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A53746
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A funeral sermon Opening the nature and grounds of assurance, occasioned by the death of Mr. Philip King, Minister. Who departed this life, November, 8th. 1699. By Jonathan Owen.
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Owen, Jonathan.
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1700
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Wing O827; ESTC R216657
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12,870
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it could be no terrifying Thing to him to appear at the Bar of God for he not only kept his Integrity unto the Last but he knew that his powerful Advocate and Days-man was his living Redeemer Thus I have finished the Doctrinal Part of this Observation viz. They are great and rare Instances of Grace who can with Holy Job upon Scripture Grounds say They know that their Redeemer liveth Now this Doctrine might be applied many Ways but to Contract 1. Know that the greatness and rarity of this Grace is no effectual Bar to the thing it self though it be great Grace and a special Favour yet it is possible and attainable the Papists and Arminians erre greatly by denying the possibility of Assurance in the true and proper Scripture Sence of it Is not the Effect of Christs Righteousness apprehended by Faith Peace Quietness and Assurance for ever Yea Isa 32.17 Doth not the Holy Ghost expresly say These things have I written unto you that believe on the Name of the Son of God that ye may know that ye have Eternal Life 1 John 5.13 Is it not the special Office of the Spirit to Witness and Seal up our Interest in Christ 1 John 5.8 There are Three that bear Witness in Earth the Spirit and the Water and the Blood and these Three agree in one Moreover are not we required to give Diligence to make our Calling and Election sure 2. Pet. 1.10 Let me add have not some of Christs faithful Servants attain'd to it in this Life if the Deceased had not experienced this great Grace if he had not been one of these rare Instances you had not been thus entertain'd by this Subject at present Now that you may attain to this rich Grace and have an experimental discerning that you are in the blessed number of these rare Instances Take this Advice 1. Stedfastly believe that a well grounded Assurance is attainable but withall take heed of the two common Extreams which abound much in this present Age viz. do not with some deny the possibility of the thing nor with others who know not experimentally the way of the Spirit in working this I say do not with them presume upon it without Scripture warrant these both must be carefully shun'd they are very hazardous to the Peace Comfort and welfare of immortal Souls 2. Hope that in the use of appointed means you may be favour'd with it Say not there is no hope as God hath not excluded you so do not you shut out your selves The very command to give Diligence imports a design and possibility of the Thing 2. Pet. 1.10 Give Diligence to make your Calling and Election sure Methinks the Grace and Authority herein contain'd should move you to strive and endeavour after it yea to conclude though not for yet in so doing it is possible for you and you in particular do not only propound Grace necessary to Salvation in the use of the means but level and aim at this even to know like Job That your Redeemer liveth 3. Would you attain to this Grace viz. a well grounded Assurance of your interest in the living Redeemer then with Diligence attend to the Ministry of the Word even that which hath a Testimony in your Consciences that it is the Ministry of the Gospel and hath the Administration of the Spirit going along with it Not only Faith Rom. 10.17 But also this Assurance comes by Hearing and what an incouraging Promise is that which you have in Hosea 6.3 Then shall we know if we follow on to know the Lord his going forth is prepar'd as the Morning and he shall come unto us as the Rain as the latter and the former Rain unto the Earth O what hold is here for Faith mark his going forth is prepar'd and prepar'd as the Morning now how doth the Morning go forth Why certainly gradually irresistably and exceeding comfortably Why thus will the Lord discover himself to the redeem'd but remember then you must follow on not play fast and loose take some steps and then turn out of the war but you must with this Promise like a Staff in your hand follow on to know the Lord. In this his ordinary Way he sealeth up Believers unto the Day of Redemption Is Christ a living and Life giving Redeemer then why may not you have Life in and from him Hath he by the Price of his Blood and the Power of his Spirit redeemed precious Souls Why may not the Vertue of the one and the Power of the other inclose and save you Is he exalted in our Natures then why may not you be pittied and reliev'd by him Will he stand upon the Earth in the latter Day and in a Triumphant Manner to Judge the World then except the Judge be your Advocate you 'll perish for ever 4. As the Gospel reveals Christ to poor Sinners so put forth the Hand of Faith and receive him you are under command to believe and that without delay 1 John 3. 