VINCENTIUS REDIVIVUS A Funeral Sermon Preached Octob. 27. 1678. Upon Occasion of the much bewailed Death of that Reverend and Eminent Servant of CHRIST Mr. THOMAS VINCENT Formerly Preacher at Maâ—dlins Milk-street London By SAMUEL SLATER an unworthy Servant of Christ in the Gospel Psal. 112. 6. The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance Quae caecitas animi quaeve dementia est amare pressuras poenas lachrymas mundi non festinare potius ad gaudium quod nunquam possit auferri Arnob. LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst and T. Cockerill at the Bible and three Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers Chappel and at the three Legs in the Poultrey over-against the Stocks Market 1679. To my Honoured Friends Mrs. Mary Vincent and that Flock of Christ over which thâ— Holy Ghost had made dear Mr. Thomaâ— Vincent Overseer AT your request this Sermon was Preached and is now published Such as it is you arâ— welcome to it and much good may it do you 〈◊〉 the Lord grant all those may meet with 〈◊〉 blessing in it who shall read it out of a real desire to geâ—â— good for their souls other Readers we care for none 〈◊〉 take your invitation of me to this work as an evidenâ— token of that love and esteem you have for me howeveâ— unworthy Therefore I did not draw back but humblâ—â— bless God for the assistance he hath afforded me in it 〈◊〉 all you find here according to his Will came from hiâ— Spirit I would be very very low in mine own eyes yet I do neither dread the censures of men nor am I 〈◊〉 vain as to court their applause by making Apologies What I have here presented you with are the Truths oâ— God which deserve your acceptance I desire you to trâ—â— them and having seen their Fathers name in their foreâ— head give them a ready admission a most friendlâ— and honourable entertainment I shall speak nothing 〈◊〉 you here by way of advice having said so much in thâ— Sermon but only signifie to you that you are much upo◠〈◊〉 heart and in my prayers I will not be unmindful you at the Throne of Grace but speak many a good â—â—rd for you the Lord comfort your hearts and sanâ—â—ifie to you his hand that out of the eater may come â—eat out of this Providence which hath removed your â—everend Pastor specialâ— advantage may come to your â—â—ls the Lord send you another undâ—r whose shadow 〈◊〉 may sit with delight finding his fruit sweet to your â—â—ste the Lord supply all your need according to his â—â—ches in glory by Iesus Christ. My dear Friends wisely â—â—d graciously improve this dispensation submit to the â—â—od pleasure of a taking God be much in the study of â—ur hearts and ways be you sincere and thriving Chriâ—â—ians And the Father of mercies bind you up in the â—â—ndle of life and grant you a glorious Inheritance aâ—â—ong them that are sanctified by faith in Christ so â—â—ayes Your Friend and Servant in our dear Lord Jesus Samuel Slater â—ctob 29. â—1678 Hebr. XIII 7. Remember them which have the rule over you who have spoken to you the Word of God whose saith follow considering the end of their conversation THIS excellent Epistle is not without good reason reckoned to Paul as its Author the great Apostle of the Gentiles who having obtained mercy burned with zeal for God and had such yearning bowels over the blind unbelieving obstinate Iews his brethren and kinsmen according to the flesh that for their sakes he could have found in his heart to wish himself accursed from Christ Rom 9. 3. which was a rapture of love a pang of affection highly becoming him who was a brand plucked out of the burning and of a chief sinner made an eminent Saint of a cruel furious persecutor a blessed and most successful Apostle unto these Iews he wrote this Epistle and for weighty reasons without doubt concealed his Name Herein he made it his business so to set forth the Lord Jesus and commend him to them as that they might receive him with all acceptation as the promised Messiah and High-Priest over the house of God and persevere in faith and obedience to him and likewise to lay down such rules for their lives and carriages in the world as that by an holy and exemplary conversation they might honour his Name and adorn his Gospel The Union between Faith and Holiness is so strict that they never were nor can be separated and it is pity they should being most amiable in conjunction Faith giving encouragement unto holiness and holiness reflecting a glory upon faith Several precious Commands or Exhortations you meet with in this Chapter which though primarily ordered out to the Hebrews do remain a burden upon all persons in all Ages who profess themselves Christians unto them it is our duty to attend and according to them to walk The Text is a fruitful Bough consisting of three Branches 1. Remember them which have the rule over you who have spoken to you the word of God 2. Follow their faith 3. Consider the end of their conversation Or if you please you have here a double duty enjoyned Remember them that have spoken to you the word of God and follow their faith and you have a choice means prescribed for the commending those duties to you and encouraging you in their performance Consider the end of their conversation Of all these I shall God willing speak in the prosecution of this Doctrine Doct. There is much duty incumbent upon people upon the account of their deceased Pastors When Ministers dye their work is done they have finished their course and dispatched the business given them to do they did shine among you in Purity of Doctrine and Holiness of Conversation as long as the Lamp of life lasted when the oyl of that was spent they were taken up to Heaven there to out-shine the Sun in his greatest strength and glory But your work is not then at an end being of equal extent and duration with your lives As you have time enough for your work so have you work enough for your time none can say he sate idle one hour because he had nothing to do put forth all your strength use your utmost diligence husband your days and minutes to the best advantage you will be happy men and women you will have cause eternally to bless the hand above that help't you if you can do your work by that time death shall come to take you off I am not now to speak concerning the whole duty of man but those particular duties mentioned in the Text relating to those servants of Christ who have laboured among you one of which is remembrance Remember them who have the rule over yoâ—r In which word two things must be considered 1. The Act Remember 2. The Object about which that act is to be exercised Them which have the rule over you I shall begin with the Object those which have
