A SERMON Preached at the FUNERAL OF Mr. William Ladson Junior AT TICHMARSH In the County of NORTHAMPTON By William Sheppard M. A. Minister of the Gospel LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns the lower end of Cheapside 1694. A Funeral Sermon on Isaiah 55. 6. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found call ye upon him while he is near THIS Prophet Isaiah is called the Evangelical Prophet indeed he Prophesies clearly of Jesus Christ In the 53d Chapter he speaks of the Sufferings of Christ as if they had been already past ver 4 5 6 7. The whole Chapter speaks of Christ and his Sufferings In this Chapter where is the Text he makes a free invitation to all Jews and Gentiles to come in to Christ Ho it is a note of Compellation and of Invitation Every one whether Jew or Gentile v. 4 5. That thirsteth that is in distress and being sensible of his distressed Condition is desirous of relief for these things concur in thirst Isa 41. 17 18. Rev. 22. 17. Come the word signifies either go or come here it is rendred come because they are called to return to God whom before they had forsaken Jer. 2. 13. To the waters that is to the waters of Saving Grace and Spiritual Comfort which Christ brings John 4. 10. 14. it is like our Saviour's invitation to come to him with assurance of finding relief from him Mat. 11. 28. Joh. 7. 37 38. And he that hath no Money no Silver no Merits but Merits none can have The meaning is He that is never so poor that hath nothing of any worth or valuable consideration implying that Christ and Grace are given freely Rom. 3. 24. Ephes 2. 8. And here in the Text the Prophet makes an exhortation and call to all unconverted ones to come in and make their peace while they may while God makes gracious offers and tenders of Grace 2 Cor. 6. 1. Seek ye the Lord as implying that they had left him and were fallen out of favour by their sins While he may be found in a time of acceptance Isa 49. 8. while he offereth himself unto you in the means of grace in the Ministry of the word Psal 27. 8. 2 Cor. 5. 20. Heb. 3. 7. before the time of repenting be expired Gen. 6. 3. before God grow weary of forbearing Jer. 44. 22. and he take a Solemn Oath that he will not be found Psal 95. 11. Isa 1. 15. Prov. 1. 24 to 28. Call ye upon him while he is near that is while he cometh near unto you in his Ordinances by his Ministers and Messengers Isa 51. 5. My Righteousness is near that is in the Ministry of his word Eph. 2. 17. Now Christ comes and preacheth peace to you offers peace to you in the Ministry of his Gospel Therefore now seek him while he may be found call upon him while he is near Doct. That it is the Great Concern of Souls to get a Christ while they may It is our Great Concerning Work to get a Christ while he is to be had There are some Doctrines that may concern some but not others that may concern the Rich but not the Poor or the Poor but not the Rich the Old but not the Young But this is a Doctrine that concerns all Rich and Poor Old and Young It is the great Concernment of all Rich and Poor Old and Young to seek a Christ while he is to be found Rea. I. Because we are all utterly lost and undone without him We may be without Friends without Houses or Lands without Money without Riches without Health yea Life it self and yet be happy but we cannot be without a Christ but we must be miserable undone for ever Eph. 2. 3. We are all by Nature Children of wrath This is thy Condition that readest these Lines if thou art still in thy natural state thou art under the wrath of God and how dost thou think to bear it His Wrath rends the Rocks and makes the Mountains tremble Nahum 1. 5 6. Thou art a Sinner by nature and by practice 1. A Sinner by Nature Psalm 51. 5. We are no sooner warm in the Womb but we are Sinners This makes Sin natural to thee It is rooted in thy Nature as Poyson in a Toad that thou canst do nothing but Sin so long as thou art in thy unconverted State Rom. 7. 23. 2. A Sinner by Practice 1. Thy Heart is full of Sin Jer. 17. 9. Thy Heart is not only wicked but desperately wicked and if thou seest it not it is because thou art born Blind Mat. 15. 19. See what wickedness is in thy Heart 2. Thy Life is full of Sin 1. Sinful Thoughts Gen. 6. 5. God saw that the wickedness of Man was great And why Because every Imagination of the Thoughts of his Heart was only evil continually This is wickedness indeed when all the Imaginations and Thoughts and Purposes and Desires are Evil not partly good and partly evil but only evil and not evil sometime and good sometime but evil alway Evil continually Dost thou not see what a Sinner thou art Is not this a miserable Condition thou art in 2. Sinful Words Idle Words Mat. 12. 36 37. These are such thou canst not stand before God at Judgment for Besides wicked prophane Words Psalm 12. 4. Jam. 3. 6. here is a World of Iniquity set on fire of Hell 3. Sinful Actions How many are the Commissions of Evil Omissions of Good Rom. 3. 