23. No present Indisposition removes the Obligation put not those blocks in your Way which Christ in the Gospel has remov'd What though Sinners are naturally impotent yet who knows but if you hearken his Power shall be exerted the Poor Man did not Object his Hand was wither'd but when his Heart was toward Christs Grace and Power He found it went out with the Command and his wither'd hand was restor'd and made whole see Mat. â—2 13 The living Redeemer is Lord of Life and Glory when the Word went out of his Mouth you know how Thomas reply'd my Lord and my God John 20.28 5. Take heed of grieving the Spirit but understand and examine your selves in the way of his sealing and consirming Souls I shall not touch upon the immediate and mediate Way of the Spirits Witness you have not only heard but experienced the thing it self in both Parts But ah alas it is Ignorance of this which makes some presume and it is unacquaintedness with this which makes thee safe in the Hands of Christ to fear they shall be miserable for ever O that you were skilful in this matter the Lord lead you into this Truth viz. The right way of the Spirits sealing and assuring Souls Now you will expect that I should speak something of what hath occasioned this Subject you know it is somewhat more than ordinary two related to us both Interred in one Week desir'd this Text might be spoke from The one was a Private Member the other a Publick Person your choice and my Fellow-Helper in the Work of the Gospel It is not my way to speak much of the Dead I had rather that Persons Lives and Good Works than my Lips should be the Trumpets of their Praises but in this I may not be altogether silent Mr. Philip King for his Time and standing was a burning and shining Light you could rejoyce in it but for a season because a violent Feaver extinguisht his Lamp in the Twenty Fifth Year of his Age. And now when God is cutting off his faithful Watchmen shall not we that remain tell you what of the Night It is evident God hath a Controversie with us for his Embassadors are call'd home not only the Aged and Honourable whose Labours commend them to all judicious and ingenious Christians But also our budding Hopes are cut off in great measure by the surprizing Death of the rising Generation not only the Reverend Dr. Bates and Worthy Mr. Mead but some of our hopeful Young Ones Mr. S Mr. King are gone also Formerly God gave us many faithful Witnesses in Time of restraint but now we have Liberty what have we else Now our Elijah's Mantels are dropt off O that a double Portion of the Spirit might be upon the succeeding Elisha's But you of this Congregation behold what the Lord hath done and humbly enquire into the meaning of this sad Providence doth not this Rod loudly call for the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace and Love conform to it for the Lords sake I need not inform you that the Deceased was one of these rare Instances of Grace was not his short abode with us a live Comment upon this Text. Did not almost every Prayer and every Sermon declare that he was upon the Coelestial Wrings of a well grounded Assurance and so comsequently as they were for him Indeed he was of an eminent Spirit for powerful Godliness I know not what Suffering-Work he was ever called out unto but his Acquaintance with the Mysteries of the Gospel his Patience in Sickness and his Triumph in Death was all more than Ordinary by these things we have fair warning God help us to take it lest worst befal us not hardening but teaching and humbling Afflictions are New-Covenant Mercies So much for this Text and Time the Lord give you Understanding in all Things FINIS
A FUNERAL SERMON Opening the Nature and Grounds OF ASSURANCE Occasioned by the DEATH OF Mr. Philip King Minister Who Departed this Life November 8th 1699. By JONATHAN OWEN LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three-Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers-Chapel 1700. To the Church of Christ Congregating in Dead-Mans-Place Southwark the Author wisheth that all Grace and Peace may abound Beloved in our Lord GOD by his merciful Providence hath yet continued us together in the sacred Bonds of the glorious Gospel and it is my earnest Prayer and Desire that we may stedfastly keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace and Love Amongst the many Afflictions which have attended my Course in the Ministry this hath been none of the least to wit the too little Service which I have done for Christ and immortal Souls yet I thankfully acknowledge to the God of all Grace it is none of my Fear that I have laboured altogether in vain some of you I have espoused to Christ others by my Poor endeavours have been built up in him what the Blessed Apostle writes to the Corinthians is verified in some measure amongst you 1 Epist 1. Chap. 27 28. yea God is my Witness I wou'd gladly spend and be spent for you it 's Ability and not Will which is wanting to Answer your affectionate Expectations in all things when your Sympathy somewhat eased me the Lord directed you to one richly anointed for his Masters Work But ah