it and want them most That God the Author of life and death and all other mercies and miseries doth deprive his best servants as well as others indifferently of their greatest earthly comforts is most apparent by this and other Scriptures Eccless 8 14. 9 2. And that he doth this sometimes with most imbittering circumstances not only suddenly but unexspectedly allso which makes the providence more grievous especially at present as the sudden death of younger friends not exspected is hardlier borne than that of aged having been exspected long and at such times as these comforts are most wanted whereby their loss becoms a continued affliction and matter of constant grief afterwards is allso most evident by this history and many others I need not mention seeing the experience of all ages attest it For what Saint alive then or now so deare to God as Jacob what Relation so neare as a wife and what wife so beloved of a husband as Rachel for whom he served a 7 years apprenteship and how hard soever it was they seemd to him but a few days for the love he had to her Gen. 29 20. Yet notwithstanding God takes away from him this desire of his eyes with a sudden and unexspected stroke as he did after from the prophet Ezekiel c. 24. v. 16. For she had not gon her ful time with child as may be gatherd from their removal from Bethel and traveling towards their father Isaac's house in Hebron which in common prudence they would not have done if they had expected her coming in labor before they could have reached thither And was in a place of no accommodation being in the way nigh Ephrath before they could reach it surprisd with her pangs and must stay there whether in house or tent is not mentioned then which for a woman of her quality and estate nothing could be less exspected Moreover this being her second child it might be hoped in reason had she gon her full time she might with as much or more safety bring forth this than her former son in regard the first birth is usually the most dangerous and the fruit of the womb like that of the trees is easily gatherd when com to maturity Yet God that hath all persons times and places in his power brings her presently here not only to pas through the valley of the shaddow of death as all women doe in travail but allso through the gates of death it selfe dashing all their hopes of her safety and good Jacob thô very sorrowful no doubt is silent at it not once complaning the least that we read of because he knew it was his heavenly father's pleasure Thô it was allso at such a time as made his wound the deeper this befalling him when he had most need of her for his present solace in his afflictions from his childrens miscarriage and other crosses and future comfort in his old age his elder children being ready to marry and leave him and for the helping him in the education of Joseph and especially Benjamin now borne to them For as no earthly comforts are so great as those of man and wife or more alleviate their troubles from others so no nurse for a husband like his wife nor for children like their own mother I have been the larger in these circumstances because they set out history to the life and correspond most of them to the occasion our deceased Sister having come in travail before her time died of her second son c. and to my designe of speaking to such a death as is in the text suitable to the example before us Reasons of these kind of providences are many which I shall now proceed to handle taking it for granted all along amongst Christians that it is God that doth all these things by his over-ruling providence as Scripture every where declares But shall pas over most of the Efficient causes that are well known the Principal as God's being our soveraign Lord and therfore may so deale with any of us sinners and his will and pleasure which is so to deale with som as we see as also because he is infinitly wise knowing what things most conduce to his glory and our good and how by his Power to use them as well as work them for these ends and Jâ—st or righteous in all his ways and Holy in all his works and Good allso yea very Mercifull his tender mercies are over all his works Ps 145 9. and 17. Every of which and much more all of them serve to silence us and teach us submission tho we know not how to reconcile these concurring causes in many particular occurrences And the Instrumental causes as Angels men and other creatures imployed by God herein actively commanding them or permissively suffering them to execute his pleasure allways powerfully limiting ordering and over-ruling them so that he is to be eyed and owned in all that befalls us Job 1. And shall only speak of the Impulsive causes wherein the maine difficulty lies and afterwards of the Final I. The meritorious cause of these and all other punishments is sin for which the Justice of God inflicts them Sin being the transgression of Gods law and death the punishment threatned on all mankind for the same every death must needs be a punishment seeing it is the execution of the threatning and the destruction of the sinner And much more that which is sudden this circumstance being an aggravation thereof as appears by its being as such denounced Deutr. 7 4. 