A FUNERAL SERMON ON THE DECEASE Of the Reverend Mr. Richard Mayo Late Minister of the Gospel in London Who Died the 8th of September 1695. By NATHANAEL TAYLOR LONDON Printed for Thomas Cockerill Sen r and Jun r at the Three Legs in the Poultrey over-against the Stocks-Market M DC XCV TO That part of the Church of Christ in London of which the Reverend Mr. RICHARD MAYO was lately Pastor Beloved in our Lord I Here present you with the following Sermon which I hope will meet with a kind and favourable Reception from You. Indeed a stately Monument shewing the Excellency of the Work-man that erected it as well as of him that is enclosed in it is necessary to invite and gratify the curiosity of a Stranger But any little thing though so mean in it self that it cannot challenge any regard upon its own account yet is wont to have some value set upon it because 't is the Memorial of a Departed Friend The Relation to you wherein both of us stood the entire Affection you so justly had for him the great kindness you have shewn me for so many Years together with the Additional one of so unanimously fiixing me in his room since his Decease do not only justify but also command this my present Dedication I shall now more than ever need your Remembrance of me at the Throne of Grace in order to the discharge of the great Trust committed to me with Faithfulness and Success so that none of you may want a Crown of Glory nor I one of Rejoycing in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming 1 Thess 2.19 which shall â—lso be the daily Prayer and faithful Endeavour of him who is on many accounts with great Sincerity and Affection Yours to serve You In the Work of the Gospel Nathanael Taylor 2 COR. V. 8. We are confident I say and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. IN that Prophecy of our Blessed Saviour recorded by the Evangelist Luke 17.34 36. concerning some black and terrible Day which some understand of the approaching ruin of the Jewish State and others apply to the dissolution of the World among other things we are told That two Men shall be in the same field two Persons in one and the same bed the one shall be taken the other shall be left Somewhat like this the Sovereign discriminating Providence of God hath lately done among you Not long since Two Persons were working in this part of God's Field A few days ago there were Two that were wont to stand in the same Pulpit the unprofitable Servant indeed is left but Alas the very Valuable one is taken The first remarkable stroke that was given him was in this very Place and in the midst of his Work and the change that it made in his Countenance and thereupon in many of yours you cannot but remember Death pursued the Blow that made the strong and fruitful Tree to shake till at last it fell to the Ground And now if like the Sons of the Prophets we should seek our Elijah it would be in vain for he is Ascended 'T is to no purpose to enquire for him at his own home for he is absent from his Family 'T is a vain thing to search the houses of any of his People for him for he is absent from his Flock It would be lost labour to seek him any where here below for he is absent from the Body too and present with the Lord. Our time and pains will be far better employed in seeking after some portion of the same Spirit that rested on him that so we who have so lately followed him to his Grave and must ere long do so in another sense may follow him to Heaven too For the hour of our decease will come whether we are willing or no we also must ere long be absent from the Body and I wish our being present with the Lord were but as sure as that is For could we but say upon good grounds with our A postle and his Brethren that we are confident of this we should not stop there but be able to go on to the end of the Text and add we are willing rather to be absent from the one and present with the other In which words you have these three Parts 1. One of the true Notions of Death 'T is a being absent from the Body 2. What immediately follows upon it to a holy Soul He shall thereupon be in Heaven which the Apostle describes by one of the greatest Privileges of it being present with the Lord. 'T is the Lord Jesus Christ he here means For of him is this word Lord used in the New Testament as peculiarly belonging to him And in other parallel places the Apostle describes the happiness of Heaven by our being with Christ Phil. 1.23 1 Thess 4.17 and being for ever with the Lord where the Context plainly shews that Christ is meant for 't is that Lord that shall descend from Heaven with a shout and whom they that remain alive to that day shall be caught up to meet in the Air. And so our Saviour himself was wont to describe Heaven Where I am there shall my servant be also And John 12.26 Chap. 14.3 I will receive you to my self that where I am there ye may be also 3. The frame of his Spirit and of other holy Men like him in reference to Death on this account We are confident I say and willing rather to be absent from the body and be present with the Lord. I say These words are not in the Original but are well put in by our Translators The Apostle