praises from you When you are under smarting rods sore afflictions pore not so much upon them as to become by that means injurious to God Some that did too little mind and prize and improve mercies whilest they were in their hands do view them and curiously study them when taken away until their spirits be imbittered and discontent raised up against the Providence But Christians beware you of that I advise you to be sensible of your loss Let the Widow be sensible what an husband she hath lost the Children what a Father if their tender age will admit it the Family what a Governor the Society what a Shepherd I and others what a Friend and Brother But let us all remember to bless God that we had him once that we had him so long let this Congregation bless God that ever it was committed to the care and charge of such a Minister that ever such a shining and burning light was set up in this Candlestick that ever such a labourer was sent into this Vineyard My dear friends I do most earnestly beg this of you for my dear Master Whatever your loss is how great soever how painful and afflictive soever let not your and my God be a loser look carefully to that as you love your selves Gods loss is your loss Therefore how sad soever your case is how dark soever your day how low soever your spirits do not now do not at any time withhold from God those praises which are his due Truly he hath been good to you and he is so now and he will be so still if you will but do your duty therefore be sure to love him and bless him let the holy God ever inhabit the praises of Israel 2. Remember them so as to bewail the loss of them You ought indeed to moderate your sorrow keeping it within the bounds of Reason and Religion as becomes those that have hope nay let there be a mixture of joy with your sorrow being sure it is well with them perfectly unspeakably and everlastingly well their happiness doth exceed their thoughts and not only afford satisfaction to them but likewise raise admiration Oh what am I that God should ever bring me hitherto Yet mourn It becomes you to be both affected and afflicted in your spirits What! shall the Father be smitten and the Children not grieved the Shepherd taken away and the Flock not troubled that would be a grand Solecism both in Nature and Religion When Samuel dyed all Israel were gathered together and lamented him 1 Sam. 25. 1. The tears of an whole Nation may well be poured out upon a Samuels death When Stephen the Proto-Martyr was carried to his burial there was great lamentation made over him Acts 8. 2. Those devout and holy men broached their sorrow they went on weeping as they went When Elisha was arrested and confined to his bed by his last sickness Ioash the King of Israel wept over his face and said O my Father my Father the chariots of Israel and horsemen thereof 2 King 13. 14. And well may there be such great sorrow else it will hold no proportion with the occasion Losses of such persons are great how little and vile soever in the worlds eyes while they lived for they were their peoples blessings the Nations pillars the stakes in our hedg and their death is not seldom ominous it speaks a storm-brewing evil to come When they are hous'd in the silent and safe chambers of the grave what may we look for next but that the great God should come out of his place cloathed with righteousness and armed with vengeance to punish the inhabitants of the world for their iniquity This know for certain the Lord is greatly offended it angers him at his very heart when he sees men stupid and insensible under such dispensations specially when they become ordinary when the righteous perish and are taken away none considering or laying it to heart It is true there is now joy in Heaven but let there be sorrow on Earth that will not be jarring Angels and perfect spirits above welcome those departed Saints with shouts and acclamations let us part from them with tears at least with sighs Possibly there are some who do rejoyce at such a mans death but whether they will believe me or no I will tell them they have no cause God will make them change their note even they shall mourn at the last 3. With your remembrance of them joyn heart-grief and trouble that you gained no more by them consult and listen to your own consciences see what they will say deal impartially and ingenuously Have not you been asleep in your seats when they have been at work in their Pulpits Have not your minds been wandring after vanity and your eyes gazing about upon this body and that this face and that fashion while they have been fixed and intent wholly taken up about the good and salvation of your souls Have not you been cold at heart while they were fervent in spirit serving the Lord They have mourned but you wept not they have piped but you danced not when they poured out their souls in confession of sins you were not humbled your hearts not broken within you many a sad and foul story hath been told of you yet you did not blush neither were you ashamed They have mightily wrestled with God and tug'd hard for mercy mercy for you your pardon and your lives but you have sate and seen all this with a most wretched indifferency as if you were persons