1 Sam. 2 31. Is. 29 5. and 30 13. Prov. 6 15. and 29 1. executed Job 22 16 and 36 14. Ps 37 2. Eccles 7 17. 1 Thes 5 3. bewailed Jer. 4 20 and 6 26. imprecated Ps 55 16 and deprecated as such Ps 102 25. The Pelagians indeed of old as the Socinians of late denyed mans mortality to be the effect of his sin affirming it to arise from his natural constitution at the first but were generally opposed therein and refuted by the Orthodox as Councels Fathers and Histories both general and of them particularly written by many * Alvarez Latius Vossius Jansenius Norris do declare It having been the constant opinion both of the ancient Jews and Christians that every kind of death was the punishment of sin as the learned Grotius de satisfactione assures us I confess many of our Divines writing against the Popish opinion of humane satisfaction to divine justice by sufferings in this life and purgatory afterwards granting death to be a punishment per se naturâ suâ * Dallaeus de poenis do yet deny it to be properly so to those whose sins are pardond through Christ distinguishing the afflictions of this life and death allso into chastissements of the righteous and punishments of the wicked But Scripture is not so nice calling those that befall the righteous punishments somtimes Ezra 9 13. Ier. 30 11. and 46 28. Lament 3 39. Amos 3 2. and somtimes those
ventilated they were not judged necessary at the interment there being neither precept nor precedent in Scripture for more than decent buriall with lamentations nor any reason why they should not be made for the godly poore of exemplary lives and deaths as well as the rich whose purses generally procure them Yet upon occasions it was judged very necessary on the Lord's day or in weekly lectures to admonish the living of their mortality direct the sorrowfull Relations in their duty and stir up all to immitate laudable examples and prepare for following those departed in the faith Seing then it is not material whether we have the corps in a coffin before our eyes according to the custome in England or it be coverd with earth as here so that we have but the Deceased's life and death in our minds and memories for our betterment I shall proceed to shew you the agreablenes of this portion of Scripture to the present occasion Vers. 16. Shews where Jacob and his family were viz. but a litle way from Eprath whither they were going How exactly doth God in his providence set the bounds of journeys as wel as habitations the places and times of our lives and deaths And what befel them there Rachel travailed and had hard labor The best of women may have the bitterest pains in child-birth and the saddest remembrance of God's sentence In sorrow thou shalt bring forth child'ren Gen. 3 16. Vers 17. The midwife incourages her in her pains and fears with having another son i. e. besides Joseph she had allready But all in vaine she regards it not as in the like case Phineas wife 1 Sam. 4 20. Earthly comforts signify litle to dieing persons Vers. 18. Rachel who was not satisfied with Joseph alone but desired another son Gen. 30 24. now when she haith him calls him Ben-oni the son of my sorrow It is dangerous not to rest contented with our present injoyments When we desire creature comforts immoderatly God may grant them so that they not only proove comfortles but bitternes to us Numb 11 4 33. and Ps 78 29 30 31. The time when she thus named him was as her soule was in departing whereby her death as all others is set forth to us which the following words for she died declare Souls die not with our bodies They goe to God that gave them to be judged by him Eccles. 12 7. The union of our souls and bodies being life and their parting againe death 1 Kings 17 21 22. therfore dieing Stephen prays Lord Jesus receive my spirit Act. 7 59. But Jacob lost that name should be a continual renovation of his sorrow calls him Benjamin the son of the right hand denoting his affection to him Ps 80 17. It is wisdom to suit names to occasional providences Vers 19. In the Text we have I. Rachel's death II. Burial III. Place of both I. Rachel died Beutiful Rachel Jacob's dearly beloved Rachel dies whilst blear-eyed Leah lives The more we love any creature person or thing the more danger we are in to lose it God often times crossing our inordinate affections for our good in taking away our beloved comforts and sparing those that are despised Rachel that so passionately desired children that she said unto Jacob give me children or else I die Gen. 30 1. now dies by having them Our immoderate desires many times cost us very deare II. And was buried The most beloved alive when they are dead we desire to have buried out of our sight as Abraham said of Sarah Gen. 23 4. A decent burial of the dead is the living Relations duty Yea somtimes memorials of the deceased may be expedient when free from ostentation and superstition as we see in the following verse Jacob sets a pillar upon her grave as a standing monument of his affection and her desert III. In the way to Ephrath which is Beth-lehem Renowned for our Savior's birth called Beth-lehem Ephratah Micah 5 2. and of Judea Math. 2 1 5 6. to distinguish it from that in Galilee and the city of David Luke 2 4 John 7 42. for his birth and education as Zion was for his building and habitation 2 Sam. 