THE Great Change Discoursed of in a FUNERAL SERMON Occasioned by the Death of Mrs. MARTHA THOMPSON Late Wife of Captain WILLIAM THOMPSON In WAPPING Preached by Nathanael Vincent M. A. Minister of the Gospel The memory of the just is blessed LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers-Chappel 1682. To his much respected friends Mr. Robert Thompson the Father and Mrs. Martha Thompson the Mother and Captain William Thompson the Husband of the late Deceased Mrs. Martha Thompson YOur desires which also have been seconded by the desires of others have brought forth this discourse into the World It is not I must confess at all against my inclination to make it Publick because the deserved Character I gave your Deceased Relation having sounded onely in the Ear might be soon forgotten but being Printed may prove a very good Copy for others to imitate and write after How few Saints at this day are exemplary This is an Age in which those that are Evil wax worse and worse and many that are gracious are under great languishing and decays A Christian that grows in Grace and whose Soul prospers and whose Conversation is a Conviction to the World that there is both a reality and efficacy in Religion is Rara avis in terris not easily to be found I cannot blame your grief that you have lost One who was so dear and so worthy to be so dearly loved Onely I would have you remember That Believers are to weep as if they wept not they are not to mourn over the Dead as without hope And Hope being so well grounded will keep Sorrow within due limits How easily when the Sun rises does its light supply the room of the Stars whose twinkling light is vanisht Creatures at best though they have never so great a Lustre are but little things and their absence may be brooked well enough if the All-sufficient and Gracious God does but vouchsafe more of his special and reviving presence My friends Turn your Sorrow into a right Channel God puts those Tears into his bottle which are shed for Sin but those which the Sorrow of this World draws from our Eyes as common water are spilt upon the ground Sin does best deserve your grief and the Lord whose Being and kindness is unchangeable what ever changes are among the Creatures is as much to be loved delighted and rejoyced in as ever A curious Cistern has been broken to pieces I wish you may all have recourse to and drink more largely of the Fountain of living Waters That God would sanctifie the breach he has made and satiate your Souls with himself and wean you from this World and bring you at last safe to his Heavenly Kingdom is the Prayer of Your much obliged Friend and Servant for Jesus sake Nathanael Vincent Job XIV Ver. 14. latter part All the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change come THere had been a strange and sudden alteration in the temporal Estate of Job so that He who was as good and as great as any of the Sons of the East nay a Nonsuch for uprightness and the fear of God is in an instant spoil'd of all he had and reduced to extreme poverty Never Riches did take unto them swifter Wings and they flew away altogether as an Eagle towards Heaven Satan from Hell his Instruments on Earth assaulted Job and the God of heaven permitted both for the trial of his Faith and Patience and the proof of his Sincerity This change in his outward condition caused him to be deeply apprehensive of another change which he concluded could not be far off Affliction is called by the name of Death in Scripture because of its tendency to it and ought to be lookt upon as an admonition concerning it In the beginning of this Chapter Job speaks of Mans frailty in the general Man that is born of a woman is of few days his Days are few but so are not his Troubles for they are many his Life is full of them He is not compared to the sturdy Oak or the lofty Cedar which will stand long if let alone and must have many a stroak to make them fall No no a flower a shaddow are much fitter comparisons He cometh forth as a flower and is cut down he fleeth also as a shadow and continueth not This general Doctrine of Mortality Job in the Text particularly applies to himself and truly he is very close in that application He saw himself changeable his actual Change he saw as near and waits for the coming of it All the days of my appointed time c. These Particulars are observable in the Words 1. There is the practise which Job resolves upon and that is to wait which implies a certain Expectation and a diligent preparation suitable to such a certain expectation 2. That which he waited for was the coming of a Change This Change some refer to the Resurrection which as it ought most firmly to be believed so with joy to be thought on But others with greater probability do understand it of Death which is a great Change indeed with reference both to good and bad with reference to the Bodies and the Souls of Men. For though the Soul dies not yet 't is mightily altered after its separation 3. This Change Job calls his own Change or the Change of himself the Hebrew Word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is translated Immutatio mei The Change of me as if he should say The Lord by Affliction has made a Change in my Estate and shortly by Death he will make a Change in my Person The things of the World have left me and I my self shall leave the World quickly 4. Here is the time of waiting The time which was appointed him in this World The Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be Translated Dies Militiae the days of my Warfare Our days are appointed for Combat with our Spiritual Enemies and if being strong in the Lord we are vigorous in the Combat we are sure to come off Conquerors 5 Job is sensible of the danger and unreasonableness of Carnal Security at any time and therefore purposes every day to be in expectation of his Last Day All the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change come I raise Three Doctrines from the Words First That Mans time in this World is an appointed time Secondly A Change will come and put an end to this time which is appointed to man Thirdly To be waiting for this Change is the practise of the Saints and would be the wisdom of all Doctr. 1 I begin with the first That mans time in this World is an appointed time Job 7. 1. Is there not an appointed time to man upon Earth are not his days also like the days of an hireling So Job 14. 5. Seeing his days are determined the number of his months are with thee thou hast appointed his bounds
