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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A29663	A sermon at the funeral of the Worshipful John Symonds, late of Great Yeldham in the county of Essex, Esq. preached in the parish-church of Great Yeldham aforesaid on the 24th of February, 1692, by John Brooke ... ; with a short account of his life.	Brooke, John, 1633 or 4-1716?	1693 (1693)	Wing B4906; ESTC R12467	25,737	32

A SERMON AT THE FUNERAL Of the Worshipful Iohn Symonds Late of Great Yeldham in the County of Essex Esq Preached in the Parish-Church of Great Yeldham aforesaid on the 24th of February 1692. By John Brooke A. M. and Rector there With a short Account of his Life Imprimatur Guil. Lancaster R. P. D. Hen. Ep. Lond. a Sacris Domest May 25. 1693. London Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside 1693. To my Much Honoured very worthy Friend Mris JANE SYMONDS Widow OF THE Worshipful John Symonds late of Great Yeldham in the County of Essex Esq Good Madam WE live in an Age wherein the Belief of a future state and of the happy condition of Good Men in the other World is it s to be feared very weak and much decayed amongst many and wherein the good Examples of such as mind this Future Life and live in order to it are too rare and thin I hope therefore that it will not be thought Unseasonable by any at this time of day to set forth a short Discourse to establish us in the one and to help us to a view of the other and that is the principal designe of this SERMON Which for the Substance of it was first Preached and now upon Your Request comes Forth with some Enlargements which the straitness of the time then allotted would not permit me to insist on Such as it is it is wholly devoted to the Churches and to Your Service And that it may be of use to support You under your great Loss and to induce such as shall Read it to Believe what is here Asserted and to Live thereafter by Imitating the Good Example that is here given them is and shall be the hearty Prayer of MADAM Your very humble and most devoted Servant Jo. Brooke Text. REV. 14.13 And I heard a Voice from Heaven saying unto me Write Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their Labours and their Works follow them THIS Book is stiled the Revelation of John the Divine which hints to us both the Author and the Nature of the Book 1. The Author viz. The Apostle and Evangelist St. John that beloved disciple of our Lord who leaned on his bosome when he eat his last Supper as we read John 13.23 and he is stiled here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Divine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of special emphasis because like an Eagle the usual emblem that is given him which soars higher than other Birds and looks upon the rayes of the Sun with undazled eyes as the naturalist observes he soared aloft and writ more sublimely of the Son of Righteousness of the Divinity of Christ in this and in his other Books than any other of the Evangelists did Pareus tells us that he finds no less than 48 Arguments for the divinity of Christ in this very Book therefore well might he be stiled the Divine since he writ so divinely of his Lord and Master 2. The Nature of the Book is shewed also by the Title and so it is termed a Revelation so called because it reveals and makes known as many hidden mysteries so many future events which should happen to and befall the Churches of Christ in after Ages The Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto John to shew unto his servants things that must shortly come to pass as you have it in Chap. 1. Ver. 1. 'T is true indeed this Revelation is not without a mixture of much intricacy and obscurity Tot habet Sacramenta quot verba saith St. Jerom It hath almost as many Mysteries as words The greatest part of it is Prophetical a prophesy of future events of what should happen in after Ages 'till the end of the world And all prophesies are difficult and hard to be understood 'till they are fulfilled till the time comes when the things foretold or prophesied of take effect Hence the wisest and most learned of Divines have been very much puzled and gravel'd in their Explanations and Expositions of it and after all their profoundest studies and most serious Enquiries have confessed That there are many knots here which they could never unty many depths which they could never yet dive into many mysteries which they could never unfold But as the greatest Rivers so the most mysterious Books of Scripture run not in the same continued depth though in some places they can scarce be sounded yet in other places they shew their bottoms And thus even thus it is with this mysterious book of the R●velations In some places as 't is usually observed of it an Elephant may swim in others a Lamb may wade some things are laid down so mystically in such dark prophesies and abstruse Visions as that the judgment of the Wisest may be much tried and exercised therein yea often over-power'd and nonpluss'd And some things are laid down so plainly and familiarly as that the infirmities of the weakest may be much succoured and assisted The one is done as one observes to prevent contempt the other to anticipate discouragement Of the latter sort is my Text in which we have Two things considerable 1. A positive and plain assertion touching the happy estate of such as die in the Lord Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord henceforth 2. A strong confirmation of this assertion in the remainder of the Text I heard a Voice from Heaven saying Write yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their Labours and their Works f●llow them I shall take these in their order and accordingly begin with the first of these generals viz. 1. The Assertion here laid down touching the happy estate of such as die in the Lord in these words of my Text Blessed are the Dead that die in the Lord henceforth In which we have Two things further considerable 1. The subjects of this Blessedness and they are said to be The Dead that die in the Lord. 2. The time whence this Blessedness doth in a more especial manner commence Henceforth 1. Then we have h●re the subjects of this Blessedness and they are said to be The Dead that die in the Lord. 1. The Dead to understand which we must know that there is a threefold Death A corporal or natural death which consisteth in the separation of the soul from the body for a time A spiritual death which consisteth in the separation of the soul from Gods gracious presence from his love and favour in this world An eternal death which consisteth in the separation of the soul and indeed of the whole man from Gods glorious presence for ever in the other world The first of these is here understood the Dead that is such as are corporally dead whose souls are separated from their bodies for a time not that all such are blessed in the other world more by far of such it 's to be feared are rather miserable there than

blessed for straight is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to everlasting life and few there be that find it as our Saviour tells us few alas in comparison of those that miss of it but that such of those dead are happy or blessed that die in the Lord which is the second thing to be opened viz. what it is to die in the Lord And there is some variety amongst Expositors about the interpretation of this phrase Some there are that tell us that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put here for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that to die in the Lord in this place is to die propter Dominum or Domini causa for the Lord or in the Lords cause in defence of his Truth against Antichrist as the Holy Martyrs did and they quote several parallel places of Scriptures where the phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Lord is to be so taken to confirm what they say as Rom. 16.12 and Ephes 4.1 and do moreover alledge the context and the occasion of these words for this sence of them Others there are that take these words in their proper sence as not confined to the martyrs only to such as die for the cause of Christ and do seal his Truth with their Blood but as belonging to all that die in the faith and fear of the Lord and so to die in the Lord with them is to die in his faith and fear in his love and favour as all good men do and they do quote also several places of Scripture to confirm this sence of theirs where this phraze is so used as Rom. 16.7 salute Andronicus and Junia which were in the Lord before me saith St. Paul that is which were believers which were in the faith before him 1 Thes 4.14 If we believe that Jesus died and rose again even so them also which sleep in Jesus i. e. which die in Jesus will God bring with him and to mention no more places to this purpose see Ver 16. of the same Chap. The Lord hims●lf saith the Apostle shall descend from Heaven with a shout wi●h the voice of the Arch-Angel and with the Trumpet of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first the dead in Christ i. e. those that die in the faith of Christ as all true believers do interested in him in his love and favour The words in my Text may be taken I humbly conceive in both these Senses and though possibly the first sense given of them may be primarily intended in it yet the second is in no sort to be excluded for though the Martyrs and such as die for the truth and cause of Christ may have the greatest share in this blessedness as being most capacitated for it and most deserving of it yet such as die in the faith and fear of Christ as all good men do are blessed as well as they and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab hoc tempore henceforth as we render the Original which brings me to the second thing observable in my first general viz. 2. The circumstance of time whence this blessedness doth in a more especial manner commence comprized in this word henceforth Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord henceforth Not but that the dead that died in the Lord were blessed before this time alwaies blessed and that too from the very first moment of their dying whatever the Papists talk to the contrary in defence of their Purgatory and Limbus Patrum but that they were so now in an especial manner when this Book I mean of the Revelations was written in that they would by this means be as it were housed and secured from that severe storm of persecution which then hung over the Church of Christ and which was to be raised by the Beast and Antichrist against the saints and servants of God but so much shall suffice for the explication of the first thing observable in my Text the Assertion here laid down touching the happy estate and condition of such as die in the Lord in these words of it blessed are the dead that die in the Lord henceforth I come now to the