span I'th'hollow of thy fâ—st the Ocean Or to describe his boundless hidden worth Nor tongue nor pen can set his praises forth This only I will adde he that would draw His Portraiture must use Apelles Law When to paint Lady Venus with a grace This beauty gave a hand that gave a face The third a colour gave the next a feature Al joyn'd together made that lovely creature In the same manner whosoe're would paint The beauty of this thrice illustrious Saint Must rifle all the world and look apart For that wch shines most in each noble heart One must Humility give another Zeal Another Prudence brethrens rents to heal Learning a fourth in its high'st elevation A fifth must give a spotless conversation His preaching one man cannot imitate Here we must have Beza's triumvirate And when we'ave travel'd all the world to find Or make a copy of this matchlesse minde When other mens perfections al do fail We must with that old Limner draw a vail Upon his peerlesse parts or for the rest Say here lies that which cannot be exprest Sic flevit Mat. Poole Minister of Michaels at the Quern in London An Epitaph HEre lies Saint Whitaker the rest Cannot need not be exprest Great sorrows noise not Give some years For the world to speak in tears First this age must vent its grief In sighs the next may finde relief And joyn their sorrows to compute Till grief returning strikes them mute And makes them silently confesse Their loss his worth was fathom'esse Another Epitaph UNder this stone intombed lies An heap of contrarieties One that 's dead yet doth remaine For person place and work the same His precious person was combin'd Of soul and body firmly joyn'd So still these parts though distant yet In Christ are to each other knit To earth his body was confin'd Alwayes heaven had and hath his minde His work was preaching so 't is still And preach his name for ever will Mat Poole To the memory of the learned that eminently Religious Minister of the Gospel his Reverend brother deceased Mr. Jeremiah Whitaker WHitaker sleeps spices you need not bring For 's body death it self 's embalm'd to him Ah blessed Saint his Sermons were not done When preach'd he liv'd the Application When sick his pangs were mercy for when e're A sigh was breath'd out God breath'd in a pray'r Lie gently on him dust this seed is sown To spring again at th' Resurrection Oh for a verse in black Reader prepare thus For every drop of ink to melt a tear Yet stay with grief there 's cause of joy then Joy shal shed tears for him and grief for us Benjamin Needler Minister of the Gospel at Margarce Moses Friday-street Lond. In obitum eximii tam Doctrinâ quam pietate Theologi Jeremiae Whitakeri funebre ' ΕΤΚΩΜΙΑ ' ΣΤΙΚΟΠDr. Gouge Dr. Walker Mr. Whitaker DEfleat occiduos aetas ingrata Prophetas Liquit Evangelicum collapsa synastria caelum Lugentem moesto Whitakerus funere mundum Deseruit lachrymis squallentem liquerit urbem Jam pereat mendax de florido opinio seclo Mortuus hic Vates nostrum sepelivit honorem Corruit Verax foecundi gloria rostri Patronum amisit Pauper populusque Lutherum Amisitque pium mutilata ecclesia gnatum Pastorem coetus Patrem amisere Ministri Gens mala praeconem immotam synodusque columnam J. Wells Old Jewry Lond. Pastor To the memory of his dear friend and Pastor Mr. Jeremiah Whitaker deceased BEhold the shadow whose admired worth Nor pen nor tongue is able to set forth He whose vast soul walk'd through the Isle of Man Is here confined in a shorter span Whose worth the world though 't were as big again Were much too short and narrow to contain Sweet were his life and death his well spent dayes Began with goodness and expir'd with praise His lamp was ever burning never hid And when his tongue preacht not his actions did And to his death he still fought faiths good fight And then his Lamp exchang'd his borrowed light For an immortal lustre and here lies Enshrin'd not dead for Vertue never dies R. B. Parishioner Upon the Life and Death of that precious Servant of God Mr. Jeremiah Whitaker whose name like that of his Lord and Master is an ointment poured forth JEREMIAH WHITAKER or Etymologie He shall exalt God His work Jer. 20. 13. God shall exalt him His wages Jer. 5. 10. White-aker A field white for Harvest John 4. 35. His fitnesse for Heaven BLest Saint how well thy name and worth agree In name and office thou art Jeremie A God-exalter and by God exalted A Priest a Prophet one that never halted Twixt God Baal twixt the truth error Nor couldst be made to start for hope or terrour Heroick Champion thou deaths venemous sting Hast conquer'd and with Christ now raign'st as King A wise and faithful Labourer for thy Lord To gather in his harvest by the word Thou hast approv'd thy self to Earth and Heaven Witnesse thy life and Doctrine purg'd from Leaven Both Labourer and Harvest were thy part The former living this thou dying art The Field being for Harvest Jer. White-aker Is reapt and of a better soile partaker Thy melting tears now cordial-water be Let me thy sorrows taste thy joys to see Roger Drake Pastor of Peters West-cheap A Funeral Elegy upon the reverend his deare deceased friend Master Jeremiah Whitaker O Let me weep and even like a spring Unto the sea of grief some tribute bring These cheeks of mine with tears bedew'd shall swell For this Seraphique St. who lately fel. To lose a Friend is sad but for our Nation To lose a Jeremy is Lamentation Could he from death some way released be His vertues surely might have set him free But 't was a debt and what enflam'd desire Had he to leave his mantle and flie higher How shal I praise his worth and not dispraise Say more and not say lesse darkning his rays Meeknesse humility in this Orbe shin'd In him the chaine of Graces was combin'd How was he fir'd with zeal even froÌ„ his youth And though he lost all would hold fast the truth With Jeremy he was a man of strife Yet not for Tyths but Souls this was his life A downright upright man he was a Star Whose sacred influence diffused far And that of these an end I may inclose His faith in Christ he solely did repose This made him when he felt the sharpest paine Upon the flinty rack not to complaine Nay when he at the point of death did lie Did as the milky Swan most gently die What did he die his soul as in a Câ—ll In heav'ns bright Paradise is gone to dwell Among the Cherubims where he doth ring With them that joyntly Hallelujahs sing Where he for tears in joy doth much encrease Pleasure doth him of former pain release He never shall of Stone or Ulcer heare He never need any more sicknesse feare Dear Saint I sooner had adorn'd thy hearse But grief first vents by weeping then by verse Thomas Watson Pastor of Stephens Walbrook London Vpon the Death of that reverend Divine Mr. Jeremiah Whiraker STay and lament all you that travel by 'T is sin to passe and not to cast an eye Upon this mournful spectacle the herse Of one whose name can dignifie a verse Loe here th' exuvium of that heavenly soul Who living did by ' s words works controul The pow'r of sin and Satan whose breath Redeem'd poor souls from darkness and from death And by his pious Doctrine did convince The sly Temptations of that airy Prince He whose whole life was a continued Tract Of practical Divinity each Act A Sermon and each word an explanation So that his Audionts might by imitation Of him and of his life to Heaven come Although they had been deaf or he bin dumb But that Almighty pow'r who from above Does all things order and in whom we move Wrapt all these treasures up in brittle Clay Death gav 't a crack and so took all away And now our griefs amount to such a sum That to expresse them best is to be Dumb. They that can count their wealth are counted poor And who can speak his griefs can suffer more 'T is diminution to his worth to weep With single tears we his whole flock of sheep Joyne in one Lamentation and let fall Our general tears at this sad Funeral Of our Dear Shepherd in whose fatal grave Both he and we one joint interment have From hence there 's no return for him to us But we must by degrees all follow thus He 's gone before to usher us now dead What all his life he wrought is perfected Living he shew'd the way to heaven whither Now dead he 's gone to clear our passage thither Parishioners of Bermonsey FINIS ERRATA Reader BEsides the oversights of the Printer in false spelling ill pointing and misquoting some Scripture proofs thou art intreated to correct these Errata's following p. 4. l. 8. for me r. was p. 6. l. 25. for hater r. hatred and l. 26. r. poysonous sting p. 8. l. 9. r. in the. p. 9. l. 4. r. friends and l. 13. for be r. by and l. 20. r. reviewing p. 10. l. 3. for First r. viz. and l. 17. r. relations and l. 23. r. discovereth and l. 24. r. lest p. 11. l. 7. for diligent r. affectionate and l. 9. r. dissatisfactions p. 13. l. 4. r. of my p. 16. l. 27. for beautiful r. bountiful p. 13. l. 33. for him r. himself l. 34. r. which did cost p. 20. l. 9. r. being also the fountaine p. 21. l. 23. for these r. the p. 24. l. 12 r. which I have p. 36. l. 22. for gods r. God p. 46. l. 26. r. this p. 47. l. 11. r. in his p. 53. l. 1. r. Sermons p. 58. l. 22. r. contemned
