ye not as your Fathers Verse 4. to whom the former prophets cried So in the New Testament Hebr. 3.7 To day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts as your fathers did in the day of temptation altho they saw my works so we should read it Altho they saw his works yet they provoked him Be ye not as your fathers unto whom the former prophets have cried saying Thus saith the Lord of hosts Turn ye now from your evil ways and from your evil doings but they did not hear nor hearken unto me saith the Lord. The Words the 5th and 6th Verses some apprehend are brought in by way of Dialogue God speaking by the Prophet to the People Where are your fathers They are not their Carkasses fell in the Wilderness and they died under the Displeasure of God in the Captivity In the second Verse The Lord hath been sore displeased with your fathers Where are your fathers Numb 32. Hath not Moses said in another Case You are risen up in your Fathers stead a Generation worse than them They do as it were retort it upon God And where are the Prophets do they live for ever Our Fathers indeed are dead but yet God doth not keep his Prophets alive But saith God Tho they dye my Word lives and shall have its effect and certain accomplishment There are two or three things in the Words I. A Concession that God's Prophets do not live for ever The Prophets do they live for ever They are mortal Men corruptible So that in this case I may say as in Hebr. 7.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They truly the priests were many because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death They were prohibited to go on in the discharge of their Office Death superseded them So the Prophets of God they were not suffered to continue by reason of Death Aaron was a great Man employed of God in the Priesthood but Numb 20.25 26 saith God to Moses Let Aaron go up to mount Hor and there let him dye A while after the same Fate took hold on Moses Deut. 32.49 Get thee up into this mount and dye in the mount whither thou goest up as Aaron thy Brother died in Mount Hor. Yet this Moses it is said of him Chap. 34.10 There arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses If you would out-do him turn your Eye upon Christ There arose not a Prophet in Israel like him And yet both he and his Brother Aaron died under some displeasure of God Deut. 32.51 Because ye trespassed against me at the waters of Meribah because ye sanctified me not in the midst of the children of Israel The Prophets do they live for ever 'T is well that they die their fair Death O Jerusalem Jerusalem thou that killest the prophets how oft would I have gathered your children and ye would not Some wrest this Scripture for the maintenance of Arminianism but if you observe it the Text is a plain Text How oft would I have gathered your children and you would not you Jerusalem you great Men. I believe it hath been some complaint of Jesus Christ against this Land And sometimes the Difficulties that attend the Service of God's Prophets make them covet Death 1 Kings 19. When Jezabel sware by her Gods that she would have the Life of Elijah he said Lord let me die He was a Man of like Passions with us and we with him II. Tho the Prophets die and do not live for ever yet the Word of God does not die the Word of God lives and abides for ever But my word and my statutes which I commanded my servants did they not take hold of your fathers The Prophets die but my Word lives faith God and hath strength and can apprehend you and slay you thou hast slain them with the Word of thy Mouth The Apostle saith The word of the Lord is not bound the Ministers of it are bound but the Word of the Lord is not bound The Prophets die but the Word of the Lord retains it strength and force Did not my words take hold on your Fathers The Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 attigit apprehendit Is to overtake and catch as Huntsmen the Prey or one Enemy another in flight Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Did they not find them out Your Sins will find you out and so will God's word find you out and the Word of God pursues you at the heels and lays hold on you If you do not lay hold on God's strength and make Peace with him there will be a hand stretcht out to apprehend you Psal 40.12 where the word is Did not my words take hold on your Fathers The Prophets die 1 King 13. There came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the Lord unto Bethel and cried against the Altar in the word of the Lord and said O Altar Altar thus saith the Lord Behold a child shall be born unto the House of David Josiah by name and upon thee shall he offer the Priests of the high places c. Notwithstanding this Prophet was killed before he got home the word of God lived and took place and took hold on him 2 King 23.17 Saith Josiah Josiah by name God can name a man 300 years before he raiseth him up saith he What Title is this that I see And the men of the City told him It is the Sepulchre of the Man of God which came from Judah and proclaimed these things which thou hast done against the Altar of Bethel The Word of God lives and hath an Infallible