A Commemoration SERMON OR A DISCOURSE On II COR. V. I. Occasioned by the Death of a most Religious young Lady MARY HAMPSON The Onely Daughter of Sir Thomas Hampson of Tapplow In Bucks Kt. and Bar. Who died August the 14. 1677. Together with a RELATION of her Incomparable and Exemplary LIFE October 3. 1677. Imprimatur G. Jane LONDON Printed by T. D. for Henry Brome at the Gun at the West-end of St. Paul's 1678. TO THE Honorable and most worthy Lady THE Lady HAMPSON Madam IT is said of Jacob that when he came to be perswaded that his lost Joseph was alive and a great man in the Land of Egypt his spirit revived he banisht his Sadness and dried up his Tears and joyfully resolv'd to go down to see his Dear Son Madam you have lost a Daughter deservedly as dear and your grief is too much proportion'd to your loss But I hope you will also be comforted when you Consider that she is alive and in a Happy Condition that she dwells in place much better than Egypt and is the Favorite of a greater Monarch than ever was Pharoh I know you have resolv'd to go up and see her and if she were here I am well assur'd you could freely leave her to ascend to that blessed Place where she now expects you Your Affliction therefore is now reduc'd only to this That she is gone to Rest and Glory first whereas you thought She must have followed you This Madam is no great Evill you had shew'd her the way to God and she hath out-run you but you will soon overtake her and then forever you rejoyce and dwell together I have writ and sent your Ladiship the inclosed Papers not so much to honor the Memory of your most blessed Child as to minister what comfort I could against the grief of her Absence both to you and to your Honorable and most pious Mother Not but that both your good Meditations do far exceed mine but because in the case of Sorrow we generally want a Remembrancer and even our own Balsom applied by another hand is more healing and effectual Why I have herein closed a Sermon which was never preached nor never intended to be was partly to divert your thoughts from your Grief by a comfortable Text of Holy Scripture and partly to countenance the Method of the Oration that follows I believe a plain Relation of the Life of your Excellent Daughter might have been better The Rehearsal of her vertuous Actions was the best Praise she could receive But I wanted particulars to compleat a full History and the defects of my Memory and Information were best supplyed and concealed by the Rhetorical style of an Encomium What I have done I wish it may be acceptable and someways serviceable to your Ladiship and that you may not take it ill if an unknown hand indeavours to wipe the Tears from your eyes for though unknown yet the Author truly is and accordingly desires to subscribe himself Your Ladiships most humble and most affectionate Servant To the READER IF thou art pleased to be censorious upon the ensuing Relation do but mend the matter with thy Life and then I am sure thou wilt soon excuse and I shall freely acknowledg the faults of its Form and Method 'T is not my part I am in love withal or would have made publick but Hers who is the Occasion and the Subject of this Discourse I admir'd Her much while living for Her great and singular Goodness but yet more since She dyed and I learnt what before I knew not and what here I could not duly express 'T is not unusual to write the Lives of Persons of great worth and 't would be very usefull if they were all as exemplary as this and as faithfully related I need not therefore find Apologies for having printed this it was to spare the uneasy trouble of reading an ill hand to that worthy Lady I offer it to and for whom I chiefly designed it I intended also to disperse some Copies among my friends to whom I thought it might be acceptable and beneficial too but desired to avoid the labor and tediousness of Transcribing and withall the thing may do good and I am not accountable to thee to whom I am not known I need say the less upon this for that I would have but a few Copies come out of the Press if the Printer exceeds his Commission to oblige the Publick let him answer for it A Commemoration SERMON OR A Discourse on 2 Cor. 5. 1. Occasioned by the Death of a most Religious young Lady MARY HAMPSON Together with a RELATION of her Incomparable and Exemplary LIFE For we know that if our Earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens 2 Cor. 5. 