I had dreadful Plague Fire and Sword and what further means could God make use of in an ordinary way for allarming and stirring of us up to prepare for our change aud turning of our souls to himself and fitting of us for Eternity And shall none of these work upon you Shall all means fail Shall the Gospel be preached in vain Shall Ministers spend their study their breath nay their strength to no purpose what will you do then in the end 6. Do you know that you shall have all these helps continued to you Will God still suffer his holy Spirit to strive with you Alass Death may soon have Commission to seize you and carry you into the other world but should you live are you sure God will still wait upon you upon such rebels who have slighted and undervalued his Grace Son and Gospel Sirs I must tell you alluding to that in Genesis 6. which hath often been upon my heart that the blessed Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man Means and advantages are like to be taken away God ere long may say to Conscience Be still reprove that man that woman no more You may be left to commit wickedness without remorse or trouble God may give you up to a hardened and sordid heart to a seared and filthy Conscience yea and refuse in mercy to afflict you any more see Hosea 4. 14. May not he that hath taken away a Minister an able one a sweet and precious Labourer take away ere long a sweet and precious Gospel and what will become of your souls then 7. Do you know for certain the Gospel shall be continued to this Land Be you sure you shall hear the joyful sound Let me tell you my thoughts freely though I pretend not to a spirit of Prophesie yet mark what follows I tremble to think what is coming upon us as a punishment of our sins I fear Beloved the Gospel is a going Ephraim hath grey hairs here and there though he know it not and grey hairs are a sign that our morning or best days are gone secondly they commonly bring a wrinkled face or a decay of Beauty our goodness like Ephraims are even like the morning dew thirdly they bring feebleness or a decay of strength fourthly they shew that death and mortality draws near We have heard some of us that he was grey a great while ago I doubt he is white by this time There are sad symptomes upon us I know not how soon we may have cause to cry Ichabod because the glory is departed Are we not in danger to be over-spread with Popery Confusion and Darkness for if the Gospel should continue and Gods people resolve to do their best by their prayers and prizing of it to hold it fast yet are you sure you shall have Ministers to prcach unto you Many have been taken of late away and one at this time before your eyes is gone a faithful and able one whom now you shall hear no more But should there be Ministers and opportunities yet you may be left to your selves to ripen for Hell and ruin Nay Is not Christ already crying over you as he did over Jerusalem Oh that thou hadst known in this thy day the things that belongeth to thy peace but now they are hid from eyes Luke 19. 42. Oh that these things might take hold and touch your Conscicnces 8. Consider of the shortness and uncertainty of your dayes Alas what is your life you know not how soon death may come and knock at your doors or look in at your windows It may be some of you have had many years but this consider of you know not how few the rest may be behind you have no promise from God no lease or assurance that you have one year more where hath God told you that you shall nay one half year You cannot assure your self you shall have one month no not one week no not one day You may be stricken by death before you return home Boast not thy self of too morrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth Pro. 27. 1. Many that are young hope that they may have many years the child thinks to be a youth and the youth to be a man and a man till he is full of dayes But alass they consider not how brittle they are they do not lay to heart the uncertainty of their lives David desired to know his end and the measure of his days that he might know how frail he was Psal 39. 4 5. Many do not take a right measure of their dayes they measure not by a lawful Rule What say some my Father and Grandfather lived to a good old age and I hope to attain to their years Others measure by their present health they are not diseased nor sickly but of a good healthful Constitution but alass this is no sure Rule thou mayest notwithstanding all this be quickly in the grave such sometimes death makes to stoop on a sudden they go many times before sickly persons Others measure their dayes by their present strength they fear not death upon that account yet they die as you have heard though wholly at ease these do not go by the Kings Standard neither Let me tell you what is a right and true measure for your dayes account them then by the morning dew and flower of the field Man that is born of a woman saith holy Job is but of few dayes he cometh forth like a flower and is cut down and flieth away like a shadow and continueth not Job 14. 12. Naturalists tells us of a plant that lasts but for a day this plant thou or I may be The Heathen hath observed that the Rose grows old in its very budding Mankind is like Jonah's Gourd that came up in a night and perished in a night Nothing fades sooner than a flower oh measure thy dayes by that and by the vapour that appeareth for a little while and then vanisheth away the Spiders Web the Swift Post the Weavers Shuttle or a Ship under sail Persons never so rich or great never so beautiful never so weak of strong wise or foolish vertuous or vicious as thou hast heard must die May not the thoughts of this move thee to a preparedness for the grave 9. Consider how you have loytered hitherto and lost much of your precious time which God hath lent you to prepare for the grave Upon the improvement of your present time doth your eternal happiness depend and if it be squandered away what will become of your immortal and never dying souls If a man hath much work to do work of the weightiest concern that must be done or the man undone business that would take up all his day and it should so fall out that he had lost the morning nay above half his day would it not concern him to set about the work with all his might so as if possible to do two hours works in one lest the Sun
