and make ready and be every day prepared for we know not the day wherein we shall be taken One dyeth in his non-age another at full growth one in his bed another in the field the wise and the fool the King and the Subject the Pastor and his Flock c. all must taste of Death and be layn up in the grave Now the improvement wise men and good make of these notices of the end of the World altogether at once and of the end of every particular Mans being in this World is this That every man while he hath the space and the warning should especially look after his great concernment how he may be fit and prepared for such a change such an encounter that so Death may not spoil him for ever So to order our conversation and discharge our duty and dispatch our work which our Lord hath given us to do that so we may give up our accounts with joy alwayes doing what faithful servants of our Lord and Master Christ should be doing that may expect the blessing here promised to such who are faithful and diligent and constant in the work of the Lord and finish your course so doing And for this the Text is a mighty motive when it saith Blessed is that servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing Sirs the Affair I would at this time invite you to and engage you in is the business and exercise of those Religious duties as our Lord and Master Christ hath appointed for us in this present life in order to our eternal happiness in the other World to which this Text gives a direction and an encouragement 1. How are the parties assigned to this excellent employment under the title of Servant and in a peculiar manner the servant of the Lord in what place or condition the man be in for externals provided he be the Lords servant 2. And then how is the Blessedness designed for this servant or these servants 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which term is comprehensive including all felicity This stock spreads it self into many branches every one bearing fruit of its kind to make the man compleatly happy the favour of God the riches of the Promises the vision of God the fulness of Joy The servant that is blessed of the Lord thus shall be admitted into the joy of the Lord and the inheritance of the Saints in glory Matth. 25.34 Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the kingdom prepared for you and Rev. 22.14 Blessed are they that do his Commandments that they may have right to the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the City 3. The persons for whom this Blessedness is designed such servants as are doing servants but well doing actively obedient to the Commandments of our Lord faithful and diligent constant to the end the servant doing so shall be blessed in so doing when the servant shall have finished his course and called home to the blessed pay and to receive from his Lord whom he hath served that bountiful reward and full blessing of Eternal felicities Well done thou good and faithful servant enter thou into the joy of thy Lord Matth. 25.21 There is such a connexion between the duties of Christianity performed aright and in obedience to our Lord and the blessings promised to such that nothing can cut asunder or disjoyn them yea there is such a blessing that waits upon the faithful constant diligent service of Christ that 't is reward enough in its performance to encourage any man to the service and employment And when these things are seriously considered this Position will be easily granted That 't is a blessed thing Doct. to spend and to end our dayes in doing the will of our Lord in his service Blessed he when found so doing This needs no more proof than the probation our Lord hath said it in the Text and those who have done so have found it by experience and have given in their Testimony to it S. Paul 2 Tim. 4.6 7 8. I have finished my course I have kept the Faith I am now ready the time of my departure is at hand Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day c. And the Exhortation he gives to such of the believing Galatians Gal. 6.9 for encouragement is to this purpose also Let us not be weary of well doing for in due season we shall reap if we faint not And Rom. 2.7 To them who by patient continuing in well doing seek for glory and honour eternal life and lastly observe what you find 1 Cor. 15.58 Wherefore my beloved brethren be stedfast and unmoveable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord for as much as your labour is not in vain in the Lord. The man who renounceth ungodliness and worldly lusts and lives soberly righteously and piously in this present World may look for that blessed Hope i. e. may hope for that Blessing promised at the appearing of our Lord Tit. 2.12 13. and shall never be disappointed of his hope Thus you see what assurance the Gospel gives and how fully it confirms by frequent repetitions That 't is a blessed thing to do the will of God to spend and end our days in so doing 2. There is another account to be given why it will prove so to the faithful servants of our Lord. 1. For besides the dignity worth and content which waits on a constant course of Godliness that were there nothing else did follow after yet 't were enough to encourage any man of reason that understood the nature of true honour and pleasure to become Religious and to continue in that service How can it but be esteemed a blessed thing to be employed in the appointed affairs of the Lord of glory in his Court the Church about such things which conduce to the attainment of the highest advancement any man is capable of which the faithful servant may be sure of without disappointment The attendance on the greatest King that ever was or ever shall be on the earth is not once to be named with this The happiness of Solomon's servants was extoll'd by the Queen of Sheba with reference to them and their employments Happy are thy men 1 King 10.8 happy those thy servants which stand continually before thee and that hear thy wisdom Yet this was but a trivial complement in comparison of the servants of the King of glory who stand before him as every faithful obedient servant of his doth and employed by our Lord in service infinitely more gainful more honourable and more grateful And David though a King himself accounted it his greatest honour to be the servant of God and admires the blessed state and happy condition of such who are so Psal 84.4 Blessed are they which dwell in thy house and a little after vers 10. he professeth That he had rather be a door-keeper in