23. As to the Sabbath thou mayst see how thou hast sinned Isa 58. 13. Speaking thy own Words doing thy own Pleasure For Week days how innumerable have been thy evil Thoughts and Words and Actions though thou hast not seen them Every day you have gone without Prayer you have sinned 1 Thess 5. 17. Pray without ceasing Not that we should do nothing else but pray Yes we are to follow our Callings too But it is to be our daily practice We are to Pray daily as well as Plow daily Jer. 10. last You may profess that you are Christians and are Baptized but God reckons you among the Heathen if you do not pray and will pour out his Fury upon you O the innumerable Evils which compass you about Psalm 40. 12. Then Death follows upon Sin The Soul that Sins it shall dye Ezek. 18. 4. God saith thou art a Dead Man a Damned Man Rom. 5. 12. Death comes upon all that have sinned therefore this is thy Case First Natural death Heb. 9. 27. But this is not all Secondly Worse still Spiritual death Eph. 2. 1 12. You are dead in Sin without God without Christ without the saving Knowledge of God without the Life of God without Sence of God without the Enjoyment of God You are under the Power of Sin and no Sence of it Under the Wrath of God and no fear nor feeling of it Doth the reading of these Lines make thee fear and feel This would be thy Mercy To
be every moment liable to Damnation and no trouble about it this is sad And Thirdly This is worse still thou art liable to Eternal Death Rom. 6. 23. The wages of Sin is Death But what Death The second Death But what is this second Death you may see it Rev. 20. 14. The second Death is the Lake of Fire Is it not a dreadful thing to lie in a Lake of Fire Mat. 25. 41. It is Everlasting Fire with the Devil and damned ones Is not this a miserable Condition indeed And as sure as God is true this is thy Case who readest these Lines out of Christ And dost thou not see it to be thy great Concernment to get a Christ while he is to be had Reas 2. Because Jesus is the only Remedy out of this miserable and wretched State 1. Jesus Christ is the Remedy 1. God the Father did purpose from Eternity to save Sinners by Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1. 19 20. Therefore Jesus Christ is a Remedy for he was ordained from Eternity to redeem with his precious Blood Rev. 13. 8. 2 There was a voluntary Compact and Agreement between God the Father and Christ God the Father was willing to give Christ to be the ransom of the Elect and Christ the Son of God presented himself most willing to procure that Salvation for them the Father promised him a spiritual Kingdom and Seed upon his dying for them and the Son came up to this and said Lo I come I delight to do thy Will Psalm 40. 7 8. 3. Christ was promised unto Adam Gen. 3. 15. 4. The Legal Sacrifices and Offerings did typifie Jesus Christ offering himself shedding his Blood to take away Sin and make Peace as is shewed in the Hebrews 5. Jesus Christ did actually come and present himself unto the World to be a Redeemer Gal. 4. 4 5. 6. Jesus did really execute the Office of a Mediatour did fulfil all Righteousness give himself a Ransom and by his Blood reconcile and make Peace Col. 1. 19 20 21 22. 2. As Jesus Christ is the Remedy so Jesus Christ is the only Remedy 1 Tim. 2. 5. There is one God and one Mediatour between God and Man the Man Christ Jesus Acts 4. 12. Neither is there Salvation in any other Christ only was appointed of God the Father Isa 61. 1. Christ only was sent and sealed John 6. 27. On Christ was laid our Iniquities Isa 53. 6. Christ only was qualified for the Office of a Mediatour and Redeemer Three things must be in him who doth this Office which are only to be found in Christ 1. First He must not be of the number of those who are to be redeemed Therefore no simple Man can be a Redeemer 2. Secondly He must be of the Nature of those who are to be redeemed He must be of the same Seed with them and therefore no Angel can redeem Heb. 2. 16. 3. Thirdly He must be more than a meer Creature for a meer Creature cannot satisfie nor can his Righteousness be imputed to another and he must be able to overcome Sin and Death and raise himself which no Creature can do therefore neither Men nor Angels can be Redeemers none but Jesus Christ Thus Reader thou seest the second Reason why thou art greatly concerned to get a Christ because he is the only Remedy out of thy miserable State Reas 3. It is our great Concernment to get a Christ while he is to be had because there will be a time when he will not be had Therefore the Text saith Seek him while he may be found implying that there will be a time when he will not be found 1. It will be that time will be at an end Then there can be no seeking therefore there can be no finding The Apostle Paul saith 1 Cor. 7. 29 30 31. The Time is short which implies it will have an end therefore saith he use the World as if you used it not seek the things of another World get a Christ before this short time is ended There was a miserable Instance I knew one that on the Death-bed cried out most hideously Call Time again Call Time again But there is no calling Time again when once it is gone O therefore lay about you to get a Christ while he is to be had 2 Cor. 6. 