A Summons TO THE GRAVE OR The Necessity of a Timely Preparation for DEATH Demonstrated in a SERMON Preached at The FUNERAL of that most Eminent and Faithful Servant of Jesus Christ Mr. JOHN NORCOT Who Departed this Life March 24. 1676 By BENJAMIN KEACH a Cordial and an unfeigned Lover of the Deceased MIC 7. 2. The good man is Perished out of the Earth LONDON Printed for Ben. Harris at the Stationers Arms in Sweethings Rents near the Royal Exchange 1676. To all Sincere Christians that were the Hearers of this Sermon but more especially to that poor afflicted and sorrowful Congregation which is in God the Father and in our Lord Jesus Christ meeting in Old Gravel-Lane near Wapping London WHEN I think of that Separation Death hath made between you and your beloved Pastor my dear Brother it causes sadness to seiz my spirit Sure such Stroaks of the Almighty should bring us upon our Knees I wish you are not hereafter made more sensible of the Nature of these sore Rebukes then at present you can be however let us learn this Lesson by it not to overprize or value any thing or Person short of Jesus Christ 'T is good in all things to labour against inordinateness of affection We can't 't is true love God too much nor Christ too much but we may love Ministers too much nay idolize them esteem them above what is meet as many in former times have done or we may esteem them not enough whether any of you have bin guilty herein or no will now I am perswaded be discovered if duty to God our solemn Vow and Covenant with God and the Church and our Love to Jesus Christ will not make us to know and keep our Places what may we judge of our selves or others judge of us I am not without fears I speak of some in respect of temptations of this kind I pray God deliver them from it lest they bring up a reproach upon the good ways of God You had or would be looked upon all of you to have a real and cordial love for him that is now taken from you O then do nothing after his death that would have grieved his soul were he alive Labour to live in love and strive to keep the unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace I having this opportunity thought it not amiss to give a hint or two of this Nature And now beloved as concerning this Sermon had it not been Preached in part to fulfil the desire of the deceased I should not have presumed to have taken so weighty a work upon me especially in the Presence of so many able and worthy Ministers as I am not so the Lord knows I look upon my self no ways meet or fitly qualified and capacitated for such a weighty work I am called to And truly brethren 't is not any excellency and worth that is in this broken Sermon that is the cause of its Publication 't is the desire and importunity of several amongst you and some others that hath brought it forth I do think nevertheless for the sake of him at whose Desire and at who'e Funeral it was Preached you will entertain it though never so poor and mean a work I told you what sorrow had seized my spirit I Preached with a heavy heart and with a mournful spirit I know you fate under the hearing of it alas I cannot blame you for your mourning he was a most sweet and choice Preacher most excellent skill had he to dive into Gospel-Mysteries he saw if I may say without offence as far into a Text of Scripture as most men now surviving and as careful in dividing of the Word that every one might have a portion in season O how sweetly has this Trumpet sounded in your ears what spiritual joy hath it raised in your hearts O how powerful in Prayer hath he been Hath not his prayers and Tears over sinking sinners tended to melt their Adamant hearts O the thronging there hath been about him no marvel he had precious bread always to break unto the children he knew how to feed with milk and how and when to feed with strong meat It was his delight I am satisfied to do his Masters work and in doing of it I may say he loved not his life unto the death He is gone to eat the fruit of his labour and I wish that all those Choice Sermons you have heard from his lips may not be buried with him I hope the fruit of them will be seen in your lives and could some of them be made publick they might be very serviceable unto the People of God and others in general I shall at present say no more but earnestly desiring the Lord to continue the Labourer you have and send some other in due time amongst you to the making up that great loss which at present you do sustain so that sinners may be in the midst of you converted and true believers strengthned encouraged and comforted and all built up together in love to the end that you may be found without blemish in the day of Jesus Christ and that it may be so is the desire and shall be the Prayer of him Who is willing to serve you to his Power for Christ and his Truths sake BENJAMIN KEACH To the READER Impartial Reader SVpposing thee to be One that was not at this late Funeral or if thou wert there could'st not have the opportunity to hear the Sermon by reason of the straightness of the place and the multitude of People and perceiving it is partly for thy sake the Printing of