Truth Yea to be able to say This was the Person with whom I lived and so journed in yonder World whose sincere Affection I so much valued whose delightful useful Company I so much prized whose Sickness and Removal I so much lamented c. But lest I run too far let me draw to a Close Let us therefore after what hath been said resolve to have Communion with them though they are Departed by Contemplating what they are and where they are and what they do and what they possess and by Rejoycing in their Blessedness more than we would have done for their Temporal Advancement in any kind on Earth Let us desire and endeavour to be as like 'em as we can by imitating their Temper and Work above in the Love of God and the delighful thankful Praises of the Redeemer When we look up to Heaven let us think they are there When we think of Christ in Heaven let us remember they are part of his Family above When we think with hope of entring into Heaven our Selves let us think with Joy of meeting them there Oh welcome welcome happy meeting with Christ and them Never more to Part never more to Mourn never more to Sin O Happy Change O Blessed Society shall we then cry out with whom we shall live for ever to Know and Love Admire and Praise and Serve our Common Lord We formerly Sinn'd together and Suffer'd together But this is not like our old Work or State Our former Darkness Complaints and Sorrows are now vanisht This Body this Soul this Life this Place this Company these Visions these Fruitions these Services and Employments are not like what we had in the former World And yet which is the Quintessence and Spirit of all this Happiness shall last to all Eternity and after Millions of Ages be as far from ending as when at first began Fit us Lord for such a Day and Come Lord Jesus Come quickly Amen THE END Prepare to Follow OR THE SECOND DISCOURSE FROM MATTH XXIV 44. Occasion'd by the DEATH OF M rs Eliz. Gearing Prepare to Follow A Funeral Sermon Occasion'd by the DEATH OF M rs Elizabeth Gearing Late Wife of Mr. Henry Gearing who Departed this Life the second of July 1691. By JOHN SHOWER 2 SAM 12.23 But now he is Dead wherefore should I fast Can I bring him back again I shall go to him but he shall not come to me LONDON Printed for J. Dunton and A. Chandler 1691. Prepare to Follow OR A DISCOURSE FROM MATTH 24.44 Therefore be ye also ready for in such an hour as ye think not of the Son of Man cometh UPON a like Exhortation of our Blessed Lord to Watchfulness and Prayer to Faithfulness and Diligence in Expectation of his Coming the Apostle Peter makes bold to ask the Question whether it concern'd only the Apostles or was spoken to all Luke 12.41 The answer whereto doth sufficiently express the Universal Obligation of such a Duty For our Lord replies Blessed is that wise and faithful Servant who when his Lord comes shall be found doing his Masters Work And yet more expresly by another Evangelist where the like Parable is apply'd with this addition What I say unto you I say unto all Watch Mark 13. last which Watching is the general Comprehensive word for being Ready This is the repeated Voice of Christ in his Word where-ever he speaks of his Second Coming This is the distinct and loud call of his Providence unto this Congregation by the Death and Funerals of one of our number you know I mean our Friend Mrs. Gearing which speaks the same language to all of us Be ye also ready And being desired on this Occasion to preach from these words I shall reserve the mention of some things that were Instructive and exemplary in the Deceased for the close of my Discourse and in the mean time consider this seasonable Admonition of our Blessed Lord Therefore be ye also Ready for the Son of Man cometh in such an hour as ye think not of This and the foregoing Verses are part of the Answer which our Saviour made to the Disciples question in the beginning of the Chapter v. 3. Tell us when shall these things be and what shall be the sign of thy coming and of the end of the World According to the common Apprehensions which the Jews had of the alteration of the present state of things among them by the coming of the Messiah and that general destruction of the World and the State of Eternity which would thereupon follow they enquire of both to gether as reckoning his Coming and the End of the World would be at once And throughout this Chapter we find our Lord's Answer to both Questions are intermixed some whereof referr to the destruction of the Jewish State and his coming to execute judgment upon that Nation and others to the end of the World whereof the former was but a figure It is plain that some passages referr to the Jewish State several of the signs of his coming were literally fulfilled a little before their destruction by the Romans as Josephus and Tacitus and others mention particularly the 15. and 16. verses When ye therefore shall see the Abomination of Desolation spoken of by Daniel the Prophet stand in the Holy place whoso readeth let him understand then let them which be in Judea flee into the Mountains And again 34. v. he says This Generation shall not pass away till all these things be fulfilled There is yet no reason to confine the whole of this Chapter to the Calamities which befell the Jewish Nation which was but as a Type and Representation of the general Judgment preceding the final Doom of the World for some passages do as plainly referr to the end of the World As when he speaks of â—â—s coming in the Clouds with power and great glory and of the Angels sounding the Trumpet and of two men in the Field and of two Women grinding at the Mill one taken and the other left referring to the great Discrimination of persons that shall be made at the end of the World as when it is said in the 36. verse Of that day and hour no man knoweth no not the Angels of Heaven but my Father only And by another Evangelist the Son himself is excluded from knowing that hour Mark 13.33 But did not Christ know the time of the destruction of the Jews their Temple City and Nation when he himself foretells the time when it should be And therefore those words in the 35. v. Heaven and Earth shall pass away but my words shall not pass away seem to be a transition from answering the first Question concerning the Destruction of the Jews to answer the other question about the End of the World whereupon follows the Exhortation in the 42. v. Watch for you know not what hour your Lord will come But know this or you do know this as the Original word will bear and may better be
One would wonder what Apprehensions and Thoughts of these things such careless Christians have who durst not say they disbelieve or deny the Scripture Revelation and yet feel no correspondent Impressions answerable to the Nature Weight and Tendency of such things Let me ask thee O man that hast neglected hitherto to make Ready Dost thou think that Christ will receive thy departing Soul at Death or no Will he acquit and own thee in the Judgment or no What say'st thou hast thou enquired and examined and made it thy business to know this and to make sure of it How is it that thy Mind is fill'd with other Thoughts thy mouth with other Talk and thy Time employed about other things when thou art so near to the final Judgment of Christ and seest so many Souls daily passing into another World and yet wilt not consider what shall become of them and of thy self but wilt continue to pursue some transitory Pleasure or Profit while God and Heaven are neglected and Christ despised his Favour lost and thy own Soul lost or in the extreamest danger of being so because thou art not Ready Canst thou think that Christ will then accept thee if thou now neglect him Canst thou hope that he will prove himself a Lyar by owning such as he hath often declared he never will O pity your selves in Time that you may not be denyed his pity at last The door of Grace is yet open but how soon how speedily may it be shut if now you will not enter O what an unspeakable Mercy is the offer from God that yet you may enter what would departed Souls that dyed Unready give for such a Call of God Hold a little Tremble and Believe and delay no longer For Direction in the general Since the Bridegreom will come and it may be in an hour when you do not look for him see that you have Oyl in your Vessels and Lamps as those that wait for the Coming of their Lord. If thou hast no Oyl buy it if thou hast burn it if thou hast no Wedding Garment get one if thou hast put it on if thou hast no true Love to God never leave till the Holy Flame be kindled if thou hast any in truth exercise and use it as one that expects the Coming of Christ More particularly 1. Seek Reconciliation to God by a Covenant Dedication of your selves to God in Christ accepting him as offer'd in the Gospel and resigning and yielding your selves unfeignedly and without reserve to be his 2. Let the Work of Mortification both as to Sin and the World be progressive and constantly carried on that you may be found of him in Peace as to your State and without