To the Ministers in this Reformation, both in the County of KENT, and elsewhere in the Kingdome, who have not yet laid down the mixtures and superstitious formes in the pure worship of GOD.
SOme of you know the meetings we have had with this deceased Brother, and the purpose still of all our disputings, as your selves well know, ended only in this, that you would lay by the formes in practise, and strengthen the hands of our godly brethren in the Reformation, but we could not prevaile upon you, either our Arguments were too weak, or your corruptions too strong; my fellow Ministers in these Arguments were Mr. Sheifield of Turnbridge in Kent, Mr. Marshall Minister, Mr. Steed Minister in the same County, godly and faithfull men, but now you may heare an Argument stronger then ours, the words of your dying brother, which I had concealed from the world, had not the Lord sent down a beam from heaven into the deceased, to give testimony against these mixtures, and corrupt formes, And what am I that I should withstand God? And here I am sorry that you were not present to have seen and heard, you might have seen one whom you knew well, speaking with a power more then his own, For it was not he that spoke, but our heavenly Father which spoke in him: you might have seen the picture of one in another world, a copy of the Resurrection, as if God had raised him from the grave to bear witnesse unto the truth: you might have heard such expressions as are not to be heard from Pulpits, words that were spirited more then ordinary, as one having authority, and not as the Scribes, and here I shall repeat them, but that heavenly accent they had from him, I cannot: my prayer is, that this paper may breath out his last speeches so effectually to the world, that all (but those, whom neither the Arguments of the living nor dying can convince) may be perswaded to go to the fountain of living waters, and only to him who hath the words of eternall life.
[Page 1] His sicknesse at first was rather an indisposition of body, yet it weakened him in a little time, and prevailed every day upon him, he had some better dayes, which he thought to be symptomes of recovery, I did visit him sometimes, and I found God had sanctified his sicknesse, and he cast out some words to me of improving himself more in the wayes of God, and the power of godlinesse; on the last day of his sicknesse I went to see him by meer a Providence, & found him in bed, he was slumbering, and when I spoke to him, he returned me this answer, That he had called for a blessing, and now would apply himself to rest, for he thought the danger of his feaver was over, so I left him for that time, but I had not been an houre from him, when word came to me that he called for me, when I came, I found him sate up in the bed, and speaking very strongly, his understanding clear and apprehensive, his memory firm and faithfull, his senses active and waking, his speech sounding not like a voice in this world, and thus he spake in the presence of divers:
Master Kayes his severall speeches.
YOu see here a dying man, I know I must die, I shall only live till morning, you may conceive what you will, but it is all in vain, I shall continue thus as you see me till morning, but I shall then die, oh, I shall go down to the grave and be no more, oh, I shall die, I shall go to the earth, I am not here to live, let me die, oh my sins are great, oh Lord Jesus receive me, Justice sayes, smite, Mercy sayes, no; my delights and pleasures in the week day soon wasted what I had thought on in the Lords day, and resolved; I resolved, if God had spared me life, to have gone on in a more holy way then I have done; I have not gone on throughly with the word of God, if the Lord had spared me life, I would have shewed them the grounds; I trusted too much to my own memory, I have not used the communion of Saints here; but Lord thou hast many to save, thou mayest cast me off as a poor stinking Goat, but Jesus Christ is willing to receive those that come to him, but I have no full assurance yet; but what do I talk of conscience, a poor vile wretch as I am? Yet Christ Jesus the righteous he is willing to receive.
I had resolved to have gone on in the power of godlinesse, and have laid the foundation of godlinesse, but God hath cut off my thread of life, and I shall be no more: but now Satan is vanquished, the blood of Jesus [Page 2] Christ hath drownd my sins, and will swallow them up, God doth hold in my soul yet, free grace, nothing but Iesus Christ, my soul shall rest with the spirits of just men: I have loved Disputes that did not profit, now the daughters of musick cease, and they that look out of the windows begin to grow dark.
Wife reade the Scriptures more, [...]. I have put them off sometimes; do not use your fathers forms, go on in the power of godlinesse, nothing but the power of godlinesse: Master Salmarsh, I desire not the pomp of a funerall Sermon, but that you will tell my people of the power of godlinesse, and stir them up, and quicken them to it: see that a godly and faithfull Pastour come after me, and that he come in the rightway.