it has bin so much desired I thought it might not be unnecessary to offer a word or two briefly unto thee whether it deserves such a Publication or not it will come now under thy Censure however if thou knowest the Person that taught it I am satisfied thou wilt not lose thy expectation nothing excellent thou dost expect considering the weakness and shallowness of the Preacher how shouldst thou yet if thou hast nothing of Prejudice in thy heart against him from that contemnable apprehensions thou and others have of that he is not wholly without hopes but that some small profit thou mayst gain hereby Let the consideration of the subject prevail upon thee however to give it the reading 't is you hear a Summons to the Grave thou canst never hear too often of death and sure this Sermon will not offend thee if thou art one that dost live I mean live indeed in the sight and stedfast belief of a future life an eternity of happiness or misery I have read that Philip King of Macedon commanded one of his Pages to awake him every Morning and call aloud to him Sir remember you are a man This great Monarch did not disdain to be rouzed every day from sleep with the News of death though it was but by the Mouth of his poor sorry Page and shall any of us slight the Message through want
from bad times are snatch'd away A Prince and a great man you all can tell This day is fallen in our Israel Oh Israel mourn thy Chariots flee away Thy Horsemen leave thee in an evil day The Godly fail and ceaseth for to be Lord is not this for our iniquity Let 's tremble then black Clouds hang o're our heads Whilst we securely lie upon our Beds Rouse rouse my soul for shame what sleepy still Hast thou not of luke-warmness had thy fill Heark dost not hear the Bridegroom very nigh Oh then by faith thy self to him apply Get oyl more oyl thy heart to purifie For now methinks I hear a louder cry Thousands there are which to the forme attain'd Of Godliness yet without grace remain'd They cry and howl Lord Open Heavens Gate But he saith No you now are come too late Oh Norcot Norcot if it were but free To envy any I would envy thee Because thou now invested art with glory Whilst I behind do write this mournful story But stay my soul pray why so passionate grown Wilt thou not suffer him to reap his own He sowed in tears but now he reaps in joy Don't then by murmuring thy self annoy Must he all day be labouring in the Field And now 't is night dost grudge him Rest to yield Rather lament and mourn for thy own sin And that 's the way for thee to follow him Dost hear him call Mourn for thy self not me I from Death Sin and Sickness now am free Farewel blest Saint farewell thou art fled away And left us in a black and stormy day And yet we hope to see thy face again That so with thee in glory we may reign ACROSTICK I s Norcot dead No he is fallen asleep O h then my soul cease to lament and weep H e now in Glory clearly doth behold N ought else but Joys that never can be told N ever more grieve for him what is thy loss O 't is his gain for he hath left but dross R epent oh England I filled am with fears C ompel me not to mix my thoughts with tears O Gospel-Grace will haster if you scoff T o a Nation bringing forth the fruit thereof E. P. AN EPITAPH on his Tomb-stone HEre underneath this Stone lieth the Dust of NORCOT whilst the Râ—siâ—g of the Just His Soul to Heaven is sled and there doth stand With Christ and all the Saints at his Right Hand And when on Earth he was he did not spare His Life for Christ it was his daily care To Pray and Preach and unto God to crave That Sinners might repent their souls to save His Work was done his Glass is run and we May all conclude he 's Blest t'Eternitie B. H. A SERMON â—â—â—ached at the Funeral of Mr. JOHN NORCOT March the 28th 1676. I Need not tell you the ground and occasion of this present Meeting Certain I am this is a sorrowful Assembly Whether I am fit to preach or no I cannot tell but sure I am ripe to mourn May I not on this occasion use the words of David upon Abner's death 2 Sam. 3. 38. Know ye not that there is a Prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel Who more worthy of honour than those God confers honour upon and to be employed as Christs Embassadors to treat in his stead with poor sinners about their eternal estate and condition is no small dignity and to be deprived of such a one what greater ground for grief and mourning But not to take up your time in a way of Introduction I shall commend to you that portion of holy Scripture which shall be the ground of my present discourse Psal 89. 48. What man is he that liveth and shall not see death Shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave Selah The Psalmist in the verses that doth precede is pleading with God under great afflictions and the hidings of Gods face upon consideration of the shortness of his dayes How long wilt thou hide thy self for ever shall thy wrath burn like fire and ver 47. Remember how short my time is as if he should say Lord I have but a little while to live my time on earth is short let me therefore enjoy thy favor let the remainder of my dayes the days of my pilgrimage be good dayes Let me see thy face have the light of thy countenance let them not be dayes of sorrow and darkness From hence note this That a gracious soul whilst on earth desires nothing more than the enjoyment of Gods favor Communion with God is the onely thing his soul longs and breaths after They having a sense of the shortness of their dayes resolve to live well and to make good improvement of their time They would not onely have the full enjoyment of God hereafter but a sight of his presence and favour whilst here And indeed those who would live with God in heaven must