Spot as to your Frame as well as blameless as to your Conversation 2 Pet. 3.14 Sit loose in your Affections from Earthly things that Death may not rend and tear you from that which hath the chiefest possession of your Hearts for then you cannot meet the Summons of Death but with an excessive Sorrow 3. Be much in Self-Examination that you may get over your Doubts and fears concerning your Adoption and attain to a more well-grounded Hope and Assurance of the special Love of Christ What will it avail us to think we are Pardoned and shall be saved and e're long to find our selves mistaken when there can be no Remedy You must now understand your danger if ever you will be saved from it And we have the same Rule and Law given to judge our selves by that God will judge us by at last Therefore retire and examine your selves whether you can observe the Seal and Earnest of the Spirit of Grace upon your Hearts whether you can review your Conversation and Course as transacted in simplicity and godly Sincerity as in the sight of God under the conduct of the same Spirit whether this sanctifying Spirit hath drawn out your Desires after Holiness and your Love to God his Word his Worship and his Servants so as to wean you from the World and make you place your Hopes and Happiness above choosing God for your only Portion and Christ for your Teacher Saviour and Lord enabling you to live with sincere Desires and Endeavours to please and honour him in the believing expectation of what he hath purchas'd and promised preferring the Hopes of it before all the Pleasures and Advantages of Sin and the present Life And if upon serious search your Hearts condemn you not you may have confidence towards God But how can you know these things without Examining and how can you have this confidence without such a Knowledge and how can you think of the Second Coming of Christ with comfort without some such good Hopes thrô Grace 4. You should likewise Endeavour to carry it in every Relation and Condition as expecting to be called to an Account when your Lord shall come Do nothing now but you would be willing to hear of then nothing that you would be ashamed or afraid to have ript up opened and discovered in that Day Think with your selves often Is this that I am now doing the Life which I now lead the Designs that I now pursue such as will be sweet or bitter to be remembred when Christ shall come will it be to my Shame or Honour to my Joy or my Confusion in the Day of Reckoning when I must stand before my Judge How many Temptations to sin might this repell How many necessary Duties might this awaken us to perform especially toward Relations It may now be a terrible thought to some of us to consider and foresee that those of our Relations whom we most tenderly Love are like to fall under the condemning Sentence of Christ and perish Eternally You can hardly bear up now under the weight of such a thought will you not then awake to Counsel Warn Reprove Exhort Admonish and Intreat them and do all you can to prevent it But if they will not hearken your Faithfulness shall be your Comfort and their Condemnation shall not diminish your Happiness tho' it will aggravate their Doom if you have done your Duty I will instance in one Relation Suppose a Wicked Child to behold his Parents on the Right Hand of the Judge one or both of them owned by Christ rejoycing in his Love and taking part with him so as to be pleased with the Execution of his Righteous Sentence without any such Bowels of Pity toward them as now they feel And if we could imagine them to discourse together how might Holy Parents mind them of the various Methods they used to prevent their Ruine and of all the Counsels Reproofs and Prayers with which they follow'd them from year to year I begot thee or brought thee forth I laid thee in my Bosom I carried thee in my Arms I took care of thee in Infancy I instructed thee in Childhood I look'd after thy Education I brought thee to the publick Assemblies I put thee upon Secret Prayer I warn'd
having their Brother speedily Recover'd did not proceed from Unkindness or want of Affection tho' there was appearance of them No he bore the same Love unto a sick and dying Lazarus as if he had wrought a Miracle to prevent his Sickness and Death 'T were easie to enlarge upon this Head but I must proceed unto the III. And Principal Observable in the Text The Import and Sence of this Answer And if it be remembred that the Sickness of Lazarus was Mortal there will be found these two General Propositions contain'd in it I. The Sickness and Death of those who are the Friends of Christ do bring a peculiar Glory unto God and the Redeemer II. This one Consideration is sufficient to quiet and support the Followers of Christ under those sorrowful Providences I need not spend time to prove how evidently these Truths are contain'd in this Answer of Christ which though given in a particular Case yet carrieth such a general Instruction as reacheth unto Christians in all Ages of the World 'T is granted that there were singular Circumstances that attended the Sickness and Death of Lazarus and a most glorious Miracle was wrought in raising him from the Dead But notwithstanding there are other grounds which justifie the general Conclusions which are drawn from the words In which 't is manifest as has been observ'd our Lord design'd to quiet and ease the troubled Minds of Lazarus's Sisters who had now a sorrowful Prospect of losing a beloved Brother And in order to this he thought it enough without mentioning his miraculous Raising from the Dead only to inform them That the threatning Sickness of their Brother was for the glory of God and that the Son of God might be glorified thereby This one Consideration when it sinds due Entertainment in and hath a right Operation upon a believing Soul is able to still all the disquieting Motions that Sorrow and Fear have raised there I have not design'd a distinct handling of these Two Propositions 't will be as useful to joyn both together in a plain and instructive Method And therefore shall 1. Give a short Account of the Glory of God and Christ 2. Shew how the Sickness and Death of those who are the Friends of Christ does contribute unto it 3. On what Accounts the Consideration of this hath such a quieting and supporting Insluence upon a Christian and after ward draw some instructive Inferences from these memorable words As to the 1. The Nature of that Glory which belongs unto God and Christ On which I shall only make a very few Remarks because it may be hoped that few Christians are unacquainted with this common Subject Glory in its general Idea or Notion is nothing but some great Excellence manisested and acknowledged whence 't is that it makes so very strong an Impression upon Intelligent Creatures and the desire of it hath so universal an Influence More particularly 1. The Glory of God is the Manifestation of the great and adorable Excellencies which are in the Deity both absolutely and relatively considered When the Virtues as the Greek Expression is 1 Pet. 2.10 of God are shown forth so as to be acknowledg'd and esteemed by his Creatures When his inflexible Justice and spotless Purity his unsearchable Wisdom and infallible Truth his Almighty Power and inexhaustible Goodness do shine forth and are set in a just Light then the Glory of God appears in open view Numb 14.21 God sweareth that all the Earth should be filled with the Glory of the Lord because he intended to display his Justice and Holiness in punishing and consuming the murmuring Israelites Thus 't is said Psal 102.16 When the Lord buildeth up Zion he shall appear in his Glory because that Work would manifest the Power and Veracity of God 2. The Glory of Christ is the shewing forth that Excellence which belongs unto his Mediatory Office accordingly when he wrought his first Miracle at Cana he is said to have manifested forth his Glory Joh. 2.11 All the Evidences which bear Witness unto his Priestly or Regal or Teaching Offices do glorisie the Redeemer 2 Pet. 1.17 3. It must be remembred that the Glory of the Deity is distinct from that of the Redeemer yet they are never separated from much less opposed unto each other 'T is otherwise as to the Glory of God and of a Creature these do often disagree and clash against each other When Herod accepted an undue Honour from a flattering Crowd this took away the Honour that was due unto God Acts 12.23 but the Honour that is given unto Christ doth bring Glory unto God Joh. 17.1 These two are so inseparably joyn'd together that they can never be put asunder Let us now enquire 2. How the Sickness and Death of those who are the Friends of Christ do bring Glory unto God and the Redeemer While our Eye is sixt only upon the dark side or Supersicies of this Object we shall be tempted to put such a Question as once Nathanael did concerning Nazareth Joh 1.46 Can any good thing come from such Evil Can so barren a Soil produce such precious Fruit as the Glory of God Can this dark and dismal Cloud send forth