Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
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A52775
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A sermon preached at the funerall of the Honourable Sir Francis Vincent, Knight and baronet at Stokedawbernon in the county of Surrey, the tenth day of Apill [sic], 1640 by Thomas Neesham. clerke and rector of the same church.
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Neesham, Thomas.
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1642
(1642)
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Wing N413; ESTC R28714
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23,075
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35
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A SERMON PREACHED At the Funerall of the Honorable Sir FRANCIS VINCENT Knight and Baronet at Stokedawbernon in the County of Surrey the tenth day of Apill 1640. By Thomas Neesham Clerke and Rector of the same Church In Aureolam cum Inscriptione NON NISI VINCENTI in Vexillo Egregij viri Dom. FRANCISCI VINCENT Militis Baronetti qui obâ—it 14. die Martii anno Dom. 1639. Chronagramma En RegIna nItet VIrtVs post Fata SVperstes VInCentI DantVr praeMIa JVstITIae Humillime posuit R. C. LONDON Printed by Tho Brudenell for John Benson and are to be sold at his Shop in Saint Dunstons-Churchyard Fleetstreet 1642. To the right Worshipfull my most worthy and much honoured Lady ELLYNOR The late wife of Sir Francis Vincent Knight and Baronet deceased THOMAS NEESHAM Clerk Devoteth himselfe Dedicateth this Sermon and wisheth all health and happinesse in this world and the next MADAM YOur Ladiship hath lost a Husband and laments him I my self likewise have lost a Pation and lament with you I would to God and doe wish it from my soule that you might finde ease by my grief and have your sorrowes mitigated by my bearing part which hapily you may and in all reason should for if every thing else be the lesse when it is devided and shared amongst others why not your griefe wherein you have not onely my self but many others to share with you To sorrow for the dead is as naturall as death it selfe wee cannot wee must not deny nature her due passions and affections onely take heed your sorrow be not boundlesse immoderate endlesse Saint Paul will allowe you to mourne but to movrne as one without hope of a glorous resurrection hee will 1 Thes 13. not If he whom you bemoane were utterly lost and never to be revived you might bee the more passionate and weepe for him as Rachel for her Children with bitter lamentation but seeing hee hath but onely exchanged his lodging and resigned this on earth for another a better in heaven if you should now bemoane him above measure it were to envy his preferment and to shew your self injurious to him if not to God you could not but thinke of such a day and forecast within your selfe of such a destiny that either you must part from him or he from you I cannot be perswaded that this affliction did surprize you upon a suddaine for such a faithful and experienced Disciple as your self would and did without all question put cases of this nature suspect casualties weigh uncertainties foresee afflictions and prouide for them Now is the tryal of your providence your patience your fortitude now is the time to bring forth that store that you have gathered and to practise that Christianity that you have all this while so Plausibly and praisably professed the chiefe use of weapons is in war and of Christianity in conflicts and trialls he that manages his afflictions with wisdome and beares the crosse with patience when it lies upon his owen shoulders is undoubtedly the best Christian Let your temper and moderation good Madam appeare in this difficulty that the world may see the fruits of your Religion that you can as well advise your selfe as give advice to others wisely digest your owne Pressures as well as prescribe remedies for other mens It is not our happinesse alone to be thus afflicted but of many others nor is it the condition of your family onely to be lyable to the stroke of death but of all in the world this may a little revive your drooping Spirits and adde something to your comforts that there hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to men How many thousands shares with you in the like affliction for husbands to loose their wives and wives againe their husbands is a common thing you cannot in reason be justly offended or grieved at that wherein you are not singular but have the greatest and the most to be your companions I should be loath that the remembrance of thâ—se things should laden your thoughts a fâ—â—sh or rub up that fore which wisedome and time hath wel-night skind over that is not my intention I aime at nothing lesse then the remeÌ„brance of your griefe it is physick that I prescribe and if it should chaunce to cause any little distemper in the patient you will not I presume blame the phisitian but the patients constitutions every thing works acording to the disposition of the receiver nothing comes amisse to a rightly disposed Christian I know you are wise and hath learned with holy Job to receive both good and ill at the hand of the Lord. And with patient Paul into whatsoever condition God shal cast you therewith to be content it cannot be denied but that your sufferings are som what and such as deserue commisseration and condolement yet nothing to what God in his seveere justice could and might inflict upon you You have not yet resisted into blood sire and faggot and the sword and such intollerable afflictions as some of our fore-fathers have felt the smart of are not your portion it is but a shallow water in respect that you now wade over yet look I beseech you to your footing and give God the praise that if he should call you hereafter which God forbid to more swelling waves and expose you to more violent temptations you may be able to withstand and having done all to stand as the Apostle speakes But I would not willingly be tedious my intentions at first were not to write much only some short Epistle and no more for being importuned by him who had power to command me to send your Ladiship a copy of this poore Sermom that was preached at the funerall of your noble Husband and my honorable Patron I could not for shame send it bluntly without some small preface to make way for it and usher it to your Ladiships hands it is not such matter as can much informe your Judgment but yet happily worke upon your affections what ere it be it is presented to your private cabinit to your owne selfe yours it is and so is hee that made it that preacht it who will not cease to pray for your good Ladiship that God Almighty would blesse you with spirituall blessings in heavenly things give you the spirit of wisdome and the fear of the Lord endue you with Courage Constancy Patience meeknesse and every good grace that he would crowne you and all yours with peace plenty welfare health and happinesse of soule and body this is and shall be the unfained desires and harty prayers of him who humbly wisheth to be esteemed Your Ladiships in all humble and faithfull observance Tho Neesham Stokedawbernon Apil 20. 1640. A SERMON Preached at the Funerall of the Honorable Sir Francis Vincent Knight and Baronet at Stokedawbernon in the County of Surrey Aprill the 10. Anno Dom. 1640. The Text. Heb. 9. ver 27. It is appointed unto men once to dye