that if Jesus Christ was here in his bodily presence among us he would not be unwilling to speak these words Our friend Whitaker sleepeth Before I begin my Narrative I crave leave to premise this viz. that though in some respects I know a more meet man might have been chosen for this work who could have done it more exactly and gracefully yet I acknowledge that my selfe am not the unmeetest considering my long and familiar acquaintance with him especially if this be added viz. that in Summer was twelve-moneth I riding with him unto Tunbridge Wells he was pleased to give me the History of his life from his youth till that time and since that time it is well known to many that no one hath had more frequent and familiar converse with him then my selfe Oh how often and with what meltings hath he poured forth his heart into my bosome in reference to all concernments personal relative private publick comfortable and uncomfortable which have deeply affected him My forgetfulnesse will necessitate the omission of many things and my faithfulnesse with prudence command me to conceal much of that which to my heart spake aloud his great goodnesse and high commendations I will suggest the sum of what I judge most convenient to discover in the report whereof my soul desireth I hope to honour God and to profit his people He was borne at Wakefield in Yorkshire in the yeare 1599. When he was sixteen years old he was sent to Cambridge and placed a Sizar in Sydney Colledge where he was much valued for his pregnant parts and Scholarship At twenty yeares of age having commenced Batchelor of Arts he was sent unto Okeham the chief Town in Rutlandshire to teach the free-School there About foure yeares after he married Chephtzibah the daughter of Master William Peachy Minister of Okeham an eminent linguist a godly man and as I am informed a painful Preacher of the Gospel who dearly loved and highly valued Master Whitaker from his first acquaintance to his end whose affections to him wrought on the marriage betwixt him and his daughter By whom God gave him foure sonnes and three daughters one sonne died at Cambridge two are ordained Ministers and the other is to be educated for the Ministery Having stayed about seven years at Okeham he was removed unto a Pastoral charge at Stretton in the same County where he continued thirteen yeares from whence he was called to Mary Magdalen Bermondsey with the approbation of many godly Ministers whom he consulted in the case where he after twelve yeares spent in his Ministerial charge finished his course upon the first day of June 1654. and fell asleep in Jesus He was betwixt fifty five and fifty six yeares old when the Lord was pleased to take him unto himself He was buried in Bermondsey Church June the sixth with expressions of much love from a very great multitude of godly persons both Ministers and others of several ranks and conditions who attended his corps to the grave By reason of much study and manifold imployments in his calling he was filled with various bodily distempers from his youth In the latter part of his time he was for sundry yeares exercised frequently with the painful diseases of the gowt and of the stone Notwithstanding the reiteration of these tormenting paines he attended upon his Ministery both at home and abroad while he was able to creep into the Pulpit or to crawle unto the Congregation But about the beginning of November last past the violent paine of the stone did in such measure and manner arrest him that from that time he continued Gods prisoner in his bed or chamber till he was set free by a long expected death Most Physicians in the City were consulted and were from time to time very ready to serve him with their advice who did unanimously conclude his sharp paines to proceed originally from an ulcer in the kidneys but immediately from an ulcer in the neck of the bladder caused by a continual flux of ulcerous matter dropping down upon that part And by reason of the acutenesse and quickness of the sense there his paines were almost altogether in that place though the fountaine of them was from the kidneys Towards his end about two moneths the paine grew more extreame yet divine indulgence vouchsafed some abatements and intermissions both in the night day As his death drew nigh his fits of pain were more frequent either every half hour or many times every quarter yea two or three times in a quarter of an hour wherby nature being quite spent he died in the Lord. After his death Master Holiard opend his body in the presence of Dr. Cox Dr. Micklethwaite and Dr. Bevoyr some other more ancient Doctors would have been there if either their being out of Town or present urgent occasions had not hindred who found both his kidneys full of ulcers and one was swelled to an extreame bignesse by the abundance of purulent matter in it Upon the neck of his bladder they found a stone which was about an inch and an half long and one inch broad weighing above two ownces when first taken out and withal an ulcer which was gangrened and this was judged the cause of his death All other parts of his body were found firme and sound Now that which I shall relate concerning him in all those places and changes of life wherein God disposed of him I will cast under the several heads upon which I did discourse in my Sermon And this method I do the rather resolve upon both because it best suits with mine own thoughts and may prove the most profitable unto them who shall be pleased to read the Sermon when they perceive the maine parts thereof applied and verefied in this providential Text Our friend Whitaker sleepeth The first Head He loved Christ. He loved Christ 1. Quickly 2. Strongly 3. Constantly The Lord did win his heart unto himselfe while he was a Scholar at Wakerfield where he had his education For then and there his affections did flow out towards those who were most religiously disposed with whom he went frequently eight or ten Miles to heare a wakening-soul-warming Sermon and he was wont to joyne with them in prayers and other holy exercises And being able to take Sermon-notes both understandingly and largely he was very helpful to Christians in the repeating of what they had publickly heard being from his childhood ful of affections in whatsoever businesse he undertook Thus this plant did both blossome and put forth fruit quickly which providence did afterwards make a very fruitful tree For the more cleare discovery of his abundant love to Jesus Christ I will give these demonstrations First from his early and constant vigorous workings of heart towards the calling and work of the Ministery because he alwayes conceived that therein a Christian might enjoy most fellowship with Christ and do him the best Joh. 21. 15 17. service And he considered Christs