2. The Apostle saith Now he doth not say To Morrow hereafter But now is the accepted Time now is the Day of Salvation Therefore look out for a Christ now This is the Voice of dying ones look for a Christ now get a Christ before time is gone This was the Voice of this Young Man Deceased therefore desired that this Text might be preached on at his Funeral that Young Ones especially might be called upon and warned to seek a Christ while he is to be found He lamented the breach of Promises with God this is the common Case of Young Ones to be making good Resolutions to seek God turn to God get into Christ and afterwards to fall off from them The Lord was pleased to make this Young Man sensible of it and we hope effectually brought him to Christ and gave him Repentance and Pardon and some comfortable Evidences of it as appeared by his chearful yielding and resigning himself up to the Lord in the last Agony of Death with these Words That He would now throw himself into a full Fountain and immediately he gave up the Ghost 2. Life will be at an end Jam. 4. 14. Your Life is but as a vapour which is but for a little time and then vanisheth away Therefore get a Christ now speedily before this vapour of Life vanish away Great Tamberlain was carried away with a Fit of an Ague while he was in expectation of the Conquest of the Othoman Family and Greek Empire Therefore take heed lest while you are pursuing great things here Life doth end before you have got a Christ This is the call of dying ones Life is going O get a Christ before Life is ended John 9. 4. O get a Christ while Life lasteth the night of Death cometh when no Man can Work There is no working in the Grave Eccles 9. 10. Therefore what you find to do do with your might And Christ tells you Joh. 6. 29. This is the Work of God that ye believe in him whom he hath sent Art thou a young One that readest these Lines God calls upon thee to work with thy might to get a Christ because the night of Death is coming when thou canst not Work 3. Opportunity will be at an end Opportunity may be shorter than Life We read of some that in the time of their Life the things of their Peace were hid from their Eyes Luke 19. 42. Christ weeps over them This is a doleful Case Reader take heed it be not thy Case Now Christ offers himself to thee take heed thou dost not by thy refusals cause Christ to hide himself from thee before thy Life be ended It is said
down dead immediately they fall into Hell and there are crying and roaring scrieching and howling cursing and banning Oh! hath my secure Godless life brought me hither Hath my false peace brought me hither Is this the end of my Christless Prayerless Life O that I had spent all my days and nights in the World in mourning for my sins crying for a Christ O that I had been a Dog or a Toad then when I had dyed my misery had been ended but now this is but the beginning of my woe which will never end Man Woman Child that readest these Lines do these things affect thy heart and bring thee down at the foot of Christ O labour to do now as thou wilt then wish that thou hadst done or as damned Souls now wish that they had done 6 Deluding Hopes Now the Word tells Men and Ministers tell them of their danger and call upon them to seek a Christ repent believe be godly but they flatter themselves and they have sometimes some convictions and stirrings in their Souls but they lick themselves whole with false hopes we hope we may be saved without so much adoe God is merciful Christ dyed for Sinners Is not this thycase thou that readest these lines Know thou that these are but vain hopes as long as thou art out of Christ and these hopes of thine will fail thee Hear what God saith about it It is not I but God that speaks it Prov. 11. 7. When a wicked Man dyeth his expectation shall perish And the hope of unjust Men perisheth Hear this Sinner old or young thou mayst keep thy false hope as long as thou livest but thou canst keep it no longer Job 11. 20. The eyes of the Wicked shall fail and they shall not escape and their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost O what terrour this speaks to Christless Souls The giving up of the ghost is sudden in a moment so these false hopes when Death comes shall be gone in a moment The Life is not given up without great pain so when these false hopes are gone the Soul will be full of horrour the Soul and Body part and never meet here more to live in this World so then Sinners lose their hopes and shall never have hope more Then Oh what cries and howlings will there be that the hopes are gone and gone for ever Oh the cries and howlings I was told of this but I mad wretch would not believe it but I see now I am most miserable Now I have no hope of a dram of Mercy for ever As it was with Corah Dathan and Abiram Numb 16. 