Thrēnoikos the house of mourning furnished with directions for the hour of death ... delivered in LIII sermons preached at the funerals of divers faithfull servants of Christ / by Daniel Featly, Martin Day, John Preston, Ri. Houldsworth, Richard Sibbs, Thomas Taylor, doctors in divinity, Thomas Fuller and other reverend divines.

THE SAINTS LONGING FOR THE GREAT EPIPHANY.

SERMON XXIV.

TITUS 2.13.

Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ.

THe former Verses you may remember, I chose to speak of upon another occasion.

I shewed you how the grace of God, that brought salvati∣on to all men; appeared.

Secondly, how it teacheth those men to whom it brings salvation. Every man would be glad to be saved by grace, but they love not that grace should teach them: now grace saveth none, but whom it teacheth, it first teacheth them, and then saveth them. Now it teacheth us as the Apostle faith, three lessons.

First, Quid vitandum, what we are to shun: ungodliness, and worldly lusts.

Then Secondly, it teacheth us, Quid faciendum, what we are to do, to live soberly, and justly, and piously in this present world. Soberly toward our selves; righteously toward our Neighbour, and piously towards God; this is the second Lesson.

Then it teacheth us a third lesson, quid expectandum, what we must look for; looking, faith the Text, for the blessed hope, the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ. The two first points I handled then. And I told you, I would reserve the third point, till it pleased God to give me a fit occasion.

It hath pleased God to give me a fit one, but a very sad accasion; It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth good in his eyes.

I will go over the words in particular, and observe something out of them. And then out of altogether, I will raise this Doctrine; that,
A child of God must live so soberly, so justly, so godly in this present world, as becometh a man that looks for a more blessed hope, at the great day, at the appear∣ing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ.

I begin with the first. The first word is Looking, and it hath in it these four things;

First, earnestness: a Saint of God must look, and look earnestly. The Apostle when he sets down the looking of the creatures (for the creatures look too together with us, to be freed from the bondage of corruption, in the glorious liberty of the Sons fo God; when he speaks of the looking of the creature) he useth a strange word which signisieth a putting out of the head, looking to see what it can espie a great way off, to see if there be any sign of his coming, Rom. 8.19. And he tells us that the crea∣ture doth not only put out the head and look, but waits, and groans, and sighs, and travelleth as a woman in pain: and quoth the Apostle, not only the creatures do thus, but we that have the first fruits of the spirit. Nay, if the creature put out the head, and groan, and wait, and is in pain till that day come, how much more should we that have the first fruits of the spirit? Earnestness, that is one.

A second thing is Patience. If (quoth the Apostle) we hope for that we see •…•…ot, then do we with patience wait for it. There is patientia spei; The Thessalonians are commended for it, in 1 Thes. 1.3. The patience of hope. And as the Apostle saith, Heb. 10.36. Opus est vobis patientia, you have need of patience in this look∣ing: for considering,

First of all, that the time is not known to us, when this Lord will appear. It is not for you to know the times and the seasons, that the Father hath kept in his own power.

And considering secondly, that that time, either longer or shorter, may seem to be long, omnes celeritas in desiderio; All hast that can be made, is but delay to a man that languisheth in desire: hence comes those often, usque quo? how long Lord? how long?

Thirdly, considering, (as the very heathen man could call them) those won∣drous workings of God. It is many times seen, that Gods working seems to go against his word.

And then fourthly, considering how busie the Divel is to discredit the truth of Gods promise, and to weaken our faith, I say again with the Apostle, you have need of patience. There is the second thing.

There is a third thing necessary, that is, Joy to think of this same day. Saith the Apostle, there is a crown of righteousness laid up for me, and not for me only; but for all them that love, that appearing; and where love is, there will be joy; joy is a sweet motion of Gods spirit: spiritual joy, I speak of that; either upon the fruition of some good thing present, or the expectation of future; there is re∣joycing under the hope of the glory of God, Rom. 5.2. And faith the Apostle Peter, whom you have not seen, and yet love, whom though you see not, you beleeve, and beleeving you rejoyce, with a joy unspeakable and glorious. It is such a joy, as the world cannot give us; and such a joy, as the world cannot take from us.