LIVING LOVES BETWIXT CHRIST AND DYING CHRISTIANS A SERMON Preached At M. Magdalene Bermondsey in Southwark near London June 6. 1654. At the Funeral of that faithful Servant of Christ Mr. Jeremiah Whitaker Minister of the Gospel and Pastor of the Church there With a Narative of his Exemplarily holy Life and Death By SIMEON ASHE his much endeared Friend and Brother Together with POEMS and ELEGIES on his Death by divers Ministers in the City of LONDON The Righteous perish and no man layeth it to heart and merciful men are taken away none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come He shall enter into Peace they shall rest in their beds each one walking in his uprightness Isai 57. 1 2 London Printed by T. M. for Ralph Smith at the Bible in Cornhil near the Royal Exchange 1654. The Licencer's Epistle to the READER IT is reported in the life of Ambrose that when he Ambrosii vitâ per Paulinum scriptâ flebat amarissimè quotiescunque fortè nuntiatum illi fuerat de cujuscunque sancti obitu sacerdotis c. Isa 57. 1. heard of the death of any holy Ministers he would weep very bitterly The like I read of Philo that when he came into any Town or Village and heard of the death of any good man there dwelling he would mourn exceedingly becauâ—e of the great losse that place and the whole Church of Christ had received thereby How much more cause have we of this age to lament our condition who have in few years lost so many precious Saints and so many Reverend Learned and godly Ministers Surely this sad providence of God speaks with a loud voice that miseries and calamities are hasting upon this Nation For the righteous perish saith the Prophet and no man layeth it to heart and merciful men are taken away none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come Thus Austin died a little before Hippo wherin he dwelt was taken And Paraeus before Heilderbergh was sacked And Luther immediately before Germany was overrun with waâ— and bloodshed * Mr. Scuddar Mr. Greslâ— Mr. Ferrihj Mr. Ludlam Mr. Nat. Ward Dr. Gouge Dr. Hill Mr. Walker Mr. Conaut Mr. Wilson Mr. Paramoor Mr. Gataker c. And now of late years many eminent Lights have been extinguished in this Nation to fore signifie the great darknesse that is coming upon us Amongst which I cannot but reckon my revereâ—d brother Mr. Jeremiah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whitaker at whose Funeral this ensuing Sermon was preached If I should enter upon his commendation I might truly say what Nazianzene doth of his sister Gorgonia That I have more cause to fear least I should speak below then above the Truth for he was a burning and a shining light in this our Israel a Messenger and an Interpreter one among a thousand a Bezaleel in Gods Tabernacle a true Nathanael that by his integrity humility constancy charity publicknesse and peaceablenesse of spirit and by his diligence and faithfulnesse in preaching the Gospel made his life both amiable and desirable He was yet not he but the grace of God with him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naz. Oratio Funebris in laudem Patris sui c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And though I will not say what Nazianzene saith of Athanasius that to commend him were to commend Vertue because all Vertues were contracted in him yet this I will say which is also said of Athanasius That he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An Adamant and a Load-stone To all that conversed with him he was as a Load-stone to draw their hearts to love him but in the cause of God in reference to the truths of Christ he is as an unconquerable Adamant He was a Jeremiah both in mourning for and witnessing against the sins of the times He was a second Whitaker though not so eminent in learning as to be what is In vita D. Whitakeri Oratio Funebris said of him Mundi miraculum Academiae oraculum yet he was which is also said of him sound in the faith one that had no private opinion that did not in veteri viâ novam semitam quaerere seek out new pathes of his own but kept the old way and the old path That had a great wit without any mixture of madnesse It is very disputable to me whether he preached more by the heavenlynesse of his Doctrine or by the holinesse of his life Sure I am he had this peculiar dispensation That he preached as effectually by his death as by his life or Doctrine For the manner of his sicknesse and death speaketh to all that saw it or shall now know it by reading this Sermon 1. That the best of men are subject to the worst of Diseases That all things come alike to all that no man knoweth love or hatred by all that is before him 2. That though the Lord cause his chlldren to passe through the waters and through the fire yet he will be with them so as the waters shall not overflow them nor the fire burn them Though they are troubled on every side yet they are not distressed though perplexed yet not in despair though persecuted yet not forsaken though cast down yet not destroyed For so great was the patience that God measured out to this our dear Brother that though he groaned yet he never grumbled though he often mourned yet he never murmured nay though he often roared by reason of the greatnesse of his pain yet he always justified and magnified God and this he did so constantly and in such a degree and proportion that as it is said of Job so it will be said by the Saints that succeed us for their mutual consolation and encouragement Ye have heard of the patience of Whitaker He had an ulcerated flesh but a sound and whole spirit and that made him bear his infirmity he had a stone in the bladder but a very tender and soft heart he had a body gangren'd but a soul unbelepred with sin I heard him often say with thankfulnesse That under all his bodily sufferings he had a blessed calmnesse and quietnesse in his spirit that God spake peace that though he roared for pain yet the devil was chained up from roaring upon him It was no small delight to me to behold the tears that were shed at his Funeral Not that I was glad that there was such cause of sorrow but to see in these dayes especially wherein the godly Ministery is so much undervalued a Minister that neither lived undesired nor died unlamented of whom it may be said as is of Stephen That devout men carried Stephen to his burial and made great lamentation over him But I will not detein the Reader from beholding these things more largely related in the following Sermon by one that was his fidus Achates and as dear to him as Jonathan to David The Lord sanctifie this example to all that shall hear
most truly be applied unto our loving friend Christ Jesus This the Text suggesteth for Christ did not only love Lazarus while he lived but called him friend even now when he was dead Our friend Lazarus sleepeth Secondly the efficiency of his love is admirably comfortable to all such who enjoy it For first it worketh their deliverance from whasoever may be grievous and dangerous He loved us and washed us from our sins in his blood Rev. 1. 5. Gal. 3. 13. 1 Thes 1. 10. And hence follows deliverance from the curse of the Law and from the wrath to come Secondly it procureth whatsoever may be joyous unto a spiritual heart 1. He hath made us upon this account Kings and Priests unto God and his Father Rev. 1. 6. 2. He feedeth the soul plentifully by the dainties of sacred Ordinances Eat O my friends and drink yea drink Cant. 5. 1. abundantly O my beloved 3. This his love running through all providences maketh blessings the more sweet and supporteth the sinking soule under crosses As Hezekiah's recovery was the Isa 38. 17. Heb. 12. 5 6. more pleasant because God in love to his soul wrought it so the Apostle puts this as a prop under a fainting afflicted Christian that the Lord correcteth with paternal love 4. And his love will prepare his beloved for glory Christ loved the Church that he might sanctifie it with the washing of water by the word that he might present it to Eph. 5. 26. himselfe a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it might be holy and without blemish If unto all these which I mentioned without enlargement we add the complacency which he taketh in all communications of his love it will be a great addition to their joy The Lord will rejoyce over thee he will rest in his love he will Zeph. 3. 17. joy over thee with singing God seemeth to take such content in his loving transactions them-ward as though he desired nothing more Let the friends of Jesus Christ feed and feast themselves with these expressions and provisions of his love Vse 2 How should the remembrance of such rare refreshings belonging to them who are the beloved friends of Christ quicken endeavours in all sorts to gain a share in his friendship To enforce this exhortation I will cast these few thoughts into your mindes 1. Whereas Solomon telleth us What every dayes experience also speaketh that many seek the Rulers favour Prov. 10. 6. 29. 26. 1 Tim. 6. 15. Mat. 28. 18. Prov. 8. 15 16. Jesus Christ is the King of kings and the Lord of lords the only potentate unto whom all authority in heaven and earth is committed by whom Kings reigne Princes rule and all the Judges of the earth 2. That it will be an high honour to be called Gods friend In holy story Hushai and Zabud have this title of 2 Sam. 15 27. 1 Kings 4. 5. respect put upon them that they were the kings friends And it will be for the everlasting credit of father Abraham that he is recorded in sacred pages to be the friend of God Isa 41. 8. 3. That Christ is and ever will be in favour with God to make and to maintaine our peace with his Majesty though we frequently and fearfully do provoke him every day The inhabitants of Tyre and Sidon made Blastus Acts 12. 