1. AS in Navigation Geography is no less useful than Astrology in that all the measures and Dimensions of Heaven are proportion'd and related to the Earth So likewise in our Spiritual Voiage through this Life the tempestuous Sea of this World it is as necessary we should study the Map of our own Earth which we carry about us as that we should look up to that heavenly Globe whereto we are stearing our Course We must understand the Meanness and Infirmity of this our present condition as well as the Glory and the Perpetuity of our future Estate The first will make us holy in our Lives the second confident in our Deaths the Consideration of the Miseries and Uncertainties of this present Life will make us long for a better and the knowledg of a better life will teach us to despise the Vanities of this when we are fully perswaded that when this our earthly Tabernacle is dissolved we shall have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens In these words three things are included and may be consider'd 1. The dissolution of our Bodies if our earthly House of this Tabernacle were dissolved 2. The Comfort we have against it then we have a building of God an House not made with hands Eternal in the Heavens And 3ly The Certainty of this Comfort in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we know how far this our knowledge excludes all kind of doubting Of the first St. Paul seems here to make a Question as if it were a doubtful matter If our earthly house be dissolved saith he But this he speaks by way of Concession which is a strong Affirmative and not as a doubtful Position 'T is as if he should say As we are certain that this our earthly Tabernacle must be Dissolved so do we know with the same Assurance that we have a better and more induring Building in Heaven And indeed there is nothing so certain as the first That we must all die we are oblig'd to it by the very Constitution of our Nature our Bodies are Houses of Clay continually batter'd by Rain and rough Weather
Our Souls dwell in a Tabernacle an earthly Tabernacle and sure such an Abode cannot be of long continuance A Tabernacle hath a Roof but it hath no Foundation it is an Ambulatory house which may be remov'd at pleasure Just so are our Bodies they have a roof they are overlaid with a thin skin but they have no Foundation they stand up on the sand any forcible thrust any Accident may overthrow them We are not only certain that the time of our Dissolution will come but we are uncertain of every moment Our earthly house is very weak we are sure it must fall but if it were never thrown down till it fell of it self we might hope to foresee its approaching Ruine But every blast of Winde every hail-stone or bigger drop of Rain may crush it into the flatness of a Grave Tres sunt Mortis nuncii Death is said to have Three Messengers either of which may come and tell us every moment That we must leave all and remove from hence Accidents Infirmities and Old Age. There is no man in whatever condition he be but may at any time be called or forc'd away by some one or other of these Senectus praesentem Old-Age sets us on the brink of our Grave and makes our Death present to us Infirmitas apparentem Sickness and Infirmities are the Prelude of our Mortality and the Fore-runner of a likely approaching Death Casus latentem but Accidents threaten us continually with an unseen and unexpected End and the number of the casual Deaths is great and we know not how it shall be with us Christians This should be seriously thought on for 't would be of great use in the whole mannagement of our Lives Meditatio mortis est vita perfecta Greg. Mag. The frequent Meditation of Death is the best Instrument of Holy-Living It would prevent and cure very many Sins and Follies if we had it oftner in our minds That our Earthly house of this Tabernacle must be dissolved that our Strength and Beauty must be laid in the Dust and that our long dwelling must be in the dark Chambers of the Grave Who would bestow their Cares and Revenues in the beautifying of a ruinous house whose rotten foundation doth sink continually and were it not that men will not be serious how could they spend their whole Time and Estates in adorring and pleasing their Bodies whose origine is from the Earth whose matter is but Clay whose End is Corruption which sink and decay every day and cannot be kept from Dissolution It is writen of John the Charitable Patriarch of Alexandria that he built to himself a fine Monument but left it unfinish't and commanded that his Servants should daily put him in mind to finish what he had began that so being frequently remembred of perfecting his Tomb he might think to fit himself for it and always have Death in his thoughts Happy were it if we also could find out some Art daily to put us in mind of our latter end We cannot all build a Sepulcher as the Patriarch no but we all carry the Corps that must be laid in This our earthly house must be dissolved and every thing whereby 't is now preserv'd is near a kin to Death We have many Remembrancers of our frailty if we would listen to their voice and mind their motions and truly 't is more a wonder that our bodies weak as they are should indure so long than that they should at last be dissolved for being made of so many various parts and joyned together with so small Ligaments and the whole being but dirt 't is next to a Miracle they should tumble up and down so long and not fall to pieces Eliphas in Job 4. 