. David, crave pardon for his hid­den transgressions, and blesse God for his direction and ^h preservation so far forth. And yet beside this, he had his weekly, monethly, and yearely times of account, not for his worldly, but for his spirituall estate and condition, to Psal. 119.59 [...] examine how therein it fared with him, and how he either thrived or paired in it.

And thus much, as for his observance of Christ, so for his obedience unto Christ; his desire and en­deavour [Page 40] not to faile in any office required of him, and his care to finde out wherein he might faile, and to amend what he [...]ound amisse.

But may some say, you told us ere while among other things, that those that are Christs friends must shew their love to Christ, in loving those that he loves, in being friendly, and doing good, unto those that are his.

Beneficence.Why? this was one of the principall flowers, in that Garland of graces, wherewith it pleased God to crowne and adorne this our Brother. In other things he excelled others, [...]. Eurip. apud Plut. in G [...]rg. & Alcib. 2. & Plut. Sympos. l. 1. c. 4. & l. 2. c. 1. in this even himselfe. What faithfull minister of Christ did he not entirely 1 Thes. 5, 12, 13. love, and affect? What faithfull member of Christ, though never so meane, did he not Psal. 15.4. 1 Pet. 2.17. honour and respect? Neither was this his love and respect, 1 Iohn 3.18. verball, or Iames 2.15, 16. complementall, but active and reall, ready largely and liberally to manifest it selfe at all occasions, upon the least intimati­on and signification made to him, as my selfe at diverse times have had experience, and that even there Qod de Atheni­ [...]us. Aristides. [...]. where no motion at all hath beene made to him for them, but he had come occa [...]ionally to understand of their wants and necessities.

At his first effectuall call, among other things he then resolved upon, this was one, to set apart every yeare a tenth of his gaine for the reliefe of the poore (and that besides his tithe to God.Tenth of yearly gaine for the Poore.) And will you know the reasons that induced him thereunto? you shall have them out of his own memorials, and most in his own words.

Reason. 1.First, to shew his love and his thankefulnesse unto [Page 41] God; as Gen. 32.10. for raising him from a meane condition, having lesse then fifty pounds to begin withall at first, to that wealth that then he had; so more especially for Eph [...]s. 1.3, 4. his spirituall goodnesse to him, in electing him, redeeming him, reclaiming him, Psal. 103.1, 4. re­mitting his sinnes, and receiving him to grace and favour in Christ.

Secondly,Reason 2. because he conceived, that this distribution of almes would be an excellent meanes of keeping him from being proud and high-minded, 1 Tim. 6.17. [...]. Isidor. l. 3. [...]. 322. Ante omnia nihil est qod s [...]c ge­nerant divit [...]a, q [...] ­mode superbiam: omne pom [...]m, gra­num, [...]ructus, lig­num [...]abet ver­mem suum: liu [...] est vermis mali, ali [...] py [...]i, alius fa [...], ali­u [...] tri [...]ici: vermis divitiarum super­bia. Aug. de verb. Dom. 5. & homil. 15. Primus vermis divitiarum superbia. Idem de temp. 205. a vice that usually followeth wealth; for when in the exercise of this gift he should behold so many lamentable creatures, some blinde, some lame, some sore, some diseased, some hunger-starved, having death in their faces either through famine or other wayes, it would mini­ster him occasion of these and the like thoughts. Sicut rusticus qidam ab au­t [...]re Anonymo buf [...]ne conspecto lachrymas [...]bertim fudisse refertur, h [...]c consideratione motus, potuisse eundem, qi hominem f [...]ceratipsum, [...]usonem ejusmodi fecisse. Greg. Naz. pro pauper. [...]. Why am not I as this lamentable creature? Or why is not this lamentable creature as I am? 1 Cor. 4.7. What makes the difference betweene me and him, but the mercy of God only more in this kinde to me then to him?

Thirdly,Reason 3. it would 2 Cor. 9.12, 13. occasion many to blesse God, and to pierce the Heavens with their prayers, and indeed in giving to any his word was usually, Ha [...] est [...]. ut Marc. Imp. l. 6. §. 7 Praise God: or when he sent to others, as to my selfe sometime, any summe to be distributed among poore people, his manner was to adde [Page 42] in his lines accompanying it, will them to praise God for it.

