Selected quad for the lemma: world_n
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A60348
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A funeral-sermon upon occasion of the death of Mrs. Lobb late wife of Mr. Stephen Lobb. Preached by Samuel Slater, minister of the Gospel
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Slater, Samuel, d. 1704.
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1691
(1691)
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Wing S3966; ESTC R221626
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33,124
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39
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the 〈◊〉 knows them not owns them not but hates and persecutes them 〈◊〉 they lose nothing by it for then he calls them out of darkness inâ—is marvellous light then he calls them unto his Kingdom and Glory 〈◊〉 doth at death call them to come up to another place come up 〈◊〉 He sends for them from all their beloved Friends and Relatiâ—here from all their comfortable possessions and enjoyments so 〈◊〉 these places shall know them no more but then he calls them 〈◊〉 the Church militant where they are often put upon hard service 〈◊〉 have their conflicts and wounds to the Church Triumphant where 〈◊〉 shall have their Palms and Thrones and Songs of Praise He 〈◊〉 them from waiting at the Posts of his door and sitting at his â—â—shold to a lying in the Bosome of his Everlasting Love So that 〈◊〉 can in none of these things find what we are enquiring after viz. 〈◊〉 thing which had put this Holy man into a strait What then was it â—â—swer â—ourthly and Affirmatively thus The Apostle had two things be 〈◊〉 him two Interests in his eye and for each of them there were 〈◊〉 strong and weighty Arguments by means of which he was 〈◊〉 a Needle between two Load Stones and by them drawn first one way and then another so that as he had said in the foregoâ—â—â— Verse Which of them he should chuse he wot not If you ask Wâ—â—â— these two things were you will easily understand by consulting 〈◊〉 context take it thus One thing was Dying and thereupon a goâ—â—â— to Christ and being with him which he knew would be gain to 〈◊〉 the other was an abiding here and continuing yet longer in 〈◊〉 Flesh to attend upon his Office as an Apostle and Servant of Jeâ—â—â— Christ and to engage yet further in the work of the Gospel wâ—â—â— he knew would through a concurrence of the Divine Spirit and â—â—â—sing turn to the gain and advantage of the Church by bringing in 〈◊〉 that were without to the acceptance and obedience of Faith 〈◊〉 also by strengthning comforting establishing and building up 〈◊〉 higher in Knowledge and Grace those that had been alreâ—â— brought in Now these two things the Apostle doth according 〈◊〉 the Wisdom and Grace given him of God compare togerher 〈◊〉 one Scale of the Balance he laid his own Gain and particular Advâ—â—â—tage which would be the infallible and immediate consequence 〈◊〉 his Death In the other Scale of the Balance he laid the Churâ—â—â— gain which he rationally concluded would be the desirable and â—â—â—py effect of his Life and Ministerial Labours and in his judgâ—â—â— the Scales did hang even so even that if a liberty of Electâ—â—â— Choice should by God be granted to him he should be at a very 〈◊〉 loss not well knowing to which side he should incline whiâ—â—â— these two he should chuse And thus good man he was as a pâ—â—â—prest and straitned between two things and two affections coâ—â—â—ry the one to the other Namely a desire of being present with 〈◊〉 Lord though absent from the Brethren and a desire of being â—â—â—sent with the Brethren and helpful to them though in order theâ—â—â— to he must consent to a being for a time absent from the Lord. 〈◊〉 this case he scarce knew what to do That ardent and imâ—â—â— Love which he did bear unto the Lord Jesus Christ would puâ— upon chusing and desiring a departure hence for where the caâ—â— is there would the Eagles be and where Christ is there would â— Christian be That principle of levity which is in the spark 〈◊〉 not more naturally carry it upward than a principle of saâ—â— Grace in the heart of a Believer doth carry him out in earnest dâ—â—â— and longings to be with Christ But then again That sincere 〈◊〉 very great Love which he had to the Brethren did produce in 〈◊〉 an humble and holy willingness to continue yet longer here He 〈◊〉 desirous to dye that he might enjoy Christ but he had learned t◠〈◊〉 himself for the sake of the Brethren These two things had â—â—ch weight and worth in