20. the Kings chamberlaine their friend when Herod was highly displeased with them because their countrey was nourished by the Kings countrey And is not our dependance more upon God And do not we hourly give the Almighty great occasion to reject us yea to take up arms against us And is there any one either on earth or in heaven that can asswage Gods anger and procure his favour besides Jesus Christ Therefore should meanes be used to make him our friend 4. The people of God conceiving hope that Christ regardeth us they will be encouraged with the more affectionate confidence to pray for us in the times of our need As the sisters of Lazarus making addresse unto him in the behalf of their dear brother pleaded this Lord he whom thou Joh. 11. 3. lovest is sick 5. Hereby we shall be heartned with the more hope to apply our selves unto God by prayer for our selves Our Saviour suggesteth this in the parable of the man who goeth Luk. 11. 5. 6 9. at mid-night to his friend to borrow bread he applieth it to incourage prayer 6. Because all our creature-friends may either fall off by unfaithfulnesse or forsake us by death or be forced from us other wayes This the doleful complaints of sundry dear unto the Lord recorded in Scripture do declare My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore and my Psal 38. 11. and 88. 18. 1 King 16. 11. Luke 16. kinsmen stand aloof off Lover and friend thou hast put far from me and my acquaintance into darknesse Upon this consideration the humane prudence of the unjust Steward is commended in projecting to provide friends against the time of need How far our experience at this day speaketh our losse of creature-friends viz. of some by death and of others by an unfaithful deserting I forbear to speak But I do upon this consideration move your care to gaine the friendship of Christ who will love and live for ever Now if these arguments shall force resolutions in your bosoms to seek Christs love and thereupon means to attain it shall be enquired after I give these short directions 1. Accept of God and of Gospel-righteousnesse with him by a self-outing and a Christ-prizing faith The Scripture saith Abraham beleeved God and it was imputed Jam. 2. 23. unto him for righteousnesse and he was called the friend of God 2. Upon the serious consideration of his worthiness and hopeful expectations of happinesse by him labour to endear Christ unto your hearts Although our love to him doth not merit his love yet it will clearly make manifestation thereof unto our souls I love them saith he who love me Prov. 8. 17. 3. And as an expression of your love submit obediently unto his government studiously conforming unto all his commands This is his own promise which he will perform infallibly He that hath my Commandments and Joh. 14. 21. keepeth them he it is that loveth me and I will love him Vse 3 The third Use is to be directed unto them whom Christ embraceth as friends with love and they are to be perswaded unto real gratitude for his love The Disciple whom Christ loved having touched upon his incomparable love addeth this doxology To him be glory and Rom. 16. dominion for ever and ever Amen From whence might be noted 1. That the glory to be returned unto Christ for his love should not be verbal onely but real also expressed by subjection unto his dominion 2. That this obediential gratitude should not be confined to term of time
them who will consider it as in other regards so because their love draweth our prayers unto God as need requireth Psal 122. 6 â— 2. From hence they may infallibly conclude their regeneration by special grace Let us love one another saith Saint John for love is of God and every one that loveth 1 Joh. 4. 7. Noscitur ex socio c. 2 Tim. 3 3. is born of God Whereas persons under the power of depraved nature are despisers of them who are good 3. And as they may upon this evidence lay claime to the comforts of grace upon earth so may they raise confidence of future glory in heaven We know that we 1 Joh. 3. 14. have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren Vse 4 The last Use is exhortation wherein two duties might be perswaded First to love Christians because they are like unto Christ and belonging unto him in the nearest relations The holy Ghost is often and earnest in this perswasion 1 Pet. 2. 17. and 3. 8. Col. 3. 14. Love the brotherhood love as brethren and above all things put on charity which is the bond of perfectnesse As helps herein let these meditations be moulded believingly upon your hearts 1. That they are in regard of spiritual beauties the lovelyest people under the Sun Exceeding beautiful The Church is called the fairest among Ezek. 16. 13. Cant. 6. 1. 5. women And this is not the judgement of persons subject to mistakes but even of Christ himself which he gives in again and again both as a ground of his own love and requiring attention unto his testimony Behold thou art Cant. 1. 15 16. and 4. 7. faire my beloved behold thou art faire behold thou art faire yea pleasant Thou art all faire my love there is no spot in thee Therefore that you may beget love in your bosomes towards Saints do not so much pore upon their blemishes as their beauties look rather upon their vertue then their vices as Titus by remembring the obedience rather then the disobedience of the Corinthians found his affections enlarged 2 Cor. 7. 15. towards them 2. That the obligations of love which the Gospel hath laid upon you are many and commanding Here I will only name without enlargement the particulars whereby Saint Paul perswadeth the Christian Ephesians to keep Eph. 4 3 4 5 6 the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace There is one body and one spirit one baptisme one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all 3. That no persons whatsoever have been or are likely to be so useful to your selves and to the publick as these Saints and servants of the most high God This argument Paul presseth upon Philemon to move his affections towards Phil. 11. converted Onesimus because now saith he profitable to thee and me These are repairers of breaches and restorers of paths to Isa 58. 12. Isa 1. 9. dwell in And these are the remnant which if God had not left we should have been like unto Sodom and Gomorrah I forbear to report how they bestead the publick 1. By their prayers As if Moses had not stood up in the breach to turne away Gods wrath Israel had been destroyed Psal 106. 13. 2 And by their presence As God told Lot he could do nothing till he removed from Sodome By this reason Gen. 19. 22. Jonathan speaketh to move Saul's bowels towards David For he did put his life in his hand and slew the Philistine and 1 Sam. 18. 5. the Lord wrought a great salvation for all Israel Secondly I might from this doctrine deale with all sorts by perswasion to endeavour to become godly that they may be admitted as friends into the bosomes of Gods people Although I know that there are higher ends to be intended in undertaking the practice of piety viz. Gods glory and our own salvation yet this consideration under hand would not be slighted if these particulars which I shall onely name were well weighed 1. That the love of Gods people towards us will Phil. 1. 4 6. produce their frequent and fervent addresses unto heaven for us according to our serviceable necessities 1. That their applications unto the Lord are very Job 42. 8. prevalent in regard of their great favour with his Highnesse 2. Their love will work them unto readinesse in any other kinde to serve us with their interests and abilities Heb. 6. 10. counsels and communication of their experiences as opportunity may be offered 3. And their expressions of loving respect may administer some relief unto the faint hopes of self-suspecting soules because they are to be looked upon as best able in regard of their principles and experiments to judge of the spiritual conditions of other Christians I proceed to the third circumstance considerable in the first part of the Text viz. That Christ himself doth testifie the forementioned relation of friendship betwixt Lazarus and himself with his Disciples Our friend Doct. 3 That Jesus Christ knoweth and acknowledgeth them particularly who are friends unto himself and his peculiar people The Lord knoweth them that are his This 2 Tim. 1. 14. knowledge comprehends observation approbation and commemoration As he owned Lazarus here his friend So likewise he did his Disciples under the relation of Matth. 28. 10. brotherhood after his Resurrection Go tell my brethren And since his Ascension into glory such is his respect unto all sanctified ones That he is not ashamed to call them Heb. 10. 11. brethren If more clear Scripture-proof be demanded let these two passages be observed 1. That Christ knoweth who love him while they are alive This is manifest by Peters attestation Lord thou knowest that I love thee Joh. 21. 15 16 17. 2. That the Lord remembreth after the death of his friends that they were so during life As dead Lazarus is thus spoken of Our friend And long after Abrahams decease God speaking of Israel thus expresseth himself The Isa 41. 8. seed of Abraham my friend Reasons I shall only point at the Reasons whence this truth may be concluded 1. God knoweth his friends because himself maketh them so And therefore because he understands his own actions he cannot be ignorant in whose bosomes there Psal 33. 14 15. are these friendly dispositions 2. And God will acknowledge them because he hath undertaken torecompence them He is not unrighteous to forget labours of love Heb. 6. 10. The Application followeth This consideration may be a cooling card unto two sorts of people Vse 1 1. To all them whose consciences bear witnesse that they have no friendly frame of heart unto such godly ones whose holy conversations discover them to be chosen and called out of the world If mens hearts condemn them Gods is greater and knoweth all There will be many 1 Joh. 3. 20. rejected at the last day who