secretly mock him as well as those that publickly affront him Make sure work therefore for your precious souls see that you have that faith which is unfeigned the faith of Gods Elect that you do cordially imbrace the Truths of the Gospel and â—lose with an offered Jesus that you have that faith by which you may live that faith by which you may walk until you come to walk by sight I would not have any of you deceived and cheated to your own destruction as many poor creatures are who run away with a lie in their right-hand build hopes of Heaven and Happiness upon a sandy bottom please themselves in a lifeless Image of Religion which the holy One of Israel will despise when he awaketh unto judgment their faith is no better than a fancy their Godliness is not a Godliness of Gods making nor approving they walk about in the sparks of that fire which themselves have kindled and at last lie down in sorrow Be you wise for your souls and deal prudently get that faith which upon tryal will be found to praise and honour much more precious than gold that perisheth be ye provided with that Oyl which will keep your Lamps burning when the blessed Bridegroom cometh 3. Follow them in the actings of their faith Grace is given you not only for Ornament but also for use we are not only to be justified by faith and saved by â—aith but to live by faith Have you got it then suffer it not to lie dormant but exercise it Act your faith upon Christ his Mediation Merits and Intercession He is a full Christ it hath pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell a fulness that is far beyond your emptiness live upon him therefore and draw from him you can never draw him dry Act your faith upon the Covenant it is an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure God is ever mindful of it with it holy David comforted himself in it he placed all his happiness and sum'd up all his desires Act your faith upon the Promises these are exceeding great and precious you cannot measure them nor over-rate them In them there is an answerableness to every case a complete suitableness to every condition in which you either are or can be And you cannot over-trust them being Yea and Amen of most sure and certain accomplishment The Womb of Divine Promise never miscarried but shall bring forth at the time of life all the mercies and blessings with which it travails Ever count Gods Promise abundant security and believe that all Mountains which lie in the way of its performance shall be made a plain the darkest Providences are still subservient to the promise Iosephs being sold for a Slave and clapt up in a Prison were steps to his being made the second man in the Kingdom Act your faith upon the wisdom and power the love and care of your heavenly Father know he endears you and will look after you His Glory shall not be lost nor given to another his Truth is great and shall overcome his Church is built upon a Rock and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it Iacob though small shall rise and though a worm he shall thresh the mountains the Beast and the false Prophet shall be cast into a lake of fire burning with brimstone and the glorious victory shall be the Lambs for he is King of kings and Lord of lords and they that be with him are chosen and faithful and true Believe and rejoyce while you believe that when Gods desperate Enemies are at work He himself is not idle but observes them is in the Conclave and the Cabal undermines them counter-acts them and will turn their counsels backward or headlong so that no weapon shall prosper which they form against his cause and people but he will accomplish the thoughts of his heart which shall stand in all generations and effect his own designs and be absolute Master of all his ends finishing all the work which he hath to do in the world and that without losing either time or ground as our days go off so Gods work goeth on it is never out of hand Thus act your faith upon God in all conditions and under all dispensations when you are high and when low yea at the lowest for still still still the everlasting arms arms are underneath In these actings of faith those holy men lived and so must you otherwise you will never be established much less in such gloomy tottering turning and tumbling times as these are 4. Lastly Follow them in the fruitfulness of their faith Your gracious Pastors were not neither may you be Solifidians As they did believe so they maintained good works and by that means obtained a good report While you know that faith justifieth you you must also know it is your duty to justifie your faith that faith which is alone is stark naught it is dead and rotten and stinks above-ground shew me and shew the world your faith by your works If you ask me what fruits they are which grow upon the root of faith and prove it genuine I Answer all the fruits of the spirit in which you must abound if you would have an abundant entraâ—ce into the glorious Kingdom of our God and Saviour But I shall speak only to three Holiness Love Ioy. 1. Follow them in their Holiness A wicked Believer is as meer an impossibility as a gracious Devil such a faith as will consist with the love and life and reign of sin is no better than what may be found in Hell among lapsed Angels and damned Spirits who as the Apostle Iames tells us Believe and tremble Wheresoever true faith is it purifies the heart and reforms the life and orders the footsteps according to the word As it cloathes the soul with the beautiful Robe of Christs Righteousness so it subjects the soul to his governing Scepter and Law it lets Christ in and casts corruption out when Christ dwells in the heart by Faith he shines in the life by Holiness The pearl of faith is never found in the dunghil of profaneness Study then study holiness and perfect it too in the fear of God think with your selves what manner of persons ye ought to be how acurate and exact in your whole course remembring That grace of God which bringeth salvation and hath appeared unto you teacheth you that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts ye should live soberly righteously and godly in this present evil world 2 Tit. 11 12. And that you ought to be like your Father who is holy in all his ways and righteous in all his works When therefore a temptation to any sin assaults you resist it with utmost indignation and say as Nehemiah did in another case Shall such a man as I do this or as Ioseph How shall I do this great wickedness and sin against God or as that good Woman Christiana sum I am a Christian. This my dear Friends