Second general viz. 2. To the Confirmation of this Assertion in the remainder of my Text and we have it confirmed to us Three wayes 1. By a voice from Heaven I heard a voice from Heaven saying unto me Write Blessed are the Dead c. 2. By the Testimony of the Holy Spirit upon the earth Yea saith the Spirit 3. By the reason of the thing or the ends that are given here why good men die That they may rest from their Labours and that their Works may follow them 1. Then we have this assertion here confirmed by a voice from Heaven I heard a voice from Heaven saying unto me write Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord henceforth We read in the Scriptures of several Voices that have been heard from Heaven to confirm us in the Principles of our Religion and in the Articles of our Creed The voice heard from Heaven by St. John in my Text was to Confirm him and us in the last Article of our Creed touching the Happiness of the dead and the glorious estate of the triumphant Church in the life to come and what greater confirmation can we desire to establish us in any truth than a voice from Heaven since a voice from Heaven tells us that the dead that die in the Lord are blessed we have no reason in the world to doubt of it For who can know who are in Heaven and what is the estate and condition of those that are there better than those that are in Heaven or have come from thence as this voice did we have no better way to know what is done in China or in the East-indies or how happy the Inhabitants of those Countreys are Than by talking with one that hath been in those parts or is come from thence we have no better way to know what is done in Heaven and how happy they are that are got thither than by talking with and hearing of those that live there or have come from thence and therfore I say since the blessedness of those that die in the Lord hath been confirmed to us by a voice from Heaven we have all the reason in the world to believe it But then 2. We have this truth confirmed to us as by a voice from heaven so also by the testimony of the holy spirit upon earth I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord henceforth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea saith the Spirit viz. the Divine Spirit or the Holy Ghost as the word Spirit doth often import in this Book and in other Books of the sacred Scriptures as if the voice or he that uttered the voice had said to St. John 't is not only I who am but possibly an Angel a fellow-creature of thine a bare messenger sent from Heaven to

been well informed to retire Morning and Evening notwithstanding that croud of business which he had Generally upon his Hands to his Closet or Study for his private Devotions as firmly believing what our Saviour saith that such as Pray in secret shall be rewarded openly And as he was thus careful and diligent in the first place to serve God in a Religious way So was he also 2. To serve his King and Country in a Civil way He was indeed a Gentleman that hated Idleness and loved Business and seemed to delight in nothing more than how he might be useful and serviceable to God in his Generation Look as God had well fitted him for publick imployment so he delighted in it And would Ordinarily Balk no pains nor charges to promote the publick good and to serve his Countrey Witness the great Expences the many tedious and dangerous Journeys which he made for many Years together to that end those especially which he made to Braintree to quiet the people and to provide for the Poor there When that Town was so sorely visited with the Sickness and when few or no other Justices durst venture themselves amongst them He was a Gentleman that it may be hath been as useful and as serviceable to this Hundred yea indeed to the whole County ever since he was Justice of the Peace Which is nigh now 30. Years ago as most in it and poss●bly may be as much missed This Parish I am sure and the Neighbouring Parishes Yea the whole Division who always had free and easie access to him for Justice for advise in all dubious cases will much miss him As also will the Poor round about us for his daily Dole and Charity He was a sound Protestant and had more than an Ordinary Zeal against Popery and for the reformed Religion and did much pitty those that suffered for it Witness his Charity to and most kind reception of worthy Mr. Schamiere one of the French persecuted Ministers into his House Who I am confident too might have been with him to this very day had not God by Death took him to a better place He was a Gentleman that did much and often bewail the many differences and divisions that are amongst us especially in the Church and though he were himselfe a true Church-Man Yet he had a great deal of Candour and Christian Charity for all that differed from him so be they did but live well and carried themselves Honestly and Peaceably He was one too that had a great sense of the Worth of Learning and of the great necessity of the good Education of Youth and therefore was resolved as he told me often this Summer if God spared his life to repair our School and had lately purchased Lands to the value of 16 l. per Annum to which I believe he would have added more too if he had lived to endow it with for the incouragement of a Master which I hope his Worthy Executors and Relations will see performed And though the Poor not only of this place but of all places round about us did