first live to God on earth Now it is not thus with the unregenerate if wicked men have a sight of the shortness of their lives it hath not this effect upon their hearts they many times the more pursue their lusts they endeavor to get as much pleasure as they can and to gratifie their covetous ambitious and carnal appetites and suck out what sweetness they can out out of this perishing world they resolve to have it as sweet as outward enjoyments can make it they know no higher or better good then what is earthly and sensual Oh miserable deceived Creatures how is their understandings darkened having never attained a saving knowledge of God nor spiritual relish of his grace and love nor a sight of his favour and kindness towards them They are dreadfully involved in Egyptian darkness they are ignorant of the satisfaction joy and sweetness that is in him hence they cry not after God nor seek after him here that they might be made happy with him hereafter But that I may come to the words that I have read to you in the Text you have a twofold Interrogation or Negative Questions 1. What man is he that liveth and shall not see death 2. Can he deliver his soul from the power of the grave Selah The meaning is no man can avoid it none can escape the grave whatever he be Many such kind of questions are put forth and thus answered in Holy Scripture Here are two terms before I proceed to any observation that I judge needful to speak to by way of Expâ—ication First What is meant by the word soul in this place Doth the soul go to the grave I answer Soul in holy Scripture bears divers acceptations sometimes by it is intended one thing sometimes another and from hence I judge it is that so many persons miss in their understandings about the noble and superiour part of the Creature 1. By it is intended the whole man Gen. 46. 27. And the sons of Joseph which were born him in Egypt were two souls all the
all to save themselves from the grave they would leave but little to Friends or Executors could they but bribe Death with their Silver and Gold I have read of one who would make a tryal and so called for a Bag of Gold when on a Sick-bed and laid it to his trembling heart but presently cried out Away away with it it will not do Oh my Beloved Riches will not avail you in the day of wrath Prov. 11. 4. and as it will not in the Day of Judgement so it will not in the hour of Death The brutish person dies and leaves his wealth behind him Psal 49. 10. The Cardinal of Winchester who procured the death of the good Duke of Glocester in the Reign of King Henry the Sixth was shortly after taken with a grievous Disease who understanding by his Physicians that he could not live murmurring and repining thereat he cried out Fie will not Death be hired Will money do nothing must I die that have so great riches If the whole Realm would save my life either by policy I can get it or by riches I can buy it But yet all would not do the proud Cardinal must submit to death 5. As Riches will not deliver from the power of the grave so likewise earthly power and worldly sovereignty and greatness cannot do it all the mighty Potentates and Monarchs the holy Scripture and ancient Histories acquaint us of where are they hath not Death subdued them all After all their grandeur and pomp they were all cut down by Deaths all-conquering hand and now their glory lies in the dust Augustus Caesar one day triumphs in the greatness of his strength the next day is stabbed to death with Bodkins Herod King of the Jews one hour is admired as a God the next hour is made a Feast for Worms Acts. 12. 22 23. The great Conqueror Alexander who subdued he greatest part of the World is at last overcome by Death Death makes no difference between the King in his Royalty on the Throne and the Begger in Rags upon the Dunghill Alexander having received 2 wounds at the siege of great City in India finding himself to be sore wounded was in some measure made sensible of his own fragillty and cried out to his flattering followers You call me the Son of Jupiâ—er but I perceive I am subject to wounds and death as well as other men Death bringeth down the loftiest looks of man I have read that in the Library of Dublin there is a Globe at the one end and at the other end the picture of Death to shew that though man was Lord of the whole Universe i. e must submit to Death Thus you see that all the pomp and glory of the world hath been cut down by the power of the grave But again 6. As Worldly Dignities cannot deliver from the power of the Grave so glorious Titles will not do it Those Worthies that God conferred glorious Titles upon yea so far as to give his own name unto them to be called gods One would think that this if any were the most likeliest to exempt a man from the grave and yet it will not do Psal 82. 6 7. I have said ye are gods but with the same breath adds ye shall die like men and fall like one of the princes But 7. Eminency in grace and spiritual endowments or divine qualificacations will not be able to rescue a soul from the power of the grave All the Patriarchs of old they are gone where are all those choice and renowned in grace that we read of who shined in their day like the stars in the firmament Oh! where are those Troops of Israelites that excelled in patience chastity temperance holiness and humility these could not deliver themselves from death The righteous perish and no man layeth it to heart and merciful men are taken away none considering that the righteous are taken away from the evil to come Isa 57. 1. 8. Lastly No spiritual Dignity Office or Place can deliver from the hand of the grave though a person be never so much in the favour of God and honoured by Christ Jesus though never so laborious for the good of souls as to be an Embassador of Peace and Minister of the Gospel yet these will not exempt from death your Fathers where are they and the Prophets do they live for ever Zech. 1. 