praises from you When you are under smarting rods sore afflictions pore not so much upon them as to become by that means injurious to God Some that did too little mind and prize and improve mercies whilest they were in their hands do view them and curiously study them when taken away until their spirits be imbittered and discontent raised up against the Providence But Christians beware you of that I advise you to be sensible of your loss Let the Widow be sensible what an husband she hath lost the Children what a Father if their tender age will admit it the Family what a Governor the Society what a Shepherd I and others what a Friend and Brother But let us all remember to bless God that we had him once that we had him so long let this Congregation bless God that ever it was committed to the care and charge of such a Minister that ever such a shining and burning light was set up in this Candlestick that ever such a labourer was sent into this Vineyard My dear friends I do most earnestly beg this of you for my dear Master Whatever your loss is how great soever how painful and afflictive soever let not your and my God be a loser look carefully to that as you love your selves Gods loss is your loss Therefore how sad soever your case is how dark soever your day how low soever your spirits do not now do not at any time withhold from God those praises which are his due Truly he hath been good to you and he is so now and he will be so still if you will but do your duty therefore be sure to love him and bless him let the holy God ever inhabit the praises of Israel 2. Remember them so as to bewail the loss of them You ought indeed to moderate your sorrow keeping it within the bounds of Reason and Religion as becomes those that have hope nay let there be a mixture of joy with your sorrow being sure it is well with them perfectly unspeakably and everlastingly well their happiness doth exceed their thoughts and not only afford satisfaction to them but likewise raise admiration Oh what am I that God should ever bring me hitherto Yet mourn It becomes you to be both affected and afflicted in your spirits What! shall the Father be smitten and the Children not grieved the Shepherd taken away and the Flock not troubled that would be a grand Solecism both in Nature and Religion When Samuel dyed all Israel were gathered together and lamented him 1 Sam. 25. 1. The tears of an whole Nation may well be poured out upon a Samuels death When Stephen the Proto-Martyr was carried to his burial there was great lamentation made over him Acts 8. 2. Those devout and holy men broached their sorrow they went on weeping as they went When Elisha was arrested and confined to his bed by his last sickness Ioash the King of Israel wept over his face and said O my Father my Father the chariots of Israel and horsemen thereof 2 King 13. 14. And well may there be such great sorrow else it will hold no proportion with the occasion Losses of such persons are great how little and vile soever in the worlds eyes while they lived for they were their peoples blessings the Nations pillars the stakes in our hedg and their death is not seldom ominous it speaks a storm-brewing evil to come When they are hous'd in the silent and safe chambers of the grave what may we look for next but that the great God should come out of his place cloathed with righteousness and armed with vengeance to punish the inhabitants of the world for their iniquity This know for certain the Lord is greatly offended it angers him at his very heart when he sees men stupid and insensible under such dispensations specially when they become ordinary when the righteous perish and are taken away none considering or laying it to heart It is true there is now joy in Heaven but let there be sorrow on Earth that will not be jarring Angels and perfect spirits above welcome those departed Saints with shouts and acclamations let us part from them with tears at least with sighs Possibly there are some who do rejoyce at such a mans death but whether they will believe me or no I will tell them they have no cause God will make them change their note even they shall mourn at the last 3. With your remembrance of them joyn heart-grief and trouble that you gained no more by them consult and listen to your own consciences see what they will say deal impartially and ingenuously Have not you been asleep in your seats when they have been at work in their Pulpits Have not your minds been wandring after vanity and your eyes gazing about upon this body and that this face and that fashion while they have been fixed and intent wholly taken up about the good and salvation of your souls Have not you been cold at heart while they were fervent in spirit serving the Lord They have mourned but you wept not they have piped but you danced not when they poured out their souls in confession of sins you were not humbled your hearts not broken within you many a sad and foul story hath been told of you yet you did not blush neither were you ashamed They have mightily wrestled with God and tug'd hard for mercy mercy for you your pardon and your lives but you have sate and seen all this with a most wretched indifferency as if you were persons altogether unconcerned and did not care whether they prevailed or no. How have you slipt the precious truths they delivered to you and been disobedient to the counsels they ordered out and have been little the better though they came to you in the fulness of the blessing of the Gospel of Christ They have come and blown upon your garden now with the North-wind of dreadful threatnings then with the South of gracious promises yet your spices have not flown forth nay are not too many of you unto this very day like the dry and barren Heath And surely you have cause to be troubled and oh that you may be so the good Lord trouble you kindly let your souls have these losses and afflictions still in remembrance and be humbled within you 4. Remember them so as to be quickned by that remembrance Think of their death and go to their graves and fetch life and liveliness from thence We Ministers should do so When our fellow-labourers grow fewer it stands us in hand to work the harder What! shall some drop on our right-hand and others upon our left yea many round about us and shall any of us notwithstanding be idle and lazy and half asleep at our work Oh that the ratling of deaths Chariot-wheels might awaken and rouze us up When Elijah is taken up to Heaven let every Elisha look out for a double portion of the spirit and go forth in all