had said this before v. 6. And after the interposition of a short Parenthesis v. 7. For we walk by faith and not by sight he here repeats it lest any should suspect that these great words had hastily dropp'd from him He intimates hereby that he had well-weigh'd the Point and that this was indeed the settled temper of his Soul We are confident i. e. we are well assured of Heaven or we are full of holy Courage to venture on all dangers that lye in the way of our Duty and are able to look even Death it self in the face without the least degree of fear We are willing We do acquiesce in and approve of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the word signifies We are willing rather We have a natural Inclination to continue in this Body but yet this is over-ruled by Reason and Grace to that degree that of the two we like this better to lay down these our Earthly Tabernacles as knowing the advantage we shall receive thereupon by being immediately introduced into the blessed Presence of Christ above From the words thus open'd many Doctrines might be raised but I shall confine my self to these two I. 'T is a most desirable thing to a holy Soul to be present with Christ in Heaven II. 'T
that they are absent from such a Body as this is which yet they know shall be restored to them with so great advantage at the last day 2. Consider the happiness of their Souls They shall be perfectly conform'd to God's Image and satisfied with his Likeness They shall never any more groan as now they do Wretched Creature that I am who have so much of Corruption and so little of Christ in me In this World sometimes they are sick of love to him Cant. 2.5 but have oftner reason to be so for want of it There they shall love him as they would which they never could do before They shall have no chilness on their Spirits no coldness on their Hearts Never more shall that doleful cry be heard Cant. 3.1 We sought him whom our souls loved but we found him not Now they have a small glimpse of him in an Ordinance as a Man of a Star through a glass held in a shaking and trembling hand which he just sees and loses Now a Cloud is often drawn between him and them but then they shall with a steady Eye always behold his pleased and glorious Face They sup with him now and how sweet but oh how short is the Banquet But then they shall always eat and drink with him at his Table sit with him on his Throne as he sat down on his Father's Throne shall be Heirs together with him and have a Kingdom appointed to each of them as his Father hath appointed one for him By such earthly Expressions because we are not capable of understanding heavenly Language doth the Scripture shadow forth to us their most intimate and delightful Converse and Communion with him and how in their respective Measures and Degrees they shall be partakers together with him of such Bliss and Glory as eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor can it enter into our hearts to conceive Now all these things being laid together no wonder that holy Souls are willing to be present with the Lord. One would think that all the true Lovers of Christ should say not as his Disciples Let us go away and die with him John 11.16 but let us go away and live and be for ever with him And so they would but that there 's a Lion in the way Death is the passage to him They must be absent from the Body before they can get to him a thing that few have a heart to desire tho our Apostle and his Brethren did so Which brings me to the II Point 'T is possible for a holy Person to be willing to dye rather than live any longer that he may be with Christ in Heaven I shall endeavour to open this in these following Propositions 1. All sincere Christians are willing to be with Christ above For they profess themselves to be Pilgrims and Strangers on the Earth and declare plainly by the Tenor of their Lives that they seek another Country Their Conversations and their Hearts are in Heaven they have set their Affections upon and seek after the things that are above Colos 3.1 2. where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God They love him more than life it self and can't bear the thoughts of being eternally at so great a distance from him They have been drawn to him by that promise among others John 12.26 Where I am my servant also shall be the fulfilling of it therefore cannot but be grateful to them 'T is the main business of their Lives to prepare for an eternal Abode with him and Ministration before him in the holiest of all This is what they have in their eye as the great end of their attendance on him in his Ordinances And is it possible for them to be unwilling to enjoy what they are continually providing for They hope for Heaven and that cannot be without desiring to be there that they may have the nearest Conjunction with him and the fullest Enjoyment of him 2. All holy Souls are willing in the general to dye some time or other that they may be with him This follows from the foregoing particular They know there is no other way but being absent from the Body to get to him This therefore doth so far reconcile them to Death that they had rather on the