Reason 4.Fourthly, he conceived he should be no small gainer by such gift. And shall I tell you from him­selfe, what the gaine he meant, was? He consi­dered, he saith, what Philem. 7. comfort would accrue to such poore ones by his gift: and what a joy must it needs then be unto him, (yea and no small [...]. Gr [...]g. Naz. pro paup. [...]. Idem ad cives su [...]s de prae [...]id. irâ. honour it is in­deed, if it be rightly conceived) to be an instru­ment of such comfort to any member of Christ? I might well adde, and to Matth. 25.40. [...]. Greg. Naz. pro paup [...]r. [...]. Idem in tetrast. Christus accipit [...] qod de di [...]i: ille accipit, qi unde dares dedit. Aug. de temp. 50. Ipse s [...] dicit accip [...]re, q [...]d pa [...]tribus da [...]ur. Sibi colla [...]um praedicat, quod in pauperis ma [...]u ponitur. Idem hom. 47. Q [...]d in terrâ jacentibus porrigi [...]is, in coelo sedenti datis. Greg [...] in Evang. 40. Christ in them. This therefore 1 Cor. 16.2. he constantly set apart: and out of this treasury it was, that upon the forenamed oc­casions he so liberally dispensed. That which being cast up, amounteth to many hundreds, a greater summe then for some considerations I think meet to expresse: and yet what beside he freely bestowed upon his kindred and allies, is dee­med to amount to as great, yea a greater summe then it. Nor do I reckon what over & above all this also went out of his poores purse, which he ne­ver carried out empty; that he might Gal. 6.9. [...] [...]lut. de S [...]. [...]lit & contr. C [...]lo [...]. Hoc est qod Marc. l. 12. Sect 29. [...] [...] ever be do­ing good; that which he much desired and most [...]. Marc. Imp. l. 7. Sect. 13 & l. 6. Sect. 7. [...] [...] Idem. l. 10. Se [...]t. 3 [...] [...]. Greg. Naz. in bapt. [...] [...] [...] [...]. Epicu [...]us ipse [...]ud Plut. de vit [...] Epic. delighted in, blessing and praising God, in his re­membrances, [Page 43] that had [...]. M [...]c. l. 1. Sect. 17. given him ability and oppor­tunity so to do: it being one branch also of his dai­ly prayer, that as God increased him in wealth, so he would be pleased withall to encrease in him, wisdome, humility, and thankefulnesse, together with a constant and comfortable perseverance in that lovely grace of charity.

Yea but, what got he, or gained he, may some of you say, by this his beneficence? or what was the fruit and effect of it?

I answer. He esteemed it [...]. Ph [...]laris Ep. 17. & Ep. 119. [...]. B [...]neficium dand [...] accepit, qi digno dedit. P. Syrus. Marc. l. 11. Sect. 4. [...]. Idem lib. 9. Sect. 42. [...]; Plut. de [...]ffect. e [...]g. [...]r. 4. [...]. Aris [...]id Panat [...]. Ad ben [...]ficium no [...] adducit cogitatio avara, nec sordida, sed liberalis, cupiens dare, etiam cum dederit, & augere novis ac recentibus vetera. Seneca de benef. lib. 4. cap. 14. gaine enough to do any good: and Hebr. 13.16. Gods acceptance of this his service to be recompence sufficient. But yet it pleased God abundantly to recompence this his beneficence unto him, both with outward and inward blessings.