5. Thus you have heard the Doctrine made good and confirmed That there is no man living that shall not see death or be able to deliver himself from the power of the grave I shall onely give you two or three reasons of the point and so proceed to the Application If you question why all must die take two or three things for an Answer 1. Reas Because all have sinned Sin and Death came into the world together Death came by the fall in the Garden 't is part of the punishment due to us for that transgression Rom. 5. 12. Wherefore as by one man sin entred into the world and death by sin so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned the wages of sin is death Rom. 6. 23. We may cry out in the words of a holy man O sin sin 't is thou which by thy just deserts hast caused all the funerals that ever have been Thus you see all must die because all have sinned 2. Reas Because God hath decreed that all men must die Heb. 9. 27. And as it is appointed for men once to die and after that to judgement Though death be natural and the punishment of our sins yet we die by Gods appointment We let in death by our sin and God causeth death to proceed upon us to make good the justice and severity of his own threatning I know saith Job thou wilt bring me to death to the house appointed for all living Job 30. 23. On the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die dust thou art and to dust shalt thou return Gen. 2. 17. 3. 19. 3. Reas Lastly Why God will bring all men to the grave and I shall add no more Because he would thereby magnifie his glorious Attributes as first out of infinite grace commiseration and goodness he brings his own children to the grave knowing the miseries sad afflictions and troubles that doth attend them in this life Here most times poor Saints with Lazarus have their evil things many are their afflictions and this way God takes to deliver them out of them all Death opens a door to glory to every gracious soul and secondly God by death prepares the bodies of his Saints for eternal bliss and happiness He brings the body to the grave that it may be purified and made a glorious and most amiable body 't is sown that it might be raised more glorious 1 Cor. 15. 42 43 44. God doth with the bodies of his Saints with reverence be it spoken as they do with their Earthen Vessels in China they bury them in the earth for many
years and when they take them out the nature and worth of them is far transcendent 2. The ungodly must die that God may magnifie on them his own infinite Justice Death having seized their body their souls must go to its place to suffer the intollerable pains and incensed wrath of the Almighty and that their bodies also with their souls when they shall hereafter meet together again might he made fit fuel for eternal flames to kindle upon for now as they are in this mortal state they cannot endure the terrible wrath of God but would soon be freed of all bodily pain and extremity were they cast into that Lake that burns with fire and brimstone Thus much for the Reasons of the Point more might be said but I must hasten to the application I have onely four Uses to make of it as first an Use of Exhortation secondly an Use of Direction thirdly an Use of Lamentation fourthly an Use of Consolation First By way of Exhortation Is it so Beloved must all men die Can none deliver his own soul from the power of the grave Must every Mothers child of us take up our Lodging there Is the dark grave the appointed house for all living Shall the proudest and loftiest be brought down to the dust Must that little cool house under ground hold us all Then poor sinners shall I prevail with you to prepare for death Let me exhort you to look about you and get ready I remember when the Prophet came to good King Hezekiah Isa 38. 1. with that doleful tidings as upon some consideration and circumstances it might then appear to that holy man he bids him set his house in order make provision for eternity and this is the message that is brought to you this day You must die and not live And that I might enforce this word upon you let me lay before you a few Motives and awakening Considerations First Consider what a great favour and mercy it is that God hath let you and I live so long Others are long ago cut down and sent to the grave he hath not it may be given many half of those dayes which thou hast had Look upon this as a mercy indeed considering thy life was forfeited before thou wert born Sirs we came into the World with the Sentence of death upon us and if Jehovah had cut us down in our sins many years ago it would have been but a piece of Justice And what is the end of God in sparing of us but that we might be fitted for the place whither we are going Oh how unwilling is God to strike the fatal blow to cut men down before they are prepared for death He is not willing they should perish and that is the reason of his patience long-suffering and forbearance sinners lay it to heart Secondly Consider what dreadful provocations you and I have given him to take us away and command death in his name to arrest us Have we not grieved burdened yea even wearied him with our iniquities Nay have we not pierced him May he not cry out as being pressed as a Cart is pressed that is full of sheaves Amos 2. 