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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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gradually impart to them now and when he â—ath them with him in the Mansions above he will fill their Treaâ—ures and put them into the actual and compleat Possession of all that Good which he purchased for them He himself is at the Right Hand of the Majesty on High and they shall be at his he overcame 〈◊〉 is set down upon his Father's Throne and when they have ovâ—â—â—come he will grant to them to sit down upon his Throne Revelaâ—â—â—â— He will come at the last and great Day in his Glory and when he 〈◊〉 appear they shall appear with him in glory Colos. 3. It doth not yet â—â—â—pear what we shall be but when he doth appear we shall be like him 〈◊〉 we shall see him as he is 1 John 3.2 He shall shine forth with 〈◊〉 bright and beautiful Rays as the Eternal Sun and they as the Firâ—â—ment and the Stars yea their vile Bodies or Bodies of vilenâ— shall be made like unto Christ's most Glorious Body Philip. 3. Nâ—â— O Saints It is the matter of your grief and complaint that 〈◊〉 have so much corruption in you and so little of Christ and that 〈◊〉 are so unlike him a Conformity to whose Image you ought to stuâ—â— and were predestinated to Rom. 8. But there you shall be as like 〈◊〉 as ever you can look you shall be satisfied with his likeness Psalmâ— so satisfied with it as not to desire more of it than you shall haâ—â— there your Conformity to him shall be perfect both in Grace and Gâ—â—ry Thus much concerning Paul's Judgment of the Future Stateâ— Believers as to the Nature of it It will be a being with Christ. Come we now in the second place to consider his Judgmentâ— that State as to the Goodness and Excellency of it and that you haâ—â— in these words it is far better It is better then whensoever a Gâ—â—cious and Holy Person makes his last and great change he makeâ— good one he changeth so much for the better that he will never 〈◊〉 any reason to repent of it I pray therefore do you moderate yoâ— Sorrow whom God hath deprived of such Relations whose Godâ—â—ness you have no cause to call in question be you satisfied as to theâ— do not mourn over them Weep if you please for your selves aâ—â— for your Children but not for them because they do not lose 〈◊〉 Dying they are not at all the worse for Dying All things work togethâ—â— for good to them that love God so Paul tells us Romans 8. Yea 〈◊〉 speaks of it as a thing well known and Death doth so work as well as anâ—thing else it works notably for them it doth them a great deal of seâ—vice and kindness it is good for them that they Dye It is expedieâ—â— for them that they go away You would fain have had your near anâ— dear Relations staid here yet longer and Lov'd and Liv'd with yoâ— yet longer And why so That you might have been pleased anâ— delighted that they might have been more helpful and comfortablâ— to you But is that fit God hath the numbers of our Months with him and he hath appointed us our bounds which we cannot pass and musâ— God alter his Decrees and add to those Months and remove those â—ounds for you Must the Will of God be crost for you Must not Heaven be filled for you Must the Happiness and Perfection of the â—aints be deferr'd and put off for you Must they stand here after â—hey are fully ripe for Glory merely that you might be gratified â—nd humour'd or if not done you break out into discontent Know â—y Friend whatever thy dark and melancholick apprehensions are â—or the present it is better as it is and if thou didst better underâ—tand the mind and will of God in what he hath done thou wouldest be â—ore reconciled to it whatever thou dost think might have been â—he comfortable fruits of thy Relation's longer continuance here it 〈◊〉 better as it is for certain it is better for her So our Apostle â—â—ought as to himself and so he tells us in the Text to be with â—hrist is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only better but far better â—muliò magis melius mucâ— more better He speaks as if he wanted â—ords and thought he could not speak enough it is much very â—uch better it is a great deal better or as one Learned Man renders 〈◊〉 it is infinitis partibus melius infinitely better But here the Question will be Qu. Than what is it better An. To that I Answer thus