31 32 33 34. Israel fled at their cry when they went down into the Pit It is now with Men and Women as it was with them in the days of Noah Mat. 24. 37 38 39. They were eating drinking marrying 'till Noah entred into the Ark and the floud came and took them all away Noah was a Preacher of Righteousness moved with fear prepared an Ark gave them warning but they would not take warning what cryes do you think there were when the Floud came Then they would have got into the Ark but could not they might climb upon Trees or Mountains but all in vain Sinners are now warned by the preachers of the word to get into the Ark Christ but will not Oh then the horror when the deluge of misery overflows them I might have had the Ark Christ and would not What cries were there in Sodom when the Storm of Brimstone and Fire came upon them Oh the cries and howlings when you are tormented with fire and brimstone in Hell Oh mad Wretch I was offered a Christ and I would not Now you say let us say what we will you will hope if it were not for hope the heart would break now your false hopes keep your hearts whole but then your hearts will break in pieces and break for ever Vse 2. Be Exhorted then to get a Christ while you may To the Old To the Young 1. To the Old You are greatly concern'd to get a Christ you cannot have much time before you you have one foot in the Grave therefore you have need to bestir you Ecl. 11. 8. If a Man live many years and rejoice in them all yet let him remember the days of darkness for they shall be many The days of darkness which follow shall be more than the years of joy which went before Hosea 7. 9 10. It is said of Ephraim Strangers have devoured his strength and he knoweth it not yea gray hairs are here and there upon him yet he knoweth not And they do not return to the Lord nor seek him for all this Oh what a wretched thing is this Strange lusts strange practices strange ways are found with him Gray hairs Old Age is found with him yet he considers it no What an Old Man and a graceless Man an Old Man and yet a prayerless Man and yet not seek the Lord for a Christ What a vile thing is this what a miserable condition is this Isa 65. 20. The Sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed What a miserable case is this for a Man to have many years given him to get a Christ in and yet at last dye Christless he must needs be cursed When Alexander Besieged a City he was wont to set up an inch of Candle and if they came in and made their peace in that time well and good if not there was no quarter for them Just so it is here with you Old Men you have an inch of time given you to get a Christ and Mercy if you now get a Christ make your peace with God while this inch of time lasts happy are you but if not there is no peace to be made for you no Christ to be had nor mercy for ever O therefore as you love your Souls close in with the Apostle's Councel Heb. 3. 7. To day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts This is the voice of God to you get a Christ to day Christ offers himself to you if you will take him take him to day cry to God for him and if you do not it is the hardness of your hearts And that is an hard heart indeed that will not have a Christ when offered to him though he must be damned for ever without him Jerom said Whether I eat or drink or sleep methinks I hear the Trumpet sound Arise ye dead and come to Judgment Old ones let this awaken you to set to your work speedily and ply it in good earnest day and night to get a Christ while you may and account it infinite mercy that it is not too late 2. To the Young Now the Lord speaks to you labour to get a Christ while you may Eccles 12. 1. Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy Youth remember to get Christ now in thy Youth God saith Now do not drive it off 'till hereafter If you
will have a Christ take him now before the evil days come Old Age is called evil days when you will not be so fit to seek him Now you are more fit to read the Scriptures than when your eyes are dim and you cannot see Now you are more fit to pray than when your knees are stiff and will not bend Prov. 6. 6 7 8 9. God sends thee to the Ant to get Wisdom The Ant Provides her meat in the Summer against Winter thy youth is thy Summer if thou wilt have a Christ get him now in thy youth Eccles 11. 9. Rejoyce O Young Man in thy Youth and let thine heart chear thee in the days of thy youth and walk in the sight of thine eyes and in the way of thine heart but know thou that for these things God will bring thee into Judgment God by this Ironical expression would turn young ones hearts from their sins to himself As if God had said Young Men if you think it your best way to go on in your sins and to walk in the ways of your own hearts go on but be it at your own peril for know ye that I will bring you to Judgment for all your ways and doings Consider how you shall be able to stand before me in judgment for these ways you now walk in and how you shall come off in that day There will be no standing for you without a Christ in that day Art thou a young one that readest these lines then remember that now is thy time to get a Christ but it may be Satan and thy Companions tell thee thou art young and needest not trouble thy self about these things yet but mayest follow thy pleasures and have time enough to get a Christ seven years hence mark what God says to this Prov. 27. 