such a refreshing Light At the first view it seems dishonourable unto God when these Bodies which are his Temples are demolish'd and laid in the Dust This I say seems a disparagement unto him who rais'd and dwelt in ' em When these pleasant Plants which stood in the Courts of God are overturn'd this seems a damage unto the Heavenly Husbandman But notwithstanding these Objections of Sense 't is undeniably true that the Sickness and Dissolution of Christians do really contribute unto the Glory of God and Christ The Evidences which confirm this do relate both unto those Christians who are remov'd by Death and unto those who survive 1. With respect unto the Dying Friends of Christ themselves Their Sickness and Death do many ways bring Glory unto God and the Redeemer 1. The Divine Veracity or Truth is glorified by executing the Primitive Sentence which hath been given against all the Posterity of fallen Adam Gen. 3.19 Dust thou art and unto Dust thou shalt return A peculiar Glory redounds unto God when these Declarations which signifie his Councel and Purpose are punctually accomplisht As on the contrary nothing is more dishonourable in its own Nature than Falshood which is counted even by Lyars themselves an intolerable Reproach Compare Num. 14. ver 21. with ver 35. The Death of every Christian doth seal unto the Truth of God 2. The Divine Holiness and hatred of Sin are honour'd by the Sickness and Death of those Christians who have provok'd the Anger of God though they die in Peace We have memorable Instances in Moses in Josiah and the Corinthian Christians some of whom were cut off by Death though not Condemned with the World 1 Cor. 11.30 32. Concerning Moses we read that by his unadvised Language he offended God At
endeavour to recollect after I have considered the extraordinary Instance of this Text where we find the Prophet Ezekiel is forbidden by God to mourn for the death of his Wife having receiv'd an express order not to testifie his Affection by any of the Funeral Rites and Customs of Mourning used among the Jews on the like Occasion Also the Word of the Lord came unto me saying Son of Man behold I take away from thee the Desire of thine Eyes with a stroke yet neither shalt thou mourn nor weep neither shall thy Tears run down For the better understanding of this Passage you must know that this Prophet had for several years publish't the orders of God and denounc'd Judgments in his Name unto Judah and Jerusalem but without the desired fruit of his Ministry without the success of his important Messages and Commission The generality of the People applauded his Rhetorick but continued to do after the Lusts of their Hearts and the sight of their Eyes and would not hearken to his repeated Calls to Repentance or be awaken'd by the most awfull Threatnings of approaching Calamity Hereupon God resolves to take another Method and try if his Sufferings would not be instructive unto those to whom his Preaching had been little so The Prophet himself should be a Sign unto 'em and the surprizing Death of his Wife be made a Warning of what God would do against that Nation And his not being permitted to mourn for her should signifie the (a) Uxcrem nolo lugeas ut signisices in maximis malis con vacaturum Ipsis ut lugeant Grotius Extremity of that Judgment which would quickly overtake them and represent the Horror of their Distress that they should not have leave or opportunity to perform Funeral Rites or make a regular mourning for their Dead Relations The following part of the Chapter declares this to be the general scope and meaning of this Passage Wherein we may consider First The Literal Sence of the words in relation to this Prophet Secondly The Parabolical meaning of them in relation to the People of the Jews Thirdly The Practical Improvement of this Instance as to Ordinary Cases of the Death of Relations and Mourning for ' em The former will tell us what these Expressions signifie in themselves the Second what they were designed by God to represent to the Jews which will make way for what may be instructive from both whenever God takes away the Desire of our Eyes by Sickness or any other stroke Under the First Enquiry we may take notice of three things 1. The Title here given to the Prophet Son of Man 2. The Calamity threatned Behold I take away the Desire of thine Eyes with a stroke 3. The Prohibition in that case not to mourn or weep or use the ordinary Expressions of Funeral Sorrow First This Title of Son of Man we find given him almost an hundred times in this Prophecy That it should be given him as a Type of Christ who is so often called the Son of Man I know no sufficient reason to prove for that Appellation seems to have respect to his Mediatory Office as that true Son of Man or promised Seed who was to bruise the Serpents head and not only to be the Saviour of Israel but a light to the Gentiles and allied unto all Mankind Vnto whom all Power and Authority is given and all Judgment Committed because he is the Son of Man Joh. 5. It may either referr to his mean Original and frailty as a Son of Adam whose Body was formed out of the dust of the ground and must return to it which might help to prevent his being lifted up by the extraordinary Visions and Revelations God had favour'd him with that he might not think of himself above what was meet 2 Cor. 12.7 or count it strange that he should be called to so difficult a Service and prov'd by such an afflicting Stroke since he was but a Son of Adam Or the expression may (b) Cameronis Prelect ad 16 Matth. 27. import no more but simply O man which is usual in all Languages when a Superiour directs his discourse to an Inferior So Rom. 9.20 Secondly N. The Calamity threatned by God I take away the Desire of thine eyes with a stroke By a Plague or Apoplexy or some very surprizing more immediate Hand of God such as the First-born of the Egyptians were smitten with Exod. 12.29 where the word is used The Desire or * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Desires of thine Eyes as the Septuagint Translation renders it who this was the eighteenth verse tells us So I spake unto the people in the morning and at Even my Wife dyed 'T is manifestly supposed that she had many qualifications to render her Desireable and make the loss exceedingly afflictive otherwise the dreadful Calamity that was coming upon the Jews would not have been properly represented by it If the Spirit of God had not reckon'd this Instance to have been one of the most smarting and afflictive of all private and particular losses it could not have been fitly made use of here If the loss of a tender Parent or of a beloved Child or any other Relation had been superior or equal to this the death of some or other of those Relations would rather have been mention'd instead of this It may therefore be thought reasonable that when the Inferiour Priests were forbidden under the Law to defile themselves for the Dead save only for their nearest kindred Levit. 21.3 4. that the Wife must be comprehended thò not express'd Allowance being given them to mourn for a Father or Mother a Brother or Sister a Son or Daughter this Relation is much more supposed for whose sake a Man is to leave all others It were needless to tell him he might afflict himself in that case when it is granted as to the lesser and more remote Relatives The Margin of some Bibles would intimate it was forbidden unto a Priest being an Husband among his People to defile himself by Funeral Mourning for his Wife but it may better be read He shall not defile himself for a Chief man or Magistrate among his People therefore much less might he do so for any other save his nearest Kindred and Relations The general reason of such (c) Dr. Spencer de Ritiâ—us Jud. lib. 1. cap. 7. §. 2. a Prohibition seems to have been to keep up the Reputation and Respect due to the Sacred Office and Ministry which by being ordinarily present at Funeral Solemnities might have been lessen'd that he might not being a publick person and employed about the worship of God by any sorrowful indecorous Ceremonies disparage his Office or lessen his Dignity and esteem among the people for it follows v. 6. They shall be holy unto their God and not profane the Name of God i. e. They are peculiarly separated for the service of God and the Offices of Religion and obliged to greater strictness and