It is better than any State that a â—hristian can be in on this side the Grave and of Heaven Take it in â—â—ese two things 1. Being with Christ in Heaven is better than any state here when it is as good as the World can make it 2. It is better than the best State here when it is as good as his Spiritual and Gospel Enjoyments can make it when he hath both the Fatness of the Earth and the Dew of Heaven too when he hath both the Comforts of the Creature and also the Smiles of God First It is better to be with Christ in Heaven than any State here 〈◊〉 this World when it is as good as Earth can make it and â—here is the â—â—llest confluence of Creature-delights Suppose a Saint seated upon â—â—e upper ground having his Belly fill'd with hid Treasures and reâ—â—esh'd with waters of a full Cup swimming in all manner of Deâ—â—ghts the Envy of some and the Admiration of others Suppose â—â—m possest of a plentiful Estate and blest with sweet and dear Reâ—â—tions let him have the Honour of a Crown with Mines of Gold and Silver and every thing here contributing to his delight Suppose him a Person of a most even Temper of mind and a most athletick sound healâ—hful Constitution of Body so that no unruly Passions do transport him no Sicknesses discompose him no Racking and vexing pains disease him no unexpected disappointment of his hopes nor unkind denial of his desires do Fret and Torment him no clouds at all do Obscure his Day nor threaten him with a Storm but all is well within and all Serene and Calm round about him In a word He can with Esau say I have enough my Brother because he hath Health and Ease Peace and Prosperity and indeed more than heart can wish yet I say to be with Christ in Heaven is better than all this for if Moses did esteem the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt what is the Glory of Christ What price and estimate will you set on that If David reckoned that a Day in these his lower and outer Courts were better than a Thousand elsewhere what then is it to enjoy an Eternity A constant and uninterrupted abode for ever in the Mansions above the Habitation of his Holiness and Glory Without all peradventure that is an ignorant and dross Soul which once imagines Earth to be better than Heaven Creatureâ— in
which â—â—d had there prepared for them that love him He had a desire to â—â—art From whence by the way it will be worth our while to obâ—â—â—ve this That Paul's Desires were and so ours should be under the comâ—â—nd and conduct of Reason We should be rational in our affectiâ—â— and in our actions He was for that which was better the â—â—at and joint Cry of the many was Who will shew us any good 〈◊〉 4. So that if it be good let us have it though it be an infeâ—â—â—r good an unsatisfying good though it be a fading and transitoâ—â— good But a gracious Soul who hath been taught of God â—â—â—â—ghs considers and compares things and measures out his affeâ—â—â—ons to them according to that degree of Goodness which is in 〈◊〉 Upon less and lower goods he bestoweth a smaller love conâ—â—ding wisely That is enough for them as much as they deserve 〈◊〉 so his endeavour is to maintain and to carry toward them with 〈◊〉 indifferency of Spirit according to that Command 1 Cor. 7. â— 30. Let them that have wives be as though they had none and they 〈◊〉 weep as though they wept not and they that rejoice as though they â—â—â—iced not and they that buy as though they possessed not And then they bestow a greater Love upon a better Good and the deareâ—â— Love upon the best and highest Good It is good to have Communiâ—on with the Saints upon earth and I love that saith David Psal. 16 O Lord my goodness extendeth not to thee but to the Saints those excelleâ—â— ones in whom is all my delight He had a love of Benevolence foâ— others but a love of Complacency for these Upon others he bâ—â—stowed his Pity upon these only he placed his delight It is bettâ—â— to draw nigh to God and to have fellowship with him in Ordinaâ—â—ces And David was more pleased with that Psal. 27.4 One thiâ—â— have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after that I may dwell in 〈◊〉 house of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the beauty of the Loâ—â— and to enquire in his Temple He loved the Habitation of God's Housâ— and the place where his Honour dwelt but of all things it is best 〈◊〉 be