Lastly, this looking hath also with it, a care and diligence to prepare our selves against that coming. Mark the Apostle, 2 Pet. 3.14. faith the Apostle, Seeing we look for these things, let us use all diligence, that we may be found of him in peace. You know how the wise Virgins, because they looked for the Bridegroom, they

had trimmed their lamps, and made all things ready to meet him. So then where this excellent looking for this blessed hope is, there will be all these;
An earnestness first.
And then a Patience.
And then a Joy.
And then a diligence to meet him, to make our selves ready for him.
Dost thou not look earnestly?
And dost thou not look with patience?
And dost thou not joy to think of this coming?
Then thou dost not look as thou shouldest do.
But the next word is, Looking for what?
The blessed Hope.

Hope is put for the thing hoped for; the blessed hope, is the hoped for blessedness; and this consists in two things;

A freedome from all ill, both of soul and body.

And a fruition of all good, both in soul, and body, in the whole man.

First, this blessed hope consists in this, in a freedom from all ill. First, that there shall be no more blindness in our understandings; no more rebellion in our wills; no more terrour in our consciences; no more weakness in our memory; no more sin, no more power to sin; here is a non posse pecari. No more temptations of Satan; no more allurements of the world; no more frailties of the flesh; no more hunger, no more thirst, no more weariness, no more sickness; no more me∣grome in the head, no more palsie in the hand; no more gout in the feet; no more diseases, and no more death. For if we shall be freed from corruption; how much more shall we be freed from vexation, and infirmity, and deformity. Here is freedome from ill.

Well, here is not all; it is not enough to be freed from ill: but here is the second part of this blessed hope, to enjoy all good.

First, this is our blessed hope, that the Image of God shall be wondrously per∣fected in our fouls; and all the faculties of it. This is our hope that God shall be to our understandings fulness of light: that he shall be to our wills abundane of peace; to our memories a continuation of eternity. In a word, God shall be All in all. This is our blessed hope, that this vile body of ours, as vile as it is (as the Apostle calls it, a body of vileness) it shall be raised up again, and made like the glorious body of Christ by that mighty working: that this corruptible shall put on incorruption, and this very mortal, shall pus on immortality. I, and this is the blessed hope, that both in soul and body being blessed, we shall be gathered to∣gether to the Congregation of the first born. Where we are sure never to find any enemy, and we are sure never to lose a friend. Where we shall have the society, and company of Gods Saints, and of the blessed Angels. And in the beatifical vision and fruition, and communion of God, we shall have such joy, as neither eye hath seen, nor ear hath heard, nor tongue can express: such joy as cannot be concei∣ved, and shall never be ended.

Oh, blessed be that God, that is the author of this hope; and blessed is the man that is partakers of this hope.

But when will this be? for quoth the Apostle, If our hope were only in this life, of all men living, we were most miserable. Why, but when must we look for it then?
At the appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ.

At the glorious appearing. The word is at the Epiphany, at the appearance of glory, at the glorious appearing. There is a twofold Epiphany of Christ: an E∣piphany of grace, that was his appearing in our flesh, to work the work of our re∣demption. And then there is an Epiphany of glory here spoken of.

There was no glory, in the first Epiphany, and appearing of Christ. It was no glory for the Creator to become a creature, for the Lord, to become a servant; for the Word to become an Infant. He was our joy, and yet he sorrowed; he was our strength, and yet he was weakned: he was our confidence, and yet he seared: he was our Saviour, and yet he suffered: he was our life, and yet he died. There was no glory in that. He came to be minor Patre, less then his Father: but that is not all, yet he might have become a glorious creature, as the Angels are glorious creatures. No, it was less then thus; he was a little lower then the Angels, in that he was made man. But in that he suffered, he was a great deal less then a man: he was a little less then an Angel, in that he was made man, but in that he suffered, he was a great deal less then a man. For what was he? hark what David faith in his person, I am a worm and no man, the very off-scouring of men, the out-cast of the people: there was no glory in his first appearing.

But now his second appearing shall be in glory, it shall be every way glori∣ous.

First, his Person glorious.

And then his Throne glorious, he shall come and sit upon the throne of his glo∣ry.

And then his attendants glorious, the Angels, thousand thousands ministring to him, ten thousand thousands standing before him, and all glorious.

Again, his administration of justice shall be glorious: for if he got himself glory on Pharaoh when he drowned him in the Sea. What glory will he get when he shall throw the Divel, and wicked men into hell fire? there is glory in his admi∣nistration of justice.