you shall mourn inwardly and have cause enough to do so you shall not dare to shew it for fear of the Chaldeans As is foretold by another Prophet Jer. 16.6 7. Both the great and the small shall dye in this Land they shall not be buried neither shall men lament for them nor cut themselves nor make themselves bald for them Neither shall men tear themselves for them in Mourning to comfort them for the Dead neither shall men give them the Cup of Consolation to drink for their Father or for their Mother Thus Ezekiel was to be a Sign unto them for tho God removed from him one of the most valuable Blessings that could be yet the stroke was not so severe and afflictive unto the Prophet but the Calamity signified by it to come upon the Jews was much more dreadful God had long and often admonish'd them to repent but they slighted his Messages and hated and persecuted those that brought them despising the Remedies and Physicians too so that at length he resolves to spare them no longer and forbids his Prophet to pray for them any more Jer. 7.16 Therefore pray not thou for this people neither lift up a cry nor pray for them neither make intercession to me for I will not hear thee He had charged them at the 4. verse not to trust in lying words saying The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord are these not to put confidence in the Flatteries of the false Prophets who told them that this City should not be destroyed nor this people go into Captivity because of their particular relation unto God above all other Nations of the Earth and because of his special presence in the Temple these were but lying words which would deceive them For since they had polluted his Sanctuary turned the House of Prayer into a Den of Thieves God would even consume his own house and (t) See Mr. Lets Solomon's Temple chap. 10. suffer it to be burnt with fire its Walls to be broken down and the Vessels of Gold and Silver and Brass with all its Treasure and costly Furniture to be carried to Babylon Their Feast-days and New-Moons Sabbaths and Solemnities all to cease and the very place where the Temple once stood in it's Beauty and Glory to become the (u) Sterquilium Vrcis novae Hieronym in Isa 64. whereof Jerom was an Eye-witness Dunghill of another City call'd Elia. And to render this probable he bids them consider the ruine of Shilo ver 12. Go unto my place in Shilo and see what I have done to my house there for the wickedness of my people Israel 1 Sam. 4.11 Psal 78.61 How God forsook his Tabernacle and deliver'd his strength into Captivity how he gave his people to the Sword and was wroth with his Inheritance c. Shilo was a City belonging to the Tribe of Ephraim where before the building of Solomon's Temple the Ark had it's usual residence tho' occasionally removed sometimes The Ark of the Testament which contained the two Tables of the Law and so testified their Covenant relation The Ark which was the Glory and the strength of Israel the Symbol of Gods presence with them and the Terror of their Enemies for the Seat of God was between the Cherubims which was over the Ark where he promised to meet and commune with his people Exod. 25.21 before it Sacrifices were offer'd 1 Sam. 6.14 and when it set forward in the Wilderness Moses said Arise O Lord and let thy Enemies be scattered and when it rested he said Return O Lord to the many thousands of Israel Numb 10.35 But after the Land of Canaan was subdued the Ark was lodg'd in Shilo being removed from thence into the Israelites Camp 1 Sam. 4. When in the Fight against the Philistines Ely's Sons were slain the Ark was taken and Israel routed And afterwards it was removed to another Tribe for the wickedness of Israel viz. from Ephraim to Judah from Shilo to the Temple at Mount Sion which very Temple with the Ark it self God here resolves to destroy for the Iniquity of the House of Judah And to assure the Prophet that he would not alter his purpose he forbids him to pray against it Now least the people should take it ill that he did not use his utmost endeavours to hinder this Calamity or least the Prophet himself should be discouraged by praying to no purpose God condescends to double and treble the prohibition Not to pray not to lift up a cry not to make Intercession for says he I will not hear q. d. I will not repent of my denounced Vengeance I will not be diverted from that destruction I have resolv'd to inflict neither shall the intercession of any others for them be prevalent and effectual There are six eminent Persons mentioned by name Jeremiah Moses Samuel Noah Job and Daniel yet neither of them singly nor all of them together should prevail by their Intercessions to preserve Jerusalem or deliver the Jews from this Captivity into Babylon Jer. 15.1 Ezek. 14.16 18 20. A few Verses before this Text will manifest this resolv'd Purpose of God concerning this Matter Ver. 13 14. In thy filthiness is lewdness because I have purged thee and thou wast not purged thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee I the Lord have spoken it it shall come to pass and I will do it I will not go back neither will I spare neither will I repent according to thy ways and according to thy doings shall they judge thee saith the Lord God q. d. Think not that my Prophets have invented a sad Story of their own and denounced Judgment without my warrant for it is I the Lord have said it They did only reveal my Purpose and declare my Counsel I will do according to their Prediction I that sent them will most assuredly bring it to pass And think not that this Judgment is a great way off and you need not be concern'd for any thing at such a distance for it shall shortly come to pass it is even at hand And think not that your Fortresses and Strong-Holds shall be your defence that your City is impregnable against the force of the Chaldeans Army that the King of Babilon is too weak and impotent to prevail against Jerusalem for I my self will do it I have Commission'd him to perform my Pleasure and I will assist him to execute my Threatning And flatter not your selves that my Purpose may alter and I may be intreated to delay for some time for I will not go back or spare you any longer Do not imagine that because I have formerly been intreated to repent I may now be so again for it is added I will not Repent And it is but just and equal I should thus resolve for according to thy ways and doings thou shalt be judged saith the Lord. And then in
make thee my only Portion and Treasure let me seek thy Favour value thy Love prize thy presence in and above all things thou art the only Fountain of Living Water all Creatures are but broken Cisterns that can hold little or none and how unexpectedly may they be dry'd up Whom have I in Heaven but thee and who or what is there desireable on Earth besides thee Happy is that Soul who Answers this design of God and is brought to this frame by such a stroke Thirdly God may sometimes intend to Try our Sincerity and Improve our Trust in him alone To know what is in our Hearts i. e. To let it be known unto our selves and others whether we can love him as a Father though we feel his Rod whether we can stoop to his Disposing Authority and submit to his Hand when it is most heavy and acquiesce in his Orders when they are most severe To try whether we can receive Evil from God as well as Good and bless him for Taking as well as Giving to try whether we can trust him though he slay us and say with Hezekiah Good is the Word of the Lord even when he calls for the Desire of our Eyes To try whether we can believe his Word trust his Providence and depend upon his Care and hope for his Salvation when the Helps and Asistances and Instruments of his Mercy which we formerly had are withdrawn In a word whether God alone he enough for our Souls to live upon and be reckon'd sufficient for our Stay Suport and Strength whatsoever Disappointments Losses and Difficulties we meet with Whether we will abide by our Agreement when we first yielded our selves to the Lord to be absolutely dispos'd of as well as rul'd by him And how often have we since renew'd that Covenant and given up our selves and ours to the Lord He will try by such providences whether we are satisfied he shall take us at our word Fourthly Sometimes he does it as a Preparative for Patience under further Tryals either Personal and particular or publick and National God in wisdom inures our Spirits to a suffering State and brings us off by degrees from the Love of this World He trains us up in Self-denying-Exercises that we may be the better prepared to meet him in the way of his Judgments That by Suffering we may learn to suffer He takes away somewhat which we dearly loved that it may be less difficult for us to part with the Remainder That our proud Hearts being humbled and our stubborn Wills bowed we may be more ready to bear and suffer and lose as he shall think fit We need be instructed a good while in the School of Affliction perfectly to learn Patience and Resignation to the Will of God So difficult a Lesson as that of Self-denial will not be learned all at one time One Instance of a calm Submission to the Divine Will may dispose us for another that is more difficult for if we cannot give up our Relations to the Will of God how shall we be able to resign our Selves If the Foot-men tire us how shall we contend with Horses If we can't part with the Life of a Friend we love how shall we surrender our Own if he shall call us to do so If we send up our impatient Murmurs to Heaven when any of them die though it be peaceably on their Beds how shall we be able to resist unto Blood or to die at a Stake if that should ever become our Duty If the Calamities