in Heaven It is better to be with him there than to be with 〈◊〉 people here better to see him face to face there than to see him the glass of Ordinances here and therefore saith our Apostle have a desire to depart a strong ardent and impetuous desire Iâ— almost long to be gone were there not one thing in the way I coâ—â—â— be impatient of any continuance here in this dirty world Having a desire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to depart the Original Woâ—â— hath divers significations and accordingly is diversly rendred 〈◊〉 it signifies to be dissolved or resolved which is done when thiâ— mixed or compounded are separated and divided into the seveâ— principles or parts of which it did consist Man is the compouâ—â— made up of a Spiritual and Terrene part the Soul and the Body 〈◊〉 Death these two are divided the Soul and Body are parted the 〈◊〉 from the other Again the Word doth signifie to depart so by our Learned Trâ—â—â—slators it is rendred in the Text. I have so long had mine abode hâ—â— and truly to me it seems full long enough I can very willingly move to another and better Countrey I am with all my heart reaâ—â— to take my leave of Persons and Things here I wait but for 〈◊〉 word of Command and so will draw up mine anchor and loâ—â— from hence I will hoise up and spread my Sails and with all possâ—â— speed make toward another Port that Haven of Peace and Râ—â—â— which lieth in the uppermost Region Once more This word signifieth to return and so as some the Learned conceive Paul doth here refer to that passage of Sâ—â—mon in Eccles. 12.7 The body returns to dust and the spirit to God 〈◊〉 gave it If you please we will conjoin all these and you may 〈◊〉 â—ake them together I know there will be a Dissolution my Soul and â—ody which like two loving Friends have lived so long together and â—â—ken part one with another in Weal and Wo in Joy and Sorrow â—ust one day be parted that knot which now most strictly holds â—â—em together must be untied and I am not in the least troubled at â—â—at Dissolution since I am fully assured That it will be followed â—â—th a closer Union and fuller Communion between Christ and me When once I have dropt this mantle of Flesh I shall be taken up to â—â—e Father of Spirits I know that I must go from hence this world 〈◊〉 not my last home nor the place of my constant abode I am but a â—â—lgrim and Stranger here as all my Fathers were and I am ready 〈◊〉 be gone so soon as the Messenger comes that shall be sent for me 〈◊〉 us pleas'd with the thoughts of my Journey because it is but a deâ—â—rture from Earth to Heaven from Friends to a God from poor â—â—â—â—nty and leaking Cisterns to the Fountain of Being the Springâ—ead of Comfort the Infinite Ocean of all Delights I must return was sent by my great Creator to act my part in the world and â—â—en that is done and my time is spent I must go to him to give 〈◊〉 account how my time hath been improved and how my part hath â—â—en acted I must go from whence at first I came and I am heartily 〈◊〉 of it for then it will be better with me than it is 〈◊〉 I care not how soon for the sooner the better for â—â—ough my body must be laid up in a dark and lonely Grave 〈◊〉 there putrifie and become meat for worms and be crumbled into 〈◊〉 and so continue for ought I know hundreds of years yet 〈◊〉 Spirit my precious and Immortal Soul shall return to God that â—â—de it by whom it shall be graciously received and welcom'd and â—â—th whom it is best to be This was that which he desired And here â—ould have you exercise your Thoughts and Meditations upon that â—â—pression of his I desire it and shall I offer you mine which may â—ord you some Light and Assistance Let us see whether there be 〈◊〉 something of Greatness in it whether it be not a lofty strain 〈◊〉 a pitch as every man cannot flye no not every Good man 〈◊〉 so take these Three Things with you 1. He doth not speak of a bare Submission in the case nor 2. Of being only contented to depart But 3. Of a Desire he had to it First He doth not say I submit to the will of God herein If he â—ease to call me away and will not allow me a longer continuance â—â—re I submit He shall dispose of me This indeed is unquestionably our duty as in all other things so particularly in this It is 〈◊〉 revealed will of God that all the living shall die only some 〈◊〉 excepted and those