alas Mr. P. K. is removed in the Morning of his Days in the Twenty Fourth Year of his Age when your Eyes and Heart were much upon him it may be too much for to know Ministers after the Flesh is the speedy way to be rid of them those Feet which were beautiful in bringing glad-tidings shall walk with you and speak to you no more O that all such humbling Providences might be wisely improved The Voice of the Rod speaks loud and plain comply with it for the Lord's sake for what Reasons I was loth to undertake this Province you know but I can deny no reasonable Request to your concurrant Desires and now what you all would have hath not only come to your Ear but also to your Eye and into your Hands it may be this will abide with many of you when shortly it will be said of me as now of the more Worthy that I am gone also What may be the censures of some I know not and if you be profited I shall less Matter This with hearty Prayers for each other is what I propound and desire whilst I am Living and your Unworthy Pastor Jonathan Owen Books lately Printed for Thomas Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers-Chapel MR. Adams's Funeral Sermon A Discourse concerning the Redeemers Dominion over the Invisible Worlds some Part whereof was Preach'd on the Occasion of the Death of John Houghton Esquire Dr. Bates's Funeral Sermon Mr. Mead's Funeral Sermon All Four by the Reverend Mr. John Howe Of the Shortness of Time By F. Fuller Mr. Bradford's Eight Sermons Preach'd at St. Pauls at the Lecture founded by the Honourable Robert Boyle Esquire Mr. Philip Henry's Life Mr. Reynold's Minister of Notingham his Life Mr. Math. Henry's Discourse of Meekness Mr. Joseph Barrett's Funeral Sermon to which is annexed his Life c. A FUNERAL SERMON Opening the Nature and Grounds OF ASSURANCE Occasioned by the DEATH OF Mr. Philip King Minister JOB XIX XXV For I know that my Redeemer liveth HOLY Job was an eminent Instance of Grace he had this singular Honour put upon him viz Heavens Testimony that he was a non-such for true Piety ver 8. Never was Saint upon Earth exercised with Afflictions like him they came upon him as the Waves of the Sea The Sabbeans and the Caldeans Wind and Storms swept all away his Wife seemeth to be spared only to add to his Sorrows all his Friends were miserable Comforters such that added unto and aggravated his Calamities Chap. 16.2 His admirable Patience doth thus appear to wit in all he exalted God and debased himself Chap. 1.21 The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away and blessed be the Name of the Lord. Chap. 7.20 I have sinned there is his great Self-abasement In this Chapter he proceeds to maintain his Integrity against Bildad he chargeth Job very high he loads him with black Crimes and numbers him with the vilest of Men such that knew not God as you may see in Chap. 18. But to fall upon the Text it contains the Reason of his Defence and foregoing Option and the Grounds of his inward Support under all his outward Afflictions Therein more Particularly you have Two Things 1. A full and Clear Confession of Job's Faith Respecting the Person Office and Glory of Jesus Christ his Person that he is really and truly God So he expresly calls him In my Flesh shall I see God ver 26. His Office a Redeemer of lost and inthrald Sinners his Glory both Present and Future his Present Glory a living Redeemer his Future in the latter part of the Verse He shall stand at the latter Day upon the Earth i. e. He shall come in our Nature to Judge the World and Triumph over all his Enemies 2. You have here the Nature Kind and Degree of Holy Job's Faith it was not a common but a special Faith not a dead but a living Faith not a weak but strong Faith not a doubting but a Plerophory a full Assurance of Faith I know that my Redeemer liveth having thus briefly open'd the Words behold an Ocean of spiritual Matter presents it self we may venture to Launch into it and how pleasant will it be if we are wrapt up in the ravishing Contemplations thereof as the Deceased often was in such Work and that remarkably in his last Discourses upon glorying in nothing but the Cross of Christ The Doct. They are great and rare Instances of Grace who like Job can say They know that their Redeemer liveth i. e. That can say it upon Scripture Grounds Would to God we were all come up to this Grace since it is possible with a Holy Ambition let us aspire after it The Method of prosecuting this Point shall be thus if the Lord will I. To Premise two Things for Illustration II. To set before you the Scripture Foundation of a well-grounded Assurance III. I shall confirm this Truth by demonstrating the greatness and rarity of this Grace IV. The Practical Improvement of the whole with respect to the sad Occasion thereof The two Things to be premised are these 1. There are but few that can say from Scripture-Foundation They know that their Redeemer liveth this is not more sad then true it is facile easie and common to repeat the Words but it is peculiar and rare to find those who upon the like footing as Job can thus express themselves Zeph. 1.12 There God speaks of searching Jerusalem as with Candles which denotes the exactness