altogether unconcerned and did not care whether they prevailed or no. How have you slipt the precious truths they delivered to you and been disobedient to the counsels they ordered out and have been little the better though they came to you in the fulness of the blessing of the Gospel of Christ They have come and blown upon your garden now with the North-wind of dreadful threatnings then with the South of gracious promises yet your spices have not flown forth nay are not too many of you unto this very day like the dry and barren Heath And surely you have cause to be troubled and oh that you may be so the good Lord trouble you kindly let your souls have these losses and afflictions still in remembrance and be humbled within you 4. Remember them so as to be quickned by that remembrance Think of their death and go to their graves and fetch life and liveliness from thence We Ministers should do so When our fellow-labourers grow fewer it stands us in hand to work the harder What! shall some drop on our right-hand and others upon our left yea many round about us and shall any of us notwithstanding be idle and lazy and half asleep at our work Oh that the ratling of deaths Chariot-wheels might awaken and rouze us up When Elijah is taken up to Heaven let every Elisha look out for a double portion of the spirit and go forth in all
VINCENTIUS REDIVIVUS A Funeral Sermon Preached Octob. 27. 1678. Upon Occasion of the much bewailed Death of that Reverend and Eminent Servant of CHRIST Mr. THOMAS VINCENT Formerly Preacher at Maâ—dlins Milk-street London By SAMUEL SLATER an unworthy Servant of Christ in the Gospel Psal. 112. 6. The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance Quae caecitas animi quaeve dementia est amare pressuras poenas lachrymas mundi non festinare potius ad gaudium quod nunquam possit auferri Arnob. LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst and T. Cockerill at the Bible and three Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers Chappel and at the three Legs in the Poultrey over-against the Stocks Market 1679. To my Honoured Friends Mrs. Mary Vincent and that Flock of Christ over which thâ— Holy Ghost had made dear Mr. Thomaâ— Vincent Overseer AT your request this Sermon was Preached and is now published Such as it is you arâ— welcome to it and much good may it do you 〈◊〉 the Lord grant all those may meet with 〈◊〉 blessing in it who shall read it out of a real desire to geâ—â— good for their souls other Readers we care for none 〈◊〉 take your invitation of me to this work as an evidenâ— token of that love and esteem you have for me howeveâ— unworthy Therefore I did not draw back but humblâ—â— bless God for the assistance he hath afforded me in it 〈◊〉 all you find here according to his Will came from hiâ— Spirit I would be very very low in mine own eyes yet I do neither dread the censures of men nor am I 〈◊〉 vain as to court their applause by making Apologies What I have here presented you with are the Truths oâ— God which deserve your acceptance I desire you to trâ—â— them and having seen their Fathers name in their foreâ— head give them a ready admission a most friendlâ— and honourable entertainment I shall speak nothing 〈◊〉 you here by way of advice having said so much in thâ— Sermon but only signifie to you that you are much upo◠〈◊〉 heart and in my prayers I will not be unmindful you at the Throne of Grace but speak many a good â—â—rd for you the Lord comfort your hearts and sanâ—â—ifie to you his hand that out of the eater may come â—eat out of this Providence which hath removed your â—everend Pastor specialâ— advantage may come to your â—â—ls the Lord send you another undâ—r whose shadow 〈◊〉 may sit with delight finding his fruit sweet to your â—â—ste the Lord supply all your need according to his â—â—ches in glory by Iesus Christ. My dear Friends wisely â—â—d graciously improve this dispensation submit to the â—â—od pleasure of a taking God be much in the study of â—ur hearts and ways be you sincere and thriving Chriâ—â—ians And the Father of mercies bind you up in the â—â—ndle of life and grant you a glorious Inheritance aâ—â—ong them that are sanctified by faith in Christ so â—â—ayes Your Friend and Servant in our dear Lord Jesus Samuel Slater â—ctob 29. â—1678 Hebr. XIII 7. Remember them which have the rule over you who have spoken to you the Word of God whose saith follow considering the end of their conversation THIS excellent Epistle is not without good reason reckoned to Paul as its Author the great Apostle of the Gentiles who having obtained mercy burned with zeal for God and had such yearning bowels over the blind unbelieving obstinate Iews his brethren and kinsmen according to the flesh that for their sakes he could have found in his heart to wish himself accursed from Christ Rom 9. 