Then glory in his Saints, as the Apostle, I Thes. 1.10. faith, that God shall be marvellous glorious in his Saints. For when Christ that is our glory shall appear, then we also shall appear with him in glory. Here is the glorious Epiphany of Christ, a glorious appearing.

But of whom?

The great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Some there are that would make these two, to be two persons. The great God, say they, that is God the Father; and our Lord Jesus Christ, that is, God the Son. Thus the Arrians; thus the Semi-Arrians; and thus (which I wonder at) Eras∣mus, and thus some others.

But first of all, you never find in the New Testament of the Epiphany of God the Father: that same glorious Epiphany is ever of the Son.

Then the Greek makes it plain me-thinks: for had there been two persons, the A∣postle should have said thus, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, there should have been two Articles; but here is but one Article: it is apparant to them that understand the Greek, it is but one Person; that same person is the mighty God, the great God, and the Saviour Jesus Christ.

The great God.
First, Christ is God. I need not stand to prove that now, among you. And that same incommunicable Name of Jehovah, by which I find him called in Scripture, and those incommunicable properties of the Divine Nature.

Immortality.

Immutability.

Immensity.

Omnipotency.

Omniscience, which are all ascribed to Christ.

And then those names that are proper only to God, as,

• The Creator,
• The Governour,

of the World.

And then the worship that is due to God alone, is given to Christ in the Scrip∣tures, ipsius est, solus est; all these being given to him, prove him to be God.

And lest you should think he is God now, by participation of the Divine Essence, in which sence the Angels are called Elohim. Or as Majestrates are Gods by represen∣tation: you shall find by what Epithites he is called God. The true God, 1. Ioh. The mighty God, Isa. 9.6. God blessed for ever, Rom. 9.5. and here, the great God.

And so he is great God; great, not in bodily bulk, but great in Essence, Great in Majesty, great in power.

And this may first be a wondrous comfort to Gods children. Doth thy heart condemn thee? hark what S. John faith, God is greater then our he art. Again, doth the Divel terrifie thee? hark what our Lord faith, No man shall be able to take them out of my hand. He is able to keep us to the day of Salvation: a great comfort to Gods people.

A great matter of terrour to wicked men, that this Judge shall be the great God: for who is able to stand before him, when he is angry? Do you remember, when the band of Souldiers came to apprehend him in the Garden; he said no more, but Ego sum; it is I faith he, and presently they fell down to the ground: they were beat down with the very breath of his mouth, as a man is sometimes with the wind of a bullet: or as the walls of Jericho, with the found of the trumpets of Rams, horns. The very word Ego sum, it was no more; they fell all to the ground. Now I may say with that Father, what shall he do when he comes to Judge, that was able to do thus, when he was to be judged? Quid regnatores patuerit, &c. what shall he do when he comes to reign, that was able to do thus, when he was to die?

But alas, you will say, if he be so great a God, so glorious; how shall such a poor wretch as I, stand before him? I confess my self a poor, wretched, and grievous sinner, how shall I stand before him?

Oh, mark here, he that is called the great God, he is called, the
Saviour Jesus Christ.

Here is the comfort; he is a Saviour; he came to work the work of Redemption, He was made like us in all things, sin excepted, that he might be mereiful. And it is wondrous comfortable, that in that very nature he shall be our Judge, in which he stood before the Judge, at the judgement seat of Pilate: God hath appointed a day, faith Saint Paul, in which he will judge the world in righteousness, by whom? by the man Jesus Christ, Act. 17.31.

O, but what a comfort of comforts is that indeed, I pray mark our Lords words, John 5.27. God the Father, faith he, hath given all authority to his Son to judge. Why? Mark his reason, because he is the Son of man. He doth not say, he hath given him power to judge, because he is his Son, but because he is the Son of man.

It made sweet Saint Bernard cry out, O verum Patrem misericordia. &c. O true Father of mercies, that wouldest have men judged by man: he hath been a man, and lived; he knew no sin; he knew temptation; he knew what is was to be tempted; he knows that we are tempted, and he knows that we are but men; he remembreth that we are but dust. Thus I have gone over the words briefly.

There is a general Doctrine to be touched, which I can but touch, in a word it is this;
Every true Christian must so live, as a man that waites, and looks for this blessed hope, at that glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ.