themselves and such an influence and powâ—â— upon him that he was divided in himself and knew not well upon â—hich he should fix his choice Upon the consideration hereof I find â—e Learned Zanchy breaking out into this pathetical and admiring â—xclamation O cor vere Apostolicum in quo Dei proximi perfecta viâ—â—bat dilectio O Heart truly Apostolical worthy of so excellent a â—aint so great a man as Paul highly becoming so eminent an â—fficer as an Apostle of Jesus Christ in which there was such a â—â—re and vehement Flame both to God and to his Neighbour â—â—ere was indeed the Spirit of a Saint here was a Christian in his â—eauty and Glory here was Love doing its perfect work both â—ward Christ and to his Interest toward first the Person of Christ â—hom it longs to embrace and enjoy and towards the people â—f Christ whom it is also free to serve Thus have I done with the â—ird and last thing in the Text viz. the Strait in which Paul was â—nd how he came to be brought into it wherein there is an evident â—â—scovery of the excellency and nobleness of this great man's Spirit â—ut he was inlarged and set at liberty again as you find in the two â—erses immediately fellowing the Text Nevertheless to abide in the â—â—sh is more needful for you and having confidence I know that I shall â—â—ide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of Faith â—â—at your rejoycing may be more abundant in Iesus Christ for me by my â—â—ming to you again This he knew would be and so long as it was â—â—r the Glory of God and their good he was very well pleased â—â—ne request indeed he had to make to them that while he continued â—mong them he might live comfortably among them that they â—ould not be his Grief but Joy while they prectice what he â—reached and lived up to the Mysteries he reveal'd and those exâ—ellent Rules he laid down Verse 27. Only let your conversation 〈◊〉 as it becometh the Gospel of Christ. Thus have I with all the conveniâ—nt speed I could make run through those things which are conâ—â—ained in this Scripture and endeavoured in an expository way to â—xplain and open them to you The only thing which according â—o promise at our entrance into this Discourse doth remain â—urther â—o be done is to draw up some Doctrinal conclusions from the â—hole and present them to you which I shall with God's Assistance â—o and in few words dispatch every one of them leaving you to â—nlarge upon them in your own Meditations and commending both â—hem and you to the Divine Blessing for improvement First observe from these words that Death is a departure or going froâ— hence Here you are now and some of you have been so a long while sâ— long as that others are weary of you and possibly you
no matter of wonder that some wicked men are â—aid to dye I rather wonder that any of them are not Such as â—e lived all their days in a total Neglect of God and Disobediâ—â—ce to his known Law and the commission of Sin with greediness 〈◊〉 whom there is-left nothing but a fearful expectation of Fiery â—ignation that shall devour them they are many of them self-â—â—ndemned and what can they look for but a like sentence from the â—ream Judge if conscience within cast them as a company of Perâ—s worthy of Death and fit Fuel for the burning they may well â—nclude the same from him who is greater than Conscience and â—oweth all things Nor do I think it strange that some good men 〈◊〉 unwilling to die those I mean who are clouded and benighted â—â—d in the Dark about their spiritual State know not what to make 〈◊〉 themselves but want their evidences for Heaven and Glory eiâ—â—â—r never knew they had any or now they are so blur'd and blotâ— they cannot read them they dare not go to God as their Faâ—r nor look to and lay hold on Jesus as one that loved them and â—ve himself for them and washed them in his Blood they are not â—e to fix the Anchor of their hope within the vail How can he be â—ling to go that knows not whither he goes Such do understand â—ething of Heaven and Hell and consider what it is to lie in the boâ— of Abraham and what in a Bed of Flames what to be satisfi'd â—h the love of God and what to be tormented with the divine Fu 〈◊〉 what to sing Allelujah with Saints and what to roar with De 〈◊〉 They consider the length of Eternity what it is to enter into 〈◊〉 immutable State and they cannot possibly be reconcil'd to Death 〈◊〉 they know it will do them a kindness they cannot be willing to 〈◊〉 with it till they know it will carry them to a comfortable place 〈◊〉 Rest and Happiness Would you be delivered