3. which was a rapture of love a pang of affection highly becoming him who was a brand plucked out of the burning and of a chief sinner made an eminent Saint of a cruel furious persecutor a blessed and most successful Apostle unto these Iews he wrote this Epistle and for weighty reasons without doubt concealed his Name Herein he made it his business so to set forth the Lord Jesus and commend him to them as that they might receive him with all acceptation as the promised Messiah and High-Priest over the house of God and persevere in faith and obedience to him and likewise to lay down such rules for their lives and carriages in the world as that by an holy and exemplary conversation they might honour his Name and adorn his Gospel The Union between Faith and Holiness is so strict that they never were nor can be separated and it is pity they should being most amiable in conjunction Faith giving encouragement unto holiness and holiness reflecting a glory upon faith Several precious Commands or Exhortations you meet with in this Chapter which though primarily ordered out to the Hebrews do remain a burden upon all persons in all Ages who profess themselves Christians unto them it is our duty to attend and according to them to walk The Text is a fruitful Bough consisting of three Branches 1. Remember them which have the rule over you who have spoken to you the word of God 2. Follow their faith 3. Consider the end of their conversation Or if you please you have here a double duty enjoyned Remember them that have spoken to you the word of God and follow their faith and you have a choice means prescribed for the commending those duties to you and encouraging you in their performance Consider the end of their conversation Of all these I shall God willing speak in the prosecution of this Doctrine Doct. There is much duty incumbent upon people upon the account of their deceased Pastors When Ministers dye their work is done they have finished their course and dispatched the business given them to do they did shine among you in Purity of Doctrine and Holiness of Conversation as long as the Lamp of life lasted when the oyl of that was spent they were taken up to Heaven there to out-shine the Sun in his greatest strength and glory But your work is not then at an end being of equal extent and duration with your lives As you have time enough for your work so have you work enough for your time none can say he sate idle one hour because he had nothing to do put forth all your strength use your utmost diligence husband your days and minutes to the best advantage you will be happy men and women you will have cause eternally to bless the hand above that help't you if you can do your work by that time death shall come to take you off I am not now to speak concerning the whole duty of man but those particular duties mentioned in the Text relating to those servants of Christ who have laboured among you one of which is remembrance Remember them who have the rule over yoâ—r In which word two things must be considered 1. The Act Remember 2. The Object about which that act is to be exercised Them which have the rule over you I shall begin with the Object those which have
Ministry are two standing Ordinances and will be necessary so long as there are men on Earth and men to be sitted for Heaven Therefore my Brethren sit not down in this your Orphan-condition What I have told you is unquestionably your duty but not the whole of it Keep together Though the Shepherd be smitten let not the Sheep be scattered Look out for a good supply that your loss may be made up again and your Pastors place filled No loss is irrepairable but the loss of God and your souls Be wise before you fix consult together and ask advice of them who are both faithful and able to give it act with due deliberation yet defer not too long Above all go to God who holdeth the Stars in his right hand and then look out for a man Orthodox in judgment and holy in life who may not go about to raze but wisely to build upon the foundation which by my Reverend Brother hath been already laid And my prayer is That God would set a man over your Congregation even a man after his own heart And so I come to the second Duty incumbent upon you which you have in these words Whose faith follow Holy imitation doth most highly become all that profess themselves Christians Be careful in your chusing a Pattern and then curious in your imitation You must not follow lying vanities then you forsake your own mercies you must not follow vain fashions that is not suitable to the gravity and seriousness of your Religion You must not follow a multitude to do â—vil unless you have a mind to be damned with a multitude and think Hell is a desirable place because most go thither The most beaten road is not always the best you must not follow the world instead of being conformed you ought to be crucified to it You have far better Copies set you far more noble and excellent Patterns before you God be ye followers of God as dear children Christ he hath left you an ensample that ye should tread in his steps The Saints who while here walked in their integrity and now they are above sit in Robes of Glory Be ye followers of them that through faith and patience have inherited the promises And among them those that have held forth the word of life and shined as lights in the world Be wise now in making these your choice and follow them as close as you can live up to Scripture-rules and holy Presidents And truly my Brethren since God and Christ Godliness and Heaven are as good full out as good as ever they