whole submit to its stroke than to an eternal distance from him whom their Soul loveth They fear the King of Terrors indeed but they fear and abhor an everlasting Separation from Christ a great deal more Tho when it comes to the Point many of them are afraid to dye and ready to contradict all again yet they would not for all this World and the Glory of it live always if they might in their present State And this doth not flow from a sullen and impatient humour For 3. A holy Soul's willingness to dye proceeds from noble Principles He is not like the men of this World who when crossed in discontent passion and despair madly wish for Death and sometimes sinfully hasten it which is not a desiring to be with Christ but only to be out of their present Misery Not but that a sincere Christian may have those short-liv'd fits and pangs that are very unbecoming but these are the sinful Infirmities of the man not the holy Groanings of the Saint within which we are now speaking of The accidental fretting of a rich and generous Wine must be distinguisht from its natural Ferment 'T is true indeed a sense of those Miseries that press so hard upon them is a help to these desires Being burden'd we groan after the heavenly House 2 Cor. 5.4 But the true Springs of their willingness to depart are such as these A certain Knowledge and serious Consideration of the Happiness of being with Christ and how much better that is than to continue here A new Nature that tends to the place whence it came A Divine Faith Love to Christ some degree of a weanedness from and deadness to this World and a serious preparation for the next some good hopes through Grace of Eternal Life some taste of the sweetness of an imperfect fellowship with Christ here below and desires of drinking more of this Water of Life at the Fountain-head These are the things that make these Doves be upon the wing ready to fly away towards Heaven But yet they are not too forward to be gone For 4. This willingness is duly regulated with an entire submission to the Divine Will Tho they are in a close and painful Confinement yet they are not for breaking Prison but resolve to wait till they are released by Authority They are not like an hasty Clock that out-runs time and strikes before the hour is come Tho they are willing rather to depart yet they are contented to stay as long as God hath any Work and Service for them to do in this World considering that the Presence of Christ when they are introduced into it will make abundant amends for the delays and
sufferings of a few moments and the more they do for him the greater shall be their reward But tho that be so very great yet 5. There are many things that do check and abate these Inclinations of a holy Soul A real desire of being further serviceable to the interest of Christ in this World This was the Apostle's case who was willing to have his happiness suspended for a time because to abide in the flesh was more needful for others Phil. 1.24 The weakness of their Faith and love to Christ Too great addictedness to this World Immoderate love to near Relations with some touches of a distrust of Divine Providence as tho God either would not or could not take care of them and their Affairs when we are gone But the more common and powerful Obstructions are these two 1. A natural Fear of Death Could they with a sudden Spring leap over the Gulf and in a moment be with Christ Could they but as easily get up to the place where he is as his three Disciples to the top of that Mountain where he was transfigured they would do it without any reluctancy or delay But alas the dark Valley must first be passed through Death must first be endured by them a fear of which the God of Nature hath inwrought into the very Frame and Constitution of Man it being necessary in order to the good Government of this World His own commands are enforced with the promises of a long Life and the threatnings of a speedy Death which Sanction of his would lose its edge and force did not Men love the one and dread the other Were it not for this the refined sort of Mankind would sinfully neglect the Body and never undergo all that Slavery which now they endure for its Preservation Upon every cross accident men would lay violent hands on themselves at least on every sore Affliction they would boldly cut the Cable that fastens them to this wretched Shoar and sail away to the invisible World and this Earth be unpeopled and much thinner of Inhabitants than God hath design'd it should be for a season The Magistrate would then always bear the Sword in vain for no one would fear the edge of it All places would be fill'd with Rapine and Blood for he that despiseth his own Life is master of his Neighbour's almost whenever he pleaseth And holy Men would not have that opportunity for the exercise and discovery of their Graces as now they have in conquering the Reluctancies of Nature and laying down their heads to receive the fatal stroke with steddiness and composure of Mind So to do is great indeed For to endure tedious Sickness and sharp Pains the rude Knocks the strong and repeated Blows that this Enemy gives to break asunder Body and