this is the way to glorifie your God to honour your Religion to credit your Pastors In this way you shall be their comfort while they live their Crown when they are dead yea their joy and rejoycing in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ at his coming The exemplariness of your carriages is the best commendation of the Ministers you have and of the Sermons you hear whereas when you walk disorderly and as Enemies to the Cross of Christ you are our shame and reproach spots in our Assemblies goads in our sides and burdens upon our spirits Let no man nor woman tell others they sit under my Ministry unless they resolve by the grace of God to depart from iniquity 2. Follow them in their Love True faith works love and by it it kindles a pure flame of love and then makes use thereof for the promoting and furtherance of all duty Have you not taken notice of your Pastors love What did they think too much to do for you They have hazarded their liberty and spent their strength and broken their rest and wasted their lungs for you They mourned under the untractableness of some and were humbled for the unreformedness of others who had sinned and had not repented they longed for your Conversion to God and progress in Religion and growth in grace They had no greater joy than to see you walking in the truth Oh! how did they prize God and Christ and you how did they rejoyce in their work though hard yet sweet how welcome was a Sabbath upon which they might draw their breasts for your consolation and open their treasures for your inriching imitate you them in their love give the best the flower the quintessence of it unto God Erect in your hearts a Throne for Christ love him as well as you can and then mourn because you love him so little and always pray that you may love him more Love one another dearly for you are brethren and so fulfil the law of Christ and prove your selves his Disciples Have an universal love for all the Saints all in whom you can see aliquid Christi any thing of Christ yea so love all men as to wish their good and to do them all the good you can even your Enemies your Persecutors those that hate you do you hate their sins and wicked ways but love their persons and pray for their conversion and salvation 3. Follow them in their Joy You read of the joy of faith and of the Saints rejoycing in believing with joy unspeakable and full of glory Certainly it is a duty incumbent upon all the Saints to rejoyce in the Lord and that evermore and call to remembrance the times that are past Have you not seen the faith of your Pastors budding and blossoming with joy when you have been sinking and days have been dark and fears many Have you not seen a smile upon their brow even then when there was a Cloud upon their tabernacle You have indeed been acquainted with their sorrows and their tears because men hated to be reformed would not keep Gods Law but dishonoured his Name and opposed his Gospel and would break his bands asunder and cast away his cords from them but you have also been privy to and witnesses of their joys follow them in this Let them that are of a fearful heart be strong be you of a cheerful spirit and let your brethren and others see you are so You have O Saints matter of rejoycing in your worst conditions nay let me say this You have much more matter of rejoycing than you now have or ever shall have of sorrow and disquiet For if you be really what you profess your selves to be God is the cause and matter of your rejoycing it is he that is your comfort and your glory Psal. 43. 4. I will go saith that sweet singer of Israel unto the Altar of God unto God my exceeding joy or as the margin tells you it is in the Hebrew unto God the gladness of my joy Now I beseech you if you can tell me What can possibly be I ask you again what can possibly be so great a cause of sadness and sorrow as your God is of joy and rejoycing Thou O poor drooping soul thinkest thou hast a great many sins in thy heart and the Church of Christ hath a great many dangers at this day in poor England City and Country is full of them and doubtless all this is very true too too true the good Lord help us Yet know God is above them all and greater than them all He is greater than all thy sins and so can both pardon and subdue them He is greater than all his Churches enemies and so can either reconcile and change them if he pleases or curb and conquer them As he is greater than all our dangers and so can easily obviate and prevent them He can with a word command deliverance and create peace and place a defence upon and about all our glory You have my Brethren at all times in the very worst times more cause of joy in God than you can have of sorrow and discouragement in any thing nay in all things This made the holy Prophet take up that brave resolution Hab. 3. 17 18. To rejoyce in the Lord and to joy in the God of his salvation though there should be a famine in the world and the staff of creature-comforts should be broken to pieces though earth should sink under him yet he would by faith hang upon a God above him and as long as he had a God above to live upon his joy should live and flourish He knew not only how to make a meal but how to feast it upon God alone Thus have I at large set before you that duty which is incumbent upon you in reference to your deceased Pastors who have Preached to you the Word of God it lieth in these two things Remember them Follow their faith Now I come to the last clause in the Text which you may look upon either as a third duty or an excellent means for the commending of the two former and facilitating them unto you and that you have in these words Considering the end of their conversation Here again you have the Act Considering and the Object The end of their conversation I will begin with the former Considering We ought to be a considering people it would be our safety our honour our comfort and advantage every way as I could easily shew you We should sin less if we would consider more Most if not all our sins come in at this door want of consideration Men do not consider their ways lead directly to Hell going down to the Chambers of Death and therefore they go on in them They do not look into the state of their souls nor consider how affairs stand with them and so when they should mourn and weep they live jovally and frolick their days away dancing and roaring upon the very brink