13. Is it not a sad and most lamentable thing thus to deal with a loving and gracious God Thirdly How often hath the Lord called you and yet you have rebelled Hath not he stretched out his hand all the day long and yet you have not hearkned but have rejected his counsel and cast his word and reproofs behind you yea and often resisted his Holy Spirit in the common motions and workings thereof Have you not many of you refused his Grace Son and divers sweet and precious Calls and Offers of Love And certain I am you have had many of these in this place Nay how many warnings have you had of the near approach of death Nay awakening summons to prepare for the grave as you would answer it before the dreadful Judge of Heaven and Earth by my dear Brother that is fallen asleep whom we shall hear no more Oh what pains did he take with some of you that so you might be ready Have not you and I notwithstanding all this hearkened to a base deceitful heart and inticeing and tempting Devil Have you stouted it out against all Pains and Endeavours used for Spiritual awakenings and are you yet alive Then consider how much this calls upon you to be ready to die Will any dare that are sensible of the worth of their Immortal Souls neglect this concern any longer 4. Consider That the abuse of Mercy and Goodness will greatly aggravate thy misery in the day of wrath Oh remember what it is to sin against Light Love and Patience Shall the goodness of God that should lead to repentance encourage and harden thee in thy iniquity How dost thou think to escape the Judgement of God Or despisest thou as saith the Apostle the rich's of his goodness forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance but aftey thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God who will render to every man according to his deeds Rom. 2. 4. 5 6. Sentence is past against a sinner but because it is not speedily executed therefore the hearts of men are fully set within them to do wickedly Eccl. 8. 11. Christ knocks at the door and yet sinners will not hear Christ may speak of sinners as God speaks of Israel of old My people will have none of me Psal 81. 11. Oh what have you to answer for abused mercy and favour What What will you do hereafter when Christ who waits upon you now to save you will then turn his face from you in the day of your calamity and plead against you to condemn you see Prov. 1. 28. 5. Consider for Christs sake of those advantages you have had and still have If some had the like we may conclude they would have made better use and improvement of them then some of you have done Hath not God afforded you the Gospel beyond what he hath to divers parts of the world Nay what a gracious and powerful ministration of it hath there been continued for some time in this place You have had helps above thousands God hath taken much pains with you that have attended upon the word here Where God gives many talents he requires the improvement of them what will become of Jerusalem and Capernaum in the day of Judgement And hath not Gods spirit striven with you also Nay and hath not Conscience endeavoured to awaken you Have you not had Summons and Calls from thence Hath not that often reproved you for neglect of Seasons flighting of Sermons and indulging your selves in iniquity and secret lusts and omissions of duty Oh! how many sharp checks and rebukes have you had from within Nay and besides all this what awakening Judgements to prepare for the grave have you and
that sweet word of Paul to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 3. 22. Whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours it will be every way for thy good Consider what freedom thou wilt gain thereby 1. It will free thee from a body of sin and death that often makes thee go with a sorrowful heart Oh! hath it not oft made thee to cry out with St. Paul Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of sin and death Oh what is a greater trouble to a Child of God than indwelling sin He cannot do the things he would do But now comes death and frees thee of all these soul perplexities and disquietments Sin makes a Saint to groan being burthened but now thou shalt grieve Christ and his spirit nor thy own soul no more Is not this that a poor Saint longs for 2. 'T will free thee from a poor crazy diseased or distempered Body There will then be no crying out of back or bone nor head not heart any more 't will be with thee as with the Church in the glorious day to come Rev. 21. 4. There shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are passed away 3. It will free thee from an evil and wicked world Oh what a defiling ensnaring and bewitching world is this What hinders us of our joy and peace in Christ more than it What greater vexation to us Oh how many precious Saints are clogged and imprisoned by the cares of the world which many times is ready to choak the seed of holy desires after Christ But by Death thou shalt be delivered 4. It will free thee out of the hands of presecutors Thou wilt with our dear Brother be out of their reach then they shall not disquiet thee imprison thee nor torment thee any more There saith Job speaking of the grave the wicked cease from troubling and there the weary be at rest there the prisoners rest together they hear not the voice of the oppressor Job 3. 17 18. 5. Death will free thee from an envious raging and tempting Devil He will have not more power to disturb thee accuse thee nor by his cursed suggestions to vex and perplex thy soul no nor any other ways to hurt or annoy thee O will not this be to thy great advantage Who would be unwilling to die that hath an interest in Jesus Christ 6. Thou wilt hereby also be freed from all the discords and troubles that rise amongst Brethren The unworthy and disorderly lives of Professors shall sadden thy heart then no more This was that which worried and grieved the blessed Apostle Phil. 3. 