as examples of faith and holinesse he addeth these words All these died Reasons The reasons are not only 1. Because of Adams sin transmitted Sin entereth into the world and death by sin Rom. 5. 12. 2. And by reason of Gods determination with reference to his own glory many wayes to be manifested in the consequence of death It is appointed unto men once to die and after this the judgement For upon these Heb. 9 27. accounts the wicked who are Christs enemies do die also But there are peculiar Reasons wherefore Christs and the Churches friends do die I will not here speak unto that which was extraordinary in this death of Lazarus viz. for the glory of God Verse 15. that the Son of God might be glorified thereby and for the sakes of them who should beleeve upon the observation Ver. 4. of Christs power in a miraculous raising him from the dead I will only instance in those ends which God intends in a way more ordinary with respect unto his people themselves 1. Sometimes that they may be secured from common calamities coming upon the world As men do house their cattel before the storme falleth Thus God takes away Isa 57. 1. the righteous from the evil to come wherof the case of Josiah is a famous instance 2 Chro. 34. 28. 2. That they may rest from their labours both of service Rev. 14. 13. and suffering when their task and exercises are over when their work is done and the Lord hath sufficiently proved and purged them by variety of providences both crosse and comfortable in this world then he calleth them off this stage and causeth their departure hence 3. That they might enjoy immediate communion with Christ in heaven which is farre better then the best condition Phil. 1. 23. Heb. 12. 23. attainable in this life and that their spirits might be made perfect in glory before the day of the general Resurrection when their souls and bodies shall be reunited There are many profitable Uses to be made of this Doctrine Application which I shall only point at Vse 1. Therefore natural death is not the greatest evil neither are those comforts whereof death doth deprive the best good because it is absurd to imagine that the most godly shold undergo the heaviest evils and be stript of the chiefest comforts This inference is obvious and might be usefully enlarged But I must forbear Vse 2. Therefore death is not alwayes to be looked upon as a demonstration of Gods anger against them who die neither is any sicknesse bringing death to be judged a signe of divine wrath and severity Lazarus Verse 3. Christs friend died and it was said before He whom thou lovest is sick This is alledged as the reason of the death of Jeroboams childe because there was some goodnesse in him 1 Kings 14. 13. Hezekiah was sick unto death and it 's conjectured that his disease was the Plague both because of the swelling mentioned and the medicine advised Let them take Isa 38. 21. a lump of figs and lay it for a plaster upon the boile And how sad Jobs condition was I need not to relate who yet according to Gods own testimony was a man of incomparable piety Satan smote Job with sore boiles from Job 1. 8. 2. 3. Job 2. 7 8. the sole of the foot unto his crown And he took him a potsheard to scrape himselfe withall and he late down among the ashes This I do rather note 1. Because people are subject to censure severely those who undergo unusual afflictions When the Barbarians saw the venomous beast Acts 8. 4. hang on Pauls hand they said among themselves No doubt this man is a murtherer vengeance suffereth not him to live 2. Because by this uncharitable censoriousnesse men do expose themselves unto Gods displeasure Hence it was that the Lord thus spake unto Eliphaz the Temanite My wrath is Job 42. 7. kindled against thee and against thy two friends for you have not spoken of me the thing that is right Vse 3. Therefore Gods people should the rather hold up with hope comfort and patience under all sorts of their sufferings here because their death which is certain will put a period an end unto all Though the Sea Nubecula est citò transibit be stormy yet the voyage is short we shall ere long come safe to shoare For this cause we faint not though the outward man perish suppose rotting and unsavoury 2 Cor. 4. 16 17. c. for this light affliction is but for a moment Do you not remember how the holy Martyr comforted his fellow-sufferer viz. that death would cure the one of his blindnesse and the other of his lameness And doubtlesse in this sense it may be said safely that death unto the godly is the best Physician curing them perfectly of all diseases whatsoever Therefore chear up ye Saints of God under all your grievances upon the thought of death Say to your selves as the good Martyr did But one stile or two more and then I am at my journeys end Vse 4. Therefore Gods servants should be the more industrious in doing all the good which possibly they can with speed because they must die and death will take them off their work This is Solomons inference Whatsoever thine hand findeth to do do it with thy might for there Eccles 9. 10. is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdome in the grave whither thou goest How did our Saviour bestirre himself when he knew that his houre was come What a great deal Joh. 13. 1. of good work did he then dispatch in a short time And it seemeth to be the reason why Paul at Troas preached till midnight because he was ready to depart on the morrow The Acts 20. 7. nearer unto the center the swifter is the motion Famous Doctor Sibbs would say Could we suppose sorrow in heaven this would be our sorrow there that we did no more work for God before we came thither to receive so great wages Vse 5. Therefore we all should be perswaded to improve our Christian friends both Ministers and others in all their gifts graces and experiences so much as may be and that with speed because they must die Upon this ground the Prophet Zachary quickeneth obedience Thus saith the Lord of hosts Turne ye now Zach. 1. 4 5. from your evil wayes Your fathers where are they And the Prophets do they live for ever Our Saviour is often in this exhortation having foretold his own departure Yet a little while is the light with you walk while John 12. 35. Eph. 5. 8. Mat. 5. 16. John 5. 35. you have the light As all godly ones are called light So Ministers are the lights of the world John was a burning and a shining light Beloved death will blow out these your candles and your Torches therefore while they live while they