is weary of them because they convince and condemn it and they are weary of the World because of its wickedness and frowardness It is terrible to think what a strugling there is when a wicked man comes to die Methinks it is something like though much beyond that of the Vine and Olive when the rest of the Trees would have made one of them King Oh saith the Vine how shall I leave my sweetness and I saith the Olive my fatness So say ungodly men upon a dying-bed how shall I leave my jovial and merry companions my honours and preferments my riches and estate my pleasures and delights if these be once gone all is gone with me there is nothing left I have nothing to take to Death ruines them at once Alas these poor crâ—aturâ—s are not branches of the Vine they are not ingrafted into the Olive they are brambles and it is not strange that they should rather chuse to rule on earth than to burn in Hell But when these holy men come to die whatever struglings there are in nature they chearfully comply Death is what they have looked and longâ—d for Pâ—ul desired to be dissolved and to be with Christ Phil. 1. 23. They groan earnesily to be 〈◊〉 upon with a robe of glory and that house which is from Heaven 2 Cor. 5. 2. They have been familiar with death they have prepared for it and waited for it and given many a long look and what should hinder their bidding of it welcome since they know it comes upon a good errand though it be a grim Messenger 2. It is a peaceable end If a wicked man should say to Death as Ioram did to Jehu is it peace Death He might expect such an answer as he had What peace so long as thy rebellions and whoredoms and abominations are so many peace no no peace I am come to arrest thee upon Actions of high Treason against the King of Heaven The Soveraignty Holiness Goodness Son Gospel Mercies Judgments of God have brought in their charges against thee and I am come to drag thee as a cursed Malefactor to the tribunal of thy Judge where thou shalt be convicted and sentenc'd But now if these gracious men should ask death as the Elders did Samuel comest thou peaceably the answer would be yes peaceably I was thine Enemy but I am reconciled A good Friend of thine hath pluckt out my sting so that I cannot hurt thee I am come to fetch thee home I am come to send thee to a place where thou hast laid up great hopes and many prayers and much treasure to a place where thy Father is and thy Saviour and an innumerable company of Angels and Spirits of just men made perfect many of them thou knowest most of them thou knowest not yet all of them one and other are ready with joy to bid you welcome Sanctifie thy self set thine house in order and come away As soon as ever I have taken off this clog of earth Angels shâ—ll according to the charge their great Lord hath given them receive thee and conduct thee to Iehovahs pallace where thou shalt quickly be no tiring by the way and no want in the Countrey It is true a malicious Devil is ready to fall upon the Saints when they are weakest and if God permit him he will bruise their heel just when they are to go their journey And sometimes there is a very sharp bout and soar conflict upon a death-bed between him and them but when once death is come he parts the fray and all is quiet The Devil may rage and storm and fret but he can do nothing else 3. It is a comfortable end I deny not but a little before there may be Clouds and this shady Valley so dark as that the Believer is at a great loss Though his Title be good yet hâ— cannot read his Evidence God may be pleased to put a Vail upon his own face and the Sun of Righteousness suspend his Beams There may be a great silence in Heaven and not one word of comfort spoken that the attentive and listening Soul can hear God is indeed by but he is not seen He doth uphold but not revive And hereupon there follows sad questionings and hot disputes if it be so why am I thus will not God vouchâ—afe me one smile now and can I think he owns me for one of his Children Is his mercy clean gone for ever Hath he forgotten to be gracious or resolved he will not be so to me But when it is thus very dark the dawning of the day is near at hand And oftentimes the Clouds scatter and the case is rightly stated and things are brought to a good issue before the last blow be given God comes in and takes off the sackcloth and puts upon his beloved Child a Garment of praise so that now he lies in state upon his Bed of languishment But however as soon as Death hath done his work the dispute is at an end and the controversie is determined on the Souls side And this is done when things have been at the worst After the lowest ebb there then is a spring-tide of consolation Then the enlarged Soul doth magnifie the Lord and the Spirit rejoyceth in God its Saviour But how often is it otherwise have you not known have you not heard that some of these precious Sons of Sion these heirs of joy and glory have triumphed over Death even while they were under its assaults When Death hath been making its most furious batteries then have they been singing their Song of praise in the Apostles language and strain 1 Cor. 15. 55 56 57. O Death where is thy stiâ—g O Grave where is thy Victory The sting of Death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Iesus Christ. What raptures have they been in and what extasies of joy so that their pains and throws have been forgotten or neglected How have some of them told by-standers hic sat lucis here is light enough meaning in their breasts And others that they were as full of joy as they could hold God had anointed them with the oyl of gladness against their burial and made their cups run over so that their Hearts have leaped within them at the thoughts of their being upon the borders of Eternity and so near the company which they lov'd so well Witness that more than Swan-like Song of good old Simeon Luke 2. 29. 30. Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes have seen thy salvation Having got his Heart and Christ in his Eye he would set up his Sail and his Frait Grace inbe gone for the other World 4. It is an Honourable end Wicked men go out in a stink not only the grosly profane but the hypocritical professors if discovered as often they are Their putrid carasses are not so unsavoury as their Names