A SERMON Preached at the FUNERAL OF That Faithful Servant of Christ ROBERT BRETON D.D. Pastor of Deptford in the County of Kent Febr. 20. 1671 2. By RICHARD PARR D.D. of Camerwel in the County of Surrey LONDON Printed by W. Godbid for N Brook at the Angel in Cornhil M. DC.LXX.II To the Gentry and all other the Inhabitants of DEPTFORD Who love the Lord Jesus Christ and the Publick Ministery SIRS ' T IS not to revive your grief at the remembrance of your late deceased Pastor that I have offered to your Eye what lately I spake to the Ear but that you might have a Memorial with you of his Person of his Piety and of his Sayings while he was once yours in the Lord. I profess 't was not any opinion I had of the Discourse which as it was sudden so it is plain the things which may make it acceptable are that it was of honest design and wholesom admonition in such loose and careless times as we live in But that which will chiefly take with you it was grounded on the saying of our Lord Jesus and aimed to make men wise concerning their latter end and to shew their happiness that are preparing for it in well doing But if this should not find reception with you yet when any good thing and worthy is said of Doctor BRETON the people of Deptford cannot choose but make much of it I know of none that could give him a trivial Character his Enemies if he had any must confess that he was blameless in his life an able Minister apt to teach diligent and frequent and those that knew him well and loved him cordially can say many more good things of him And I have this advantage in my report of him that I had no occasion for an Apology or Excuse for him to answer any one Objection against him in all his Capacities as a Pastor as a Christian as a Friend only what I then said came short of what might have been said better and more fully which perhaps I could if his Funeral were again to be attended on But 't is enough that 't is sent to you who had so great value for him and so general affection to him that the meanest gift for his sake will be accepted It may be God hath regarded your many tears for your loss in so good a Man and sees how heartily you lov'd him because your Pastor and a faithful one And it may be God will provide another such Blessing for you because you will esteem him highly for his Work sake for which ye ought to pray and when you have such another Guide for your Souls to give God thanks and treat him kindly which if you be so happy to enjoy I doubt not you will do for I never yet saw so great a lamentation at once as at the Funerals of Dr. BRETON And when you have another like him I wish he may not by a speedy remove put you again to a second sorrow and my Prayers for you are That as he taught you how to live that you might dye happily so that you would observe Practically what I have offered in the Discourse that you would so order your affairs that you may be found of him in peace and well doing that you may be for ever Blessed as I make no question He did and is and I hope he will be found so doing who was his and is Your very affectionate friend in Christ R. PARR A SERMON Preached at the Funeral of Doctor ROBERT BRETON at Deptford Febr. 20. 1671 2 Text. Matth. XXIV 36. Blessed is that servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing OUR blessed Lord and Saviour a little before his departure out of the World by the gate of Death entertains his Disciples with a Sermon long full and weighty the Contents of that serious Discourse are comprehended in this and the next Chapter after Wherein he foretells them 1. What should happen to that renowned City Jerusalem and dwellers therein viz. That it should be layd in heaps utterly destroyed and its Inhabitants scattered which afterward came to pass as he said 2. He acquaints them also what would be the previous notices of that downfal There will be false Christs and false Prophets making great shews doing strange feats deceiving very many there will be Wars and there will be wickedness Charity among men will be very rare but Iniquity will abound and deep Security will possess men so that their misery will come as a furprize all at once and unavoidable And when he had told them of these things which would infallibly come to pass he warns them charging them to be watchful bidding them not to give heed or credit to delusions nor be tamely betrayed into their sinful security nor yield complyance either to false impostuers or corrupt morals but they should immoveably keep the Faith and do their duty as Christ had given and commanded And he is not careful to answer the curiosity of his Disciples about the time year day or hour these things should be thus finished this was not fit for them to know But he commands them to watch and always to be prepared for every change This was to them at that time Yet still as to us there are two Events of things and change of states which every one is concerned in which will without peradventure come upon us most certain 1. The one is the final dissolution and consumption of this material visible World and though this was then a great way off yet the Apostle Peter said 't was hastening stealing on and as it were at the door and he calls it the day of the Lord 2 Pet. 3.10 Coming to Judgment 1 Thess The day of the Lord will come in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the elements shall melt with fervent heat the earth also and the works that are therein and then see the Application he makes vers 11. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness And our Lord said to them much after this manner Matth. 24. vers 42. Watch therefore for you know not what hour your Lord doth come Therefore be ye also ready for in such an hour as you think not the Son of man cometh vers 44. 2. The other Event infallible is the death and dissolution of every Man living this is determined there is a Law which makes Death necessary Heb. 9.27 'T is appointed for all men once to dye and the universal slaughter death hath made by the appointment of God since the World began makes it most evident Psal 89.49 What man is he that liveth and shall not see death shall be deliver himself from the hand of the grave Eccles 8.8 no discharge in this But though this change by Death be ever certain yet the day and hour is concealed from us that we may wait