19. gives us this Description of mens frailness and their stupidity that they dwell in houses of clay whose foundation is in the dust and are crushed before the Moth they are destroyed saith he from morning to evening they perish for ever without any regarding it doth not their excellency which is in them go away they dye even without wisdom Sure if such men as are sensual proud and covetuous would now and then walk in a charnel-house and there take an account of those grandeurs and pleasures which are the worshipped Idols of the world it is not to be thought but that it would alay the heat of their unruly passions abate their sinful desires and reduce them to some Sobriety There is much to be learn't from that voice which the Prophet was bid to cry a loud Isa 40. 6. All flesh is grass and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field For as the strongest stalk and fairest colour of flowers keeps them not from fading and being soon dried up and withered so the strength and beauty and all the accomplishments of men are no security against the dismal change of Death still they return to their first dust we must be as water spilt on the ground which is not gather'd up again Nay that our hearts might not be lifted up by any of those outward ornaments we observe in Scripture that several persons who had been allow'd the largest Portion of those natural endowments died soonest and in the worst manner The strongest Sampson the fair Absalom the swift Asael the wise Achitophel they all came to an unnatural end they were thrown in the dust by violence and force So true it is of all men even the strongest what we read Job 14. 1. Man that is born of a Woman is of few days and full of trouble he cometh forth as a flower and is cut down he flees also as a shadow and continueth not I conclude this first point by applying to this matter the dissolution of our bodies St. Peters exhortation in another case 2. Pet. 3. 11. Seeing then that all these things must be dissolved all these members and comely parts of our bodies what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and Godliness Having now consider'd the sad Ruin and Fall of this our earthly House let us see in the second place what comfort we have against it How will it be with us after the Dissolution of our fleshly Tabernacle when this our prison our vessel of clay is fallen to peices then evadit intus reclusa columba our Soul flies away and goeth to rest there is a building of God a blessed receptacle fitted to receive it We are not left to the uncertainties of the Emperor animula vagula blandula c. Dear soul where art thou a going to wander in unknown places No our Blessed Lord Christ by the Gospel hath brought to light both life and immortality and praised be his goodness We know that when our earthly house of this Tabernacle is dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands Eternal in the Heavens There cannot be a greater comfort for a man forc't out of a poor Cottage than to be promis'd he shall
be receiv'd in a glorious Palace For one that is driven out of an earthly house to be assur'd he shall dwell in heavenly Mansions 'T is true the house must fall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it shall be dissolved but then the in-dweller shall escape and instead of a Tabernacle of clay shall enter a City of Gold and Saphirs a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens These last words are capable of a twofold interpretation and may signify either the Mansions of heaven or else our own Bodies after our glorification For as sure as our Creed is true so true it is there will be a Resurrection God hath plainly revealed it and we firmly believe it And so by faith we know that our Bodies sown in dishonour shall be raised in glory they are sown in weakness but shall be raised in power they are sown natural Bodies but shall be raised spiritual bodies This corruptable shall put on incorruption and this mortal shall put on immortality and Death shall be swallowed up in Victory 1 Cor. 15. Out of the dust of these our vile Bodies God will raise a new habitation for our Souls beautiful and glorious beyond what we can think And so the Text saith not that our Bodies shall perish for ever and be reduced to nothing but only they shall be dissolved they shall crumble into dust but God knows and takes care of the least part of it and when it is refin'd and cleansed from the infection of sins God will reunite it into a body glorious and bright as the light of Heaven the Righteous shall shine forth as the Sun in the glory of their Heavenly Father If this be the sence of the words That this building of God be meant of our glorified Bodies then this is a great and special comfort which we Christians have that God doth