accomplishment III. The Lord doth extort an acknowledgment of this Though the Prophets die yet my words live and are quick and powerful they take hold on men An Acknowledgment of it And they returned and said Like as the Lord of Hosts thought to do unto us according to our ways and according to our doings Josh 23.14 15. so hath he dealt with us God will magnifie his Word 1 Sam. 2.30 and assert the honour and reputation of his Prophets Now that that I would teach you is Observ Though the Prophets of God die though the Ministers of Christ do not live for ever yet the Word of God dispensed by them lives and will have its certain infallible accomplishment upon Nations Churches and Persons Those that God calls to and makes use of in the Ministry about Holy things they differ in their Gifts in their Graces in their Judgments sometimes in their service and usefulness in the Church of God but they all agree here they die as others do Ye build the Tombs of the Prophets The Prophets have their Tombs and Righteous men their Sepulchres saith Christ Matth. 23. Ye build and garnish them and there is a Generation of men that love God's Prophets best when when they are dead And ye are the children of them which killed the Prophets that is ye imitate them Jer. 11.19
A Funeral Sermon PREACHED Upon the Death of the Reverend and GODLY DIVINE Mr. FRANCIS HOLCROFT Late Pastor of a Congregational Church IN Cambridgeshire Who Deceased Jan. 6. 1691 2. Aged 63. By T. M. Preacher of the Gospel LONDON Printed for William Marshall and Sold at the Bible in Newgate-Street 1692. Where are to be had Mr. Holcroft's Elegy An Epistle to the Christian Readers THIS Province of Preaching at the Funerals of our much Reverend Brother Mr. Francis Holcroft Deceased was by Divine Lot devolved upon our Worthy Brother Mr. Milway Pastor of a Church of Christ in Bury in Suffolk Who notwithstanding the rude insoleney of the absurd Scholars disturbing the whole Assembly at that time and therein highly affronting the present Generous Government was much assisted by the Lord and performed it by his Grace with great Majestick boldness and gravity to their confusion of face and our expected satisfaction The Sermon now Printed we recommend to you as very nervous and much adapted to the occasion it was to us in the hearing of it as a very lovely Song of one that had a pleasant voice Ezek. 33.32 and could play well on an Instrument What was said in praise of the Person was but a just debt and the payment was rather under than over Read the Sermon and may it be as sweet and profitable to you in reading as to us in hearing One of our Prophets and that none of the Minor Prophets but to us a great one in Israel is dead as to his Body yet lives in his spirit in Glory May his words of Doctrine Counsel Conduct Comfort which already have taken bold on the hearts of many in Cambridgeshire and many other places abide and produce much fruit Knowing assuredly that his words of threatning which he denounced will overtake the scorners that ridiculed the Saints at his Funerals contradicting and blaspheming And like as the Lord thought to do unto them according to their ways and doings Zech. 1.4 6. so will he deal with them if they do not hear and hearken to the Lord and turn from their evil ways and doings May the Prophets that survive attain in their Ministry to the height of this excellent person who as to Gifts as Saul for stature among his Brethren 1 Sam. 10.23 taller by the head and shoulders was and to us in our day one of David's Chieftains and mighty Warriers by the sword of the Spirit the Word of God doing great and good execution We question not but great is his reward in Heaven yet a reward of Grace he sits now and will sit both in Soul and Body in a high place in Glory This Teacher shall shine as the Stars Dan. 12.3 and as the brightness of the Firmament having turned many not only from sin but unto righteousness i. e. justified them by turning them to the imputed righteousness of Christ a Doctrine much despised by many of the Prophets of our Age. In fine it pleased the Lord that after this our small Apostle had in the body been frequently wrapt up into Heaven in our view in Prayer and Preaching or rather Heaven descending into him and upon him in high communion and enjoyments of God in which he had such Illuminations that he was not able to utter and express 2 Cor. 12.9 c. It pleased God lest he should be exalted above measure through the abundance of these discoveries that a messenger of Satan should be sent to buffet him and though the Lord was besought abundantly by himself and many others yet would not the Lord cause it wholly to depart He giveth not account of any of his matters he is Soveraign Lord of all is in one mind who can turn doth whatever he will in Heaven and Earth and laughs at the trial of the innocent Job 33.13 Job 23.13 Job 9.23 Yet before his death and in his dying the Grace of God was sufficiently manifested to him and we may make use of that Notion some had of the death of Moses viz. when it is written Deut. 34.5 That Moses died in the land of Moab according to the word of the Lord. Deut. 34.