1. Boast not thy self of to morrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth If you will have a Christ take him to day make sure of him to day go and cry to God for him to night thou knowest not but thou mayest be in Hell before to morrow Remember the Man in the Gospel Luke 12. 19 20. who talked of many years but God said to him Thou Fool this Night shall thy Soul be required of thee Oh it is folly and madness to put off the getting of Christ 'till to morrow There is great danger in delaying 1. It is a certain danger You that are the youngest are every moment liable to the stroke of Death You may talk of living many years but what is your life but a Vapour that appeareth but for a little time and then vanisheth away James 4. 13 14. 2. Here may be sudden danger Job 21. 13. They spend their days in Wealth in Mirth and in a moment go down to the Grave Young ones consider this seriously what a dangerous thing it is to be Christless you may live in mirth and pleasure and have nothing trouble you but this doth not secure you from the grave Death comes of a sudden and knocks you down and you fall down in a moment not only into the Grave but if you be Christless into Hell-fire 1 Thes 5. 3. when they shall say Peace and safety sudden destruction cometh upon them as travel upon a Woman with Child and they shall not escape Mark this young one thou mayst flatter thy self saying thou shalt have peace and mercy but thou art never the better for flattering thy self for this will not help thee to escape nay thou art the worse for thou art in the greater danger For when is the time that destruction cometh The Text answers it and tells you the destruction cometh when they flatter themselves with false peace The Man in the Gospel promised himself many years but God brands him for a Fool for it This Night shall thy Soul be required of thee Who shall require his Soul the Devils they come and claim him because he is theirs not having an interest in Jesus Christ Take him Devils Devils take this Christless Soul away to Hell with it 3. It will be irrecoverable danger If thou art taken by Death out of Christ thy danger is irrecoverable thou enterest upon a state that is unchangeable that is if thou hast not got a Christ then there will be no getting him for ever there will be no change of your state for ever if then Christless you shall be for ever Christless therefore it is a dangerous thing to be found out of Christ Young one consider and lay it to heart Job 14. 14. if a Man dye shall he live again that is If things are amiss with him when he dyes shall he come into this World again to mend them If a Man dyes out of Christ shall he come again to get him No no therefore saith Job all my days I will wait prepare provide for my change by Death As the Tree falls so it lies as a Man's state is when Death comes so it finds and leaves him and as Death leaves him so Judgment finds him and so Sentence passeth upon him for ever Then the Sinner if it be not seared and past feeling will cry Lord give me a Christ mercy Lord I will have a Christ now let my sins go now Lord now I will be godly No now it is too late now the Lord proceeds to the Sentence if the Soul be in Christ happy is it then the Sentence is Come ye blessed enter into the Kingdom if the Soul be out of Christ then miserable for ever then the Sentence is Depart Cursed into Everlasting Fire with the Devil and his Angels Mat. 25. 41. Depart from me O this is dreadful though the Sinner doth not value God's presence now it will be for his presence then O Lord thy presence is the only happiness I had better never have been born than shut out of thy presence Lord if I must depart from thee bless me before I go No depart Cursed cursed Lord if I must depart let me go into some good place No depart Cursed into Everlasting Fire Lord then let me have some good Company No depart with the Devil and his Angels Devils and Damned Wretches shall be your Companions You were not for the Company of the Godly in the World but were for the Company of the Wicked therefore Devils and Damned ones shall be your Company in Hell then you will cry But Lord if I must go to such a miserable place and Company let it be but for a little time No depart Cursed into Everlasting Fire You were never weary of sinning therefore there shall never be end of your misery Oh this word will break the heart never never never You shall burn and be tormented burn and roar burn and howl ever ever ever There the Worm dyeth not there the Fire is not quenched Mark 9. 43 44. O therefore young ones look about you and labour to get a Christ while you may is not this good news that there is yet a