give out their shine and their light make a profitable use of them to Gods honour and your own souls welfare Vse 6. Therefore I hence exhort all the friends of Christ to prepare themselves for death and to maintaine upon their Spirits a prepared posture for natures dissolution Although I know that they being united unto Christ and reconciled to God through him they Rev. 14. 13. shall undoubtedly whensoever they die be translated from earth to heaven yet there is something more to Luke 16. 22. be minded by Christians that they may be ready to die How much might be comprized in Jobs expression All Job 14. 14. the dayes of mine appointed time will I wait until my change shall come I shall not undertake to discover but I desire to leave these foure words of advice in the bosomes of Christians in tendency unto their preparation for death 1. Seek well grounded assurance of your interest in Christ and of undoubted title unto heaven through him This foundation being laid Paul could triumph over death Oh death where is thy sting thanks be to 1 Cor. 15 55. God who hath given us victory through Jesus Christ And Simeon could sing when ready to die Now lettest thou thy Luk. 2. 19 30. servant depart in peace For mine eyes have seen thy salvation Whereas there are sad shiverings upon some gracious hearts when death looketh in at the windows because they question their admission into heaven upon natures dissolution 2. Take heed of all scandalous sinnes sinnes against conscience the commission whereof may blemish Religion and lie as blocks of offence in the wayes of others It is conceived by some Divines that in this regard Saint Paul died with the more confidence because after his conversion he was no way scandalous I have fought the 2 Tim. 4. 7. 8. good fight and I have kept the faith and henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of righteousnesse Whereas Peter having dishonoured Christ disgraced his profession wounded his own conscience and prejudiced others how farre we know not by his fearful threefold denial was so full of perplexity that Christ saw cause before Joh. 21. 15 19 the foretelling of his death to confirme his heart in helping on the discovery of his sincere love notwithstanding that sad offensive Apostacy Broken bones though knit will ake towards change of weather And the remembrance of scandalous miscariages may occasion anguish in the bosomes of dying Saints 3. Settle your outward estate and concernments according to divine prudence and holy principles remembring that you must be accountable unto the Lord whose stewards you are how you dispose of the things of this life Luke 16. 2. with which he hath entrusted you This was Gods own advice unto Hezekiah Thus saith the Lord set thine house i◠Esay 38. 1. order for thou shalt die Many good people deare unto God upon this neglect are lesse comfortable to themselves and lesse serviceabl◠unto others upon their death-beds because they suspe◠the many sad consequences of their not endeavouring t◠prevent sinne and trouble by an orderly setling of all the◠earthly enjoyments 4. Leave with gracious gravity and seriousnesse charges Appropinquante morte multò es divinior and convictions upon the consciences of your nearest relations that Christ heaven and their immortal soules may be principally cared for Warne your friends to beware of the sinnes of the times and of their own inclinations Communicate your experiences for future profit prudently Here I might expatiate upon the examples of Jacob blessing Gen. 49. Deut. 31. 2. 32. 33. Josh 23. 1 2. 24. 1. Joh. 13. 1. 14. 15. 16. 17. his sonnes when on his death-bed of Moses and of Joshua their plaine dealing with Israel when ready to die yea and of Christ himself But I am necessitated to abbreviate these things with this hearty request that my friendly faithfull counsell in these things may not be forgotten And do not I pray you do not deferre these things for death may steale upon you suddenly unexpectedly as a man falls asleep sometimes when he thought not of it This lets in the next point Doct. 2. That Christs friends by death do fall asleep The Protomartyr Stephen his death is thus expressed He Act. 7 60. 1 Co◠15. 16 18 20 51. fell asleep And the Apostle Paul doth often in the fifteenth Chapter of his first Epistle to the Corinthians attest this truth This sleep is not to be applied unto the soule after its Eccles 12. 7. Luke 23. 43. Phil. 1. 23. Heb. 12. 23. departure from the body as some fondly dreame for it goeth to God immediately forth-with enjoyeth fellowship with Christ and becometh perfect But it belongs to the dead body laid in the grave which in this regard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mr. Calamy his Sermon upon Acts 7. 60. is called a sleeping place I shall not dilate upon the resemblance betwixt death and sleep which is fully done by others But I will only touch upon two things which are here intended 1. Death is a sleep unto the godly because thereby they are laid to rest There is a Verse 13. taking of rest by sleep They shall rest in their beds saith the Prophet speaking of the death of righteous ones And Isa 57. 2. they rest from their labours so saith the Spirit who die in the Lord. 2. Because their bodies shall be raised as Rev. 14. 15. men are awakened out of sleep This is expressed in the words which immediately follow the Text Our friend Lazarus sleepeth but I go that I may awake him out of sleep And the Apostle Paul is much upon this Metaphor Cor. 15. in that place where he undertaketh to prove the Resurrection Vse 1. Therefore true beleevers real Saints should not be afraid to die I grant that death unto nature is the King of feares and it hath its poisonous sting with which it will wound the wicked whom it doth usher into hell This with many other useful truths relating unto death is admirably Dr. Tuckney his Sermons upon 1. Cor. 15. 55. laid open of late by a worthy servant of Christ and it would be a digression if I should undertake that discovery But I only move Gods people to arme themselves against the sinking feare of death because unto them it is no worse then falling asleep And indeed there is great need of this counsel among Gods own servants every where who like foolish children are afraid to put off their cloathes and go to bed in a dark chamber As Baxter in his Saints everlasting rest Herein the forementioned Authour and others have administred much good help in which regard I may be silent Vse 2. Neither let us mourne immoderately because of the death of our Christian friends seeing they are only fallen asleep When our Saviour had spoken the Verse 12. words of the
Text Then said his Disciples If he sleep he shall do well And by the argument the Apostle seeks to prevaile with the Thessalonians that they might not mourne excessively upon such occasion For those who sleep in Jesus will God bring with him Then he addeth 1 Thes 4. 13 14 17 18. We shall be ever with the Lord wherefore comfort one another with these words Love moveth joy when our weak weary pained diseased friends are fallen into a sound sweet sleep This consideration therefore should cheere our drooping spirits in reference unto godly friends who died in the Lord. Let us minde this the rather because God who propoundeth this ground of comfort observeth both when we have need of this cordial and also what improvement we make thereof as it followeth in the next and last Doctrine which remaines to be handled Doct. 3. The Lord knoweth when his own and his Churches friends do fall asleep by death As Christ though now at a bodily distance from Bethany the place of Lazarus his abode yet told his Disciples of his death Our friend Lazarus sleepeth As God spake this to Joshuah My Josh 1. 2. servant Moses is dead This truth may be concluded strongly by these arguments Reas 1. Because Christ hath the keys of death Rev. 1. 18. in keeping the soule cannot be let out of the body without his leave And he knoweth all his own grants Reas 2. Because he also hath power in heaven keeping as it were the gate hereof into which none can enter without his allowance This is manifest by his promise to the penitent thief This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise Therefore he exactly observeth when any persons or person Luke 23. 43. hath admission thither Vse 1. Hence the deity of Christ may be proved undeniably for though there be thousands dying hourely in the several places of the world yet Christ knows particularly 1. Both their qualification whether his friends and his Churches friends or no. 2. And the time when every one of them giveth up the ghost As the instance under discourse doth evince 1. He understood infallibly that Lazarus was a faithful friend both unto himselfe and his servants Our friend Lazarus 2. And though he was not corporeally present with Lazarus in the place where he died yet he knew without any creature-intelligence that now he was fallen asleep by death Vse 2. This truth speaketh manifold comforts unto Gods children For 1. This hints his respect to them Precious in Psal 116. 15. â— the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints He will not suffer any of them to lose life without his special observation thereof together with causes and concomitants therein considerable 2. It suggests his care of every soule when it removeth out of the body the place of its habitation it shall not miscary or be lost through Christs regardlessenesse Though thousands of devils may watch to intercept the soule yet Christ who observeth when it leaveth the body will undoubtedly according to his charge and promise secure its Passages to glory This is a Cordial to the poorest Christian for there is no respect of persons with the Lord. It came to passe that the beggar died and was carried by the Angels into Luk. 16. 