common to Men be so heavy for our Shoulders what shall we do in a Fiery Tryal Therefore God in Wisdom remembers our Ignorance and Frailty and considers our Weakness and accordingly he trains up and prepares us by degrees Fifthly The Last and General Reason of all such Strokes is to mind surviving Relations and Acquaintance and all that hear of it to prepare to follow All the frequent Warnings of God which you have lately had of this kind speak very loudly the Language of our blessed Lord Mat. 24.44 Be ye also ready Consider your Latter End Number your Days Know that you hasten to an Eternal State Some of us especially should take the Warning unto whom the Blow comes nearer home When Death enters into the very House where we sojourn and lessens or dissolves our Families when God draws away the Veil and exposes the Picture of Death naked to our view and holds it before our Eyes he bids us of all others make haste with our Work and be ready and not foolishly slatter our selves that we have many Years to come in this World Do we not see our own Friends and Relations that were more likely to live than we Month after Month drop into the Grave And is it not the House appointed for all the Living Shall we not think our own turn is coming May not Thine be next or Mine next Does not every deceased Friend tell us we are living-dying Persons who shall shortly follow them but they not return to us Their Seats and Places here and at home shall henceforth know them no more And will it not e're long be as certainly true of us of every one of us as true as if our Breath were gone and our Eyes closed and our Teeth set and our Friends had left us as if we were laid in the Graves and the Funeral Ceremonies were over and our Bodies cover'd with the Bones and Earth that must be our Company in the house of Darkness Oh that we were wise to understand and believe this and consider our Latter End Thus concerning the Duty of Mourners II. For the prevention of Immoderate Sorrow and Irregular Mourning which is next to be considered I desire it may be observ'd that many persons seek for Comfort in such Cases where it is not to be had and hope to encourage and support themselves from weak mistaken or deceitful Principles we are apt to lean on some broken Reed that will not sustain but pierce us Under this and the other leaf we seek for Consolation and find a Serpent lurking there but all our turnings of devices proves but like the Potters Clay which breaks and moulders between our Fingers We would fain draw the Water of Comfort out of this Brook or the other Puddle instead of going to Jacob's Well the true and only Fountain I mean instead of consulting the Holy Scriptures We disquiet our Minds in vain stretch our Imaginations and busie our inquiring thoughts to find out Remedies against the Evils we suffer but till we go into the Sanctuary we search in vain All the Precepts and Instructions of Philosophers are weak and ineffectual to a Christian To change the Nature of Afflictive Evils or wholly to extirpate our own Affections will be found impossible Fatal Necessity asserted by some and the Doctrine of Contingency and Chance explained by others will not quiet or satisfie an Afflicted Mourner To say we should have constantly expected this and the
affecting manner to the faithful discharge of his Duty by that Consideration I charge thee before God and before the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and dead at his Appearance and his Kingdom or when he shall appear in his Kingdom 2 Tim. 4.1 The Jews knew and granted that the Messiah was to come as a Judge by the Traditional Prophecy of Enoch which began with those words The Lord shall come This they understood long before the Incarnation of our Saviour So that they were wont to begin their Writs or Instruments of the Greatest Excommunication with those words of the Prophecy of Enoch The Lord shall come As if besides all other Punishments they bound over the Excommunicated Person to the last great Assize to be Judged by the Messias And the Apostle seems to allude to this 1 Cor. 16.22 If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha i.e. Accursed with that great and terrible Excommunication The Lord shall come For so they call it from the first words as we often give Names to Writs and other Instruments by reciting the first words of them He shall come again he shall be revealed from Heaven in slaming sire with his mighty Angels to render vengeance to them which know not God and obey not the Gospel c. 2 Thes 1.7 9. We shall all be made to stand before his Judgment-Seat 2 Cor. 5.10 14. Rom. 14.10 And every one shall then give an account of himself to God and receive according to what he hath done in the body whether it be good or whether it be evil He is delegated and appointed by God for this Work and every way fitted and qualified to undertake it Acts 17.31 II. The Suddenness and Vnexpectedness of his Coming again The hour of it no man knows no not the Angels of God in Heaven It will surprize Mankind as the Deluge did the Old World in the days of Noah The time of it is lock'd up in the Treasuries of Heaven and we have no Key that will open it Neither the time of Christ's coming to Judge the World or the time of his calling us by Death to come to him is certainly known Behold I know not the day of my death we may every one say with Isaac Gen. 27.2 The Knowledge of this time and Season he hath reserved in his own power it belongs not to us it is no part of our Priviledge to know it Acts 1.7 If it had been fit and becoming adviseable and expedient for us to understand it if it had been for our Advantage to know the precise time of our own Death or of the Final Judgment if it would have added any whit to our Spiritual Stature and Growth in Grace if it would not have much better promoted our Watchfulness and serious Diligence and forwarded our Preparations to have remained Ignorant he would not have drawn such a Veil over that Day and Hour But would have left it written in fair Characters But he every way consulted our Interest and the general Good of the World by hiding this Knowledge from us God's Government of the World and the Magistrates influence under God for the Good of Men would very much be weakned if every Man did certainly know before-hand the time of his Death Our Usefulness to others would be very much check'd and the necessary Preparation for being so if we knew we should not out-live such a Year or such a Stage of our Lives Our Joys and Sorrows with respect to our Relations and Friends would then be immoderate our Carriage in Prosperity and Adversity would be more unbecoming our Dependance upon God and his Providence the Redemption of our Time the Contempt of this World and the Preparation for another would all be very much hindred by the certain knowledge of the time of Christ's Coming to call us to Judgment Therefore he tells us That in an hour we think not of the Son of Man cometh It shall be suddenly when he is not expected and therefore All should be Ready It is sometimes represented by the travailing Pangs of a Woman with Child which may over-take her at a distance from her own House when she looks not for it 1 Thes 5.3 'T is set forth by the surprize of a Thief entring the Window of a House by Night when the good Man of the House little expected him Rev. 16.15 Behold I come as a Thief blessed is he that watcheth And again we are told As a snare shall it come upon all that dwell upon the face of the earth Luk. 21.35 When Men are careless and secure and confident of Long-life when they are busie in pursuit of great things for themselves in this World when they are big with mighty Projects and Designs for hereafter when they enlarge their Imaginations to contrive the Satisfactions they shall have for many years to come in the Pleasures and Dignities and Wealth which they count upon before-hand when they say in their Hearts Our Lord delays his Coming I have yet time enough to get ready Then shall this day overtake them when they think not of it The Lord of that Servant will come in a day that he looked not for him and in an hour that he is not aware Luk. 12.46 III. The Necessity and Obligation of being Ready because of the Certainty and Suddenness of the Coming of Christ Where I shall First Consider the Nature of this Readiness and Explain something of it Secondly Shew the Force of the Argument and amplifie it in several Considerations to urge it the more effectually upon All to make Ready I. What is the Nature of this Readiness In the general it is expressed by Two or Three Evangelists under the term of Watching Which as the summary Preparation for the Coming of Christ takes in all the Duties of a Christian with respect to the Affairs of his Soul and the Everlasting World as awaking out of Security foreseeing our Danger providing against it carrying it suitable to the Expectation of the Appearance of Christ from Heaven Looking for Waiting for Praying for Hastning to or hastning of the Coming of the Day of God It comprehends an awaken'd Heart an active Faith a lively Hope a diffusive Charity and persevering Diligence in all the Fruits of Righteousness That we may perfect Holiness in the Fear of God lay up a good Foundation against the time to come and at last lay hold of Eternal Life That we may have Confidence at Christ's Appearance and be able to stand before the Son of Man with exceeding Joy This in general under the Name of Watching and being Ready is the Duty of all 2. Besides this General Account we may consider some of the Particular Metaphors under which our Lord represents himself or is set forth in Scripture when he comes again First As a Bridegroom And so our Readiness consists in our Accepting him and Choosing him in such a Relation I have espoused you
