part from him but your love had too much self-Self-love in it seeing you would have kept him from his Father and the Glory prepared for him So that your Child might say If you lov'd me with a cordial sincere love free from a mixture of self-love you would rejoyce and not over-much afflict your self with sorrow because I am gone to the Father Joh. 14. 28. 3. This you say is a very heavy burden that the Lord has laid upon you but not so heavy as your Sins were that was laid upon Christ the which He bore Isa 53. 6. 12. 1 Pet. 2. 24. He bore them on his own Body on the Tree to bear or carry them away from us Ferebat auferebat Did Christ silently and patiently bear and bear away our sins Was He as a Lamb before the Shearers and this burthen laid upon Him by the Father and shall not we be silent under the burthen of Affliction that the hand of the Lord lays upon us 4. You complain that the Tryal and Affliction is great but alas it might have been far greater He might have been taken from you by the hand of Justice inflicting death for horrid wickedness He might have died and you had no well-grounded hopes of his Eternal Salvation but he gave early Proofs of his preparedness to meet with the Enemy though he came suddenly upon him 5. It may be he had taken up too much room in your Heart and was lodged in the bed which the Lord had chosen to lye in and therefore takes him out of the way that He might have your Hearts more fixed upon Him It was as I have read the Saying of a good Woman whose only Son was taken away by Water That now the Lord had left her none to love but Himself Your Son though not your only Son was thus removed from you that your heart might be more at liberty to love the Lord. 6. If the Affliction be great and the Burthen be heavy do the best you can to lessen your Affliction and make your Burthen lighter this is done by a quiet silent submission unto the Will of God in this awful Providence whereas impatience or discontent under it will add more weight unto it 7. Such a carriage and deportment will bespeak our Reverence of God in resigning up our choicest Creature Comforts to Him patiently to part with that which we have no great affection unto or kindness for is no proof of our Reverence and Obedience but if our Isaac be called for and we quietly give him up By this we manifest our Fear of God Gen. 22. 12. 8. Patience under sharp Afflictions gives us possessions of our Souls as saith Luke 21. 19. The Mind being Composed will render us capable of making use of those means whereby we may gain Support and Relief under it Hence the Apostle James 1. 4. Let Patience have her perfect work that ye may be intire and want nothing that is needful for your support under the present Circumstances 9. The exercise of Patience in our Tryals will bring in Experience Rom. 5. 4. of the Power Mercy and Goodness of God then shall we be capable of taking notice of his merciful dealings with us Hence that of Moses unto the Children of Israel Exod. 14. 13. Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. This included Psal 46. 10. Be still and know that I am God 10. The Lord takes it well when we are graciously silent not sullenly silent under our troubles and quarrel not with his Rod He glories in his Servant Job in the face of the Devil on this account Chap. 2. 3. 11. By such a carriage in afflictions we imitate our Lord Jesus who by his patient bearing all that He underwent from the hand of God and man did give us an example and certainly it becomes a Christian and is no small part of his glory to be conformable to his Lord and Master FINIS
A Funeral SERMON Preached at Newport-Pagnell April 11. 1697. On the Occasion of the Sudden Death of William Maxwell A Pious and Hopeful Young Scholar belonging to Harvard-Colledge in Cambridge New-England And Aaron held his peace Lev. 10. 3. I was dumb I opened not my mouth because thou didst it Psal 39. 9. Mihi vivere est Christus mori Lucrum London Printed for H. Nelme at the Leg and Star over against the Royal Exchange 1697. To the Parents of the Deceased THE Design of this plain Discourse was to minister a word of Counsel and if the Lord would bless it of Comfort to you under that awful and afflicting Providence that hath of late befallen you which tho' very surprizing yet is it common to good and bad And as it was principally delivered on your account so at your request I have Transcribed the Copy and put it into your hand to be disposed of at your pleasure The Publishing of it was far from my Thoughts when I preached it and is altogether averse to my Inclination tho' to gratifie you whose desire I could not well with-stand I gave my self the trouble of writing it over You have my Friends no cause to give too much vent unto your Sorrow for upon very good grounds you have reason to hope that he whom you love is with Him that loves him better than you and is safely arriv'd at the Haven of Rest that you are desirous at last to come unto What tho' his Race was short his Rest is the longer and if he be gone a little before you you follow after and if you are prepared as I doubt not he was you will meet together in an unspeakable unconceivable far better State and Place then was to be injoyed or can in this Vail of Tears He is wholly set free from all those Evils that you are still exposed unto and is warm in that bosom wherein you hope to be lodged for ever My love to him for the Relation I stood in was very great from his