5 7 9. c. which is by interpretation a house of bread and so most fitting for Christ's birth who was the Son of David according to the flesh and the true bread of life as he inculcates at least 7 times on one occasion Iohn 6 About a mile as some say that have seen the place short of this Beth-lehem Rachel dies in the way distant from her own and husbands friends in an unsetled condition without habitation We all may know where we were born but none knows where or in what condition they shall die And is there buried If we live the life and die the death of the righteous it matters not much where we are buried nor at what distance from the rest of our friends How delicate soever the body may be the carcas is not curious in what bed of dust it sleeps and the souls of Gods people find as neare a way to heaven from any one place upon earth as other Many superstitious people now adays would think themselves happy to die so neare Beth-lehem that they might be buried there But Jacob well knew that burial places are not of religious consideration but any fit place pointed out by providence might serve well enough for the best of his family Thô he and his son Joseph likewise that died in Egypt would have their body and bones buried in Canaan yet that was to testify their dieing in the faith of God's promis of that land â—o their posterity and to assure them of their return thither and therfore is otherwise of no consideration to us It is but of later times that any were buried in Churches or cities but allways abroad as all scripture and other Histories and laws allso witnes When the opinion of Purgatory and holines of places prevailed at first men would be buried nigh the Churches that they might be remembred in the prayers and oblations of those that met there and afterwards in them because they thought them more sacred which tho opposed by * V. Durantus de ritib. Ecclesiae l. 1. c. 23. Gerhardus de morte §. 78-88 many laws civil and Ecclesiastical and writers ancient and modern by some as an innovation others as superstitious and many as dangerous to the health of the living especially in times and places of infection yet all in vaine the tyrant custom hath so prevailed that it s grown too strong for all contradiction But I have deteyned you too long from that I chiefly designe which is not so much to speake of death and mortality as such a surprising death as this Scripture speaks of clearly to the occasion and to vindicate God's providence therein and shew what improvement we should make thereof D. God takes from us our dearest Relations and creature comforts sometimes suddenly when we least exspect
in us such is the wretchednes of our hearts that usually the better God is to us the worse we are to him and the more enjoyment he gives us of earthly friends the more we forget our heavenly father When we want and desire husbands wives children friends or any earthly comforts that we cannot obteine we seek God for them and when he threatens to take them from us we cry to him to spare us them but when we enjoy these even when he denies or takes them away from others and have most reason to eye and own him in them depend upon him for them and use them as encouragements to serve him that gives and continues them to us we are apt to forget him set these up in his room make them our God and take up with them as our portion so that he is then litle regarded of the most and less than he ought by the best When he therfore blows upon these blessings it is to bring us to set them in their due place and keep them so in subordination to himself and make us mind him more for the future and them less than formerly lest these streams of creature comforts that should lead us to him should draw us from him and drown us in perdition For now that reason through sin hath lost its soverainty over us sense lying so near us usually sways us and brings the soul not only to comply with the necessities of our present state in these Relations for the comfort of this life which is lawful being God's institution in innocency but to such a condescention to the body which only skils sensual things that for the most part men live a meer animal life without God in the world not like men capable of enjoying him much less like Christians How happy were it then that as by experience we learn the worth of these things by the want of them so we would allso their worthlesnes in comparison of him who is our only happines thus should we gain more by our parting with them than by our enjoying them com to make a happy exchange These providences duly considered and rightly used would recall us back again from the creature to God awaken conscience and make every one turn preacher to himself that God may have the prevailing choice Saying I see husband or wife parents or children are soon gon all of them but vanity miserable comforters are ye all I said I shall die in my nest my beloved yoke-fellow shall comfort me this son will be the staf of my old age that friend will be my support but how quickly am I disappoynted of one and may be of all these perishing comforts I still thought and hoped satisfaction would arise from these things I had a mind to liked and loved but find my self continually deceived I will therfore seek it no