Specially the Names of such professors who by their villanies have made Religion stink in the nostrils of foolish men though it is pity it should Let all men judge of our Religion not by the practices of some that pretend to it but by its own Rules and Laws which are the most exact excellent and noble of any in the World But let the name of the wicked rot and indeed so it doth and shall There is a curse upon it and that rots it There was wickedness in their Lives and that causeth rottenness in their Names No good man will speak well of them and the commendations of the wicked are not worth the having for they are a real disgrace But these followers of the Lamb have obtained a good report and left it behind them That Death which makes them naked and bare of all their temporal enjoyments cannot strip them of this The righteousness of Christ and the graces of the Spirit go along with them their works sollow them and the remembrance of their holiness and usefulness stays behind How do their Relations and Friends want them How do their People and acquaintance bewail their absence nay some of their Enemies will strew flowers upon their Herse And though they will not be so liberal as their Conscience nor speak all that 's put into their mouths but suppress and detain such truths in unrighteousness yet they will bestow the Epithet of an honest man That God whom they served hath said The Righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance He takes care of their names as well as of their dust And he hath also said the memory of the just is blessed It is and shall be so like a precious oyntment which fills the whole place where they lived with a fragrant odour yea and places far remote We cannot expect all should speak well of them Some paint the Angels black the Devil would have had Iob taken for a meer mercenary although he was the Worlds none-such for his uprightness Shimei cursed David and Tertullus the Orator threw dirt upon a Paul Christ himself was called a Deceiver after his death yet He was in all things faithful to him that appointed him When all men speak well of one it is a shrewd sign all was not well Either something was amiss they will be such as their company is or else something was wanting viz. Faithfulness and plain dealing It is honour enough to have a good report among them who fear God they are best able to judge and most to be credited and this honour have all his Saints all those whose character I have given you and those also who tread in their steps and hold out to the end so doing 5. Lastly It is a most blessed and glorious end You Slaves of Hell who are at the Devils beck and drudge for him all your days committing uncleanness with greediness and drawing sin as with Cart-ropes what is the end you must expect The Apostle tells you Rom. 6. 21. The end of those things is death That is the best wages the Devil hath to bestow upon his Servants a never-dying death a death which is unspeakably worse than death and their end is shame Now they are impudent but then they shall be ashamed Dread shall fill them and shame cover them That is the promotion of fools Prov. 3. 35. Oh! change your Master leave your work break off your sins by repentance unless you think eternal death a good reward and everlasting shame desirable preferment But behold these servants of the Lord who have served their generation according to the will of God and glorified him upon earth who have fought a good fight and kept the faith to the finishing of their course who have desired and endeavoured to turn many to righteousness how is it with them when their end comes I want words The lines fall to them in pleasant places they have a goodly heritage Who can summe up their happiness were one of them here were an Angel here he could not tell you half They are approved and highly commended The testimony given is that they pleased God that they have done well very well Eâ—ge bone serve Well done good and faithful servant thou hast been faithful in thy little Now they shine as Stars in the â—irmament now they have their Crown of Righteousness in comparison of which the richest Diadems are not worth taking up in the street And their glory is answerable to their Crown An exceeding and eternal weight of glory such as hath substance and solidity in it And no wonder if together with all this they have their joy If any thing can this will make them forget their sormer sufferings the worlds affronts and inoignities the angers and bitter unkindnesses of their Mothers children who are dandled in her lap and yet are peevish with their weaned Brethren All this will make them merry at heart and cheerful in look and sing Allelujah They have a joy of God's making and maintaining not the crackling joy of the world but the unconceiveable joy of their Lord a joy too big for them to contain though their capacities are greatly enlarged it cannot enter into them they shall enter into it a joy that shall fill them to the brim and compass them round about they shall be in joy as a full vessel in the midst of the immense Ocean The doctrinal part being thus finished I shall speak a little and but a little in a way of Application And Vse 1. My Reverend Fathers and Brethren in the Ministry of whatsoever Judgment you are in these divided times give me leave in all humility yet with all earnestness to beg of you that you would so preach and walk so labour and live as that you may be exâ—mples to the flock and your memory may be blessed Oh! let us all look to it that we know and speak the truth as it is in Iesus not departing from the purity and simplicity of the Gospel Let us remember whose Embassadours we are and keep close to our Commission delivering only our Masters word Let our lips preserve knowledge and not cause people to erre May our discourses turn chiefly and mostly upon those two Cardinal points that Pauls did Repentance towards God and Faith in our Lord Iesus Christ. Do what you can to turn your Auditors from all their immoralities to a sober civil and unblamable life Doubtless the Gospel requires this Christ came to redeem us not only from Hell and condemnation but also from a vain and vicious conversation And our perfection in Heaven will consist in a compleat conformity to the Moral Law If any decry Morality it is because they do not understand it Yet my Brethren let us also teach Faith in Jesus Christ do not rob him of any part of his glory to bestow it upon another Sure I am that is far from Morality it is no good manners to deal so with a precious Saviour to whom we are infinitely
