IN the Former Verse, Elijah and Elisha are passing on, and discoursing together: What that Discourse was, it is not Expressed. Some do presume to tell us particularly what it was: but very probable it is, that the discourse As Lyra and others of the Papists. [Page 2] was altogether suitable unto so great and Holy a Prophet as Elijah was: It was very profitable, and very Heavenly, he being presently to be taken up into Heaven.

Whiles they were thus discoursing, on a suddain there appeared a Charet of fire, and Horses of fire, and parted Verse 11. them both asunder, and Elijah went up by a Whirlwind into heaven. By the Charet and horses of fire, Peter Martyr P. Martyr In Locum. understands the Angels of God, who at this time did put on the species or appearance of fire: And with this fiery Apparition God was pleased to honor Elijah at his departure: who in his life time had so much honored his God with the fire of Zeal for his Truth, and Wor­ship.

And he went up by a Whirlwind into heaven. Some do read it, that he went up by a Whirlwind of heaven, or by an heavenly Whirlwind: which denotes the manner of his Ascension: but our General Translation and Reading is best, which doth more significantly denote the place unto which he was then carried, Namely, Heaven.

Therefore that Opinion of the Papists is very fond: who do Affirm that Elijah was carried into Paradise, there to stay with Enoch untill towards the end of the world, and then both of them are to come forth, and to Preach against Antichrist. But this is a meer fancy all along, the Text saith plainly, Elijah went up by a Whirl­wind Contra perfi­dium Anti­christi. into heaven. But what heaven he went into, is somewhat argued, especially by the Papists, who it A three-fold Heaven. seems will by no means have that Zealous enemy to Idolatry to be carried into the heaven of the blessed: There is indeed Coelum Aerium (the Aiery Heaven, where the Fowls of Heaven do flee) and there is Coelum Astri­ferum, where the Stars of heaven are: and there is Coelum Beatorum, the heaven of the Blessed, where God ap­pears [Page 3] in eminency, and where Jesus Christ is in Glory, and the souls of just men made perfect, thither is Elijah carried up, after all his Pains, and Sufferings, and Trou­bles, and Faithfulness: Thither I say, is he carried up, to receive his Reward, and Elisha is left behind to do his Master more service.

But how doth Elisha take this suddain parting, and loss of precious Elijah? The Text tells you (Elisha saw it, and he cried my Father! my Father!)

These words may be called, The Lamentations of Elisha: upon the suddain Translation of that eminent Prophet Elijah: In which you may discern.

1. His exceeding Grief and Sorrow: He cryed out, and until he saw him no more (so Junius & Tremellius Read those words, And he saw him no more) And he rent his clothes in two pieces, as Anciently was the Practise upon the loss, and at the Funerals of dear friends, and of choice and eminent Persons.

2. The causes of this his great grief and sorrow: And they were 1. His own particular loss. The loss of Elijah was unto Elisha as the loss a loving and dear Father, unto a loving and dear Child (my Father! my Father!) As David once about Absolom, my Son, my Son! So Elisha here for Elijah, my Father, my Father! Ah my Father! my Father! Oh I have lost a Father, my Father, such a Father—The Chaldee Interpreter renders it, Rabbi, Rabbi: my Master, my Master: But in the Hebrew it is, Abba, Abba: my Father, my Father!

2. The publique loss (The Charret of Israel, and the Horsemen thereof) As if he had said, one of the best In­strumental helps and safeties that all Israel enjoyed, is now taken away; O the Staffe and the stay is bro­ken!

[Page 4]What the Charet and the horsemen are to an Army, or to a State, and what the loss of them is unto a State; That was the life, and that was the loss of this Prophet Elijah unto all Israel.

There are two Propositions onely which I would briefly discourse upon from this Text, at this time, and with respect to this sad occasion.

• 1. That even the most eminently Faithfull and Zea­lous Prophets of God, may be, and shall be taken away from a people.
• 2. That the loss of any one eminently Faithfull and Zealous Prophet of God, should affect the hearts of people with exceeding Grief and Lamenta­tion.

I begin with the first of these: That even the most emi­nently 1. Propositi­on. Faithful and Zealous Prophets of God, may be, and shall be taken away from a people.

The Prophets or Ministers of God, they are of dif­ferent Parts and Gifts, and they are of different Spirits, and they are of different Use and Service: Put them in Comparison one with another, some are as Stars of the first Magnitude, and others of a lesser Magnitude: some are as the Cedars, and others are but as ordinary Trees: Some are more richly and plentifully endowed and furnished, others are not so, they are lower by the As Elijah, Paul, Calvin and Luther. head: some are vigorously active, and are raised up, and laid out for the General Advantages and Managements of Religion, yet others are not so; though al be Builders, yet all of them are not Master-Builders. They differ much in their Gifts, in their Graces, in their Services, Gifts will free from In­discretion, & Grace from Hell, but no­thing from Death. in their Usefulness: Nevertheless they must all agree in this, they must all dye, they must all be taken away: Here in the Text, Elijah was taken away, and what was he? he was a Prophet, and in some sense more then a [Page 5] Prophet: He was a Prophet of the highest rate, most eminent for Faithfulness and Zeal, (That was his ex­cellency) Noah was eminent for Uprightness, and Mo­ses for Meekness, and Job for Patience, and Solomon for Wisdom, and Joshua for Prowess, and Josiah for Ten­derness, and Elisha for Miracles, and Elijah for Zeal, and Courage, and Faithfulness: All the false Prophets were nothing to him, nor Jezabel the Queen, nor Ahab the King: and although (in his Opinion) he was left alone to sustain the cause of God; yet he alone con­tinued Faithful and Zealous. Nevertheless this Holy and Excellent man of God is taken away, and suddain­ly, and in a very needfull time.