were I can see no just reason why Professors should decline and decay why our gold should become dim why the Saints of this Generation should fall miserably short of those that went before them why the present Christians should be so unlike the former both for Purity and Zeal as if they were not begotten of the same Father and did not suck the same breasts But so it is ah so it is our Nazarites were purer than snow whiter than milk whereas now the visage of many of them is blacker than a coal they can scarce be known in the streets and let this be for a lamentation Oh that you would do your endeavour to revive the old Godliness which is the best Godliness and to live over again the lives of the old Saints and in particular those of your Renowned Pastors Follow them in all that is good and within the compass of your sphere you must never go out of your places to follow your Pastors the Lord Jesus himself is to be imitated by you only in his imitable works That being premised I say with the Apostle Paul Phil. 4. 8. Whatsoever things you saw in them true honest just pure lovely and of good report whatsoever there was of virtue or of praise think on those things and follow them in those things In no other for they were but men imperfect men subject to like passions infirmities and failings and these you must not draw into an example nor use them as an argument why you should do so too as too many argue from Davids Adultery to their uncleanness for certain God never put such things upon record for an encouragement unto sin but for cautions to all you must not wander with them that wander nor fall because others have no follow them as they followed Christ and only so in all that is good in all that is well-pleasing to God and will be Ornamental to the Gospel But I shall confine my discourse to the Command in the Text Follow them in their faith And here I shall speak to these four particulars 1. Follow them in the Doctrine of Faith Be sound in your jâ—dgments and suffer not your heads to be fly-blown with Error Hold fast that which is good for otherwise you will lose your Crown The age in which we live is a learned age and it is a very inquisitive age and an hot disputing but with grief be it spoken it is an error-broaching and imbracing age there are too too many among us that act industriously toward the shaking of our foundation though the Virgin-daughter of Zion looks upon their attempts and laughs them to scorn for God himself the mighty God hath laid them and they shall not be destroyed But though our foundations are firm and lasting yet many of our professors are feeble and wavering yea some are removed to another Gospel They have rejected those great Points those main Truths which are the very vitals of Christian Religion and you may see them wallowing in the blood of their Apostacy Stick you to that faith which was delivered to you by your deceased Pastors who are now with God that is the faith which was once delivered to the Saints once for all The Doctrine which they held out to you is the Doctrine of the Church of England built upon the Prophets and Apostles Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone Hold to that all that specially the Deity of Christ his satisfaction justification by him and faith in him not by works which we have done and the spiritual mystical Union that is between him and true Believers Keep these things as the Apple of your eye yea as you would your lives And though we or an Angel from Heaven should come and preach among you any Gospel contrary to or besides that which they have preached and you have received let him be accursed 2. Follow them in the Grace of Faith They were Believers be you so too look narrowly to it that it be the true Grace of God in which you stand Take not up my brethren with an empty name a verbal profession a company of bodily exercises and heartless duties Mind I beseech you the Power of Godliness and do not stop one hairs breadth on this side of it Painted Hypocrites are as odious to that God who requires and searches the heart as the openly profane his soul hates them that
Dragon but by the hand of death did I say he fell no no he rose higher and is now in the highest with the highest This Star is removed into another Orb His Mantle of flesh he dropt and left behind but his Spirit mounted and returned to God that gave it And Si verbis audacia detur give me leave to saâ— a great man is fall'n in London His work was done and his dear Master would not permit his stay after it but took him home and gave him his Crown Hear a little my Brethren of those precious sayings which fâ—owed from him abundantly that Night before a full surrender was made What he spake was taken by the Pen of a ready Writer Out of that large Garden I have pickt some few flowers which I thus make up and present unto you He had his light of comfort in that day of trouble though not a bright Sun-shine yet under the thickest Cloud he could see grace in his Heart and read his Evidence These words assure us of that Dear Iesus dost not thou know that I love thee though not with that activity which others do yet with truth of love Oh! thou knowest that I love thee and wilt not thou love me