and everlastingly obliged And such injustice will cost them dear that are guilty of it Labour we to make men and women â—ound Believers Shew them the insufficiency of all they do to justifie them that they may never with the besotted Iews go about to establish their own righteousness but submit to the righteousness of God and by Faith put on that perfect spotless Robe which our dear Jesus hath wrought for humbled sinners It is that and that alone that can cover all our shame and adorn our persons and make our beauty perfect and us lovely in the sight of God Teach them to look after the inward glory which the King's Daughter had Psal. 45. 13. but withall to put on this clothing of wrought gold And let us also live up to the Laws of our Religion Away with covetousness and debauchery Away with envy malice and contention Let not the noise of Axes and Hammers and evil Tongues be heard among us Verily these things will not be for our honour Bespattering one another is not a likely way to beautifie our selves it is a diâ—ty trick and some of that dirt which you throw upon others will fly back upon your selves or if not the same yet some as bad This very work defiâ—es you That person hath no love in the family who is of a cross sâ—irit and delights in abusing Walk holily and humbly and in love Let not head-divisions cause heart-divisions Hatred variance â—mularions wrath sâ—rise envyings are works of the flâ—sh as well as seditions and 〈◊〉 These gratifie the Devil and please Papists but offend God and dishonour you Let all of us that fear God and love godliness keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace for we are Brethren We see the common Adversary is at work to ruine and destroy us all let not us strengthen his hands for it by weakening our own and devouring one another Vse 2. I would exhort you that are the People to remember your deceased Pastors and follow their Faith And in particular do you set upon these duties my dear friends who are the Members of this Congregation who sate under and rejoyced in the Light and Labours of my dearest Brother your late Reveâ—end Pastor Mr. Tâ—omas Vincent Concerning whom much very much may be said in his high and just commendation My acquaintance with him hath been short not full three years so that I cannot look back so far nor inlarge so much upon this noble and copious Subject as some of my worthy Brethren could have done had you pleased to have invited one of them to this service Blessed be God there is no need of many words for his works praise him in our Gates they will â—peak though I should be silent But I know you do expect something from me which you may please to take thus Reverend Mr. Thomas Vincâ—nt was a man really set for God having chosen him for his portion and for his Lord too He was devoâ—ed to his fear and honour and delighted greatly in communion with him him he served with his spirit in the Gospel of his Son Prayer was his daily work and great delight he was much at it mighty in it and successful too Many a gracious answer was given him from Heaven This wrestling Iacob was a prevailing Isâ—aâ—l a Prince with God He was a painful and industâ—uous Labourer in God's Vineyard laying out himself to the utmost for his peoples good Oh! how great was his zeal in the Pulpit what his hand found to do there he did it with all his might You his Auditors could not but conclude his Heart was in his work He put up his requests to God and delivered his messages to you with inlargedness of soul and in the sweat of his brows I can assure the world he was none of those idle drones those â—lothful servants who did the work of their Lord negligently He stayed with you here in the time of thâ—t noisom and greedy Pestilence which raged so furiously and devoured so hastily and numbred out many thousands and ten thousands to the Grave when others fled for their lives he kept his station all the while knowing he could not go out of Gods reach the arm of omnipotency could so bend his bow and draw his arrow to the head that it should flie as far as he could run He knew his duty and his safety lay together He was however freely willing to venture his life for the salvation of sâ—uls He was sound in his judgment and turned not aside to any errours upon the right hand or the left Hâ—s Doctrine speak his faith in Chriâ—t and both thâ—t and his life exprest his lovâ— to Mâ—râ—liâ—y and Piety I will tell you one passage which came from him about three or four daies before his death Asking him how it was within He answered me very well adding withal Blessed be God for an imputed Righteousness and blessed be God for an inherent Righteousness Dear Brother I must tell you if I had not an inherent Righteousness I could take no comfort from an imputed Righteousness He was of an unblameable Conversation I never heard of one dead flie in his Box of Ointment Did I say he was of an unblameable Conversation it was too little a word too short by much He was of an exemplary Conversation He reduced precepts into practice and was not only in his Doctrine but in his way too a shining light He was a sweet Companion Ah! my dear Brother how pleasant how very pleasant wast thou unto me Grace was poured into his lips and they dropt as an hony-comb I was beholding to him for frequent visits And though sometimes my own occasions were very pressing and urgent yet was his company never burdensom for he still detained me from business with delights and sweetnesses And if at any time I was not a gainer by his company it was mine own fault He was a warm Christian and carried up and down with him a heavenly fire a Divine heat both in his heart and his discourses Some opposition he met with in his work and discouragements yet he was not discouraged but held on his way and grew stronger and stronger Sub ponderâ— crevit storms made him root the faster and flourish the more He did not count liberty nor life dear to him so that he might finish his course with joy and the ministry which he had received of the Lord Iesus to testifie the Gospel of the grace of God And his blessed Master crowned his labours with admirable success he did not draw up his net empty nor had he cause to complain of labouring in vain spending his strength for nought in vain He did see of the travail of his soul in the conversion of many and will be able to say at last Lord here am I and the Children which thou hast given me But alas alas this bright and orient Star must fall he must fall not by the rail of the