Zachariah 1. 5. Your Fathers, where are they? And the Prophets, do they live for ever?

No, No, they do not live for ever; Nor yet (many times) very long! You may find them for a while in the Study, and for a while in the Pulpit, and after a little while you may find them in their Graves.

The Reasons of this Divine dispensation (besides many other) are these: 4. Reasons why God takes away his most Faithful Prophets.

1. Because even the most Faithful Prophets of God, are Stewards but for a time; of them as well as of others it must be said, Ye shall be no longer Stewards: they have their determined work, and their allotted time for that work; Their Reward shall be measured by Eternity. But their work and their life are measured by time; So much work for so much time, and then their Master calls them home.

In Scripture you Read that they are sometimes called Ambassadors, who are choice persons sent abroad by a 2 Cor. 5. 20. special Commission; And when they have finished their Legation or Treaty, then must they return back unto their Prince; The Prophets or ministers of God, [Page 6] are the Ambassadors of God in a special manner, Au­thorized to treat with sinners to be reconciled, per­haps sinners will hearken unto them, and conclude up­on terms of saving agreement, perhaps they will not: These have but their time to hearken, and they have but their time to offer and perswade, and when that is expired, the Lord calls them home.

Again, you find them sometimes called labourers and workmen; the labourer goes forth in the morning, 2 Cor. 3. 9. and he does his dayes work, which when he hath finish­ed, then he comes home and takes his Rest. Thus it is, and thus it shall be with the best of Gods Prophets and Ministers, who are also called the Messengers of God, and must return unto him an answer, what they have done, and how they have sped.

2. There is a day of recompence for them, their re­ward is with the Lord, they are imployed by a good Master; and as there are the works of faithful servants for them todo, so there is the reward of a faithful master for them to receive: there is a Prophets work here, and a Prophets reward hereafter; Christ calls it our Masters joy, and Paul calls it a Crown of Righteousness; the faithful and laborious Ministers of God, though despised and injured by men on earth, yet they are loved and encouraged by Christ; and as they are a means to save others, so they themselves shall be saved, & shall shine as the stars for ever and ever, they shall be with the Lord for ever, they shal be everlastingly blessed.

And therefore they must dye, they must away, else they cannot take possession of the inheritance reserved for them, nor of the Crown laid up for them; indeed in this life they have the assured hopes of eternal blessed­ness, and the first fruits, and some Tasts; but the full and perfect possession and fruition comes not to them, nor [Page 7] to any in this life: that comes onely after death, and therefore Paul desires to be dissolved, and so to be with Christ.

3. The Lord doth this, to punish the ingratitude of people, who do despise, and disgrace, and despight­fully use his servants, the Prophets, and injuriously handle them, and there is no man that will plead for them, and right them.

Of all the men in the world, the faithful Prophets of God do the most good to others, and find the worst reception from them.

Jesus Christ chargeth this unworthy dealing upon Jerusalem, Mat. 23. 37. O Ierusalem, Ierusalem, thou that killest the Prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee! And Stephen chargeth it upon them, Act. 7. 52. Which of the Prophets have not your Fathers perse­cuted? And Paul complains in 1 Cor. 4. 13. We are made as the filth of the world, and are the off-scouring of all things to this very day. Men do affront and contemn, they do revile and reproach, they do oppose and con­tradict, they do threaten and persecute the faithful Pro­phets of God, and those of them who are most faithful and most zealous, are most hated and most persecuted.

Now the Lord will not bear with this odious ingra­titude, and with this barbarous injuriousness done un­to his faithful servants; he is extreamly sensible of all the evil done unto them, of all the evil words spoken against them, and of all the evill counsel and devices taken against them, and of all the evil works done against them: Touch not mine Anointed, and do my Pro­phets Psa. 105. 15. Act. 9. 4. no harm, saith God: Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? saith Christ.

And therefore he takes away his choice Prophets and Servants in Judgement, from such an ungracious and [Page 8] ungrateful people, in effect saying unto them thus much. Ye will not be taught, and you shall not be taught any more, and you will not hearken unto my messengers, but mock and despise them; therefore they shall speak no more unto you in my name, your house shall be left unto you deso­late. Ye shall not see me henceforth (said Christ) till ye shall say, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Mat. 23. 39.

4. The fourth and last reason why the Lord takes away his most eminently, faithfull and zealous Pro­phets from a people, is this, To shew unto a people the uncertainty and instability even of spiritual oppor­tunities, that they are but a season (which is pretious, but unsure) that they are a short day, and a Sun that may set a noon day.

There are four things which do admit of much un­certainty.