be worthy in Christ beautiful exceeding Beautiful in him yea perfect through his comeliness Ezek. 16. 6 8 to 14. Object O but I am not only unworthy but unfit for Christ if I could find any change in my heart more power over my corruptions or were more holy then I could dare to go to Christ Answ First The first gift that God gives to Sinners is Christ and himself in Christ he doth not first give grace to change the heart and then give Christ but gives Christ and grace with him Secondly God doth not expect you should bring to him but come and receive from him you do not carry Physick to the Doctor nor water to the Fountain but you go to them for them you go with your empty Pitcher to the Well for Water you must go as a poor naked Sinner to Christ for Righteousness and as a poor empty Soul to Christ for grace You must go to Christ as you are and he will take you and fit you for himself So Christ invites you to come to him Isa 55. 1. He that is athirst sees his need of him hath a mind to him let him come though he hath no money no merit no righteousness nor goodness let him come and take all of me without money and without price Soul thou needest not fear being rejected because thou hast no righteousness of thy own for here is no price set Christ offers all this without money and without price Away then doubting Soul to Jesus Christ and he is certainly thine 1. The Appointment of Christ is for thee Isa 61. 1 2 3. Mat. 9. 12 13. He will not refuse thee because thou art a Sinner for he came on purpose for Sinners If thou hadst a Righteousness he were not for thee but if thou seest thy self to be a Sinner and that thou hast no Righteousness of thy own then thou art the Soul that Christ is for he seeks for such as thou art 2. The Promise of Christ The Offer and Promise of Christ are for thee Mat. 11. 28. Art thou a burthened Soul Is Sin the burthen of thy Soul and life Will nothing satisfie thy Soul but a Christ Then be of good comfort rise go he calleth thee Mark 10. 49. And he promiseth to receive thee Joh. 6. 37. he will in no wise in no hand cast thee out Doth not this revive thee 3. Art thou distressed for Christ Is thy heart towards him Be of good comfort the heart of Christ is towards thee Hos 2. 14. Go to him he will speak to thy heart he will speak a comfortable word to thee that will do thee good at heart And he tells thee further ver 19. he will betroth thee he will marry thee he will he will The Reason is in that word loving kindness which signifies bowels His bowels are towards thee he cannot reject thee Nay further his Soul is in travel for thee troubled Soul that art in travel for him Isa 53. 11. here is enough for thee go believe on him venture thy Soul on him and he is thine Object O but I cannot believe I can no more believe than create a World I see I must believe or I am damned and I see I cannot believe though I be damned Answ It is well if thou art come to this God brings no Soul to this but he gives them Faith and Christ Thou must go to God for Faith as well as for Christ Faith is his gift Ephes 2. 8. Phil. 1. 29. God gives to believe therefore go and fall down at the foot of God cry to him for Christ cry to him for Faith God never did nor never will deny faith to any Soul that seriously asks him for it Object I have prayed and sought Christ but know not yet whether he will receive me or not Answ Pray and seek him still believe that he will receive you 1. First He hath promised it and will make his word good He cannot nor will not fail he will not fail of his promise Psal 89. 33 34 35. he saith his Covenant his Promise he will not break he will not lye If God breaks his Promise he lyes Nay he cannot fail he cannot lye 2 Tim. 2. 15. Though we are full of unbelievings and misgivings of heart yet he abideth faithful and cannot deny himself Doubting Soul therefore thou art sure of Christ if thou continuest praying and lying at the foot of God for him for he hath promised him to seeking Souls and cannot deny himself 2. Secondly He hath performed it to others God hath given Christ to seeking Souls therefore lay all these together and come to Christ 1. Believe Will you question and have the truth of God for it His Promise and his Oath two immutable things wherein it is impossible for God to lye One immutable thing is enough had you only God's word for it it were enough being unchangeable but you have two immutable things his Promise and Oath too and all this that you may be strong in Believing He that Believes not makes God a Lyar 1 Joh. 5. 10. Will you dare to make God a Lyar Indeed God will be true whether we believe him or not but as much as in us lies we make him a Lyar Well you have God's Promise and Oath too to receive you if you come in to Christ O therefore believe yea away to Christ be strong in believing 2. Wait Waiting Souls have found Christ Mary weeps and waits at the Sepulchre and Christ shews himself to her Joh. 20. 