them without the least interruption or Eclipse unto Eternity 3. There is a Change from ignorance and darkness much of which remained even in the children of light unto perfect knowledge Believers in this World who are most of all Enlightned do know but in part and therefore 't is their duty to be still growing both in Grace and Knowledge but when Death comes that which is perfect is come and that which is in part shall be done away 1 Cor. 13. 10. Heaven is called an inheritance in Light Oh what a full understanding will there be of the Works and of the Word of God! What clear views of God himself and Jesus Christ who lives and reigns at his right hand will be there vouchsafed All the ignorance that followed upon eating the Tree of Knowledge will be cured all strangeness and doubtings concerning God his Goodness and his Love will be at an end Glorified Saints see what Militant Saints can't bear 4. There is a Change at Death from incompleat grace to glorious and sinless purity and holiness The body of sin is put off when the Saints put off this Mortal Body The separated Souls of the Just ones have no External Senses nor any sensual and fleshly inclinations Death removes them out of the World so that nothing hence is any longer a Temptation they are also out of the Tempters reach and then they have a sight of their Lord as he is and this sight Transforms them into his likeness 1 Joh. 3. 2. Grace that was here only in the bud will then be full blown Holiness will be perfected and all filthiness both of the Flesh and Spirit cleansed away It may truly be said then concerning the Spouse of Christ O my love thou art all fair there is no spot in thee 5. There is a Change from War and Labour unto Rest and Triumph 'T is no easie matter to be Saved The Saints are put upon hard work and service they are to watch to pray to stir up themselves to lay hold on God They are to contend earnestly for the faith to strive to enter in at the strait gate They are to use an holy Violence that they may by a kind of storming take the heavenly Kingdom all opposition from the Worlds Rage and the power and wrath of Hellish Principalities they must break thorow But at Death their Warfare is accomplished they rest from their Labours Rev. 14. 13. They go then to their Lord and receive their reward which he has freely and faithfully promised and having been faithful in a little they are made rulers over much they have fought the good fight and finished their course and having been more than conquerors through him that loved them they sit down with him on his throne and are Crowned with Life and Glory and shall wear that Crown for ever 6. When the Saints dye there is a Change from all manner of Sorrow unto fullness of joy and pleasures for evermore Oh how glad will they be to see themselves safely arrived to the fair Haven after the many Storms which beat upon them in this World to perceive themselves safely secur'd in Heaven and that they are made pillars in the temple of God and shall go out no more Rev. 3. 12. When they come to see their Lord and Husband Jesus and God their Father and to the uttermost of their capacity they are filled with his Love and satisfied with his Image Oh then all tears will be dried up Sin and Sorrow are Eternal Strangers in the New Jerusalem Joy will be full and the fuller because 't will never end In the Second place follow the Arguments to prove That Death which is such a Change will certainly come 1. Death is merited by Sin It was upon the Sin of Man that that Sentence was past upon him Gen. 3. 19. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread until thou return to the ground for out of it wast thou taken for dust thou art and unto dust shalt thou return Now all having Sinned Death passes upon all Rom. 5. 12. Assoon as Man became a Sinner presently he became Mortal Death had not been able to have entred into the World if Sin had not first got entrance If Man had never Sinned the Tree of Life was to assure him he should never have died 2. Death is appointed and the appointment is most firm and unchangeable let an exception be made of Enoch and Elias and them that shall be found alive at the Last Day and the appointment is general Heb. 9. 27. Constitutum est omnibus semel mori plerisque bis It is appointed unto all men once to die and the Second Death will be the Portion of the most that Live The Grave is called The House appointed for all the living that 's the dark and silent place where all the dwellers upon Earth must make their aboad until the Resurrection 3. Christ does not deliver those that are dear to him from the stroak of death though he does always from the Sting of it If there were any hope to be freed from tasting of Death that expectation must be from our Mediator but though he makes the bodies of Believers his own Members and the temples of his Spirit yet he suffers them to fall down to the ground that too visible a difference may not be made between the Righteous and the Wicked here and that his power may be glorified in raising them up again at the Last Day And certainly the Lords power and love will be exceeding Glorious when this corruptible shall put on incorruption and this mortal immortality In the Third place I am to make it manifest That Time comes to an end when this Change comes 1. One Argument shall be drawn from the Eternal Rewards which upon their dissolution are received by the Righteous The Saints in Heaven need no more time for their work is done Assoon as they depart they are with Christ they are cloathed upon with their house which is from Heaven 2 Cor. 5. 2. They have no need more of a Day of Grace who have received an exceeding and eternal weight of Glory And truly 't is well for them that their time is over since they have made good use of it and time being over they are in Eternity and now their State and Happiness is fixed Rom. 6. 23. The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 2. A Second Argument shall be drawn from the Everlasting Punishments which after Death are inflicted on the wicked We read Luke 16. That the Wicked Rich Man died and was buried and the next News we hear of him is That he was in Hell and shut up there so as never to come out more He does not pray for a release out of his Torments that was despaired of but onely for a little mitigation and truly it was but a small kindness that a drop of water could have done him in the midst of such