True it is indeed,Gods triall of him. that for some space of time, some three or foure yeares after that his resolution of setting a tenth apart for such purposes, he thrived not, he found no increase, nor came forward in the world, as formerly he had done. Yet was he not thereby discouraged, nor did he forbeare to be bountifull as opportunity was offered, and the necessity of poore people required it; but he gave still with cheerefulnesse and comfort out of love unto [Page 44] God, (I give you his own words) freely leaving prosperity in temporall things to God his fathers good pleasure; and conceiving (so he saith) that God in wisdome and goodnesse prospered him not, thereby to try his sincerity to him, and his charity to others [...] yea and that [...]n. 2 [...]. [...]2. [...], id est, [...] [...]e f [...]i: ign [...]tus enim [...]ibi qis (que) est a [...]te interrogationē ten­tationis: latent (que) homi [...]em dilectio­nis & [...]idei sua vi­res, nisi exp [...]rimen­to divino eidem in­no [...]escant. Aug. in Gen qaest. 57. & in Deut. 13.3. q. 19. & in Psal. 58. & de Trinit. l. 1. c. 12. & l. 3. c. 11. he himselfe might thereby have experience of his love unto God, his faith, patience, and constan­cy; nor would he forgoe those evidences hereof, that thereby he gained, for ten thousand times ten thousand times more then they cost him. So that albeit he prospered not in his wordly estate, yet even then al­so he thrived much in his spirituall estate, and in the fruits and comforts of it.

Blessing of him in his estate temporall.But from that time forward God abundantly ad­vanced his estate. (You heare him againe speak­ing to you in his own language) so that he found experimentally those gracious promises of God true, Psal. 112.9. Prov. 19.17. (and he citeth the places) of his blessing of him that disperseth and dispenseth to the poore; of the re­payment of that with interest, Eccles. 11.1. that is so lent to the Lord; of the finding againe after many dayes with in­crease the bread, or [...] panem, id est, semen: ut Psal. 104.15. Iun. bread-corne, that is cast upon the face of the waters, or Secundum aqas in l [...]is irriguis, ac proinde feracibus. Esay 32.20. Iun. on the land neare thereunto, though it seeme cast away for the present.

But that, which is above all, and beyond all, it pleased God withall to afford him such eviden­ces and assurances of his favour & love towards him, Spirituall. as who [...]oever would buy from him by offer of the whole world and all the soveraignty thereof, he professeth he would refuse a thousand such worlds in exchange for them. By meanes whereof, as he led [...]. Phil. 3.20. Qod Cypr l. 2. [...]p. 4. In ca [...]ne adhu [...] po­sitis vi [...]a vivitur, non praes [...]ntis secu­li, sed fu [...]uri. an heaven­ly course of life here on earth; so within his soule [Page 45] in spirituall joyes and comforts [...]. Greg. Naz apolog. [...]. Chrysost. de stat [...]is. 2. he had an hea­ven here out of heaven. And this cheerefull and comfortable estate and condition continued with him to the end.

The nearenesse whereof as presaging before his departure into forraigne parts, whither his affaires drew him, he took a great deale of pains according to Esay 38.2. Esaies advice to Ezechiah, in the se [...]ling of his estate, and in composing of his Will [...] Pliny the younger saith, it was a received opini­on and common conceit in his times,Preparation for his End. that Testamenta [...]o­minum, specula mo­rum. Plin. l. 8, [...]p. 18. mens last Wils and Testaments, were as looking-glasses, in which a man might as cleerely descry and dis­cerne the inward disposition of their minde, as he may see their bodily face in a glasse. And such in­deed was the Will of this our deceased brother,His Will [...] all savouring of piety, all of charity, very lively resembling and representing his inward disposi­tion. Few Wils, I suppose, so composed, come into the Office: full of spirituall, religious, holy, heavenly expressions; full of blessings of Gods name, and acknowledgements of his goodnesse, with incite­ment of others thereunto; full of works of mercy, bounty, and charity, In it, His charity. as if he were but then begin­ning that work, which the most put off till then. Besides large Legacies to not a few of his neare kindred and acquaintance, which I cast out of this account. To the poore Palatine exiles, fifty pounds: to the Towne of Leicester for the use of the poore Weavers and Knitters there, fifty pounds: for the reliefe of poore prisoners, one hundred pounds: for the taking up in the streets a certaine number of [Page 46] poore children, Boyes, and Girles, to be fitted for, sent out to, and placed in the forraine Plantati­ons, three hundred pounds: among his poore ser­vants, seventy pounds: among other poore, left to the discretion of his Executors, fifty pounds: to this poore man, and that poore Minister, as they came then in his minde, to the summe of forty and seven pounds; which in all amounteth to six hundred sixty and seven pounds.