The holy men that lived before Christs first Epiphany, his first coming here in the flesh, they are described thus, to be men that looked for that coming. After his coming, Anna the Prophetess, the Scripture faith, she spake of Christ, to all that looked for redemption in Jerusalem, Luke 2.36. and in verse 25. it is said, that old

Simeon, a devout man, and one that looked for the consolation of Israel. And the like is said of Joseph of Aremathea, he was a just man, one that feared God, and looked for the redemption of the people of God: he looked for the kingdom of God. There was looking then.

And the Children of God now in the New Testament, they are all described by this, looking for the second coming of Christ. Gods children are still looking for this second coming. Let me give you but a place or two of Scripture. The Apostle saith, Phil. 3.20. Our conversation is in heaven, from whence we look for the Saviour, saith S. Jude, vers. 21. Keep your selves in the love of God, as men that look for the mercy of God, at that great day, to eternal life. Gird up your loyns, saith our blessed Lord, and let your lights be burning in your hands, that you may be as men that look for the coming of the Bridegroom.

Indeed, beloved, if we look into the lives of men, I cannot tell, whether I shall say, they look for his coming or no; this blessed hope. Wilt thou prophane the sanctified day of rest? wilt thou blaspheme the great and glorious name of God? wilt thou wantonly abuse the creatures of God, in drunkenness? wilt thou lie, and steal, and whore, and yet tell me thou lookest for that blessed hope? surely thou dost not. If quoth the Apostle, we do look for these things (in the place named be∣fore.) 2 Pet. 2.14. Then let us do our diligence, that we may be found of him in peace. If thou do not thy diligence, that when he comes, thou maist be found in peace, ne∣ver tell me thou lookest for him.

There was never time yet for us to lie, and wallow in sin, to think nothing that we do dishonest: there was never time for these things since time was. Surely there is no time for it now. All the dayes since Christ, are called the last dayes; all of them are the last dayes, since that day of the first Epiphany: but there is a day that will be the last of all those last dayes. And me-thinks it will not be long before that last day of all come: me-thinks I see the day broke already, it is break of day already. There∣fore brethren, if you do indeed look for the coming of Christ, for this blessed hope, at his appearing, be diligent, that you may be found of him without spot, in holiness. I have done with the Text.

I come now to the occasion at this time. You have brought hither, a dead body of a very good neighbour of ours, and whom I acknowledg, I ever found a kind, and a loving friend. You have brought it here to be laid up in the Grave, in hope of a blessed and joyful resurrection. I need not speak much of his life here: an ancient inhabitant; When it pleased God to call me first to this place 26. years since, I found him then in the chief office of the Church; and divers times since he hath been in it: and I have seldome known any more painful, and more industrious, and more honest in those places then he was. We have all known him a man humble in his conversati∣on, just of his word, true in his promises, merciful in his dealing, charitable to the poor, ready to every good work. His life was such a life; as the Apostle would have ours to be, a life sober, and just, and pious in this present evil world. He lived, and lead a life pious, in regard of God, just in the regard of men, sober in regard of himself; I can say no lesse of him, and I will say no more of him.

I know you desire to hear of his death, and it hath much afflicted my soul, to hear what unjust aspertions have been upon the manner of it. There was a sudden stroak indeed of Gods hand; and it was in my house, and seeing that it so pleased God, I am glad that it was in my presence and sight, that I might give the better testimony of it. The suddenness of the stroak made him liable to some miscon∣struction, and hath given many men occasion to passe a very uncharitable, and un∣christian verdict of him.

I beseech you let me give you a true naked relation how it was. I never knew any men of so peaceable a disposition, but there might be sometimes some difference between them: there was between Abraham, and Lot, between Paul and Bar∣nabas; and there was between another honest neighbour and him; both men of a peaceable disposition. They did not desire to go to law; they desired the matter might be put to Arbitrators; they chose four honest Gentlemen to take up the matter between them; they made me as an unworthy Umpire, in case they did

not agree. On Thursday last they met, and each of them pleaded their cause. And let me say thus, that if this brother of ours had been judg'd to do any wrong in that cause; if he had uttered one word of falshood to help his cause, if he had used one word of imprecation, wishing any curse to himself; then it had been peradventure, a just thing with God, to have taken him at his word. If he had sworn one oath, if he had uttered but one uncharitable word against his neighbour; if he had shewed but any malice or spleen against him; if he had been but transported with passion, as a man may easily be in his own cause, we are but men. I say, if he had been but transported with passion; then peradventure some men might have thought it had been the stroke of divine justice upon him; but let me tell you, I have the witness of honest Gen∣tlemen that were the arbitrators, and will justifie.