11 15 16. There are some Souls that have been under the hidings of Christ several years yet continuing seeking and waiting have found him at last Therefore seek believe and wait though Christ doth not come presently 1 First His heart is towards thee Jer. 31. 18 19 20. 2. Secondly It is for Christ's interest to receive thee he looseth his blood else Isa 53. 11. and Christ will not lose his blood now it is shed 3. Thirdly Christ is faithful Heb. 2. 17 18. Christ is faithful in his Office now it is his Office to save Souls and he would not be faithful if he should not save the Souls that come to him Away to Christ then and you are sure to be saved Vse 3. The last Use is to Believers 1. First For Consolation Here is comfort for Believers indeed you have sought and found Christ your danger is past as to Death Judgment Hell and all misery you are secured for Eternity O what would the Damned in Hell give to be in your Condition You have the Pearl of great price You have him that is more worth than ten thousand Worlds Happy are the Souls that are in such a case Psal 144. 15. 2. For Direction to Believers Do not you say What shall we do to answer these mercies 1. First Admire the Infinite Grace and love of Christ to your Souls You cannot sufficiently admire but you are to be admiring O admire and still admire and be swallowed up in the admiration of this grace Cry out with the Apostle Paul Ephes 3. 18 19. O the heighth and length and depth and breadth of this grace Rom. 11. 33. For 1. First he sought you first Isa 65. 1. You would have never sought him if he had not sought you first 1 John 4. 19. We love him because he first loved us O this first love is to be admired He chose you before the World was He loved you from everlasting O admire it 2. Secondly He inclined your hearts to seek him You would have been seekers after sin and vanity not Christ if he had not inclin'd your hearts 3. Thirdly God gave you Faith to lay hold on Christ or else you would have been Unbelievers as well as others all you have is of grace 1 Cor. 15. 10. 1 Cor. 4. 7. your justification adoption glorification all grace And that you should be partakers of this grace when so many of your friends neighbours are left out O cry grace grace John 14. 22. 2. Secondly Not only admire but exceedingly love Jesus Christ O how dearly should you love him who hath so loved you as to shed his blood and dye for you John 15. 13. 1 Pet. 2. 7. 3. Live Christ Not only love Christ but live Christ 2 Cor. 5. 14. Let this love of Christ constrain you to live to him who dyed for you What manner of Persons ought you to be in all holy Conversation and Godliness 2. Pet. 3. 11 14. O take heed of doing any thing that shall displease this precious Christ or dishonour this precious Christ O labour to please this precious Christ labour to exalt and glorifie him Let hearts and lives glorifie him Let us and ours glorifie him who is worthy of all Honour and Glory Majesty and Dominion for ever and ever Amen FINIS BOOKS Printed for Thomas Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns the Lower end of Cheapside THE Church's Triumph over Death a Funeral Sermon Preached upon the Decease of Blessed Mr. Robert Fleming Late Pastor of a Church in Rotterdam By Daniel Burgess The Grand Question Resolved what we must do to be Saved Instructions for a Holy Life A Call to Seriousness in Religion Good Counsel to the Converted and Unconverted To make Death safe Sickness Profitable Death Comfortable to themselves and that Sickness Instructive to others Also some Directions to the Friends of the Sick that are about them And a Form of Exhortation to the Ungodly in their Sickness Or those that we fear are such Together with a Form of Exhortation to the Godly in their Sickness
of Hannibal that when he could have taken Rome he would not but when he would he could not O therefore take him while you may God saith Gen. 6. 3. My Spirit shall not alway strive with Man it is wonderful Mercy it strives with you now O take heed of losing this striving time Christ tells us this shall be the Case of them and they shall seek him when it is too late John 8. 21. Ye shall seek me and shall die in your Sins Now you may seek and live Then you will seek and dye too Christ foretels by the Parable of the Foolish Virgins that some will come when the Door is shut Mat. 25. 8 10 11 12. Give us Oyl give us Christ but it was too late Reader art thou Old or Young if thou dost not get a Christ now this will be thy cry when it is too late Lord give me Christ Lord give me Mercy Lord now I will let my Sins go now I will be Godly No then it will be too late the Door is shut Mercy is gone Christ is gone his Bowels of Mercy are shut up for ever Take him Devils let him burn and roar cry and howl in Hell for ever O how this will torment the Soul to think that it had an opportunity and it is gone and gone for ever it shall never have offer of a Christ nor Mercy more for ever Vse 1. Terrour to Sinners that come not to Christ Soul is it thy great Concernment to come in to Christ whilst thou mayst and wilt thou not come Is Time going and Life going and Opportunity going and wilt thou not have Christ while thou mayst How inexcusable wilt thou be in the Day of God What is it that hinders thy coming I must tell thee that whatsoever it is that thou makest an hinderance it will not excuse thee 1. Is it Ignorance This is one thing that keeps Souls from Christ Isa 53. 