that he cannot pass In the handling of this Doctrine I shall 1. Speak concerning time which is appointed to Man 2. Shew you who has appointed it 3. To what end it is appointed And then make Application In the first place I am to speak of Time which is thus appointed unto Man 1. This time is continually passing It had a Beginning it will have an End and to that end 't is always hasting Eternity was before it and Eternity will be after it Time is commonly divided into past and to come that which is past is past recalling that which is to come may quickly be past also The present time is but an instant which in the twinkling of an Eye is swallowed up in that which is past away Those similitudes of a Weavers Shuttle of the Ships of desire of an Eagle hasting to the prey are used by the Holy Ghost Job 9. 26. to signifie the swift passage of time Times Glass is always running Augustine has a pretty observation I. 2. Confes c. 23. When Joshua was fighting with the Canaanites Sol stabat tempus ibat The Sun stood still but Time did not 2 This time is called a time of sojourning 1 Pet. 1. 17. Pass the time of your sojourning here in fear This World is not to be the Eternal Home of any All that are in it are hastning out of it The Wicked shall not long be permitted to Sin nor the Righteous to suffer here The Saints are so wise as to look upon themselves as Strangers and Sojourners and Pilgrims Psal 39. 12. I am a stranger with thee and a sojourner as all my fathers were And the Carnal minded though they live as if they were to live here always yet their time is really very short and sometimes much shortned by Sin they will soon be at their long home 3 This time is said to be lived in the flesh 1 Pet. 4. That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men but to the will of God While the Soul of Man is linked to the Flesh there are sensitive Appetites and Inclinations which are apt to be eager and to exceed due bounds The Senses are doors at which many things enter which prove a snare to the Soul and are made use of by the Tempter to entice and entangle the Heart and to draw it away from God Here is great reason for vigilancy lest the pleasing and minding of the body cause the neglecting of the Soul and the ruine of both for ever 4 This time is stiled the accepted time 2 Cor. 6. 2. Behold now is the accepted time behold now is the day of Salvation Now is the time wherein Man may accept of Christ and God will accept of Man Man may accept of the ofâ—…ers made in the Gospel and God will accept of returning Prodigal â—… if being weary of the far Country they come home to their Fathers House Luk. 15. They that have been guilty of the greatest Sins and have made themselves most abominable and foul and vile yet if they look to Jesus and cry to God iniquity shall be taken away they shall be graciously received and healed but when Time is ended not one offer of Grace shall be made more 5. This Time when once ended more Time will never be granted Death puts a stop to Time and immediately we enter upon Eternity The end of all things is at hand 1 Pet. 4. 7. Time will end quickly There are several truths which God has confirmed with an Oath as that In blessing He will bless his people that the Vnbelieving shall never enter into his rest And among other truths this is one thus confirmed That there shall be time no longer Rev. 10. 6. If it had been possible to be obtained the Rich Man in Hell would rather have begg'd for an Inch of Time than a drop of water Presently after the Dissolution the Gulph is fixed the Gates both of Heaven and Hell are shut so fast that the happiness of the one the misery of the other must needs be unchangeable In the Second place I am to shew you by whom Mans Time is appointed 'T is by that God who is the Ancient of days who is from everlasting to everlasting who is Lord of Time and Lord of All. He determines Times as well as the bounds of our habitations Acts 17. 26. In Him all men live and move and have their being and Life can last no longer than he affords his gracious Visitation to preserve it Time is in the hand and power of none but God Three things here observable 1. 'T is the Lord that vouchsafes to man the time he has and this is an argument of his Good will to him We read not of any Time that was granted to the Apostate Angels assoon as they had sinned they were not spared but cast to hell without delay 2 Pet. 2. 4. No space was given them to Repent no Time allowed to cry for Pardon no ground at all appeared for hope of reconciliation and recovery 2. He orders and appoints the time he gives for such and such uses this Talent he requires should be employed not according to the Lusts of Men but according to his own will 1 Pet. 4. 2. Time is too precious a thing to be idly wasted and lavish'd in Sins service To throw away our Gold or Jewels about the streets is not so pernicious a folly as to be prodigal of our Time He has work enough to do with his Time that is to work out his own Salvation and this is the main business for which Time is given 3. 'T is the Lord who sets bounds and limits unto mans Time and it expires at his pleasure When he says to those who were formed out of the Dust Return unto your dust again immediately they must obey they that are the greatest Princes must here be perfectly subject Their breath when God calls for it goes forth as well as the breath of others They return to their earth and that very day their thoughts perish Psal 146. 4. The Apostle would have Christians sensible that they live at Gods will and no longer than he wills and that the present life they live is but a vapour which appears for a little while and then vanisheth away Jam. 4. 14 15. In the Third place I am to tell you to what end Time is appointed The end of Time that is its Expiration The end of Time that is the Design of giving it is not at all understood by the most of men 1. Time is appointed for seeking Now is the Time in which our Lord Jesus comes to seek and to save that which is lost He seeks after them that are straying and have lost themselves in the Wilderness of this World that he may bring them safe home Now is the Time also for man to seek what is so highly worth finding He is to act the wise Merchant and seek the Pearl of