Childhood for I do not remember that I did ever see any thing in him but what did deserve it his Nature was very lively and his Deportment very obliging that drew Respect unto him from Neighbours as well as Relations that had knowledge of him And since his departure out of his Native Country you have had such a full Account from good hands of his pious and gracious Behaviour that should command your silence under this sharp Providence And methinks should not make it difficult for you to determine whether you have greater cause of mourning in parting from such a Child than of rejoycing that you had so good and hopeful a one How many alas poor Parents that beget and bring forth Children for the Destroyer when you had one for the Saviour whom he sought and now doth and will for ever enjoy It becomes you not therefore to mourn as those that have no hope That the Lord who hath done it would sanctifie this Stroak and by the manifestations of his love to your Souls sweeten this bitter Cup and fully satisfie you with his Will is and shall be the Prayer of Your Sympathizing Friend and Relation J. G. POSTSCRIPT Christian Reader THIS Sermon not being intended to come into publick view I shall only advertise thee That the Objection about unlawful Ways of getting the good Things of this World with the Answers thereunto not being suited unto a Funeral Discourse were a Digression designed to Cure or Prevent a great Transgression which some worldly Auditors fall into or may be in danger so to do unto the dishonour of God and the hazarding of the Eternal Destruction of their Immortal Souls A Funeral Sermon c. Job II. 10. What shall we receive good at the hand of God and shall we not receive evil THIS Book is Intituled the Book of Job for the principal Matter contained therein doth concern him Who was the Pen-Man of it is â—â—certain neither is it much material for us to â—â—â—w The first Verse gives us his Picture draw◠〈◊〉 the Finger of God which he twice Attested unto the Teeth of Satan Ver. 8. Chap. 2 3. which did draw the Malice and Envy of Satan against him We have also an Inventory of his Wealth Ver. 2 3. The loving and friendly practice of his Children 4. This good Man's Fear and godly Course 5. Satan's desire to try him a Commission given him with a Limitation 12. He goes to the utmost length of his Chain Upon the sad Messages brought to him we find he had a Sense of his Afflictions and by outward Gestures did demonstrate it 20. yet did manifest a gracious Frame of Heart under all 21. Satan's Commission with a Limitation renewed 't is executed to the full Chap. 2. 6 7. Job's Wife in discontent gives him very ill Counsel Ver. 9. Job Replies Ver. 10. wherein he gently Reproves her 2. gives a valid Reason for this Reproof in the Words of my Text in a double Interrogation What As if he should say what bad Advice do you give me What would you have me to sin against God Then shall we receive good at the hand of God and not evil Interrogations are a kind of quick and smart Speaking and in this place it imports the anger of Job at this evil Counsel Shall we receive c. The Good here spoken of I presume doth only intend the good things of this Life such as Abraham speaks of Luke 16 25. unto the rich Man though some extend it to the good things of the othe◠〈◊〉 also at the hand or from the hand or â—â—â—â—â—â—ence of God and shall we not receive 〈◊〉 Not the evil of Sin for God gives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor doth Man though full of this Evâ—â—â—â—ceive it from Him but the Evil of Troubl◠〈◊〉 Affliction those in Scripture are frequently called Evil Isa 45. 7. I create evil Amos 3. 6. Is there evil in a city i. e. any trouble or affliction that the Lord hath not done Called Evil not that there is any Evil either Natural or Moral in it but because it is so in our Sense and Esteem or because the common effect of the Evil of Sin From these Words do arise Three Observations 1. That the Life of Man in this World is made up of Good and Evil not all Good nor all Evil Not all good lest we be full and deny God as Agur said Prov. 30. 8 9. Not all Evil lest we faint under it and our Lives be too bitter Our Life is as Checquer-work that hath white and black Lines or as the Cloud in the Wilderness that had a bright side as well as a dark one Herein it differs from the future Life or Life in the other World that is either all Good and that in the superlative Degree without any allay of Evil as with the Spirits of just Men made perfect Or all Evil without the least mixture of Good that is of Comfort and Refreshment
have Scourged us with Scorpions 8. Believingly that according to God's word our Afflictions shall work for our Good as they are designed and appointed For Application I shall look back to the Second Doctrine viz. That our Good and Evil Things in this Life come from the hand of God 1. Then our good Things come not to us by that which ignorant People commonly call Luck or Fortune which ought to be cut off from the Mouths of Christians That which they call Fortune is the Providence of God without which not a Penny comes into your Purses nor a Customer into your Shops 2. Then our worldly good Things comes not to us simply by our own diligence care and industry I say not only or simply but 't is God that gives power to get Wealth Deut. 8. 18. None have reason to Sacrifice to their own Net or Ascribe the good Things they have got unto the labour of their hand For Men may and many do rise up early and set up late and eat the bread of sorrow Psal 127. 