2. They see no Beauty in him that they should desire him 1 Cor. 2. 8. But this will be no excuse God declares that he will not save them that know him not Nay he will damn them this will aggravate their Misery that there is a Christ but they neglect to know him Flaming Fire will be their Portion 2 Thess 1. 8 9. Children labour to know Jesus Christ 2. Doth spiritual sloth keep thee off from Jesus Christ This keeps off many If Christ were to be had with a wet Finger with a good wish with a Lord have Mercy upon him or a cold Prayer now and then many would have him But Christ tells us that the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence and the violent take it by force Mat. 11. 12. There must be crying and crying mightily striving running wrestling Luke 13. 24. And Christ gives this Reason why few have him Because strait is the Gate and narrow the way Mat. 7. 14. But this will not excuse but aggravate their Condition because they take great pains for other things for things of no worth for the Soul If men took half the Pains for a Christ as they do for the World they might have him But how will this torment in Hell that they took more Pains to damn than to save themselves 3. Love of Sin and the World keeps many Souls from Christ Christ offers himself but Men go to their Farms Merchandise and make Light of him Mat. 22. 5. They are so busie about Plowing and Sowing and buying and selling that they have no leisure to attend to the seeking of a Christ If God and the World might dwell together if Sin and Christ might part Stakes then Christ would have many followers But Christ tells us That he that Loves House or Land Father or Mother Wife or Children or his own Life more than him cannot be his Disciple Luke 14. 26 27 33. Ah Souls take heed that none of these things keep you off from Jesus Christ for how will this torment in Hell to think that you lost Christ and Heaven for the World that cannot at last countervail Mat. 16. 26. Nor procure a drop of Water to cool your Tongue Luke 16. 22 23 24 25. 4. Carnal Mirth and Pleasure keep many off from Christ They think if they come in to Christ they must bid farewel to their merry Company and jovial Ways and this they do not like of But this is but a foolish Plea for Christ doth not hinder a Man of any pleasures that are good for him and if he deprives thee of sinful Pleasures he will give thee spiritual Pleasures Soul Pleasures which will be infinitely better here you shall find his ways to be ways of pleasantness and paths of Peace Prov. 3. 17. Rom. 15. 13. Joy and Peace in believing Yea Joy unspeakable and full of Glory 1 Pet. 1. 8. And besides all this Everlasting Pleasures hereafter Psalm 16. 11. Who then would not have a Christ You young Ones who are for Pleasures come in to Christ come O come other Pleasures are not worth having See what Solomon the wisest saith of them Eccles 7. 2 6. Why wilt thou set thine eyes on that which is not It is not that which it seems to be it is but madness I said of laughter thou art mad and of mirth what doth it What doth it I will tell you what it doth It doth infatuate it doth bewitch it doth delude Souls it decoys them into the net of woe and misery It is as the crackling of thorns under a Pot it makes a great sound for a moment and then ends in Eternal sorrow Isa 50. 11. Amos. 8. 10. Luke 6. 25. Woe to you that laugh now for ye shall mourn and weep 5. Security and false peace keeps many from Christ Reader doth not this keep thee Thou dost not come to Christ because thou art secure in thy sins thou dost not see thy need of him or else thou wouldest cry after him and have no rest night nor day thou art like Laodicea thou thinkest thy self rich and standest in need of nothing when thou art poor blind miserable wretched Rev. 3. 17. thou seest no need of Christ though thou hast infinite need of him and the more peace thou hast the greater danger thou art in 1 Thes 5. 3. When they cry peace and safety then sudden destruction comes upon them and they shall not escape Mark Reader then is thy danger when thou cryest Peace peace then is the time that destruction cometh As it is with a Man that hath the Falling Sickness he talks and walks and is very merry and jovial as if nothing ail'd him of a sudden he falls down upon the ground foams and raves and beats himself and is a miserable Spectacle to all beholders Just thus it is with secure Sinners Reader take heed it be not thy case they eat and drink and sleep quietly talk merrily and walk about jocundly plow and sow buy and sell are very busie about the World of a sudden Death comes and strikes them