with our Bodies in our Death as with our Souls in our Conversion When in our sincere return to God we yield our minds and affections to him he renews and sanctifies them and makes them holy and capable of his favour and blessed enjoyment And so when we submit to our portion of dust and commit our Bodies to God he destroys their blemishes and imperfections he beautifies them and makes them impassible glorious and immortal fit to dwell in Heaven in the Society of Saints and Angells But then this building of God this Eternal house in the Heavens may be understood also of the blessed Mansions of Glory wherein holy Souls are received after their departure out of this mortal life For though it be controverted whether the Souls of the Faithful be admitted into the same glory wherein they shall enter after the great day of Judgment or whether there be other receptacles for them till the Resurrection yet it is generally agreed on by all but the late inventors of Purgatory that they are in a state of Rest in Abraham's bosom full of comfort and holy hopes and passionate longings for the time of their reunion and their consummation And we are warranted to say by the Scripture and by the Church the best interpreter of it That the Souls of the Faithful after they are delivered from the burthen of the Flesh are in joy and felicity And so saith the Apostle v. 8th We are confident and willings rather to be absent from the Body and to be present with the Lord. whether in the outward Courts or in the inner Sanctuary it matters not to know Happy are they who are present with the Lord in whatever part of his House it be There they see hear and injoy what in this World Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard nor Heart conceived They begin to drink and to plunge themselves in that Ocean of Bliss which is called Eternal Life which I cannot describe and which you could not comprehend But O blessed Mansions of the Blessed Eternal house in the Heavens Glorious building of God! how shall we understand whilst in this vale of misery the exceeding great stateliness the wonderful glories and the most pleasant deliciousness of thy pleasures and beauties There are several words in the Text which lead us very far in this blessed enquiry if our thoughts and our time were not too much confin'd But if we cast an Eye upon our dwellings here below we shall soon understand how much we should value and desire everlasting habitations above There be three places wherein we sojourn before we come to our Eternal home the first is appointed by Nature the Womb wherein we live like plants without either sense or reason The second is ordered by Providence the World wherein we live in trouble and misery exposed to many dangers and sorrows The third was built by Sin the Grave Chambers of Death and Darkness wherein we dwell with Worms Corruption the ruin and dishonour of our own Nature I say view these which are domus incolatus the house of our Pilgrimage and sojourning and compare them with that Eternal house in the Heavens wherein God dwells and whereof he is Maker then you shall in some manner understand how much Heaven excells all these earthly Prisons and shall be mov'd to say with the Psalmist How amiable are thy Dwellings thou Lord of Host My Soul longeth c. O! how great is the difference betwixt the place of our Conception and the immensity of Heavenly regions betwixt our houses of clay and the House of God! betwixt the Prisons of Death and the Land of everlasting Life But I need say no more upon this Subject here is comfort enough to them that believe the Promise of Christ when he ascended to glory John 14. 1. I go to prepare a place for you Here is I say comfort enough against all our sorrows that when we leave the uneasy abode of this our earthly Tabernacle we shall be recieved into heavenly Palaces here are inducements enough to despise this wretched World and sigh after our better Country where we are promis'd rest and joys that shall have no End I conclude this second Point with the exhortation of St. Peter Therefore beloved seeing that ye look for such things for such a glorious house such heavenly Mansions be diligent that whenever God calls for you you may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless The last thing to be considered is the certainty of this comfort in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we know how far this our Knowledge excludes all kind of doubting We know indeed that there is a rest and glorious things prepared for the people of God we know it by the certitude of Faith all those many convincing arguments that prove the Gospel to be true and JESUS to be the Son of God makes it indubitable For this is the great Revelation which God sent his own Son to Preach proportioning the Message to the Messenger This is the redord saith St John that God hath given us Eternal Life and this life is