First, that his cause was good, and that there was not one word spoken, but was confirmed by honest witnesses present.

Then, he used no kind of imprecation in the world; no, not as I remember, so much as a protestation; or any asseveration, there was not one oath sworn, either by him, or by others that were present.

There was not one uncharitable word spoken by him: there was not any malice, or ranckour, or hatred appeared, either on the one side, or the other between them; he was no way transported with passion.

He did plead his cause, but with that meekness of spirit, with that quietness, with that sweet temper, and that Christian moderation, as more could not be required in any Saint of God. Therefore brethren, let me only tell you thus much, while this was in agitation, I could not perceive that he was moved at any thing; he was not stirred, he was not earnest in his cause. Till it pleased God to touch him; and he had some sense and feeling of it: rising from his stool, he sate rubbing of his cheek, or his neck with his handkercheif. He fell upon the neck of a Gentleman that sate close to him, who perceiving that he was not well, asked him how he did? he was scarsely able to give us an answer, I perceived that he was stricken with the dead palsie. Brethren considering these things that I have told you before; I be∣seech you judge not, that you be not judged; condemn not, that you be not condemned. You owe a duty to the truth, every one of you; and by that duty that you owe to the truth, I was about to say, I charge you as before God; but I beseech you as before God, stop the mouths of all them that shall either be for∣gers, or spreaders of such notorious lies: though it pleased God it were by a sudden stroak of his hand; and how often hath he done it, when men have been worse busied? he was but seeking to work peace.

Though it pleased God suddenly to take his speech from him, yet I beseech you know this withall, he was pleased not to take his life presently away; nor his un∣derstanding from him: from Thursday about four of the clock that he was first stricken, he lived till Saturday night, or Sunday morning, I know not whether: but in this time on Friday night I was with him, and I perceived by the lifting up of his hand that he knew me; I put him in mind of some gracious promises that God hath made to us in Christ. I asked him whether he beleeved those promises of God, and whether he found any comfort in those promises, and then he lift up his hand. I asked him, and desired him, if he found any assurance of Gods favour in Christ, to make the same signe; he lift up his hand again. I asked him if I should pray with him; he desired it, and at the period of every Petition, his hand went up to God. And one thing I observed more, that in one petition of mine, in that prayer for him, that it would please God to deliver him from the malice of Satan, that would be most busie when we are weakest; he held up his hand higher then before, and continued holding it longer.

And blessed be our good God, that we can hold and keep an intelligence with him, not only by speech, but with our very hands: that lifting up of the hand, and those groans of his spirit, I make no doubt, but they prevailed at the hands of God. And so as he lived, I make no question but he died, a holy servant of God: and I hope his soul is now in heaven, and we are come to lay up his body in the earth, in the hope of a blessed, and joyful Resurrection.

Notes

• Looking, four things in it.
• 1. Earnestness.
• Rom. 8.19.
• 2. Patience.
• 1. Thes. 1.3. Heb. 10.36.
• 1. The time is uncertain.
• 2. It seems long.
• 2. Gods strange work∣ing.
• 3. Joy.
• Rom. 5.1.
• 4. Diligence
• 2. Pet. 3.14.
• Blessed hope.
• 1. In freedome from all ill.
• 2. To enjoy all good.
• Appearing of Christ, two∣fold.
• 1. In the flesh in humility.
• Psal. 22.
• 1. To Judge∣ment in glory.
• 1. His person.
• 2. Throne.
• 3. Attendants.
• 4. Adminis∣tration.
• 5. Saints. 2 Thes: 1: 10.
• Christ is God.
• 1 Ioh. Isa. 9.6.
• Christ a great God.
• Vse 1. Comfort to Gods children.
• 2. Terror to the wicked.
• Object.
• Answ.
• Comfort that Christ the Sa∣viour is Judge.
• Act. 17.31.
• Doctr. Every Christi. an so to live, as expecting the appearing of Christ.
• Luke 2.36.
• Phil. 3.20. Jude 21.
• 2 Pet. 2.14.