more in these houses of clay where it is not to be found but in the living God in whose enjoyment it is only to be had and then I may hope contentment with the portion of these he gives me will allso dwell with me which hath been all along so great a stranger How have I foolishly forsaken the fountane of living waters of salvation and been hewing out to my selfe one broken cistern after another of creature comforts when I stil found as fast as I made them they will hold no water I have too long dabled in these nether springs that only feed the winter brooks which dry up on a sudden when I most want them I will betake me to the upper springs of grace that flow continually which can only quench the thirsty desires of my soul Lord whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth I desire in comparison of thee all these faile me but thou wilt never faile me therfore I choose thee for my portion who wilt be so for ever Ps 73. And lastly from our dependence upon them for support and comfort Man fallen from God affects a self-sufficiency and finding the shortnes thereof in himself in stead of looking above and returning to him looks about him and cries who will shew me any good and fixing on such earthly blessings as he either hath or hopes for rests on them so that God is but a cypher and his blessings the figure with him till he see his mistake God indeed hath the name and profession of our faith but sad experience shews us how ready our hearts are to depart from him and to make the creature our confidence and if our projects and exspectations faile us therein to sit down in despondency as if there were no remedy Even the best of men are apt to over-reckon themselves in their hopes over-act their reliance on creature comforts and leane too much on these sensible supports till God lets them see what broken reeds they rely upon and upon what sandy foundations they build vast hopes which with the least puff of his displeasure fall to the ground Then the hearts of foolish Nabals die within them and holy Davids drawn to comfort themselves in their God Thus the Church forbidden to trust in a friend or those most neerly allyed and finding the disappoyntment of such adherence resolves I will look unto the Lord. Micah 7.5 6 7. Thus the wife depending on her husband when he is taken from her and she a desolate widow trusts in God 1 Tim. 5.5 Thus the child of whom we say as Lamech this same shall comfort us being taken away shews us our folly in reckoning so long before hand and on such uncertainties These providences as well as the word calls to us and saith Let not the wise man trust and glory in his wisdom seing unexspected events daily confound the wisest nor the strong man in his strength which every sicknes or small accident destroys nor the rich man in his riches which on a sudden take to themselves wings fly away out of his reach nor husband and wife parents and children friends and acquaintance in one another which die and perish we see daily but all in the living God at all times who it the only rock to be relyed on all these being unstable as water the Father of mercies when all these becom miseries and the God of all comfort when these can yield us none at all Jer. 9.23 Ps 62.8.2 Cor. 1.3 3 This shews us the necessity of being allways ready for death and prepared for the death of ours that we may not be surprised how suddenly soever either shall happen The double example this day before us summons us to this duty seing then we have lost the comfort of their lives le ts not lose this benefit of their deaths If the warnings of God's word hath not awakend us let these alarms of his providence doe it All grant it necessary to provide for this great change of time with eternity and yet how wofully is it for the most part neglected Men are so taken up
Ezeh 16.50 so when som are extraordinarily delivered that is allso ascribed to his soveraignty and befalls the wicked as wel as the righteous as scripture shews us I have overthrown some of you as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and ye were as a firebrand pluckt out of the burning yet have ye not returnd unto me saith the Lord. Amos. 4.11 So that the experience of all ages verisies Salomon's words which ate interpretative not exclusive of providence and shews how things goe ordinarily under its conduct when he saith all things come alike to all there is one event to the righteous and to the wickâ—d Eccles 9.2 The same manner of afflictions and death materially befalling the one as the other By which unseeming providence God secures his people from the rage and malice of Sathan and wicked men in this world which would not be habitable for saints if they were certainly known and keeps off the scandal of Religion none knowing who are sincere or only hypocritical and mens coming to him for base ends whereby we should have more professors but worse Christians It being sufficient for his people's security that he knows them perfectly and makes a difference between them and the wicked of the world in the same providence where we can make none in his fatherly affection to them therein in his intention direction and ordering thereof for their good and in his issuing all in their eternal salvation 2 As we must not judge