1. One is all our earthly possessions and comforts; wilt thou set thine eyes on that which is not? saith Solomon, Prov. 23. 5. There is no earthly comfort whatsoever, which is not altogether uncertain, nay altogether uncer­tainty; it is but as the shade on the dyall, on which you look, and may be gone before you turn back to look on it again.

2. The second is, The gratious motions of the Spi­rit of God working upon our spirits: My spirit shall not always strive with man, Gen. 6. 3. Rara Hora, Brevis mora, saith Bernard. The dealings of Gods Spirit with us, are many times like Peters vision of the sheet, which was let down, but quickly drawn up to heaven again; and indeed there is no man who resists or neglects any one motion of Gods Spirit, but he puts it upon an un­certainty, whether he shall meet with any other motion more.

3. The third is the day of Grace, our Gospel-day, [Page 9] wherein Christ reveals himself, and offers himself, and mercy, and peace, and salvation; this is a day for eter­nity, but it is not an eternal day: It may quickly be lost, and for ever lost. O if thou hadst known (said Christ to Jerusalem) even Thou, at the least in this thy day, the things which concern thy peace—But now they are hid from Luk. 19. 42. thine eyes: q. d. Thou hadst thy day, Thou didst not make use of thy day, and now thou hast lost thy day.

4. The fourth is, all the lifes, and pains, and labours of the Prophets and Ministers of God, they are all fluent and uncertain.

This day the Minister lives and preaches, the next day he is sick and dyes; you cannot say of the best Mi­nister on earth, he shall be ours for ever, or long, or a week, or a day: such an instability is there, not onely in the best of our outward comforts, but also in the best of our spiritual helps.

And there is much of the wisdom of God in this very particular contingency, he hath his good ends in it, to awaken the hearts of people from carnal security and presumption, from all carelesness and neglects, and to stir and quicken them to all heavenly serious­ness, and wise carefulness, both to know the day of their visitation, and likewise to improve the light, whiles they enjoy the light.

There are two works upon which all spiritual un­certainties (in Friends or Ministers) should put us.

1. One is therefore to prize what is present; there is no certainty but in that which is present, that is ours, and nothing but that is ours: The present Ser­mon, that is ours, and the present offer of Christ; prize what is present, for the future is uncer­tain.

[Page 10]2. Another is therefore to act with all our pow­er, to do as much in a little time, as others are do­ing in a long time. Nay, to be striving and treasur­ing up in a little time so fervently, and so diligent­ly, as if we had no more time.

There is an uncertainty in the lives of Gods Pro­phets, therefore people should ply their doctrine, and their help with all theirs strength; hear them as if they should never hear them more, and confer and draw from them, as if they should never speak with them any more; but more of this in the uses now following:

May and doth God translate even an Elijah? doth he take away the most eminently faithful, and zea­lous Ʋse. 1. A double Ad­vertisement. Prophets? Hence a double advertisement, 1. One to Ministers. 2. The other to People.

First to Ministers; loyter not, loose no time, stand not idle at all, up and be doing your Masters work; do not talk of this pain, and of that ach, nor of this weak­ness, nor of that indisposition, but spend and be spent, be instant in season and out of season, watch and la­bour, pray and instruct, reprove and comfort, pull down, and build up, always abounding in the work of the Lord, O said that eminently religious, and judici­ous Calvin, (who had worn himself to the very bone with often praying, and studying, and preaching, and writing; and therefore, being entreated by his friends a little to spare himself, no saith he, but) I desire that when my Master comes, he should find me working: And so that pretious Jewel, his desire was that he Nec propter vitam, vi­vendi perdere finem. might dye preaching: And learned and pious Reynolds, he would not lose time, he lookt at the end of life, more then at life it self.

O Brethren! Ye also have but your day, ye have but your day to serve the Lord Jesus Christ, and ye [Page 11] have but your day to save you own souls; and ye have but your day to save the souls of them that hear you: And your day of working seems to be more variable and contingent then the day of other men; for if ye be impartially faithful, and zealous, ye shall be sure to meet with all discouragements and oppositions from all sorts of ungodly men: who if they cannot stop your mouths, will yet do all they can to break your hearts. And besides that, your constant studies, and diligent labours, and publike preachings, and private confe­rences, and several other imployments, will weaken your spirits, spend your lungs, consume your strength, and hasten your death.

However, the Lord will take you away, and per­haps he will come and take you away suddenly: therefore be diligent still, and laborious still, and faith­ful still, and zealous still, and wise still, in giving unto every servant his proper portion. Blessed is that servant, whom when his Master comes, he shall find so doing: this is he who shall meet with that welcome, well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.

2. Secondly to the People; Seeing that their faithful Prophets and Ministers shall be taken away from them, let them remember two things for their parts.

1. Let them encourage faithful and zealous Pro­phets, who do enjoy them: O do not kill them, and break their hearts, and thrust them into their graves by slightings, by revilings, by quarrellings, by troub­lings, by remaining still ignorant, and unprofitable, and barren; nor by continuing obstinate, disobedient, hard­ned, and unbelieving.