even chide our soules out of our bodies And with Saint Paul desire to be dissolved that we may see the blessed companie of Patryarches of Prophets of Martyrs of Confessors of Apostles nay of Christ himselfe sitting at the right hand of God in the glory of his Majestie This is the societie of Gods chosen and to this estate death brings us And so I step from the former branch of the statute to the latter from that of death to this of judgment But after this the judgement After this that is anon presently immediatly after and therefore Aretias reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon that Take it which way you will the phrase implies an order of death before judgement but not a long distance of time betweene death and judgement Judgement followes in the neck of death either of weale or wo of salvation or damnation of Itâ— or Venite go ye cursed or come ye bleâ—sed This judgement here after death is either private or publike particuler or generall of soules alone or of soules and bodies together Both these juâ—â—â—ments may be here meant but specially the particular 〈◊〉 followes immediatly the other not til the end of the worlds It is enough that after death comes judgement one way or other be it particular or generall it matters not looke we to it If whilest we live we play not our game wisely repent of our sinnes and make our peace with God when death comes it will be too late to play an after-game of repentance for then there remaines no more sacrifice for sinne but a fearfull looking for of judgment and firie indignation which shall devour the adversaries as the Apostle speakes Heb. 10.27 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord we perswade men perswade them to pietie to charitie to holinesse to righteousnesse In breife 2 Cor. 5.11 to a conscientious observation of both the Tables of the Law and all because of this the terror of the Lord the rigour of the last judgement If this will not perswade men and prevaile with them I know not what will He that shall hear of death and of judgement after death of a worme that never dies and of flames that never shall be quenched and shall not feele his soule within him shrinke for fear and shrivell it selfe together for astonishment I can say no more nay nor lesse of him then Simon Peter of Simon Mâ—gus Act. 8.23 He is in the gall of bitternesse the bond of iniquitie the infinite anger of God is upon him Men Brethren and Fathers let the remembrance of judgment smite every soul amongst us with fear make us to rend and ransacke our hearts and purge these Augaean stables of our polluted consciences from all uncleannesse of flesh and spirit For the day will come and God Knowes how soone it may be this day before to Morrow In quo plus valebunt pura coda quam astura verba conscientia bona quam marsapia plena as Saint Bernard hath it in which pure hearts shall prevaile more then plausible words a good conscience then a full purle For the tender mercies then of the Lord your God and for the love that ye beare unto your own poor soules think of this judgement after dâ—â—th and prepare that for it before death Cosen not your selvâ—â— with the weaknesse the corruption the facility the mercâ—â—â—…nesse of the judge at that day for the judge is the Lord Jesus Christ the Sonne of God one that is infinite in power cannot be overborn with greatnes punctual in resolution will not be overcome with importunity powerfull in knowledge and cannot be deceived with cunning exact in justice and will not be corrupted with bribes impartiall in himself and will not be carried away with favour or affection either now or never must ye worke your owne salvation and sue the favour of the Judge now he is mercifull but then he will be severe With what face shall Palate and Iudas and the Iewes and all the route of the wicked looke upon him whom they have pierced Peirced in his owne body with thornes and speares and nailes peirced in his poore members with crueltie and oppression and uncharitablenesse and the like weapons of unrighteousnesse What troe ye will the judge say to such cruell tormentors of his innocent bodie but either afferte c. bring them hither and slay them before me or Itâ— ame c. go from me ye cursed into everlasting fire A fearful doome able to astonish these that hear it but utterly to confound those that undergoe it What can possibly appale or amaze the soul of a poor Christian more then this to hear him that should be his Saviour to say unto him go from me what may it say from thee Lord the fountaine of life from thee the light of glory from thee the river of pleasure Oh God this is terrible intollerable and yet this is not all but from me into everlasting fire if but into fire it were enough but into everlasting fire is enough and enough This is the Apex the height of a wicked mans punishment that the fire is everlasting But I would be loath to trespasse too much upon your patience or the time and therefore for the matter of my Text I will conclude and conclude thus with Saint Pauls Phil. 2 â— â—â—testation a little added If there be any consolation in Chriâ—t if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels and mercies towards your owne soules thinke on these thingâ— and when that is done thinke on them againe thinke on death thinke on judgement thinke on both death and judgement because there is no remedy you must undergoe the stroke and hazard of both for saith my Text It is appointed unto men once to dye but after this the judgement And so I have done with my Text. And yet I have not done here is another Text or rather the same text in another Character in another Letter that will a little require your patience and my paines your eares and my tongue your attention and my illustration and I begin it thus When Abner was dead David good man tooke it to heart and said to his servants Know ye not that there is a 2 Sam. â— â—â— Prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel I may take up the like speech and say unto you as he to them Know ye not I need not aske the question there is none here but doth know that a worthy Gentleman a famous Knight a renowned Baroneâ— a great man is fallen this day in our Israel in these parts and amongst us witnesse these persons this Pall these blacks these and all these accoutrements of honouâ— and ensignes of greatnesse I condemne not such pompous solemnities and portly Ceremonies where there is worth and estate to beare it out but rather condemne them and as Eusebius commends Actirius a noble Senatour for his care and cost of Mariâ—â—s his