18. Our dear Brother is set at liberty from all these things disorders in the Church no loose walking of Members thereof will burden nor trouble him again 7. Nay and Death will free thee of all that trouble that riseth from those inward becloudings and hideings of God's face It will never be night with the soul any more thou wilt then be with Christ and behold his face with joy for ever 8. And lastly Thou wilt also be freed of all thy toilsome pains and labour of what nature soever it be O how good is rest to a weary soul Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works do follow them Rev. 14. 13. But then once again Consider what a blessed state thy soul will be in at death If thou art a true Beliver thou shalt not onely have hereby a negative good it will not simply a freedom from all those sorrows and troubles thou hast heard but thy soul shall immediately receive transcendent joy with Jesus Christ For me to live saith Paul is Christ and to die is gain The advantage the soul receives upon this account made Paul so much desire to depart and be with Christ which he says is far better Phil. 1. 21. Pray observe his words he doth not say it will be gain to him when he rises again no but to die is gain I shall receive more joy more consolation more of the fulness of God and Christ as if he should say when I die then I can whilest I am in this body Mind that passage in 2 Cor. 5. 1. For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God a house not made with hands eternal in the heavens Compare this with ver 6. Therefore we are always confident knowing that whilst we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. The Apostle doth not say we know when this earthly house is broken down and raised up again we have a building with God eternal in the heavens Pray consider it but plainly when it is dissolved when it is turned to its dusty crums We have that is our souls he can intend nothing else By we he means their better part which he compares to an inhabiter and the body to the house or tabernacle in which it dwels Oh what an excellent thing is the soul of man over the body And now beloved That the soul or better part is capable of being separated from the body and in its seperate state from the body capable of glorious enjoyments of God and high raptures of joy with Jesus Christ doth appear most evident from that passsage of the Apostle in 2 Cor. 12. 1 2 3. It is not expendient for me doubtless to glory I will come to vissions and revelations of the Lord. I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago whether in the body I cannot tell God knoweth such a one caught up to the third heaven ver 4. says he was caught up into paradise and heard unspeakable words which is not lawful for a man to utter The soul or spirit then it appears may be seperate from the body I from this place thus argue 1. If the soul or spirit of man be not capable of being seperated from the house of clay or earthly tabernacle then Paul might have boldly and safely have said the whole man was taken up a soul and body together and not one without the other because it is impossible to seperate them but since Paul says he knows not whether in the body or out of the body he plainly shews what opinion he was of And then secondly I may from what he says reason after this manner viz. If the soul in its seperated state from the body be not able or capable to enjoy or take in heavenly comforts or consolations of Jesus Christ Paul might boldly and Positively have said he was taken up in the body because however he was caught up whether within or without the body he heard and saw unexpressible things he had high and soul-filling raptures of joy The Lord Jesus promised the penitent Thief that he should that is
his chief or better part be that day with him in Paradice Lord Jesus saith Stephen receive my spirit O what a blessed thing it is to die in Christ O what a happy estate is our friend in the gain is exceeding great Some may say what doth a godly man gain by death I answer First They gain a glorious place heaven the glorious Paradice of God the Mansions of glory that are in our Fathers House Who is able to conceive what a glorious place heaven is But then Secondly They shall enjoy glorious company too They shall be with Jesus Christ have his company in whose presence there is fulness of joy and at whose right hand there be pleasures for evermore be with Christ holy Angels and glorious spirits of just men made perfect O what a blessed state and condition of soul have they gained that are gone thither Thirdly we shall gain sweet peace 'T is not onely peace in Christ that Gods people have as their portion here but it shall be peace with Christ A Woman that has a dear Husband who is gone to Sea he is it may be in another Countrey yet she hears from him receives tokens of love she has much satisfaction of the stedfasteness of his love cordialness of his affection in this she has peace and comfort but alas what is this peace to that when he comes home when she has him enjoys his company O we shall see Christ enjoy him yea lie in his arms to all eternity Enter thou saith Christ into the joy of thy Lord. That joy is too much to enter into us therefore we must enter into that Mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace He has peace In death peace beyond death yea and peace to all etrernity And now one word more particularly to you that have lost your Pastor Your loss I must confess is great though he hath gained hereby and it may be some of you are crying out What shall we do Beloved you must labour for a quiet frame strive for contentedness of heart 't is the Lords hand upon you 't is what he has done remember David I was dumb I opened not my mouth because thou didst it Psal 39. 9. 