No, by no means, but honour them, and love them, and deal kindly with them, and pray for them, and en­courage them all you can: Why Sirs, They do pitty [Page 12] your souls, and they do watch for your souls, and they do pray for your souls, and they do study and weep, and preach to save your souls. And therefore let them have love for love, & care for care, and respect for respect; they give you bread, do not give them stones; they bring mer­cies to you, do not you cast your curses upon them; they attend to your salvation, and peace, and comfort, do not requite them evil for good, but let them have good for good, &c.

2. Improve their present survivance, and your own They are gi­ven to you, and for you, they are your servants. present freedom: O it is a naughty frame of spirit to praise the dead, but not to prize the living; To set out with a large commendation the manifold vertues and sayings of Ministers that are dead; yet not to regard, nor make use of the parts and pains of those that are living, and Preaching unto us.

But let us be more wise; Elisha here is found travel­ling and conferring with Elijah before he is taken away: Now you may hear your Ministers instructing and perswading you, but within a short time you shall never see, nor hear them more. Now you may go un­to them, and open your doubts, and discover your souls wants, and diseases, and crave their Counsel, and take their Directions, and partake of their Instructions, and receive comforts by them; But within a short time they are changing, and fainting, and dying, and giving up the Ghost, and can never be Instrumental to your souls any more!

O loose not your tide, and loose not your Spiritual Opportunity: Every faithful and Godly Minister is Simile. like a Garden in the Spring-time, and the people should be like so many Bees, flying every day unto the Flowers in that Garden, to suck out the Honey, and carry it home to the Hive.

[Page 13]You may now get that Counsel, that Direction, that Satisfaction about the condition of your souls, which may stick by you all the days of your life.

Remember Sirs! As it will be an heavy Judgement if you make no use of your Faithful Ministers, so it will cut you to the very heart, when your Ministers are dead (and then can be of no more use unto you) that you made so little use of them living, that you Traded so slightly, that you have been such strangers to them, that you did not enrich your souls by them. O that peo­ple, who do enjoy able & faithful Ministers, were (then) possessed of two Graces; one is of humility, to see their own wants; the other is of wisdom, to see their season for the supply of them: Wherefore is there a price put into the hand of a fool seeing he hath no heart to make use of it?

Thus have I finished the first Proposition; Namely, That even the most eminently faithful and zealous Prophets of God may be, and shal be taken away from a people: I now proceed to the second Proposition, which is this.

That the loss of any one eminently Faithful and Zealous 2. Proposi­tion. Prophet of God, should affect the hearts of the people of God with much Grief and Lamentation: (my Father, my Father; The Charet of Israel, and the Horsemen thereof!)

When Moses that eminent Prophet died (There arose not a Prophet since in Israel like unto Moses) The chil­dren of Israel wept for him in the plains of Moab thirty days; Deut. 34. 8. So the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended. When Samuel, that faithful and eminent Prophet died, what a Mourning and Lamentation was made for him? Samuel died, and all the Israelites were gathered together 1 Sam. 25. 1. and lamented him.

The like you Read of Steven, Devout men carried Acts 8. 2. Steven to his burial, and made great Lamentations over him.

[Page 14]There are three things which do concern us, when God takes away any faithful servants of his.

1. One is a serious consideration of the hand of God in this: For though their death be a mercy unto them, (Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord: And precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints.) yet Rev. 14 13. Psal. 116. 15. their death may be a Judgement to us.

As a Godly Ministers Life and Doctrine is either in Remedium, or in Judieium; either they are the Savour of life unto life, or they are the Savour of death unto death: So the loss of them is certainly an advantage to them­selves, and ordinarily it is a Judgement and punishment unto a people: And therefore we should not slightly pass over their death, but consider, and lay such strokes of God to our hearts, The living will lay it to his heart: Surely he should, surely he will. Eccles. 7. 2.

2. The second is a prudent reflexion upon our selves; what there is in our selves which hath contributed unto so great a loss: For not onely diseases in a Minister, but also sins in a people may have a great hand to take away the life of their Minister: and therefore there is reason for us to reflect and search.

In every ordinary loss that befals us, we should search our hearts, and try our ways, and say, Why is this evil come upon us? much more should this be done, when a Spiritual loss befals us: When the Lord takes away from us the staffe and the stay, the Iudge and the Pro­phet. Isa. 3. 1, 2. When he smites the Shepherd, and the Sheep are like to be scattered; when he removes his Angels from his Churches.

Now is it a time to stand still, and to gather our selves together, and to say, what have we been? and what have we done? how have we walked? what hath been our deportment under the Gospel? what our answer­ableness [Page 15] thereunto? hath not our unthankfulness, hath not our barrenness, hath not our disregard, hath not our disobedience caused the Lord to make this breach? to take away the light from us?

3. The third is a mournful Lamentation; we should be very sensible of such a loss: yea, in some proportion unto the kind and greatness of it: For as the enjoyment of an eminently faithful Prophet (or Pastor) is an ex­ceeding blessing (it is promised amongst the chiefest of mercies, I will give them Pastors after mine own heart, and thine eyes shall see thy Teacher.) So the death of such a Isa. 30. 20. one is an exceeding loss, and consequently requires ex­ceeding Grief and Lamentation.

There are six great losses, and do you judge whether Six great losses. they be not so.