the house of his God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness and he gives the reason of it v. 11. For the Lord God is a sun and a shield i. e. Light and Defence The Lord will give grace and glory and will with-hold no good thing from them that walk uprightly 2. And then secondly There is another Consideration which will mightily encourage well doing because in so doing that servant lays a foundation for a spring of Comfort when he is drawing near his end when all those evanid Apocryphal Pleasures and Riches of the World are vanishing and then nothing but the conscience of so doing will stand with me for my refreshment and my testimony When shortly I must appear before my Lord to give up my account of the service I was employed in if I am able to say I have made it my chiefest business and aim to please God and to do what he hath commanded and given me to do without wilful neglects or unfaithfulness How may such a ferious sincere holy devout Soul look back with Comfort and forward with Joy in expectation of Acceptation with God his Lord and Saviour Methinks S. Paul speaks to this purpose 2 Cor. 1.12 Our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have had our conversation in this world 3. Then thirdly Let it be considered when he that servant who hath been faithful and constant in well doing abiding therein so doing to his end what a blessed state is he in when his Lord shall call him thence to enter into the joy of his Lord Mat. 25.21 What an happiness it is that at the same instant he gives out his last breath he is separated from all his trouble and temptations and the same Death which puts a period to his life and labour gives a quick passage to his rest and joy his Faith ends in vision his Hope in fruition his Love removed to a fuller comprehension his Labour to Rest his Sorrow changed into Joy the hire of a Servant into the inheritance of a Son the service on Earth to the pay in Heaven What a Blessed thing it is to be designed to and employed in the service of our Lord to be about the work he hath given us to do to make Religion ones business to follow Christ fully to do his Commands chearfully and to be found so doing to the end Death temporal which way soever it comes or at what time soever it comes Ecclus. 7.1 2 cannot be hurtful The day of such a mans death is better than the day wherein he was born Rev. 14.13 for 't is but a going off from trouble where is little rest to that rest where there is no trouble 't is but a ceasing from being with men and sin Heb. 12.22 23. to be with Christ Angels and Saints in Heaven and that which is best of all 1 Thessal 4.17 to be for ever with the Lord. Oh happy and blessed is that servant whom the Lord finds so doing who gives him an inlett to immortal immixed Joyes and eternal never expiring Felicities The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God and there shall no torment touch them Wisd 3.1 2 3 4 5. In the sight of the unwise they seemed to dye and their departure is taken for misery and their going from us to be utter destruction but they are in peace and their hope is full of immortality for God proved them and found them prepared for himself Thus shall every faithful servant of our Lord be Blessed whom the Lord when he cometh shall find so doing The Application I shall dispatch what I have further to speak of this matter when you shall receive I. Instruction II. The Warning III. The Invitation which this whole affair affords for our serious Consideration I. Instruction 1. First of all let every one know and take notice That he is a Servant that Christ is our Lord he hath given us our Work to do he expects we should be doing The Work we have to do in reference to the Blessing promised is not Worldly but Heavenly the affairs of our Souls in order to Eternity they must be done in their season as the Lord hath appointed and we must be doing them while we live Our Lord is coming though we think he delays he will be with us quickly and every one of us shall be called to account in particular What hast thou done What art thou doing If he find thee idle slothful negligent he will cast thee off as Unprofitable if he find thee working evil doing iniquity thy portion will be the Rebuke and Destruction of evil doers and Punishments threatned to the workers of iniquity But if thy doings be good thy dispositions right thy intentions holy thy Faith active thy Repentance sincere thy Piety great thy Duties frequent thy Lamp furnished thy Light shining in Good works thy chief and constant employment be Religion in those instances where Religion is concern'd and this be the babitual frame of thy Soul to be always ready to every good work of Piety Justice Charity and every Christian duty where our Lord calls for Obedience in any instance of Service Then when ever our Lord comes the Blessing comes with him and that Servant so doing shall be blessed and made happy But alas What have we for the most part been doing since first we were admitted to and engaged in our Lords service hath there a day past wherein we have not done some service to Satan World or Flesh And how many days have past over our heads wherein we have scarce had a good thought of God or of our duty and did nothing at all worthy the name of a servant of Christ Do not most men live as though they were priviledg'd persons exempt from Duty and Service and as if they were never to give account of their Talents and improvement of them What abundance of industrious Labour do most men lay out themselves in about the affairs of this World and take more pains to gratisie sensualities and beastly appetites to their undoing so working out their own Damnation than in doing the will of God and working out their Salvation But with what face can such Servants expect an Enge from their Lord that either neglect the service or do things contrary to the Injunctions of their Lord And how shall such be able to look our Master in the face at the evening of our Life who have been loytering or ryoting all the day 2. Secondly Let this then be for a Warning and an awakening to us all lest Death should surprize us e're our work be done or while we are trifling speedily to set our selves to practise good things while every mans opportunity lasteth and no man can tell how long it will last It may be very shortly our Lord may send for us by Death to meet him the Lord is at hand and the Books are opening