Dragon but by the hand of death did I say he fell no no he rose higher and is now in the highest with the highest This Star is removed into another Orb His Mantle of flesh he dropt and left behind but his Spirit mounted and returned to God that gave it And Si verbis audacia detur give me leave to saâ— a great man is fall'n in London His work was done and his dear Master would not permit his stay after it but took him home and gave him his Crown Hear a little my Brethren of those precious sayings which fâ—owed from him abundantly that Night before a full surrender was made What he spake was taken by the Pen of a ready Writer Out of that large Garden I have pickt some few flowers which I thus make up and present unto you He had his light of comfort in that day of trouble though not a bright Sun-shine yet under the thickest Cloud he could see grace in his Heart and read his Evidence These words assure us of that Dear Iesus dost not thou know that I love thee though not with that activity which others do yet with truth of love Oh! thou knowest that I love thee and wilt not thou love me and manifest thy self to me Lord thou knowest the bent of my heart was toward thy self thou knowest I laid up my treasure with thee and made choice of Heaven for mine Inheritance thou wilâ— not forget it nâ—w He had his experiences ready to produce as Cordials to himself and Arguments with his God will you hear them Oh dear Iesus a glimpse of the light of thy Countenance is worth an age of pains and prayers I have had formerly not only tasts but large draughts sometimes Ah my dear Father thou hast given me sweet encouragement in waiting upon thee and of late thou hast not wholly turned thy back Oh my dear Iesus didst thou not manifest thy self to me at the Sacrament when I was so very weak didst not thou give me some tasts that thou art gracious and that thou didst love me in particular and that thou wouldest never leave nor forsake me nor suffer me to depart from thee is this so long a time ago He had high thoughts of God when he was at the lowest he justified him and that in this very Lauguage O my Lord I will not complain of thee though I must complain to thee I complain of my self but not of thee I have deserved thou shouldest let me die in a Cloud and though I do I doubt not but I shall be happy He could with a composed Spirit take his leavâ— and shake hands with all His expressions were these Farewell the world the pleasures profits and honours of the world farewell sin I shall ever be with the Lord. Farewell my dear Wife farewell my dear Children farewell my Servants and farewell you my Spiritual Children whom he was at leisure thus to advise be careful in your choice of a Pastor choose one who in his Doctrine life and manners may adorn the Gospel I shall be glad to meet you all in Heaven This spake a calm within a sedate frame of Spirit He could welcome death observe how his words were dipt in oyl when its hands were to be imbrewed in his blood Oh noble Death welcome welcome Would you know how this came to pass these words tell you Death hath wounded my head death hath wounded my breast which was full of pimples but he hath not wounded my conscience blessed be God He could with importunity call for Death Hasten hasten oh hasten Death where is thy bow where thine arrows come come come I am yet in the body I am yet on earth but it is Heaven Heaven Heaven I would fain be at I seek death but 〈◊〉 find it How long O Lord holy and true He would scarce be reconciled to the means of rebuking his disease and prolonging his 〈…〉 was conscience of duty that put him upon use of them That learned and excellent Physitian who applied to him in his sickness and whose heart was set upon his recovery though he much question'd it told me he said to him why do you come to keep mâ— out of Heaven Hâ— could play with Death thus Praythee take possâ—ssion of my Body see whaâ— thou wilt get by it fatten thy Grave with thy Sacrifices He had high and admiring thoughts of Jesus Christ read them thus Oh dear Iesus what or who art thou Oh! that glorious Spirit that laid â—he foundations of the Earth and stretched out the Heavens like a Curtain Oh what an excellent person aâ—t thou oh what an excellent person art thou thou art all lovely in every part from the Crown of the head to the Soal of the foot thou art all love all excellent thy bounty is divine thy love is divine thy beauty is divine He was not satisfied with what he had of Christ. Observe how desires flam'd Dear Iesus dear sweet Iesus come unto me and manifest thy self unto me that others may see and know that thou lovest me Now if ever now now now if ever now if ever O dear Iesus I am going out of the body to be with thee to deal only with Spirits Oh that I might have the light of thy countenance the sense of thy loâ—e oh bome unto me I see but a little of thy beauty and excellency oh that I might see more and taste more and enjoy more that I may have more than ever I had and â—ast more than ever I did And he longed to be with Jesus was in a kind of holy impatience sick of love and desires to delight himself in clear vision and full fruition of him Witness these groans Dear Iesus come and take me away I have no business hear my work is done my glass is run my strength is gone and when my work is done why shall I stay behind Oh come come be as a Roe upon the Mountains of spices How long shall I wait and cry how long shall I be absent from thee And again O come and take me to thy self and give me possession of that happiness which is above the vision of thy self perfect likeness to thy self full fruition of thy self without any interruption or conclusioâ— And yet again O come deâ—r Lord Iesus how long before thou â—end thy Chariots O come thou down to me and take me up to thee Having â—ain some time silent and still a Friend desired him to give him his hand if the clouds were scattered whereupon he reached out his hand and said as those present understood him I am upheld in the Arms of a Mediator Thus died this precious Saint this eminent Minister thus he lived and thus he died Let him never be forgotten he shall not he cannot be forgotten And let us who survive be followers of him and others who serv'd and walked with Christ on earth and now sit and reign with Christ in glory FINIS