• 1. The first is the loss of a soul, how great is that loss? all is lost if that be lost.
• 2. The second is the loss of true Religion, and the glory is departed from Israel, when that is gone.
• 3. The third is the loss of Gods smiling favour and presence; when that withdraws, then the Sun is set, and it is night, and darkness, and fear, and trouble with the soul.
• 4. The fourth is the loss of peace in conscience; Now beginns the Wars and Tumuls, and the bones are broken.
• 5. The fifth is the loss of the Gospel; Now the gates of Heaven are shut up, and the worst of famines seiz­eth our souls.
• 6. The sixth is the loss of faithful Prophets, and Mini­sters of God; Now the stones are fallen, and the shields of the earth are fallen, and the interpreters, the men of thousands, and the watch-men set upon the Towers, and Bull-works, are cut off, and the [Page 16] Ambassadors of Christ, and of peace are called home, and the servants and furtherers of our salvati­on are discharged.

Now the more that any loss borders upon souls, and upon salvation, the more heavy and sharp is that loss, and with that loss we should be much afflicted and troubled.

Q. But may some say, why all this Ado? Why such a cry­ing out & such a laying to heart, such a grieving and mourn­ing, and taking on, and troubling of our selves upon the loss and death of faithful and zealous Prophets? What are they more then other men, For place, for use, for service, that there must be such a stir for them? They are a company of busie and troublesome Fellows, the troublers of Israel.

Sol. So indeed did Ahab speak of gracious and zea­lous Elijah; Ahab (who sold himself to work wicked­ness in the sight of the Lord.) He said thus unto Eli­jah, Art thou he that troubleth Israel? But to let railers go, there are two Reasons to be found in the Text, for a mournful lamentation upon the death of the faithful Ministers or Prophets of God; whereof one respects the people of God, who stood in relation unto them, as children unto a father, and the Prophets stood in rela­tion to them as fathers unto children; and the other Reason respects the publike civil State.

1. In respect of the Relation between Faithful Mi­nisters and a People.

Their Relation is that of Father and Children (my Father, my Father, cries Elisha here) and truly this Re­lation hath in it more of Love, and more of Grief then any other Relation; When Joseph buried Jacob his Father, They mourned with a great, and a very sore Lamen­tation. Gen. 50. 10.

Now every faithful Prophet or Minister of God is a Father unto the Saints or people of God.

[Page 17]1. For Spiritual Generation: under God he is a Spiritual Father, and begets them again by the Gospel; this the Apostle expr [...]sly delivers in several places.

1 Cor. 4. 15. Though you have ten thousand Instructers in Christ, yet have ye not many Fathers: For in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel. He was an Instrument or means used by God for their New-Birth. So Philimon ver. 10. speaking unto him of One­simus, whom (saith Paul there) I have begotten in my Bonds.

2. For loving and tender affection; A Father doth not more love his Natural child, then the faithful Minister doth those whom he hath begotten unto Christ; Take thine only Son Isaac whom thou lovest, said God to Abra­ham, Gen. 22. 2. The Elder unto the Elect Lady and her children, whom I love in the Truth. 2 Joh. 1. So Paul to the Corinthians, Apologizing for himself in not being burdensome unto them, 2 Cor. 11 11. Wherefore? saith he, because I love you not? q. d. Do you think that the want of love in me unto you is the reason of that for­bearance? God knoweth: q. d. God himself who knows all hearts, he doth know that I love you.

Nay, so great is the love of benevolence in a faithful Minister unto his people, That he is contented for a while to delay his own eternal Salvation and Happiness, that he may be a little more helpful and useful unto his people; This prevalent affection you may read expresly in the Apostle Paul.

Philippians 1. 23. I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ, which is far better. (i. e.) For my self.

Verse 24. Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more need­full for you.

[Page 18]Verse 25. And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide, and continue with you all, for your furtherance and joy of faith.

The Apostles difficulty and streight was about his own personal interest, and their common spiritual good. If I die, I shall gain by death, I shall be with Christ: But then you will loose, I must no more be with you, to serve, and further your Faith and Joy: well saith he, I am content, I am willing to live a little lon­ger for the beneficial service of your souls, rather then presently to depart and enjoy my happiness with Christ: O what a love was this?

3. For care and watchfulness; How careful is the Father for his Children? Children are the uncertain comforts, and the certain cares of their parents: and how watchful is the Father for the good of his Chil­dren, and against any evil that they may fall into? They Counsel them, they look after them, they follow them with their tears, and with their many Prayers. This likewise is applied unto the faithful Ministers of God: They do Naturally care for the estate of their People. Philippians 2. 20. As if they were led thereunto by in­ward Bowels, and by a Natural instinct: And they are watchful for them, and over them. Heb. 13. 17. Obey them that have the Rule over you, and submit your selves, for they watch for your souls: Ah Brethren! when you are sleeping, they are watching; when you are minding your Trades, then are they studying your Salvation; when you are following your delights, then are they Mourning and Praying for your Souls: They are caring and watching how to get your hearts changed, how to bring in your souls to Christ, how to get your sins mortified, your Temptations answered, your doubts Re­solved, [Page 19] your Consciences to be setled and comforted: They fear in your fears, and they are troubled in your troubles, they mourn in your sorrows, they rejoyce in your peace, &c.