2. Consider also your loss is not so great but God is able to repair it and make it up to you though you may not see which way it can be done let it be your care to wait upon God cry to him look up to the Lord of the Harvest and patiently wait to see what he will do for you 3. To support you under this sore affliction Consider the great Shepherd of the Sheep never dyes he lives for ever and sure he that dyed for the Sheep whose own Sheep they are will take care of them he will feed them and preserve them from danger Isa 23. 1 2 3. The Lord is my Shepherd saith David I shall not want He maketh me to lie down in green Pastures he leadeth me besides the still waters he restoreth my Soul he leadeth me in the paths of Righteousness for his Names sake And from hence he takes courage Yea though I walk thorow the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil Oh what a blessed thing it is to have confidence in God and to have such a Shepherd the keeper of Israel never slumbers nor sleepeth And now to conclude one word to dear Relations and to comfort us all under the present dispensation 1. Consider death shall not seperate us long we shall see one another again over a short time he is gone but a little before let us think upon that glorious Meeting we shall have ere long in the Air read 1 Thes 4. 13 c. I would not have you to be ignorant Brethren concerning them which are asleep that ye sorrow not even as others which have no hope for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again even so them which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him for this we say unto you by the word of the Lord that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep for the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of the Arch-angel and with the trumpet of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord wherefore comfort one another with these words What can I speak that may be more seasonable for comfort then that which the holy Spirit hath left upon record upon that very account it will be but a little while and we shall see him again we shall have a joyful meeting and never part more O therefore be quieted consider what you have heard what death is to a Believer Shall not our Friend go to rest Alas he hath laboured hard and O how sweet is this rest to him When a man hath worked hard all day and wearied himself how willing is he to go to bed at night Alas he is but gone to sleep to take sweet and quiet rest until the Morning 2. Shall not we be willing he should have inlargement to be freed out of Prison Alas our Souls are as it were but in Prison whilst we dwell here below in these Houses of Clay Death as a Porter opens a door into that Glorious Palace above He is but gone home to his Fathers House and how earnest was he to depart that he might be present with the Lord. 3. Shall not he eat the fruit of his labour he that soweth in tears shall reap in joy those that go forth weeping bearing precious seed shall doubtless come again rejoycing and bring their Sheaves with them 4. He having overcome shall not he receive the Crown Paul having fought the good fight of faith knew there was laid up for him a Crown of Righteousness To him that overcometh saith our Saviour will I grant to sit with me in my throne even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father an his throne Rev. 3. 21. 5. And now in the last place and to shut up all consider uncertain is thy life and mind you know not but that in a very few dayes you may go after it will not be long be sure and thither we all must go For What man is he that liveth and shall not see death Shall be deliver his Soul from the hand of the grave Selah FINIS ERATA PAg. 4. l. 9. blot forth cut p. 4. l 10. also blot forth out p 9. l. 25 for is read it p. 11. l. 14. blot out word p. 15. for Augustus Caesar r. Julius Caesar p 17. l. 2. for if r. of p. 18. for question r. query p. 32. l. 8. blot out And p. 32. l. 9. for And r. For p. 58. l. 8. blot out and Consolation which escaped in sâ—me Copies * Mr. Clark gives us several instances how the death of the righteous hath been the Fore-runner of sad and lamentable Judgements Begins with Methuselah before the Flood whose very name was very significant upon this account Also I lately met with a Sermon of a godly Minister in New England that was preached sometimes before their late calamities and miseries broke forth there and amongst their other signs of approaching judgement that he seemed to be very apprehensive of he minds that of the dropping away of many holy and godly persons Oh how many able and godly preachers and others have we lost in a short space We may look upon it as one sad sign or symptome of approaching evil * Some probably may object the dead are not sensible of time 't is but as a sleep to them they die and their resurrection to them immediately follows no distance of time between Death and Judgement the dead and so Paul's gain he speaks of 〈◊〉 might not be till the resurrection Aasw Though it be granted death to the body is but as a sleep yet 't is not so to the soul But that this is not the intent or meaning of the Apostle is plain which I make out thus Paul Plainly shews that if he did presently depart or die it would be gain to him now if that which you say were true he would have lost by death 't is easie to see how Suppose he might live twenty or thirty years longer on earth would not thirty years sweet enjoyment of Jesus Christ be worth nothing Is not one day with God beholding his lovely face better than a thousand All know that if he died presently he should never the sooner obtain the resurrection of this body than if he had lived a hundred years longer this being well weighed to die presently would have been his great loss were not the soul in a present enjoyment of Christ at death