from the fear of â—eath Would you be able to bid it welcome and Triumph over 〈◊〉 Then clear up your Evidences that you are turned from Darkness 〈◊〉 Light and from the power of Satan to God and that having â—en indeed born of the Spirit and made Partakers of Grace you â—â—e likewise the Heirs of Glory for they must of necessity be in a â—eadful agony of Soul who see and feel they must die their Flesh â—nsumes and their Strength fails and they have much ado to fetch â—eir Breath they must die that Desease will carry them off but 〈◊〉 the same time they conclude at least greatly fear they shall be damn'd as well as die and go down not only into the Grave 〈◊〉 into the bottomless Pit from which there is no Redemption But this was none of Paul's case He had been wiser for himsâ—â—â— and God had been better to him than that his great concern shoâ—â—â— be so uncertain He knew that since to him to live had been Christ 〈◊〉 die would be gain this he had told the Philippians but a little beâ—â—he did in the Text mention this his strait He also tells us in 2 Cor. 〈◊〉 That he knew that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolâ—â— we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal 〈◊〉 Heavens He should change a sorry Cottage for a Glorious Palâ— And he also knew 2 Tim. 4.7 8. That having fought a good fight 〈◊〉 finished his course and kept the faith there was laid up for him a 〈◊〉 of righteousness which he was sure God the righteous Iudg would give 〈◊〉 at that day All was safe and he was sure knowing whom he 〈◊〉 believed and that he was able to keep that which he had commâ—â— to him And Oh that all that read this Sermon would be perswâ—â— to bestow their care and pains this way give all diligence to 〈◊〉 your Calling and Election sure and by your present faith and 〈◊〉 ness your humble close and exemplary walking so order thingâ— that the testimony of your Consciences may be the matter of 〈◊〉 present rejoycing and when you come to die you may be at noâ— about it but ready at a call counting the day of your death beâ—â— than the day of your birth and so going with gladness out of 〈◊〉 world into which you came crying Thirdly Paul was not brought into this strait by any jealousie 〈◊〉 spicion that he should lose by the change and be a sufferer by his deâ—â—â—ture from hence He had no such thoughts as these that it woâ—â—â— make more for his interest to continue where he was or that theâ— move which he was to make at death would be to a more uncomâ—â—â—â—table place he had felt the burden of sin and met with the unkâ—â—â—â—ness of the world and had a great deal of hard usage He 〈◊〉 that at death he should go not out of an Egypt into a Wilderness out of an howling Wilderness and from among beasts of prey inâ—â— Canaan flowing with what is inconceivably better than milk and 〈◊〉 ney Death indeed will be to the detriment and prejudice of all 〈◊〉 wicked of the world profligate and profane wretches unsound 〈◊〉 rotten hypocrites lifeless formalists who having a form of goâ—â—â—ness deny the power thereof It is highly desirable for them to 〈◊〉 tinue here because whensoever they die dying what now they 〈◊〉 they are utterly undone Many of them now have high places 〈◊〉 â—â—t honour and plentiful estates they are the worlds darlings â—dled upon her knee but when once they die they lose all they 〈◊〉 it behind and carry nothing with them but sin and guilt Death 〈◊〉 it comes strips them to the skin as they came into the world â—hey must go out naked and there will be no merciful compassiâ—â—â—te hand found to clothe them in the next Here the rich Glutton 〈◊〉 deliciously every day and had doubtless his bottles of wine it 〈◊〉 be his Healths and Hazza's too but in the next World he â—â—d not by all his intreaties obtain of Father Abraham one drop of 〈◊〉 for the cooling of his tongue though he was grievously Torâ—ted in Flames But though wicked men lose all by dying Paul 〈◊〉 sure he should lose nothing for he had told us before that to 〈◊〉 to dye was gain no loss at all but great gain it was a very 〈◊〉 bargain he should make and in the Text he tells us that to â—ith Christ is far better this he knew he was sure of it he had 〈◊〉 the least doubt in the case he was sure he could leave nothing so 〈◊〉 behind him but that he saw those things before him that were 〈◊〉 What loss was it to Elijah to drop his Mantle as he was â—â—nding and mounting to Heaven Where he should at his first enâ—ce be cloathed with a Robe of Glory God doth by Converting â—ce call his Elect and chosen people out of the world so that