4. For all the Offices and Duties of a Father: You read in Scripture of the several Duties of a Father. As First, Instruction and Direction. Secondly, Reproof and Correction. Thirdly, Compassion and Comfort. Fourthly, Provision and Expences. In all these doth every Faithful and Zealous Minister of God abundant­ly appear, and put forth himself: He instructs the ig­norant, directs the doubtful, warns and reproves the un­ruly, pitties the weak, comforts those that are cast down, provides food of all sorts for his people, milk for Babes, and meat for those of full Age: Lays out him­self, Heb. 5. 14. 2 Cor 13 11. spends and is spent; lays out all his received Trea­sure, and stock of spiritual goods amongst them; Is grieved if his children walk unworthy of the Gospel, and nothing doth more rejoyce him then to see them walking in the truth, and prospering in Christ; As his first great desire is to match every one of them to Christ, so his next great endeavor is that they may abound with all the fruits of Righteousness which are by Jesus Christ.

Now judge what the loss of such a person is: It is sad to loose such a faithful friend as Jonathan, and such a loving and tender Father as Iacob was; much more sad and heavy is it to loose such a Father whom God hath made an Instrument to Regenerate our Souls, to rescue us from the power of darkness, to bring us unto Jesus Christ, and unto Salvation by him: When a person can say of a Minister, had not the Lord sent such a one, I had (for ought I know) been damned, I had gone on [Page 20] in my sinful cursed ways, and had everlastingly perish­ed: But it pleased the Lord by his Ministry to open mine eyes, and to awaken my conscience, to make me to see my sins, and all my spiritual misery, and to humble and break my heart, and to direct me in the way how my poor soul might be brought in to Christ: Yea, and did work so effectually, that at length I did by faith close with Christ, and since that my soul hath been re­freshed with the joys and comforts of the Holy Ghost: And besides all this, I have received (at several times) special directions for my walking, singular helps against Doubts, Fears, and Temptations, &c. Truly the loss of such a Minister, of such a Father will distress us, will melt us, will make our hearts to mourn and la­ment.

2. In respect of the Publique Civil State.

Unto which Faithful and Zealous Prophets are the Charet of Israel, and the Horsemen thereof; Some Render the words, Currus Israelis & militia ejus.

Faithful and Zealous Drophets of God are useful, and serviceable: Not only for the spiritual estate of mens Souls, but also for the Temporal Interest of a Ci­vil State; Micah said, Now I know that the Lord will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my Priest. I dare confi­dently Judg. 17. 13. affirm that the Faithful Ministers of God are so far from being a Curse and Detriment unto a Nation, that they are a blessing unto it, and a strength and safety unto it; Nay, let me speak truly, They are of more strength and safety then all Charets and Horsmen.

There is (I confess) some strength unto a people by them, & so there is some strength unto a people by wise Counsellors, and so there is some strength unto a peo­ple by Unity and Concord at home, and so there is [Page 21] some strength by confederations abroad: but the chiefest strength of a state (under God) lies in Faith­ful and Zealous Prophets, and in Faithful and Godly persons.

Quest. You will say, how can this be? what are they but a company of weak men? and (commonly) despised men? what good can they do to a Civil State, or for it?

Sol. It is granted they are but weak men, and they are despised men in the world: yet it was the poor man (whom no man remembred) who did by his wisdom Eccle. 9 16. deliver the City: And you read that by a Prophet the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a Prophet was he Hos. 12. 13. preserved: But I shall by a few Arguments demonstrate that the faithful and zealous Ministers of God are the greatest strength and safety unto a Nation.

1. There is no greater strength and safety for a peo­ple then this, that God owns them, and God is pre­sent Rom. 8. 31. with them: The greatest people on earth are no­thing if the Lord leaves them, and departs from them: Therefore said Moses unto the Lord, If thy presence goes Exo. 33. 15. not with us, carry us not hence. q. d. Lord! We are no­thing without thy presence, we cannot be a sufficiency to our selves, nor a safety to our selves at all: Thy presence is all in all, to us, and for us.

But the faithful and zealous Prophets (or Ministers) of God, are a special means of Gods presence with a people, which may thus appear.

1. They are a means to ingage a people unto God, to bring their hearts unto him, and to acknowledge and own him onely; you read this in Elijah, who brought back the hearts of the people of Israel unto the Lord, 1 King 18. 37 3 [...] and they cryed out, The Lord is God, the Lord is God.

2. They are a means to keep the worship of God and his Ordinances pure, and remember this, that as [Page 22] long as a people do own God, and as long as his wor­ship and Ordinances are preserved pure amongst them, so long God is present with them, who is their onely rock and safety.

2. They are the special Instruments which God doth use to keep a people from sin, and to bring them unto Repentance in case of sinning: They warn and threaten them from the Lord, and testifie and cry aloud against their transgressions, and will not suffer them to go on in wickedness, but strive with them, and exhort them daily, and press upon them all sorts of Argu­ments (from Judgements and mercies) to cease to do evil, and to learn to do well, to forsake their evil ways, and to turn to the Lord▪ this we find in Scripture, and this we find in experience, and therefore they are the most eminent means of safety unto a people.