Soul which are so strongly fastned together to be cast as a noisome Lump into the Grave there to crumble into Dust to be triumphed over by worms and turned into corruption and rottenness these are very formidable things How doth this beat down the ascending Flame and hinder its rise It is hereupon with a Christian as with an affectionate Child that is in another Land and desirous to go home that he may be with his beloved Father But there 's a dangerous Sea to be first passed over and therefore he often comes down to the Shoar looks wishly over to the other side and would be glad he was there But when he sees the swelling Billows his heart misgives him and he hardly knows how to think of venturing and launching forth 2. The want of Assurance Many are ignorant unskilful and negligent in the great work of Self-examination Many have but very low degrees of grace the hand-writing of God's Spirit on their hearts is in so very small a Character that they are not able to read it Too many are loose and careless in their Walk Not a few are over-run with Melancholy and have dismal apprehensions of their state tho a judicious Stander by may perceive the goodness of it the dark side of the Lanthorn is towards themselves and tho others behold the Grace of God in them as a burning and a shining Light yet the Persons themselves cannot discern it And in this gloomy State they conclude if they should dye they should be banisht from the Presence of Christ and under these apprehensions Death is such a thing as strikes Terror and Confusion into every corner of their Souls These are the things whereby the Soul of a sincere Christian is pressed down as the inferior Air is in the Judgment of Modern Philosophers by the incumbent weight of the superior Air and Clouds which as soon as 't is in any degree unfetter'd from by a spring that is natural to it self it flies up again Which brings me to the 6. As the heavenly Life improves so holy Souls get ground on the fears of Death and are more willing to be gone that they may be with Christ As Grace and Peace are multiplied in their Souls as these living Waters do encrease they lift them higher and nearer towards Heaven The young and tender Eagles are afraid to stir out of the Nest and try their feeble Wings but when they arrive to a greater strength they can mount upwards with a vigorous flight When they are arrived at the same height and stature in Christ as Paul was when they can say on as good grounds as he To us to live is Christ and to dye is gain especially at some seasons when their Hearts are listed up into a heavenly Frame and enlarged in sweet Communion with God in Christ They can long for Death welcome it and triumph over it When their near Relations and Friends stand round about their Sick-Beds very Sad and Melancholy they are the only chearful Persons in the Room they can die smiling and spend their expiring Breath in Hallelujahs that bear some resemblance with those they are to sing for ever Their last Speeches are like the grateful stroaks of a skilful Musician when his Instrument is almost brought in Tune a delightful Praeludium to the sweet Melody that shall immediately succeed Hence it follows 7. That this is not a mark whereby to try the truth so much as the strength of our Grace For though there be some true desires in the Soul this way yet they may be so born down by many things that they are not easily discernible like Seed in the ground that may be rooted there but yet hath not shot through the surface of the Earth nor is it crowned with a beautiful Flower or if it hath been so yet may be covered by an extraordinary Snow and be invisible for the present All cannot attain to Paul's Height and Spirit the Children come behind the young Men and the young Men themselves fall short of those that are Fathers in Christ Indeed no great measure of this can be attained but by great improvements in Grace a long and close walking with
God and contending with Flesh and Blood that strongly oppose and speak contrary things But yet to prevent Sloth and rouze up our dull and sluggish Hearts I add 8. That more of this Spirit ought diligently to be laboured after I shall have occasion briefly to urge this in the Application Which I now hasten to Vse 1. Is Heaven desirable to you under this notion whereby our Apostle sets it forth It is amiable in your Eyes as a place where you hope to be eased of all those Afflictions that sit so very uneasy upon your Spirits You like it as a Refuge from Hell But can you savour it and take any delight in it under this consideration as a place where you shall be for ever with Christ You may know this by the standing frame and workings of your Hearts towards him If your Eyes have not been opened to see his Beauty if your Hearts have not been drawn to him if your Souls do not pant and thirst after him and rejoyce in him if he be as a wither'd Flower to you the Heaven which the Gospel hath propounded to us cannot be grateful to you How can such a Man tune his Voice to sing the Song of the Lamb or take any pleasure in that place if it were possible for him to crowd into it 2. See to it that you be persons so