but such as are Taught of God and have their spiritual sences exercised so as to be acquainted not only with the form of Godliness but also with the Power thereof these men do say that the Character which the others do give of this eminent persons teaching are most true and they do further also say that it is extraordinary Clear and convincing most Evangelical and Scriptural greatly practical and profitable and yet very Sublime and Spiritual Now Reader consider whether many if any such have finally miscarryed whose Natures were gentle and easie to be entreated whose hearts were Soft and Tender who had the Benesits of such Education and such Example who enjoyed such Teaching abroad as well as such Counsel at home and all accompanyed with fervent Prayer unto God for a Blessing which I am sure that she did not want it being reported of her Father that his Custom was with the Psalmist 119.164 Seven times a day to pray unto the Lord and to praise him Moreover I am informed that this deceased Gentlewoman was observed to spend much time in Closet Prayer of late consider then I say whether we may not hope considently that the Grace of God had savingly and effectually wrought upon her who was both visibly in Covenant with God and whose heart also God had disposed and prepared by such special Means of Grace which he had bestowed upon her And this is yet more evident if we reflect upon God's dealing with her in her last Sickness whereby God did seem to seal Instruction deeply upon her Soul Her distemper was one of the worst sort of Small Pox At her first being taken she had strong apprehensions that she should dye she therefore did fall closely upon the work of Examination desiring the assistance of some Ministers therein and she was visited by many she opened her case to us all and God was pleased to make her to suspect and be jealous of the worst and to confess and condemn herself for her Sins both of Omission as well as Commission and humbly to inquire after the only way of Pardon And it pleased God so to bless these last helps as that none of us who visited her do doubt but the same Spirit who convinced her of Sin and of Righteousness did at length seal her up to the day of Redemption The Alpha the first Beginning and Foundation of all practical Religion is that act whereby a Soul doth deliberately resolvedly freely and expressely dedicate and devote it self unto God and his Service Thus the Saints in 2 Cor. 8.5 The Omega the last concluding and consummating work of a devout Soul is to commit and commend its Spirit into the hands of God as to a faithful Creator thus did Stephen Acts 17.59 Yea thus did our Lord Jesus himself Luk. 23.46 Thus also did this blessed Person she did I hope begin well in an early Consecration of her self to God I am sure she did end well and 't is the end that Crowns the work she did reckon that she had not fully Finished her Course nor rightly laid the Top-stone of her spiritual Building so as to cry Grace Grace unto it untill she had most devoutly and humbly offered up her Soul to God in Prayer by the assistance of some Friend and Minister Accordingly although it were midnight and although my Habitation was far from hers yet in the very last Agonies of her Death she did send for me and with the clearest use of her Reason and the most servent desires of her Soul she did entreat me that I would in her Name solemnly and expresly furrender and give up her Soul into the Arms and Bosom of her Saviour in whose precious Blood she did hope that all her sins were now fully washed away I did readily obey the Call and did comply with her desire for I did and do judge that this desire of hers proceeded from some extraordinary Impulse and work of the Holy Ghost And Reader thou walt think as I do if thou shalt read and observe the effect and consequence hereof as it is related to thee in the close of the following discourse Almost such another extraordinary Impress as it may be thought was made upon her Spirit on occasion of this Author 's presenting her with a * Exhortation to Touth to prepare for Judgment 11 Eccl. 9. Funeral Sermon which he had preached but a little kefore she was taken sick which Sermon she having received and read and diligently considered she was heard to say That she did think that her own change would not be far off and that she could wish that the Author might preach her Funeral Sermon also and she then named the Text now insisted upon and said That she hoped that God would make her Funeral Sermon as profitable to other young Ones as the Former Sermon had been to her self Her Prognosticks were too true as to the shortness of the time which she lived after those words were spoken by her God grant that her hopes be not frustrated but that all her dying words may prove truely prophetical and especially those which related to the profitable success of the Sermon here before thee The Author hath done his part like himself as well in this as in the former Discourse Oh that he might find as diligent and as considering Readers as she was many excellent Considerations very subservient and conducing to thy Conviction and Salvation are proposed herein but all will be in vain and to no purpose without thine own Meditation and the Spirits application Concerning the Discourse I must say no more and I can do no less than to allude to the words of the Holy Ghost Eccl. 12.9 And moreover because the Preacher was wise therefore in this Discourse he hath Taught the People Knowledge and hath given good heed and sought and set in order many Arguments for thy preparing for Death and moreover for preferring of Death before Life The Lord convince thee by them and also carry thee comfortably through all Time to Eternity My Paper is short and my Time shorter I must therefore conclude for the Sermon is wholly Printed and stops only untill I have told thee that I am Thy Friend and Souls Servant S. Fairclough THE SAINTS DESIRE TO Be with Christ PHIL. I. 23. For I am in a strait betwixt two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better SAint Paul writing from Rome to the Church at Philippi in this Chapter acquaints them with his Bonds and other Discouragements which he tells them by their Prayers and the Assistance of the Spirit of Christ obtained thereby would turn to his Salvation and the furtherance of the Gospel and had already been attended with some considerable success in that kind V. 12 13 14. to fortifie and confirm the Professors of the Christian Faith and to propagate and promote it even in the Court of Caesar and in other places And if Christ might be magnified
he was perfectly indifferent to Live or Dye v. 19 20. For to me to live is Christ and to dye is gain v. 21. His Life he hop'd might advance the Honour of Christ and his Death would be subservient to the same design By his further service if he live and by his sufferings if he dye by his Ministry supposing his Life and by his Martyrdom in case of his death But if I live in the flesh this saith he is the fruit of my labour v. 22. or it is worth my Labour to glorsie the Redeemer by continuing in this World Yet what I shall choose I wot not For I am in a strait betwixt two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better To Depart or be dissolv'd The Original word is used both by Christian and Heathen Writers for a departure from any place to return home Luke 12.36 And when the same Apostle speaks of his approaching death he tells us that the Time of his departure was at hand 2 Tim. 4.6 Having a desire to depart a vehement and earnest desire as the word imports and to be with Christ to be absent from the Body and present with the Lord 2 Cor. 5.8 with that merciful Saviour who had compassion on me when as an ignorant Blasphemer I persecuted his Members who call'd me to be an Apostle and enabled me by his Grace to own his Truth in the face of Dangers and hath hitherto comforted me in all my Tribulation I desire to depart that I may be with him With him not with the blessed Angels or departed Saints though their Society will make a part of the heavenly Joy Not the former they are but ministring Spirits and menial Servants employed under him and though they shine as Stars yet he is the enlivening Sun from whom they derive their Lustre and