This for his charity, Apoc. 2.19. as fresh at last as at first, notwithstanding his charge, that is wont to coole charity with many, but did not so with him.

His Piety.Now for his piety, and his care of the continu­ance of it with those whom God had blessed him with or committed to his charge. It is report [...]d of Plato, that when he had occasion to go abroad, he used to give in charge to those young men that lived with him, [...]. Plut. de Sanit. con­serv. to spend their time during his absence, in some usefull imployments: and blessed Peter the Apostle was carefull to take such a course, that 2 Pet. [...].13. his Disciples might after his departure remember and beare in minde those things, that he had delivered to them while he lived. In like man­ner was it with this our brother. As he was al­wayes carefull, (therein a true child of Gen. 18.19. Abraham) to commend piety to his people, and to informe those of his family, as well servants as children, how to feare and serve God: so in speciall manner, at his departure beyond the seas, he assigned each of them, as their abilities and capacities were, what they should learne of the grounds of religi­on, and proofes thereof out of Scripture, against [Page 47] his returne. And yet more specially for the better continuance of piety and godlinesse in those his chil­d [...]en whom God had blessed him withall, and the i [...]citing of them by his example and the fruit he had found in it, to a more constant and cheerefull practise thereof, he gave order in his will, to have all his spirituall journals, his meditations and remembrances, gathered together, digested and reduced into a me­thode, by some two godly Divines, unto whom al­so he hath assigned a very liberall consideration for their paines therein taken: and severall Copies thereof to be transcribed and made up for the use of each of his Children: that therein they might see him when he was gone, and Qomodo de Pt [...] ­l [...]m [...]. Th [...]r. idyl. 17. — [...]. Eurip. Helen. treading in those steps that he had walked in before them, they might at length Heb. 13.7. arrive at that end, that he hath now attai­ned to: which Qod Commod [...] Marci fili [...] Aristi­des; [...]. the Lord in mercy grant they may. Thus both living and dying, yea as well dead as [...]live (though not dead indeed, but alive still, alive to God, yea alive to his too) he desired every way to doe good.

What shall I need to adde ought concerning his end? His End. It is seldome seene, and Vix fi [...]ri p [...]test, ut benè moriatur, qi malè vixe [...]it. hardly, saith one, can it be, that one that hath lived ill, should make a good end. But Fieri non potest, ut malè moriatur, qi benè vixerit. A [...]g. [...]om. de ver. & f [...]ls [...]p [...]nit. it cannot be, that one that hath lived so well shou [...]d make any other then a good end. Sure it was so with this our brother, by report of those that were eye-witnesses of it: full of pious expressions and sweet comforts to the last; and that, even after that speech failed him, but memory and understanding conti­nued with him, by sign [...]s outwardly expressed, upon such passages recited, as he had before given order [Page 48] to them about him to be read by him. Insomuch that we may well with good probability suppose, that God in his holy wisdome had so disposed it, that he should go ov [...]r hence to make his end in that place, amids the enemies of Gods truth and grace, that those that are seduced by them, might see [...] pregnant proofe of [...]e power of piety, in the religious and com­fortable end of one deceasing in that faith and profes­sion, in which those seducers of them beare them in hand, that there is no safety or comfort to be had, ei­ther in life or in death.

In a word to conclude all with the words of my Text; Our friend, and your friend; Christs friend, and the friend of all Christ his, sleepeth; his soule being en­tred into his Masters joy, his body to be laid up in its Chamber of rest; untill Christ come to awake him, and us altogether with him, to the et [...]nall blisse of both.Conclusion of all. Let us all make that use of wh [...] hath [...]en de­livered, that we be thereby encited to i [...]itate him in those good things that we have, either seene in him, or heard of him, that so through Gods good­nesse and his gracious ac [...]eptance of our godly en­deavours, we may both attaine and retaine those spi­rituall joyes and inward comforts that he found and felt, both in life and in death.