22. Abrahams bosome And 3. It may relieve the sad hearts of godly ones mourning for their losse in the death of their dear Christian friends for their God and Saviour is quickly and fully acquainted with this their affliction he saw when our beloved relations breathed out their last gasp Questionlesse it cheered Hagar when she understood that God took notice when the bottle was empty and heard the cry of Ishmael because he wanted water And you may be Gen. 21. 16 17. confident that Christ who understands when your Parents your Pastors your yoakfellows your friends die he doth also consider what counsel what comfort what supports what supplies what encouragements you be deprived of by meanes of their death Is not this a choice Cordial to Gods children that their heavenly Father knoweth they need such things Mat. 6. 32. Vse 3. Lastly this Doctrine yields matter of seasonable and needful admonition Therefore upon the death of Gods servants we should seek after such dispositions as may be pleasing unto his Majesty who observeth together with such providences how we are affected therewith Here then I would advise two particulars wherein I intreat the Lord to make us serious 1. To be rightly affected with such like dispensations laying to heart the publick losse sustained when the friends of Christ and his servants are taken away by death The Lord observeth and complaineth when people do not herein answer his expectation The righteous perisheth and no man layeth it to heart And our love unto Esay 57. 1. the publick together with the consideration of the great use of such persons would help forward our humiliation in such cases You heard before that they are friends to Christ and much befriended by Christ yea that they are lovers of the cause and people of God Now is not the death of such to be bewailed When Elijah went up by a whirlewinde to heaven Elisha 2 King 1. 11 12 saw it and he cryed My father my father the Charet of Israel and the horsemen thereof And when Elisha was 2 Kin. 13. 11 14 sick Joash though not a good man wept over him and said Oh my father my father the Charet of Israel and the horsemen thereof Because they beleeved that the publick safety depended much upon the interest of godly men in God therefore their death was thus lamented And truly such friends of God are the chief stakes in the hedge and maine pillars in the building both of Church and Common-wealth Therefore in such cases it may well become us to imitate the devout men who Acts 8. 2. carryed Stephen to his grave and made great lamentation for him 2. To imitate the deceased Saints in their graces and holy conversation we should lay their lives as so many faire copies before our eyes and labour to write after them by consciencious imitation The Apostle having given in a catalogue of Old-Testament-beleevers who in their several places and ages did worthily he earnestly perswadeth Christians to be followers of them And Heb. 11. compared with Heb. 12. 1. seeing God hath given us to behold the beauty of holinesse and the power of godlinesse in their courses it will much aggravate our sinne if we labour not to be like them This leadeth me to that which you all look for viz to spread before you the exemplary life of Master Jeremiah Whitaker the late Pastor of this place whose Funeral hath occasioned this great Assembly and my Sermon in reference unto whom that I may speak unto your edification I will with the change of one word only undertake my Text again Our friend Whitaker sleepeth And truly I am very confident
deny any motion for preaching and praying if God gave bodily ability and other unavoidable occasions did not necessarily hinder Many week-dayes he preached twice yea then when he attended the work of the Assembly of Divines viz. the morning-exercise either at Westminster or elsewhere afterwards in the afternoon I here remember the commendation which St. Paul gave of Epaphroditus in his Epistle to the Philippians For the work of the Lord he was nigh unto Phil. 2. 30. death not regarding his life How farre this is appliable to painful Mr. Whitaker multitudes do well know yea many conceive that his painful distempers which hastened his removal from us were caused and increased by his many constant labours in this kind Neither were his Sermons jejune and dry because thus frequent but always full of Scripture-strength savoury affectionate as his Auditors will testifie Thirdly Such was his love to Christ that his publick Imployments did not take him off from family-duties nor from more private exercises of communion with God His ordinary course was together with prayers to expound some parts of the holy Scriptures in his own family twice every day and beside other parts of Scripture which he daily read in secret he usually read over all the Epistles in the Greek Testament twice every fourtnight yea when by reason of pain and weakness he himself could not read he herein imployed others for his help Hence it was that he was a man mighty in the Scriptures like unto Apollo Acts 18. 24. as was observed by all who conversed with him And this course he earnestly commended to the practice of his dearly beloved eldest son as an excellent means to make him both a ready and a profitable Preacher Fourthly His courage in Christs Cause did much commend his love whereof I will suggest these evidences 1. While he lived in Rutland-shire he refused to read the book allowing of sports upon the Sabbath though it was with commands and threatnings pressed upon him And when he was called to give in his answer about the collection amongst Ministers to maintain the War against Scotland he openly told the Bishop or Chancellor that his conscience could not yield thereto This his answer exposing him to great danger both to lose living and liberty in those times a neighbour through misguided love compassionating him and his family payed the money and subscribed Mr. Whitakers name without his knowledge This he was long ignorant of and when he heard it he expressed with many complaints much grief of heart 2. Since our times of woful desertion and Apostasie both from Gospel-truths and practices he would undauntedly in private conferences and in his publick Ministery express his dislike yea detestation thereof to the faces of them who too much favoured Errour Heresies and ranting courses though he knew that thereby he did run hazards and procure many frownes He refused to subscribe the late Engagement though thereby he was in danger to be taken off from his Westminster Lecture And if his Sermons preached there upon Ephes 2. 2 3. concerning mens walking according to the course of this world c. fulfilling the lusts of the flesh c. could be collected and published thereby it would be manifest that Mr. Whitaker in love unto his Lord Christ was a man of good metal and magnanimity 3. One more private proof of the good mans valiant love to Christ I will make bold to insert because my self can knowingly attest its truth Since these stormy dayes wherein the liberty and livelihood of Ministers have been maligned and struck at he riding with an intimate friend by Tiburn which he had not known or not observed before demanded what that was and answer being made this is Tiburn where many Malefactors have lost their lives he stopped his horse and uttered these words with great affection O what a shame is it that so many thousands should die for the satisfaction of their lusts and so few be found willing to lay down their lives for Christ Why should not we in a good Cause and upon a good call be ready to be hanged for Jesus Christ It would be everlasting honour and it is a thousand times better to die for Christ to be hanged to be burnt for Christ then to die in our beds And how much he condemned life in respect unto Christ Jesus there are many who from his own mouth can witnesse Fifthly So great was his love unto his God and Saviour that he maintained and expressed high estimations and honourable thoughts of his Majesty when under tormenting providences nothing being more feared then this lest he should do or speak any dishonours unto his Name These were some breathings of his large love when through paine he was as in the fire and upon the Rack Good Lord keep me from dishonouring thy Name by impatiency O who would not even in