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or by or upon the mouth of the Lord. That Jehovah kissed Moses when he died as the Mother takes the sleeping child into bed her cheek by the Childs cheek in her tender embraces so may we say of this our Brother Francis Jehovah kissed him with the kisses of his mouth at his departure out of this world Cant. 1.2 having given him a praelibation of glory in his spirit and he now both Soul and Body recumbs in the everlasting arms and bosom of Infinite Love THOMAS TAYLOR JOSEPH HUSSEY EPITAPH ENtomb his Body consecrated dust Until the Resurrection of the just It was a temple full of the Holy Ghost In which the Lord did dwell the Lord of Host Entomb't with highest greatest stately Glory And get some Fox some Clerk to write his Story Anoint his Herse with sweet Perfumes of Fame Hath any left behind more fragrant Name When Christ shall come with Troops of Cherubims And with this Glittering Winged Seraphims He 'l raise this Temple one of th' first you 'l see And th' second Temple shall more Glorious be Than was the first in that Christ's Person will Be present with him and him richly fill WILL. HAWORTH A Funeral Sermon ZECH. I. 5 6. Your fathers where are they and the prophets do they live forever But my words and my statutes which I commanded my servants the prophets did they not take hold of your fathers and they returned and said Like as the Lord of hosts thought to do unto us according to our ways and according to our doings so hath he dealt with us YOVR fathers where are they and the prophets do they live for ever After the return of this People out of the Babylonish Captivity that Pit in which was no Water in the 9th Chapter out of which they were brought by the Blood of the Covenant God raised up two Prophets Haggai and this Zechary to stir them up to Build the Temple of the Lord and to settle his Worship therein the Province of this Zechary was in God's Name to call the People to return to God Verse 3. Therefore say thou unto them Thus saith the Lord of hosts Turn ye unto me saith the Lord of hosts and I will turn unto you saith the Lord of hosts A very great Allective and Inducement to return to him for he will be reconciled The Favour of God is better than Life And Thus saith the Lord of hosts Thus saith the Lord of hosts Thus saith the Lord of hosts Return it is the Call of that God that can arm all in Heaven and Earth against you One great obstacle to Conversion is our Imitation of our Fathers It is very common with Persons to speak of the Dignity of their Progenitors and yet to imitate them in their Sins Be
cold Bed but really ever since Christ lodged in it it is so perfumed that we need not be afraid to lie down and sleep each one walking in his uprightness But saith he The righteous perish it is Dying Lord we perish saith the Disciples and no man lays it to heart It is the Complaint of God that we are not duly affected when he causeth a righteous Man to perish Now the dying of a Prophet is more than the perishing of a righteous Man He that gives to a Righteous Man a Cup of Water in the Name of a Righteous Man shall have a Righteous Mans reward And he that receiveth a Prophet in the Name of a Prophet shall receive a Prophets reward Shall a Prophet dye and shall not we put our heart to it O! to think such a one is removed who use to give us such Instruction such Reproof such Consolation to give Milk to Babes and strong Meat to Men that had the Tongue of the Learned to speak a word in Season to them that are weary but now we shall hear him no more nothing will drop from his Lips any more He is gone into his Bed and as to any use he can be of is perished Let us lay our hearts to it 2. If the Prophets dye and do not live you that have enjoyed their Ministry Oh! how highly doth it concern you to follow their Faith observing the end of their Conversation Hebr. 13.7 Remember them that have the rule over you who have spoken to you the word of God whose faith follow considering the end of their conversation He speaks of them that had been guides to them and had spoken the word of God but they were dead and gone the Lord had removed them and gathered them up to himself they have spoken to you the Word of God Now saith he whose Faith follow That glorious Gospel of the Blessed God that they preached to you that Faith follow and imitate it that your hearts may be established in the true Grace of the Gospel And remember bear in mind how they used to live by Faith and vigorously to act it upon the Son of God do you imitate it follow the steps of their Faith observing the end of their Conversation Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The end of their Conversation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Signifies an end accompanied with deliverance from and Conquest over Difficulties and Dangers what God hath brought them to what issue and period God hath put to them and their days observing the end of their Conversation 1 Cor. 10.13 God makes a way of escape out of temptation God delivers them from all their Sins and Sufferings wipes all Tears from their Eyes makes a good End with them Mark the perfect Man and observe the Upright the