continually partake of his great Bounty and Charity whiles he lived yet was he not unmindful of them when he dyed but gave in his Will not only Legacies to the Poor of this Parish but also to the Poor of two other of the Neighbouring Parishes besides that considerable Dole which was given by his Executors to all the Poor that came to his Funeral In short he was I am very confident a very good Man as to the main a great Hater of all Vice and Immorality a true Lover of all Vertue and Goodness an Understanding Magistrate a Faithful Counsellor a Loyal Subject a True Friend a Loving Husband a Kind Master a Merciful Landlord and in a word all I hope a very Sound and Serious Christian It pleased God indeed for these two years last past to visit him with much sickness and weakness but he gave him withal much Patience and Submissiveness of Spirit I never heard that there fell any word from his lips that did bewray the least discontent or impatience but his mouth was full of submissive and Heavenly Expressions under his greatest Pains and Agonies yea when his Pains and Weaknesses were very great as they were lateward and his Strength small yet he seemed to bear all with such Patience and Courage with such Calmness and Evenness of Spirit as if he had not much wished to be in any other Condition than what he was in His usual Expression when his Pains or Sickness were greater than ordinary as sometimes they were That this was but one Chop more to the Tree that must down and that he never expected to be well again in this World but that he hoped he should be so in the next 'T is true indeed when he went off he went off suddenly but it was no more than what we in reason considering his great and long Weakness might well expect and what he I hope was for a long time as to the main well prepared for The only Thing which I shall further Remark upon and which I think is worthy our Observance is this That it pleased God to take him to himself and so to his rest upon the Sabbath or Lords-day which you know is a Type of our Rest in HEAVEN and ought to be a Day of Rest from all Worldly Labours to us here and this too God did I think within less than two hours after he had been publickly serving and worshipping God here in his House which was too the place and work he always seemed to take greatest Delight in and where we shall be sure much to miss him For we shall never Sirs have the happiness to keep another Sabbath or to worship God with him any more here on Earth I pray God we may in Heaven where I trust he is now gone to keep an everlasting Sabbath with God with his Saviour with the Holy Angels and with the Souls of all Just Men made perfect and where he will be at rest from all those painful Labours which he did with us and for us whilst on Earth and find his Works that is the good Fruits and blessed Reward of them eternally following him in Heaven The good Lord grant that we may be all so instructed by his Death as timely to lay to heart our own and seriously to prepare our selves for it that so when we come to dye as God only knows how soon and how sudden it may be we may dye in the Lord as I trust he did and rest from our Labours and be blessed and happy after we are dead as I believe he is For blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their Labours and their Works follow them FINIS Books Printed for and are to be sold by Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers Chappel CONVIVIVM COELESTE A plain and familiar Discourse concerning the Lord's Supper Shewing at once the Nature of that Sacrament as also the right way of preparing our selves for the receiving of it In which are also considered those Exceptions which Men usually bring to excuse their not partaking of it Charity directed Or the way to give Alms to the greatest Advantage A Sermon Preached before the King and Queen at White-Hall the Fifth of November 1692. All three by Richard Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells A Treatise of Knowledge and Love compared In two Par●s First Of falsly pretended Knowledge Secondly Of true Saving Knowledge and Love 1. Against hasty Judging and False Conceits of Knowledge and for necessary Suspension 2. The Excellency of Divine Love and the Happiness of being Known and Loved of God Written as greatly needful to the Safety and Peace of every Christian and of the Church The only certain way to escape false Religions Heresies Sects and Malignant Prejudices Persecutions and Sinful Wars All caused by falsly pretended Knowledge and hasty Judging by Proud Ignorant Men who know not their Ignorance By Richard Baxter Who by God's Blessing on long and hard Studies hath learned to know that he knoweth but little and to suspend his Judgment of Uncertainties and to take great necessary certain things for the food of his Faith and Comforts and the Measure of his Church-Communion Advice to an only Child Or Excellent Councel to all young Persons Containing the Summ and Substance of Experimental and Practical Divinity Written by an Eminent and Judicious Divine for the Private Use of an only Child now made Publick for the Benefit of all The Confirming Work of Religion Or It s Great Things made plain by their Primary Evidences and Demonstrations Whereby the meanest in the Church may soon be made able to render a Solid and Rational Account of their Faith Written by R. Fleming Author of the Fulfilling of the Sciptures Now Published by Daniel Burgess