qualified that when you die you may be present with the Lord. Suppose God should say to you This night shall thy Soul be required of thee Whither do you think it would go Don't many of your Hearts misgive you and your guilty Consciences tell you not to be with Christ but with Devils and damned Spirits beneath Die ere long you must and the youngest and strongest among you know not how soon There 's a common Executioner that stands invisibly by us all and hath not promised the Civility to wait till we give the Sign he may suddenly and without any warning give us the fatal Blow It may be in a little while you may be filled with such intolerable Pains that you may long to be absent from the Body that you may be out of your Misery But yet how will you be able to wish for that if you are tortured with Fears of hearing those dreadful words Depart from me ye cursed Will you then believe on the Lord Jesus Christ with all your hearts For the unbelievers will be shut out Will you seek after Regeneration For verily verily John 3.3 I say unto you Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God Give God no rest till he put this good Principle into you that you may cease from evil and do good Without this the most glittering Profession will not avail and multitudes will find it so when 't is too late You have the Superscription of God upon you see that his Image also be stamped on your Souls otherwise you will be rejected Our Saviour in propounding the Parable of the Virgins Matth. 25. speaks of them as though there was an equal number of wise and foolish ones five of one sort and five of the other But in our days we have reason to apprehend the latter do vastly exceed the former and then they will look like foolish ones indeed when that Scripture shall be fulfilled wherein it is written Luke 13.26 27. that the Judge shall say to many that have eat and drunk in his presence and heard him in their streets I know not whence you are Depart from me all ye workers of iniquity The Sentence is Severe but Righteous and Univerfal too All that fall under that Character shall fall under that Condemnation and 't is worth our while to observe the disdainful manner wherein their Plea is over-ruled and Execution awarded against them Then shall ye begin to say q. d. this is so idle and frivolous an Allegation in the behalf of the workers of Iniquity that they have eat and drunk in my presence and I have taught in their streets that I can have no patience to hear it I will cut off such foolish Babblings and idle Arguments immediately for they do not deserve any regard And I tell you I know not whence you are I scorn to be thought to have any Acquaintance with or Respect for so vile a Generation of Men. I often warned them that I would disown them and I now judicially declare I am unalterably fixed and will never change my mind Will you serve and imitate the Example of Christ For if any man John 12.26 saith he will serve me let him follow me and where I am there shall my servant also be Oh that Men were wise for themselves that they would consider and prepare for their latter End that then an entrance may be administred to them into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour 3. Let holy Souls labour after this divine and raised frame of Spirit to be willing rather to be absent from the body that they may be present with the Lord. How willing was Christ to come from Heaven a far better Place than this where we are to undergo a sharper Death for you than you can suffer to be with him And should you be unwilling to depart hence and go to him How unkindly may he take such a temper when he is gone to prepare so glorious a Place for you that you should be so backward to enter into it He desires that you may be where he is to behold his glory And should not the same mind be in you that is in him What though Death lie in the way Is it not an Enemy that he hath Conquer'd and pluck'd out its Sting What have you in this World the Element of Sin and Sorrow whose Pleasures are so thin whose Miseries are so weighty that you should hang about it and cleave so fast to it Methinks you should groan earnestly within your selves to be gone to that better Place and Company That you may be willing draw off your Affections from every thing here below take heed of over-indulging the Body and the Pleasures of it familiarize Death to your selves by serious Meditations encrease in the Knowledge of the Mystery of the Father and of Christ Faith in him and love to him beware of wilful Sins get and keep your Evidences for Heaven clear and let the Glory of God and Christ be the end of your lives 4. Let not surviving Friends too much regret and bewail the Death of their Holy Relatives They are gone from us but they are with Christ where they were and are willing to be And this I doubt not is the Case of your late Reverend deceased Pastor Mr. Richard Mayo He was a Man of sincere Godliness A worthy Person Mr. Singleton sufficiently known in this City for his great Skill and Pains in training up of Youth was the happy Instrument which Providence made use of for the first awakening and enclining him to look out after God