Beloved, they are our sins (and they onely are) the fountains of all our miseries; our sinful evils brings up­on us all our miserable evils; Thy ways and thy do­ings have procured these things unto thee, this is thy wickedness (i. e.) the fruit and effect thereof. Jer. 4. 18.

And if sins be removed, then miseries are remo­ved, and all danger is over: God is again wel-pleased, and returns with loving kindness, and much prospe­rity unto a people, as you may read in the times of the Judges, and of the Kings.

3. They are the choisest Instruments which God doth use to teach a people his will and ways; by them doth God make known his Laws and Statutes, and 1 Sam. 12. 23. I will teach you the good, and the right way. ways; This is the way, walk ye in it; In these pathes you shall find rest unto your souls: and by them doth God keep a people in his ways, they are the Instru­ments used by God to keep a people upright and sted­fast in walking before him.

[Page 23]And this is a peoples strength and safety: Gods ways (and none but his) are wayes of safety, while a people walks in his ways, he will be their sun and shield, their rock and strength, their God, and their salvation.

4. They are of singular use and benefit to the lead­ers of a people (if they will receive such among them) the faithfull Prophets of God have been a means to convert wicked Governours, and to keep others of them right in the ways of God; you read of Iehoash, that he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, all his dayes; wherein Iehoida the Priest instructed him: See of what excellent use that good man was unto Je­hoash. 2 King. 12. 2.

There are none who will deal with the Governours of a people so plainly, so conscientiously, so seriously, so earnestly, as the faithfull Prophets of God: They will speak to them, when none else dare speak to them; they will tell them of their sins, as well as their inferiours; they will make known unto them all the mind and will of God concerning them; they will put them upon the power and practice of Godliness, as well as others, nay, more then others; they will stir up their hearts to be zealous for God, and his truth, and his ways, and not to suffer any provoca­tion of God in the Land.

Now this comes to be of great strength and safety to a people: As a peoples misery lies very much in the iniquity of Rulers, so a peoples happiness lies much in the godliness of their Rulers; if the Judgements of Rulers are right in the things of God, if their hearts do indeed love God, if they themselves do make con­science to walk in the ways of God, if they once come to be tender of the honour of God, and will own [Page 24] and encourage the power and pract [...] of Godliness: why such Rulers are a singular blessing unto a people, and they are a means of manifold blessings unto them: And the [...]efore faithful and zealous Prophets are an emi­nent strength and safety to a Nation, who are special helps for all those gracious Qualities in such as do Go­vern a Nation.

5. I might add one thing more to demonstrate the assertion, and that is this; Faithful Prophets are much in prayer for a Civil State; and their prayers are very 1 Sam 7. 5. 9. 2. prevailing with God: Said Samuel, Gather all Israel to­gether to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the Lord: And he cried unto the Lord for Israel, and the Lord heard him. His prayer was a means to discomfit the Host of the Philist [...]s: so when there was a great drought in the Land of Israel, that it was like to perish, Elijah prayed, Jam. 5. 18. and the heavens gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruits: His prayer was a means to preserve the Land: many more instances might be given, but I must hasten to the Application of all this unto our selves.

Is the death and loss of any one faithful and zealous Use. 1. Prophet of God, a just cause of grief and lamentation? Then what sad thoughts, and melting affections should take us up for the death and loss of many eminently faithful and zealous Prophets of God? We have (of Doctor Hill. Mr. Wilson.. Mr. Whitaker, &c. late) lost many precious Servants of Christ, many faith­ful laborers in his vine-yard, I fear that we have not laid those losses to heart; that may be affirmed of most of us, which is spoken in Isa. 57. 1. The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart, and merciful men are taken away, and no man considereth that the righteous are taken away from the evil to come.

There are (unto me) yet four sad presages of some fu­ture evil, and they are;

• [Page 25]1. The great Indifferency about the great Truths of Christ.
• 2. The great want of the power of Godliness in the Land: superstition and prophaneness still abounding.
• 3. The great contempt of the Ministers of the Go­spel.
• 4. The great Inconsideration of the death of so ma­ny choice Prophets and Servants of God: To many persons their life is a burden, and their death is a rejoyce­ing.

When Metullus heard of the death of Scipio Afri­canus, he ran out into the publick Forum, or Market­place, and cryed out, O Citizens, come ye forth, and con­sult Concurrite cives, [...]bis vestrae moenia corruerunt. what is to be done, for the walls of your City are fallen down: Surely there is matter of deep thoughts, and sad afflictions in these solemn dispensations of God of late. For an Husband-man to pull out the weeds in the Gar­den, this is nothing: But for him to pluck up the Flowers, and the choice Plants, there is something in this: for him to take away the rotten Hedge, this is no­thing, but to break down the walls about the Vine-yard, there is something in this. To take off a Tile from the top of the house, it is nothing, O but to take away the Pillars, there is some great change now indeed. We read that when Noah (that Preacher of righteousness) was taken into the Ark, then the flood followed; seldom doth God gather his Prophets by clusters (as it were) but there is some great evil neer unto a people: never­theless [Page 26] people (generally) are secure, and stupid, and foolish, though God smites them in one of the choicest blessings which he vouchsafes to the Sons of men.