amis of God's proceedings so neither must we rashly judg of those so taken away Either of the cause like the Barbarians that judged the Aposte Paul a murderer from the viper fastning on his hand thinking he would fall down dead suddenly of which I have spoken in the reasons or of their eternal state and condition For if the life be good no manner of death is bad and if the life be bad the death is seldom good no evil of punishment but only of sin abates God's fatherly affection to his children but rather increases it or any way lessens their interest in his favor witnes Abel and all the Prophets to Zacharias slain between the Temple and altar Stephen and all the Apostles and Martyrs and best of men in all ages I know but one place of scripture that looks like judging mens eternal state by temporal judgments and that is of Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities about them suffering the vengeance of eternal fire Jude 7. Which yet is not meant of the next world in hell thô being the worst we read of and not ten righteous amongst them are damned most of them as Christ that knew intimates when he saith Math. 11. it shall be more tolerable for them than Corazin at the day of judgment the degree implying the kind but only the duration of the judgment in this world and as an emblem of the day of judgment when God shal bring a diluviam ignis as Irenaus calls it or rain hell out of heaven upon the world that now is and of the punishment of the wicked as the Psalmist alluding therto tells us this shall be the portion of their cup Ps 11.6 Learne we then to goe no further than scripture that speaks sparingly of mens eternal state and never that I know of concludes damnation from God's punishments here but allways from mens sins unrepented of and let us make no conclusions upon such false grounds nor presume to ascend Christs tribunal in condemning any to eternal punishments Pererius and others are too bold in asserting all the old world that were drowned except infants were damned For not to mention their number that world in all probability being as populous as the present and granting the generality were even of the sons of God that had corrupted their ways yet scripture speaking only indefinitly it is not for us to make it universal that all had or that nome repented upon the flood 's approaching allbeit God only establisht covenant with Noah and his family as afterwards with Abraham and his as the best in their generations Nor lastly must we censure the Relations of any suddenly taken away as if it were for som extraordinary sins that God so deals with them Which was the fault of Job's three friends For the devil whom God ordinarily restrains of his will more than wicked men in regard of his great malice and power and his being in termino or condemnd thô not fully executed whereas men are here only in via or probationers in reference to their future judgment having accused Job falsly and being by God extraordinarily permitted his pleasure on all he hath for the tryal and exercise of this noble champion begins with his estate knowing Job would have valewed that less if he had before lost his children then destroys them allso suddenly sparing the wife that was in his power who it should seem was none of the best for his second in this combat And his friends knowing these things and seeing his bodily sufferings allso to be very great allthô the loss of his children seems his greatest outward affliction his personal being greater in his inward troubles of spirit than bodily for thô he was greivously sore and pained yet not heart-sick or in dainger of death they in stead of comforting him add affliction to the afflicted censure him as unrighteous and think to prove him so by this argument That he that is sorely afflicted of God is either an open sinner or secret hypocrite this Job denies and disputes it with them and Elihu moderates determining God's favor and afflictions to be consistent which God confirms and shews his displeasure against the others Let this example of these good men's censoriousnes keep us from playing the Criticks in such cases and to judge nothing before the time either of God or men rashly lest he deal with us after our folly but stay till this dust that blinds us be blown out of our eyes and then shall we see clearly the reason of all at the day of the revelation of the righteous judgment of God Rom. 2.5 5 For Application to those especially concernd in the loss of their deare Relations that they bear it Christianly I need say the less of this because many have said so much tho the practise of most is not answerable and especially those that are surprized For the suddennes thereof discomposes our minds makes us inconsiderate and laying aside the rule both of scripture and reason comply with present sense quarelling with God as Jonah for the loss of his guord or any thing next us as the cause thereof as Job's wife with her husbands religion and the good widow with Elijah for the sudden death of her son 1 Kings 17. Briefly therfore 1 Eye God as the author and orderer of all that befalls us His soverainty power goodnes justice wisdom c. in the kind manner measure time and issue of afflictions David was dumb in silence opened not his mouth in murmuring