and manifest thy self to me Lord thou knowest the bent of my heart was toward thy self thou knowest I laid up my treasure with thee and made choice of Heaven for mine Inheritance thou wilâ— not forget it nâ—w He had his experiences ready to produce as Cordials to himself and Arguments with his God will you hear them Oh dear Iesus a glimpse of the light of thy Countenance is worth an age of pains and prayers I have had formerly not only tasts but large draughts sometimes Ah my dear Father thou hast given me sweet encouragement in waiting upon thee and of late thou hast not wholly turned thy back Oh my dear Iesus didst thou not manifest thy self to me at the Sacrament when I was so very weak didst not thou give me some tasts that thou art gracious and that thou didst love me in particular and that thou wouldest never leave nor forsake me nor suffer me to depart from thee is this so long a time ago He had high thoughts of God when he was at the lowest he justified him and that in this very Lauguage O my Lord I will not complain of thee though I must complain to thee I complain of my self but not of thee I have deserved thou shouldest let me die in a Cloud and though I do I doubt not but I shall be happy He could with a composed Spirit take his leavâ— and shake hands with all His expressions were these Farewell the world the pleasures profits and honours of the world farewell sin I shall ever be with the Lord. Farewell my dear Wife farewell my dear Children farewell my Servants and farewell you my Spiritual Children whom he was at leisure thus to advise be careful in your choice of a Pastor choose one who in his Doctrine life and manners may adorn the Gospel I shall be glad to meet you all in Heaven This spake a calm within a sedate frame of Spirit He could welcome death observe how his words were dipt in oyl when its hands were to be imbrewed in his blood Oh noble Death welcome welcome Would you know how this came to pass these words tell you Death hath wounded my head death hath wounded my breast which was full of pimples but he hath not wounded my conscience blessed be God He could with importunity call for Death Hasten hasten oh hasten Death where is thy bow where thine arrows come come come I am yet in the body I am yet on earth but it is Heaven Heaven Heaven I would fain be at I seek death but 〈◊〉 find it How long O Lord holy and true He would scarce be reconciled to the means of rebuking his disease and prolonging his 〈…〉 was conscience of duty that put him upon use of them That learned and excellent Physitian who applied to him in his sickness and whose heart was set upon his recovery though he much question'd it told me he said to him why do you come to keep mâ— out of Heaven Hâ— could play with Death thus Praythee take possâ—ssion of my Body see whaâ— thou wilt get by it fatten thy Grave with thy Sacrifices He had high and admiring thoughts of Jesus Christ read them thus Oh dear Iesus what or who art thou Oh! that glorious Spirit that laid â—he foundations of the Earth and stretched out the Heavens like a Curtain Oh what an excellent person aâ—t thou oh what an excellent person art thou thou art all lovely in every part from the Crown of the head to the Soal of the foot thou art all love all excellent thy bounty is divine thy love is divine thy beauty is divine He was not satisfied with what he had of Christ. Observe how desires flam'd Dear Iesus dear sweet Iesus come unto me and manifest thy self unto me that others may see and know that thou lovest me Now if ever now now now if ever now if ever O dear Iesus I am going out of the body to be with thee to deal only with Spirits Oh that I might have the light of thy countenance the sense of thy loâ—e oh bome unto me I see but a little of thy beauty and excellency oh that I might see more and taste more and enjoy more that I may have more than ever I had and â—ast more than ever I did And he longed to be with Jesus was in a kind of holy impatience sick of love and desires to delight himself in clear vision and full fruition of him Witness these groans Dear Iesus come and take me away I have no business hear my work is done my glass is run my strength is gone and when my work is done why shall I stay behind Oh come come be as a Roe upon the Mountains of spices How long shall I wait and cry how long shall I be absent from thee And again O come and take me to thy self and give me possession of that happiness which is above the vision of thy self perfect likeness to thy self full fruition of thy self without any interruption or conclusioâ— And yet again O come deâ—r Lord Iesus how long before thou â—end thy Chariots O come thou down to me and take me up to thee Having â—ain some time silent and still a Friend desired him to give him his hand if the clouds were scattered whereupon he reached out his hand and said as those present understood him I am upheld in the Arms of a Mediator Thus died this precious Saint this eminent Minister thus he lived and thus he died Let him never be forgotten he shall not he cannot be forgotten And let us who survive be followers of him and others who serv'd and walked with Christ on earth and now sit and reign with Christ in glory FINIS