They see loss upon loss, and death upon death; here a Minister dead, and there a Minister carried to his grave, and usually this is all the fruits of it; Is such a one dead? and I pray you how long was he sick? and whereof did he dye? and what hath he left his poor wife and chil­dren? It is great pitty, the man was an honest man, and preacht well; and here is all.

Now to such careless, and cold, and dull persons (especially if any such have had any reference unto faithful and laborious Ministers) who can thus slightly pass over the death of their Pastors, I have four things to say.

1. It is a sign that you never truly loved their per­sons; No, no, for all your complements, and for all your pretences, yet you never truly loved them; of all affecti­ons, love is most apprehensive and sensible. If it enjoyes, there is much delight: If it looseth, there is much sor­row: love is very sensible of what it enjoyes, and of what it looses.

2. It is a sign that you never prized them in their Mi­nistry: if you make no more of them being dead, cer­tainly you made little of them being living: Affections do most appear and discover themselves upon death: absence, and difficulties, and oppositions, and death, these are tryals and discoveries of true love, and there­fore if you can so slightly bear the loss of your faithful [Page 27] Ministers, assuredly you never knew the worth and use of them, as Ministers of Christ.

3. It is a sign that you never received any Spiritual good by them at all: If you had done so, your hearts would have been knit unto them in life, and at least have shed a tear for them in death.

Their death would presently call up all those heaven­ly counsels, and all those seasonable directions, and all those spiritual satisfactions, and all those sweet comforts of God, which you by them did receive: At such a time I remember how he thus spake, and at such a Sermon, and at such a meeting, and in such a conference; and now I shall never see him more, nor confer with him more: The heart would melt to think of these things.

4. It is a sign that God hath in Judgement taken away your faithful Ministers from you, even for your want of love to the Truth, and for your slighting and negle­cting the means of Grace, for which you must give a se­vere account unto God.

And let me tell you, that so many faithful Ministers as you have heard, and so many heavenly Sermons as you have heard, (or should have heard) the more heavy will the account be unto God, and the more dreadful will Gods Judgements be upon you for your unthank­fulness and unprofitableness: I grant that the Prophets dye, but remember, that a peoples accounts for the pains and labours of those Prophets never die, but do re­main upon Record as a witness against you.

The next use shall be an Item unto all of us here this Use. 2. day, and more especially to them who are particularly [Page 28] interessed in our great loss; That they would in a singu­lar manner lay to heart this great breach which God hath made and this great loss which hath suddenly, and unexpectedly befallen us! Ah Sirs, Who that saw and heard that precious Minister of Christ, the beginning of the last week, did think to hear of his death towards the latter end of the same week? who that heard him preaching of laying up Treasure in heaven, did imagine that such a treasure should be taken away from earth, and himself (so suddenly) be laid up in heaven!

Alas! For me to speak of this Prophet, and of one common loss, of the many losses in this one loss; truly I am not fit, I am not able, because I knew him much, and honored him much, and loved him much: only this I will say of him; That one so plain in heart, so deep in judgement, so painful in studies, so frequent and powerful, and exact in preaching, so laborious with, and useful to his Congregation, so able to convince the Gain▪ sayer, so zealous in contending for the truths of Christ, so fit for all Ministerial services, (besides his Personal and Domestical course of Godliness) of his time, I have not known the like.

Really, he was another Elijah; let me a little compare them: How zealous was Elijah against the false Pro­phets of Baal? How laborious was Elijah to bring back the people of Israel to the true God, and to the true wor­ship of God? How stout and resolute was Elijah in de­livering the Message of God, even to the face of King Ahab? How quick was he with Ahaziah for sending messengers unto Baalzebub the God of Ekron? How fer­vent and potent in prayer? How diligently laborious to his dying day? How suddain was his remove and de­partute? [Page 29] All this Spirit, and much more then this of the Spirit of Elijah was found in him.

Now if you do but consider what eminent Gifts and Graces appeared in him, and how seriously, and humbly, and dexteriously these were laid out for the glory of Christ, and for the service and benefit of the Church of Christ, we have cause in the loss of such a Prophet to cry out, My Father, my Father; The Charet of Israel, and the Horsemen thereof.

But I will speak no more of him, nor to you of him; his death I see hath made a general and deep Impression Use. 3. upon your hearts: All that remains to be spoken, shall be unto you his Hearers, and especially unto you his late Congregation, there are four things which I would brief­ly offer unto you.

1. Grieve in a Spiritual way, and upon Spiritual con­siderations, that God hath deprived you of such a Spiri­tual Pastor, and Helper, and Comforter.

2. Remember and lay up those soul-saving Truths which you have so often heard from him, and wisely improve them, in all your occasions: when Elijah was wrapt up to heaven, Elisha took up the cloak which fell from him, and made use thereof: O take up all those gracious Instructions which fell from him in his life, and make use of them now after his death, keep them alive, and so you shall find him still living.

3. Hold fast that form of wholsom words by him from Christ delivered unto you; and as you have received, so walk in them, let not your stedfastness dye, now he is dead.

[Page 30]4. Most humbly and earnestly strive with the Lord, by Fasting and Prayer, that seeing it is his will to take away Elijah from you, that he would be pleased in his love and mercy to give unto you an Elisha in his room.