2. and yet add not one cubit to their stature Mat. 6 27. 'T is true the diligent hand it 's said maketh rich Prov. 10. 4. yet not without the blessing of the Lord ver 22. These make rich both in Spirituals and Temporals not the one without the other not the diligent hand without the blessing of the Lord nor will the blessing of the Lord make rich without a diligent hand for God is no Patron for Slothfulness in the Affairs of Soul or Body 3. Then should we trust in the Lord Ps 37. 3. and rely upon his Care and Providence touching the good things of this World who will give Grace and Glory and with-hold no good thing from them that trust in Him and walk uprightly before Him Psal 84. 11. He that feeds the Ravens will not suffer the young Cranes to starve as that good Man said on his Death-bed He that cloaths the grass of the field will provide garments to cover the nakedness of them that rely upon Him He doth not indeed ingage to provide for them as He did for the rich Man Luk 16. But mean Fair may preserve Life as well as costly Dishes and course Cloth will keep warm as well as fine 4. If all the good things thou hast come from the hand of God then be thankful to God for all Render all back to Him in Praises that thou receivest from his bountiful Hand that as of Him and from Him are all things so all may with thankfulness be returned to Him Phil. 4. 6. 5. Use and lay out all for Him the Mercies we receive should be improved for his Glory Whether we eat or whether we drink do all to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10. 31. To honour Him with our substance Prov. 3. 9. By doing good and communicating especially unto God's poor Gal. 6. 10. And for Holy and Pious Uses in promoting the Gospel and Interest of Christ 6. Tho' all good things of this Life are received from his Hand yet let us not be contented to have our Portion in them that it may not be with us as with the rich Man Luk. 16. who had all his good things in this Life the Lord hath better things than those to give Ps 84. 11. and we want them for as our Bodies need the one so do our Souls need the other and he that chiefly seeks the best shall not want the worst so far as God sees them good for us Obj. Suppose these good things are wickedly and unjustly gotten by lying stealing defrauding over-reaching oppression and grinding the face of the poor do such good things so gotten come from the hand of God Res It is too evident that many by such wicked and ungodly ways do gain these things and that there are too few that in their Commerce and Dealings with Men do with Conscience observe that excellent Rule given by Christ Mat. 7. 12. Whatsoever ye would that Men should do unto you do ye even so unto them 2. Yet the things themselves being good as they are good do proceed from God but the unjust and unlawful means by which they are gained are from the wickedness of the heart of Man as Judas his thirty Pieces 3. These things thus gained come from God but not in a way of Mercy but in his Wrath and Displeasure to fatten them against the day of slaughter The Lord smiteth his hand at their dishonest gain Ezek. 22. 13. Alluding to a Man when angry that smiteth his hands at the Party that offends him and the Lord will avenge such 1 Thes 4. 6. I have read of a great Lady that being in a City that was Besieged Contracted with the Besiegers to deliver up the City on condition they would give her all the Gold Jewels and precious Stones that were found therein Agreement was made the City delivered up and the Gold c. were cast upon her and crushed her to death Thus Riches gotten and not by right will perish and those that so get them shall die like fools Jer. 17. 11. 4. Those that by unjust and unlawful ways do gain the good things of this World together with them do gain a Curse Prov. 3. 33. So that those things tho' in themselves are Blessings are accursed unto them Mal. 2. 2. There is a worm at the root and a third Heir seldom enjoys it 5. Account at last must be given of what Men gain and how they use it and in what way they gain it 1. Does the evil of Affliction and Trouble that we suffer come from the hand of God then ought we to look beyond and through Second Causes unto the Providence of God that disposeth of us and ours For trouble springeth not out of the ground nor doth affliction arise out of the dust Job 5. 6. 2. Then under the sharpest and severest stroaks that fall upon us we should be still as David not to open our mouths because God hath done it Ps 39. 9. Obj. But my affliction is more than ordinary and falls out but now and then this makes it the heavier and in this the Lord hath as it were pricked me in the Life-Vein taking away the desire of my eye and the delight of my heart had it been in some other way I hope I could have borne it better Res 1. Shall any teach God knowledge Job 21. 22. Or shall we direct our Soveraign Lord nay our Father what Rod He shall scourge us with He is at liberty to Correct how He pleaseth and if He taketh away as none can hinder Him neither may we question Him or say What doest Thou or why doest Thou so Job 9. 12. 2. Thy Child was the delight of thine Heart therefore thou wouldest have had him been continued with thee he was also God's delight who had most right to him therefore he is not because the Lord hath taken him to Himself you did love him therefore was so unwilling to