borrow their glory Not the latter they have no Blessedness but by his Donation and Purchase no Crowns of Life but what He puts on Therefore 't is not to be with them only or chiefly that made them thus groan to be dissolv'd thus earnestly desire to depart but to be with Christ Which is far better simply and in it self more desirable by much more better the Comparative being double in the Greek Text and yet I wot not what to choose for I am in a strait betwixt two On the one hand his Love to the Philippians who needed his presence many false Teachers being at that time crept in among them made him willing to abide in the Flesh and deferr his own Felicity for a time upon their account v. 24. But the Glory of Christ's presence on the otherâ— and his own unspeakale advantage by it made him desirous of a Departure and therefore though he determines for the former and was content to live and 't is probable had some secret intimation from Heaven that all his Work in this World was not yet sinish't yet he grants the latter to be simply more eligible having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far Better Which words are not more suitable to a Funeral Solemnity than expressive of the dying Thoughts and Temper of our deceased Friend and were chosen by her as the Subject of my present Discourse That I may comprehend the Substance of the Text according to the desire of the Dead for the Benefit and Instruction of the Living let us consider 1. When and how far it is Warrantable for a Christian to desire Death 2. In what respects to depart and to be with Christ is far better than to abide in the Flesh 3. On what Grounds and Principles a Christian may expect a future Blessedness with Christ after his departure so as to encourage and excite his desires after it 4. Whence it comes to pass that even those who acknowledge it far Better to be with Christ than to continue in the Body are yet Vnwilling to depart in order to it and what Remedies are proper to the case of such 5. The Application of the whole particularly with respect to the sad Occasion of our present Meeting 1. When and how far is it Warrantable for a Christian to desire to be dissolv'd This Inquiry may be answered in the following Propositions 1. Our Dissolution and Departure as a natural or penal evil as contrary to Nature or as the Punishment of Sin cannot possibly be the Object of a rational Desire If God hath promised a long Life as the Encouragement and Reward of our Obedience and threatned an hasty death as the punishment of Impiety If it be universally true that the Soul of Man desires Union with the Body and unavoidably dreads a separation from it If torturing pains and loathsome Diseases are the usual Antecedents of dying If the Corruption of the Body and it's Imprisonment in the Grave till the general Resurrection be the certain Consequent of our dissolution We cannot but think of Death as a matural Evil and as such decline and fear it Much less desirable will it appear if considered as the Wages of Sin and the fruit of Gods Displeasure and the Just Sentence of his Vindictive Justice but how far our dissolution in this latter Notion of it is changed by the death of Christ in reference to Believers is another question and will more properly be considered under the third Inquiry 2. Our dissolution and departure ought not to be desired Only as a freedom from Temporal Evil as preventive of present suffering or delivering us from it The Apostle doth not mention the uneasie Circumstances of a Prison or the continual hardships to which he was exposed from the malice of his Adversaries as the ground of his desire to depart but to be with Christ He knew very well that a Christian may serve the end of Gods glory and be useful to others in a state of suffering and therefore when he saith in another place We that are in this Tabernacle do groan being burden'd he adds the limitation in the following words not to be uncloth'd but cloth'd upon that Mortality may be swallowed up of Life not meerly to avoid the inconveniencies of our abode in so poor a dwelling but to come to the possession of the Building not made with hands eternal in the Heavens 2 Cor. 5.3 4. Not meerly to find relief and deliverance from our present burdens when through melancholly or discontent we are weary of Life Job 7.13 Jon. 4.3 when we have set our Hearts on somewhat we cannot obtain or struggle with some Difficulties we cannot master or are impatient under bodily Pains or quite dispirited by the sad prospect of approaching Calamities in such a case to wish for Death and desire to depart is unbecoming the Character the Encouragement and Hopes of a Souldier of Christ Much Iess will the Gallantry of a Roman or a Philosopher legitimate the desire of Death only to prevent Slavery or avoid Disgrace or miss the sight of an unwelcome object As
one time he complain'd of his Service and Burthen and desired rather to die than bear it any longer Num. 11.14 15. At another time he spoke with indecent Passion unto the Israeltes and then God pronounc'd the Arrest which you read Num. 20.12 That he should not bring the Israelites into the Promised Land Now the executing of that Sentence did glorifie God because it manifested his Holiness which could not behold the desiling Blemishes that were in Moses who was one of the most eminent Favourites of God 3. The Divine Sovereignty and Dominion are honour'd by the Obedience and Resignation of Sick and Dying Believers When a Christian exercises that Submission unto the Orders of God that he willingly drinks the bitterest Cup which his Father gives him how Honourable must this be unto God I This last act of Obedience Crowns the whole Christian course certainly there is no Spectacle more grateful unto God than a Christian chearfully yielding back his Soul unto him who gave it 'T was a resigning Obedience that rendred the Death of Christ a Sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour unto God who was in a most eminent manner glorified by it Though a Dying Christian cannot offer an Attoning Sacrifice yet he is a kind of Holocaust when his Death is perfum'd with a chosen Submission unto the disposing Will of God On this Account the Death of the Saints or as the Hebrew word imports the Favourites is precious in the sight of the Lord Psal 116.15 4. The Powerful Grace of Christ is honour'd by the inward support and refreshment which sick and dying Christians receive from him at a time when the Daughters of Musick are brought low and all the Pleasures of Life are without relish then to feel an invigorating strength which renews the inner Man when the outer decays and is salling down this magnifieth the powerful Grace of God who giveth power to the Faint and to them that have no Might encreaseth Strength Isa 40.29 A Principle of Natural Courage will afford some Support but 't is Divine Grace alone which can enable a Christian to triumph over the Pain and Danger of a Mortal Sickness 2 Cor. 5.6 5. Especially God and Christ are glorified in the Victory which a Christian gains over Death This last Enemy is a very Formidable one An Alexander who could Encounter the vast Armies of Asian Monarchs who had despised the Terrour of Battels in his last Sickness was so afraid of Death that his Court was sill'd with Diviners and Victims and all imaginable Methods were try'd to preserve his Life When therefore a Christian though of the tender fearful Sex is raised above the Fear of Death is confident and willing rather to be absent from the Body and present with the Lord as the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 6.5 This doth highly Honour the Grace and Power of the Redeemer through whom alone it is that a Christian is more than a Conqueror Rom. 8.36 37. 