end of that Man is Peace This is your Duty And there is one thing more and that is When the Prophets dye do you take care that when the Prophets of God are admitted into the Kingdom of Heaven that you be not shut out It will be a very great Aggravation it will aggrandize your Misery to enjoy such Prophesy such Preaching and then the Prophets dye and go to Heaven when you come to dye to go to another place Luke 13.28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of Teeth when you shall see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of heaven and you your selves thrust out O think with your selves what will be the anguish of those that perish from under such a Ministry What shall I perish now from under such a Ministry That 's one Use Have a care you be not thrust out The Prophets come and Preach the Kingdom of God to you and having the Key of Knowledge they open the Door Come say they enter the kingdom take it by violence And it may be many will neither go in themselves nor suffer others to enter in When the prophets go to heaven have a care lest you should be shut out Vse 2. Tho the Prophets dye yet the Word of God lives Remember that God will make you to remember it And your Business is to enquire what hath been the quickning and enlivening Verture and Power of the word upon your Souls We Preach the Gospel and we are not ashamed of it for it is the Power of God unto Salvation to every one that believes Hath it been productive of such a thing as Faith in your Souls that purifies the heart apprehends Christ and all that is in Christ Hath the word come with Life and Power to you and caused Life in your Souls 1 Thess 1.5 Our Gospel saith he came not in word only but in power c. Pray inquire into that And if the word of God lives tho the Minister dye then really it will be of some effect or other to you all either a savour of life unto life 2 Cor. 2.14 15 16. or of death unto death Thanks be to God that makes us to triumph The Gospel will be of some use when we are gone either a savour of life unto life or of death unto death Nay let me say this Because the Word lives tho the Prophets dye the Word of God will follow you to Judgment and there will meet you when you come up from the dead and it may be God's Prophets will be a Cloud of Witnesses against you John 12.48 He that rejecteth me and receives not my words there 's one that judgeth him the word that I have spoken the same shall judge him in the last day The word lives till you come to Judgment and then will decide your Condition Christ will do it according to the word Vse 3. One thing more The Prophets dye I will speak one thing for your Comfort and that is Christ lives Ministers dye but Christ lives He was once dead but he is alive and lives for evermore And he lives as the great Prophet raised up by God As one said of the Prophets Who is their Father He that is the Father of Eternity Isaiah 9. He is alive Hebr. 7.23 They were not suffered to continue by reason of death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But this Man because he hath an unchangeable Priesthood lives for ever He hath an Office that doth not pass from him to another The Prophets dye Ministers dye that that is the Spring of Consolation is Christ lives He lives to reward your Faith and Perseverance You that have believed upon hearing the word of Truth the Gospel of Salvation he lives to reward that Faith and your persevering in that Faith Come hold on in Faith in Holiness in the Order and Fellowship of the Gospel that which this Servant of Christ so much desired in his going off Christ lives to reward your Constancy Receiving the end of your faith the salvation of your souls 1 Peter 1.9 And then that he lives too it is to give us more Prophets to raise up more Prophets for us and to make
Rev. 2.13 To see the Funerals of the Conqueror Yet Cambridge know as he said in his days Zech. 1.6 God will deal with you according to your ways E'er lives this Prophet Immortal spirit If ever any I would say there 's merit So richly holy and Angelick Saint Babies and Dwarfs we 're all to this Giant Alas a Prince a King great General Highly Anointed's fallen in Israel He wore out 's body in these holy Wars 'T was bruised wounded full of mortal sears O blessed Soldier hardship did endure Behov'd thy Brethren all not Sine Cure And wholly spent thou was and still did spend Until thy Humour-radical did end We saw's dead Body perfect Skelliton Like that which's tackt up by Chyrurgeon His house of Clay did crumble into mould His Heav'n-born soul no longer dwell in 't could A Glorious House made without hands on high Possess'd he 's of unto eternity 2 Cor. 5.1 His Dying words Deut. 34.1 2 3 4. In this like Moses had Mount Pisgah's Ken A clear and perfect Landskip of Canaan Unlike to Moses he soon went to it When as to Moses the Lord would only show it What Rabbies said of Moses's verifi'd God kissed Francis Holcroft Deut. 34.5 and he di'd As Mother th' Child dandles upon her lap Her Cheek by'ts Cheek until it takes a nap He 's but a sleep i' th morning you 'l him see Heb. 12.23 Phil. 2.20 2 Cor. 3.7 I' th Church of th' first born where he lov'd to be O for