Divers prayers he intermingled with these speeches, and he prayed with me, and at the last prayer made with him, he said, my soul is exceedingly comforted: the Lord hath spared my life to be comforted thus in prayer; here I left him resting, and towards morning he drew neerer the grave, and said to some about him, they would not let him go the right way: but would have him on the left hand to heaven, (a good warning to some then neer him, who may do well to observe it) and come up more to the Power of godlinesse, then they do, and about day he died, that very time he had told on so much, having assured both himself and us all of his death, about that hour.
Observations.
I shall observe some few things concerning him and his speeches.
In the beginning of his weaknesse he left off the formes of Common prayer he used, more then before, whence I observe, these mixtures in the worship of God must needs be uncomfortable and unwarrantable, which dare not abide the triall of a grave.
II. He used but little of these formes of late, for he had almost layd them by before his sicknesse, and yet so much as he used was a burthen, now we may observe, that it is no dallying nor trifling in the worship of God, and the least mixtures will be thorns and briers in the conscience of a tender Christian, when he gives up his accompt, little sinnes will be great ones at that day.
III. He spoke still in the assurance and full perswas [...]on of his death, [Page 3] and the time of it, an evidence not ordinary to departing souls, as if God had raised him up higher then others to see his grave, and to argue from heaven for the power of godlinesse.
IIII. His speeches carried a strength and spirit in them more then naturall, and deeply pierced the better affected that were present, and could not but convince the other, We may observe that the children of God the neerer they come to Glory, the more of it they take in, and their last breathings are purest and strongest.
V. The time of his perswasion that he should die was after the slumbers he had: Thus God did as it were awaken him from another world, and truly all the words that he spake were me thought like the words of one that had ingaged himself to dye, when he had reported something he had to say from God▪ to the world.
VI. In the first part of his speech he sadly and passionately spake of his dying, and his certain going down to the grave about the morning, or very time he departed, we may observe that the revelations of God concerning his purposes and decrees are unchangeable, and have their just accomplishment, in the things he foretells.
VII. In the next passages of his speech you may see his spirituall conflict with sinne and sathan, Iustice sayes smite, mercy sayes no, And here his words were like the words of one that had seen a vision of the attributes of God, of his justice and mercy pleading for him, and his carriage was like one that had looked onto see the issue of that glorious pleading in Heaven for a poor soul; and here I observe further, that while we are in this body of sinne, justice will sparkle into the soul, that mercy and free grace may be more exalted, and thouh there be no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, yet the soul stands not alwayes in so clear a view of this free justification, we see but in part, and darkly as in a glasse.
VIII. In his spirituall conflict we may observe by the interminglings of fears and comforts, that God will have the souls of his to see what he could do against sinne, and what in justice they might expect, and yet in all these he holds forth so much of Christ, as may bear up the soul, and their comforts and faith work still higher then their feares and doubtings, as we observe in his speeches, for the free grace of Chr [...] [...]d his assurance in that, kept him above all.
[Page 4] IX. In his reasonings he had with his own actions, he could not find in the best of them any thing he could make up a soul cordiall on, for speaking of conscience, oh sayes he, but what do I speak of conscience? and thus he threw off his own righteousnesse as a menstruous cloath, and nothing would hold out to him but free grace, and Christ Iesus, there only he grasped and held, as you may see in his expressions.
X. He was sorry that he lived not to perfect some holy resolutions in his ministery in the Power of godlinesse, We may observe that when good purposes are kept too long at home, God lets them not stirre abroad when they would, it is good performing while it is in the power of the hand to do it.
XI. He was much grieved that he sought no more the Communion of Saiats (as he sayes) here below, we may see that the neerer any soul draws to the communion above, the more they see into the precious societie of the Saints below, and the communion here, and we see it is a comfort to a soul that they can be here in the Kingdom of grace, with those, with whom hereafter they shall be in the Kingdom of glory, this would be well observed by those who account slightly of godly meetings, or cast notions of Scandall, or Conventicle upon them.
XII. It grieved him that he spent time in disputes that did not profit, when the soul is preparing for another world, no other thing can give it any proportionable comfort, but something that hath more communion with glory, the purest and highest learning and reasonings are but vanity and vexation of spirit, the soul that is for Heaven finds no advantage in any thing, but what hath the Power of God in it to salvation.
XIII. His speeches did much tend to the advancing the Power of godlinesse in his ministery, if God did restore him, we may observe, that the emptinesse of mans inventions in the worship of God are then only discerned to be emptinesse and folly, when the soul is neerest God, and most spirituall, no wonder that mixtures and formes of men in the ordinances of God are so little discerned by so many Neuters and Malignants, for the more carnall they are, the darker is their judgement in the things of God, he that is spirituall only discerneth.