burnings have honourable thoughts of God! Who that knoweth thee would not fear thee O Lord love thee and honour thee Lord thou givest me no cause to have any haâ—d thought of thee Blessed be God there is nothing of hell in all this Blessed be his Name for Jesuâ— Christ and the revelation of the everlasting Gospel Who knoweth the power of thy wrath If it be so heavy upon thy servant here how heavy shall it be to all those who shall endure it without mixture Blessed be God for the peace of mine inward man when my outward man is so full of trouble This is a bitter cup but it is of my Fathers mixture and shall I not drink it yea Lord through thy strength I will this is my burthen and I will beare it Upon any abatement of his paines he was constantly much in blessing God using these and such like expressions O! what a mercy is it that there is any mitigation any intermission Lord make me thankful And turning himselfe towards those who stood by he would speak thus O help me to be thankful O lift up a prayer for me that I may be thankful O what a mercy is this How much worse might this affliction have been I might have been distracted or laid roaring under disquietnesse of spirit By these workings of his spirit which my self and others do well remember and I could heartily wish that all the rest had been recorded who perceiveth not the sparklings of his love to God I will annex one more which hath much affected my heart viz. these words he hath often spoken to me Brother through mercy I have not one repining thought against God Now upon all these considerations I appeale unto the consciences of all ingenuous ones whether there be not ground to beleeve that Christ if here with us would give him the honour of this compellation My loving friend Whitaker The second head of my Narrative followeth That Christ loved Mr. Whitaker For as I discovered in my Sermon this love is alwayes mutual The discovery hereof will be clear upon a double account
of Martyrdome Robert Wilde Upon the Pious and painful Preacher Mr. Jeremy Whitaker An Epitaph I Eremy's not here into the dungeon thrown 'T is heav'ns Whit-acre onely newly Mown Now Angel-reapers gather'd have to Barne The seedsman of Gods Word like full ripe Corne. In teares he sow'd now the heav'nly Qâ—ire To give him joy of Harvest all conspire In his sick bed this Paradox we found The thorny and the stony are good ground The gowt and stone as milstones ground the man To finest flower for Mancher here no Bran These sisting times could finde nere did man say The Preacher spake as mealy-mouth'd to day Gallants you mealy heads capes that have Go take perfumed powder from his grave The dust off's feet was beautiful and he Your powder and your looking-glass may be His life a Sermon was his dust doth cry All flesh is grasse go home and learn to die England may ever glory Rome despaire In Whit acâ—e i' th Pulpit and i' th Chaire Thomas Hodges B. D. An Elegy upon the Death of Mr Whitaker IF passion can make Poets or grief raise Expressions great enough to speak thy praise Then might â— Whitaker thy worth reherse And with my strowings deck thy sacred Herse A Synod's only fit to speak thy fall And bear a part in this their Funeral Divines must grieve that with thee tomb'd doth lie What now we vainly seek Divinity If we would hear such pray'rs as could heaven move And tune the spheres into a Quire of love Sweeter then Angels Anthemes then we must Ransack thy grave and reinspire thy dust There scatter'd lies that voice which could inspire All hearts and fill them with an holy fire As flames get flames Who thunder did defie Six words of thine could melt and purify Such Callous souls which at their sins ne're vext Did finde thy Sermons keener then the Text. Thy Doctrine still was edg'd against mens crimes And serv'd to lance the ulcers of the times Who now shall teach the wicked their sad doomes Or else convince that faith by hearing comes For whosoe're heard thee were caught by th' eare And went out converts that came curious there But those who nâ—'re were wearied with thy voice Do now complain of too much length and noise For since blest Oâ—ator thou parted'st hence The Pulpit only suffers violence Edw. Bagshaw On the much lamented death of that Reverend man of God Mr. Jeremiah Whitaker his dear friend and old neighbour both in City and Countrey IF Reason Vertue Wisdom make a man If Faith Hope Charity the Christian If faithful useful cheerful grace a friend Arts Tongues choice Wit rare Memory commend The Scholar if Humanity Divinity Candor Humility bowels integrity If parts pains zeal sound Doctrine utterance tears Faith courage prudence patience fasting prayers Success crown Preacher Lo of thousands ten That Man Friend Christian Scholar Preacher then Never in times unfixt a man more fixt Never in heart so pure graces more mixt Mildnes with boldnes courage with courtesie High parts low thoughts yielding with constancy Well to conceive and speak to speak and do And do so much so much to suffer too For Love a Jonathan for Truth Nathanael For Meeknesse Moses and for courage Daniel Call'd when a child a second Jeremiah For spirit prayer power the third Eliah For firmnesse Câ—phas for sympathy a Paul For pains success exceeding most or all One thing was lacking yet to make him higher As gold or Job he must into the fire As gold or Job he was unto the last For patience prov'd Integrity held fast Who ere saw such sharp pains heard such sweet prayers Strong cryes but stronger faith praises with tears Ouâ— Lord by suffering did to perfection grow In suffering obedience he did learn and show This man of God came to that altitude By suffering of sore pains that multitude The racking Gowt the tormenting Stone In Kidneys Ulcers two in bladder one Made pains sharp sore long thick but respite small Yet faith and patience overcame them all Now after well spent life and restlesse pains And heaveÌ„ assur'd we reckon death for gains Death when by self desired by friends bewayl'd And a sweet memory left have still prevail'd To call dead happy Then our loss to thee Was greatest gains compleat felicity Weep Berm'sey London wail mourn England all Heâ—e did thy Crown Chariots Horsmen fall John Sheffield Pastor of Swithins London-stone Of the same Author OLd Jeremy a Prophet was and childe Yet was a brazen wall and Pillar stil'd He liv'd in troublous times sad changes saw He suffered much yet kept he fast Gods Law By all good honour'd by enemies approved By many censur'd by none faulty proved He dealt with persons highest and with low He warned all but wished no mans woe Son of Contentiâ—n called when of peace The greatest friend and of his Lands increase He preached much of Christ gospel-Gospel-days The Covenant new he taught and its rich grace Yet was his last a doleful lamentation Sad to himself sadder to the Nation Thou art or wast the same His Baruch he Companion had to him let me to thee An Elegy upon the much lamented death of my late dear and reverend Friend Mr. Jeremiah Whitaker ENgland wil soon grow poor if in one year Kent lose a Wilson we a Whitaker A Thames and Medway from our heads arise Their streams our tears their channels are our eyes Our many losses call for teares not fewer The brest a Bason makes the eye an Ewer No longer now shall Isis part the Burrough From London since that both sides meet in sorrow Not as of old by striving whether side Should for their own obtain the Silver tide No not to gain the water wee 'l contend But wee 'l by weeping strive who most can spend Conduits give wine indeed when th' Crown 's put on Now run they tears because our Crown is gone Our Friends Decease and Death our troubles were We nor his Sickness nor his Med'cines bear His Pulpit he esteem'd his rest his bed We thought his bed a Pulpit where he read Lectures of patience these he loudly utter'd By silence oft he groan'd but never mutter'd Of mournful Magdalen Bermonsey bears The name and with her Title hath her tears And our dear Whitaker was Jeremy In name in weeping and in Prophecy But he no Prophet now no sackcloth wears His work is done and so are all his teares May Bermonsey of him the late possessor Mourn for her sins but joy in his successor GUIL JENKYN Pastor of Black-fryers London Vpon the Death of the Reverend his never to be forgotten friend Mr Jeremiah Whitaker O That affection could but make a Poet If grief could rhime with Art sure I should do it Though so disus'd to versify We 'l try The Subject's sad and so 's the Poetry The tender son that never spake before To save his fathers life turn'd Orator Shall I forbear in silence Write I must When such