6. The Redeemer is glorified in that Blessedness which he immediately confers upon the Souls of his deceased Friends No sooner had the Israelites pass'd the Red Sea and got upon free Land but they send up their joyful Praises and mention how gloriously God had Triumphed over their Enemies What Heart can conceive the Songs of Praise which Celebrate the Lamb and him who sits upon the Throne when one believing Soul is set free from the House of Bondage and transplanted into the Heavenly Countrey when a Soul that is Imprison'd and Fetter'd in a House of Clay is received into the heavenly Habitations which the Redeemer hath prepared Surely if those who heard of the Conversion of Paul glorified God in him or on his account those who were Witnesses and Spectators of a far more surprizing Change could not be wanting in their Admiration and Praises of that God who Crowns with unfading Glory 7. The Death of a Christian brings glory unto the Redeemer as it is the Occasion of that astonishing Operation which will raise the dissolved Body and transform it into the likeness of his own most glorious Body The sinal Conquering of the last Enemy must be exceeding glorious unto that Power which effects it The Raising of Lazarus and re-instating his Body in a perishing Life did glorifie the Redeemer and this he had his Eye upon in making this Answer What then must be the Raising of a Corrupted Body unto a blessed Immortality By which the Children of the Resurrection are made like the Angels of God Read and consider that memorable passage 2 Thes 1.10 Let us now briesly reflect upon the 2. Evidence which I propounded viz. How the Sickness and Death of Christians glorifie God with respect unto them who survive whether they be more nearly or distantly related And 1. God is thus glorified on such Occasions because he manifests his Divine Power in compensating and supplying that Loss When useful and serviceable Christians are removed by Death nothing but Almighty Power can fill up such a void empty space and raise up others to carry on his Work so that the Church resembles that Poetical Tree in which as fast as one Branch was broken off another did spring in the same place Thus when Moses dies God finds a Joshua who was qualified to succeed him When a David is laid unto his Father's and sees Corruption God sills his Throne with a Solomon 2. The Exercises of Graces in surviving Relatives or Acquaintance doth glorifie God on such Occasions When holy Job upon the surprizing Death of all his Children at the same time doth Adore the Sovereignty of God and blesseth his Name when he took his dearest Comforts away this did effectually refute the reproaching Accusation of Satan and brought a singular Honour to God who is also 3. Glorified in the Comforting of those who are troubled and cast down by such Providences This is one glorious Character of the blessed God That he comforteth those who are cast down 2 Cor. 7.6 Did not his Hand bind up the Wound no other could do it all the Consolations which a Creature can present are weak and ineffectual things but the supports of the heavenly Comforter are never more sensible than under the sense of afflictive Providences 2 Cor. 1.3 4. In the 4. And Last place The Sickness and Death of Christians bring Glory unto God as they are serviceable unto the Souls of them who survive As those Fruits that fall from the Tree and lye about it make the Soyl more fruitful such sorrowful Providences being excellent Instructions about our Duty and powerful Arguments to excite us unto our great Work What the Apostle saith concerning his Bonds was equally true concerning his Death They were for the furtherance of the Gospel Phil. 1. How many have owed their Conversion and Establishment unto the Counsels and Examples of dying Christians The Histories of every Church abound with such Instances I should now have shewed 3. On what accounts this Consideration is sufficient to Quiet and
rendred You do know this That if the good man of the house had known in what Watch of the night the Thief world come he would have watched and not suffered his house to be broken up Therefore be ye also Ready for the Son of Man cometh in an hour that you think not of I hope none will be so weak as to be stumbled at the Comparison in this passage of the coming of Christ unto that of a Thief because the all 〈◊〉 is only as to the unexpectedness of the time and season of his coming It is a comparison or allusion as one says Non personae ad personam non negotii ad negotium sed temporis ad tempus q. d. The parallel does not hold between Person and Person between Business and Business but only between the Time of the ones coming and that of the other viz. The Suddenness and Unexpectedness of it In which sence the Apostle mentions the coming of Christ as of a Thief in the Night at a time when he is not expected 1 Thes 5.2 2 Pet. 3.10 Therefore be ye also ready for He comes in a time when you think not of it His last Coming at the end of the World will be surprizing and so is his other Coming to summon us out of the World by Death which will transmit us over to his sinal Judgment For nothing can be done to make us Ready and prepared to meet him as our Judge but on this side the Grave Our readiness therefore for Death and for the Coming of our Lord to Judgment is all one In the words we have three parts 1. The Certainty of Christs Coming again supposed 2. The Suddenness and Unexpectedness of it asserted it will be in an Hour that you think not of 3. The Necessity and Obligation that results from thence of endeavouring to be Ready Accordingly I shall I. Explain the Nature of this Readiness for the Coming of Christ II. Show the force of the Argument in several Considerations from the suddenness and unexpectedness of his Coming and our uncertainty of the time thereof therefore to be Ready III. Shall assist you to make the Application 1. The Certainty of his second Coming is supposed The Son of man cometh in an hour you think not of It supposeth then that he will come again The Son of man is a title very often given to Christ and assumed by himself particularly with relation to the Final Judgment for we read that the Father hath committed all Judgment to the Son and given him Authority to execute Judgment as the Son of man or because he is the Son of man and it follows For the hour shall come that all they who are in their Graves shall hear his Voice and shall come out of their Graves they that have done good to the Refurrection of Life and they that have done evil to the Resurrection of Damnation John 5.27 28. And with particular relation to this he himself speaks Mat. 25.31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory and all the Holy Angels with him then shall he sit upon the Throne of his glory And when the High Priest adjured him to tell whether he were indeed the Christ the Son of God Mat. 26.63 64. observe what he answer'd Hereafter shall you see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the Clouds of Heaven Some would have it an instance of his Humility to assume this Title as reserring to the meaness of his present condition in the World but that does not seem to reach the sence of the Expression For all Judgment is committed to him because he is the Son of Man or because He is Mediator because He is the true Seed of the Woman promised to bruise the Serpents head The true Son of Man to whom Dominion and Glory and a Kingdom was given by the Ancient of days Dan. 7.13 14. So that this Title is a Name of Office All Supremacy Authority and Power that belongs to the Office of Mediator is given to him And the Gentiles as well as the Seed of Abraham may by him be justified and obtain everlasting Life The Jews would appropriate the Messiah to themselves as the Son of David and the King of Israel forgetting that he is the Son of man promis'd from the beginning to be the Desire of all Nations and the Hope of all the Ends of the Earth to redeem us unto God out of all Nations Tongues Kindreds and People The coming again of this Son of Man is here supposed He came once as the promised Redeemer to be incarnate in our Nature and to offer himself a willing Sacrifice for the expiation of Sin But he is to come again as the Judge of Quick and Dead even this same Jesus who after his Resurrection conversed forty days upon Earth and then ascended in Triumph and Glory to Heaven This same Jesus said the Angels to the two Witnesses of his Ascension who is taken up into heaven shall so come again as you have seen him go into it Acts 1.11 This was prophesied by Enoch the seventh from Adam Jude 14. This was foretold and prefigur'd variously in the Old Testament this was expresly promised by our Lord in the days of his Flesh especially for the encouragement of his Disciples when he was about to leave them and speaks of his departure This is insisted upon by the Apostles in their several Epistles as a Motive to Humility to Patience to Perseverance notwithstanding the many difficulties and discouragements which they met with for their Fidelity to Christ and the Gospel But I need not insist on the proof of this among those who own it as a fundamental Article of their Creed That He who dyed on the Cross and rose again tho' he now sits at the right Hand of God and the Heavens shall contain him 'till the Restitution of all things yet He shall come again to judge the World and determine the sinal Everlasting State of all Mankind But because he is not yet come men are ready to conclude he never will because things continue as they were one Generation passing and another coming men that walk after their own Lusts whose interest it is to have it true that he shall not come are ready to cry out in scorn Where is the Promise of his Coming 2 Pet. 3.3 4. But for us to be ignorant that he will come again must be a wilful willing chosen Ignorance Because the Lord is not slack as Men count slackness but a thousand years are to him as one day It is not Slackness but Long-suffering which should lead Men to Repentance and to Prepare for his Coming And so would be Salvation For so it is called from the tendency of it ver 15. And if it be not so to us it is our own fault So unquestionably Certain is this Appearance and Second Coming of Christ that the Apostle Paul adjures Timothy in the most solemn and