[Page 5] XIV. He spoke against the formes of his father in Law, who it seemes is not now of so pure a practice in worship; who can desire a stronger evidence next to Scripture, then the judgement of a Divine whose learning was now more gloriously sanctified, from the immediate light of God, to a clearer discerning; though carnall reasons may plead strongly for mixtures and corrupt formes, yet when Heaven opens to convince the soul, and to argue against them, which of them or their Abettors are able to appear against such an argument, and mighty evidence.
XV. He spoke against not coming in the right way into Benefices, which corrupt Patrons, and Ministers, that are as easie to give, as the other to take, may do well to observe, and all such who come in by other wayes of contract, or bargain, or marriage Symony.
I observe the severall expressions in his speeches give a clear and undeniable testimony to these Scriptures.
I. His certain perswasion of his death, and the very time, to this Scripture. Joel 2. 28. I will power my spirit upon all flesh, and your sonnes and your daughters shall prophesie, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions.
II. His conflicts with sinne and Sathan, to this Scripture, Ephes. 6. 12, 13. we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the darknesse of this world, against spirituall wickednesse in high places, wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evill day.
III. His doubtings and fears, to this Scripture, Philip. 2. 12. work out your salvation with fear and trembling.
IV. His overcoming temptations through free grace in Christ Iesus when he thought himself vildest, to this scripture, Zach. 3. 1, 2, 3, 4. And he shewed me Joshua the high Priest standing before the Angell of the Lord, and sathan standing at his right hand to resist him, and the Lord said unto sathan, the Lord rebuke the oh sathan, now Ioshua was cloathed with filthy garments, and stood before the Angell, and he answered and spoke unto those that stood before him, saying, take away the filthy garments from him, and to him he said, behold I have caused thine iniquity to passe from thee, and I will cloath thee with change of raiment.
[Page 6] V. His renouncing his own best actions as filthy and not to be rested, on to this scripture. Rom. 3. 20, 21, 22. therefore by the deeds of the Law, there shall no flesh be justified in his sight, but now the righteousnesse of the Law is made manifest even the righteousnesse of God, which is by faith of Iesus Christ unto all, and upon all them that beleeve.
VI. His being sorry that he lived not to perfect his better resolutions in his ministery for advancing the Power of godlinesse, to this scripture, Ecclesiast. 12. 1. Remember now thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth, while the evill dayes come not, nor the [...]eeres draw nigh when thou shalt say, J have no pleasure in them.
VII. His sorrow for not enjoying more the Communion of Saints here below, to these scriptures. Act. 2. Psal 119. 63. and they continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and fellowship, and all that beleeved were together: I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.
VIII. His grief that he spent time in any disputes that did not profit, to these scriptures, Tit. 3. 9. Coloss. 2. 8. but avoid foolish questions and genealogies, and contentions and strivings about the Law, for they are unprofitable, and vaine, beware lest any man spoyle you through philosophy and vain deceit after the traditions of men, and not after Christ.
IX. His speaking against the corrupt formes and mixtures in worship, and in particular, by the name of one that used them formerly, to this scripture. 1 Tim. 6. 3, 5. if any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words even the words of our Lord Iesus Christ, and to the Doctrine which is according to godlinesse, from such withdraw thy self.
His speaking against not coming in the right way of coming into livings, to this Scripture, Iohn 10. 1. He that entreth not by the doore into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a theef and a robber.
Conclusion.
1. You have the summe of the passages of his life, in that short time of his going to his long home, there are two circumstances most eminent in this, the Power he spake in, and the evidence of his death, and these two make all the rest that he delivered more observable, the use I have made of it is this, a revealing an heavenly Testimony against mixtures in worship, which I durst not conceale.
2. An application of it to those who are of a judgement, that such things are indifferent in the Ordinance of God.
3. That some soul secrets might be seen and better studied and observed.
4. That the judgement of one so enlightned and inspired, concerning these things, might be consulted with more by those that are carnally and superstitiously minded.
5. To justifie the truth of certain Scriptures, against carelesse and Atheisticall souls that either regard not, or beleeve not.
6. To preserve the memory of a deceased brother, whose Piety and Learning were commendable in his life, but in his death incomparable.
And to satisfie the desire of some eminent in the assembly, who presumed it of publike use, through Gods blessing.