such Preachers Lord send thou an host Trebly anointed with the Holy Ghost That Satan lightning he from Heaven be cast Luk. 10.18 Zech 4.11 12. That Cambridge Candlestick in glory last With Golden Oyl through Golden Pipes suppli'd With two anointed ones o' th' left right side From the Olive-tree the most Anointed one And let the Man the Branch build Temple on And let him bear the Glory Zech. 6.12 worthy he God's spotless Lamb slain for Iniquity Father why did thy noble Child of Light In darkness walk Isa 50.10 why cry'd so in the night So long so oft why stood'st behind the wall Thou knewest he would importunately call Cant. 2.9 And give no rest but cry Father Abba More instantly did never any pray How was his Note chang'd he had midnight Song A Philomele tho pricking Thorns among Jayl-birds with Silas in Cambridge Castle sings But in God's Prison his Lark-like warblings Do cease O Jehovah righteous Soveraign To all thy Matters answers not again Why Job why Jeremiah Job 33.13 curse their Birth-day shine Highest Reason's Soveraign Will Divine O deepest Depths of wisest Providence Jonah i' th Whales Belly Jonah 2.1 and prays from thence And was preserved cast alive o' th' Shore O blest be Christ O blest for evermore O blest Martyr beautiful to see Conformed to 'th Pattern in thy Agony Before thy Death in strong Cries and in Tears And thou was heard in thy believing Fears Cease now O Lord a while let ' lone the rest We are sure of Ministers Heb. 5.7 thou hast the best Some Verses made upon the Death of the Eminent and Reverend Servant of Christ in the Ministry of the Gospel Mr. Francis Holcraft ALas the Chariots and the Horsemen's gone How can the War be longer carried on ' Gainst Antichrist Jesus let 's Mantle fall Of Power of Zeal of Gifts of Graces all Which cloathed him upon the Infantry O let Paul's Spirit rest on Timothy We saw him long ascending far above His Brethren thought still that he would remove Out of our sight to Heaven there to view Jerusalem Celestial City new Where he was free born when he Preaches next How sweetly will he Comment on that Text Holcraft and Oddy they neither could The Evangelick Mysteries unfold Until commenc'd they had took a Degree In the Celestial University Both Learning Piety had been withstood But for a Commendamus in Christ's Blood Lord stay thine hand and let alone the rest Thou hast him now I 'm sure which lov'd thee best Luther ne're di'd till now glorious free Grace Engraven was in 's heart in 's head in 's face In broader fairer deeper Characters than can Be found in any preaching praying Man Pope sings Te Deum Oxford and Cambridge Friends Blind Quakers Gifts unto each other sends Atheists make merry Arminians Wills are free Holcraft no Tomb should have but Calumny Darkness that can be felt who can but fear While such a sparkling Star doth disappear As Holcroft was dazling the envious Eye Of spurious Christian Grace's enemy Did we not know 't of Rising Sun a sign When all the Stars i' th' Sky no longer shine O gracious Saint how did thy Count'nance shine Behold Mount Sinai's Preachers great Divine Thy Feet were beautiful I could have kist The Soles thereof O sweet Evangelist How Glorious is that Sun of Righteousness Whose Rays reflected makes a Saint no less Than an Illustrious Conquering Princely King Such Holcraft was Israel in wrastling Who ever did the Spirit of Faith more bold In Prayer with God than in this Man behold Such Liberty such Life such Light he had Weak ones offended wicked says he 's mad Lament you Ministers of Christ he was For Doctrine Paul for Comfort Barnabas He was Apollos so mighty in the Word He was a John for Love unto his Lord A Timothy he naturally did care For Truth while others minded their Affair Boanarges in the Law by dreadful Thunder Struck down his hearers rent their hearts asunder He was a Moses in the Mount did stay I never heard one at that rate to pray Some single Gifts in others may have been But Constellations were in Holcroft seen Perfections take from one then from another They all did Center in this blessed Brother With what great Scripture plainness did he Preach With what Majestick boldness did he Teach He Giant-like came forth to run his Race Being firmly girt with Apostolick Grace He was made of God a fenced Brazen Wall Strong to recieve the Gun-shot great and small His Doctrines Christ his Natures Offices Faith in his Blood and then right Holiness Cambridge Christ lent him for a time to thee A Pattern for thy Preachers he should be Look on this Copy fairly writ and mend Your hands then Christ your Lord will you commend O quit your selves like Men be cloath'd with Zeal Concern your selves with Israel's Commonweal Be strong in power in Love in Gospel-word Cut every Man with that two-edged Sword Be bold as Lyons like this Man of God Dash them in pieces with that powerful Rod. O! let his People know that joyful sound And in their heart and lives let it abound Which like to Aaron's Bells did's feet surround In every place where he did tread the ground This noise of Peace did to the Saints redound Holcroft of Preachers for Faith for Zeal the best I 'll only say he 's Dead and weep the rest FINIS