friend His graces which are like to a most fragrant perfume do in am our the hearts of all them who are truly spiritual Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy Name is as an Cant. 1. 3. ointment powred forth therefore do the Virgins love thee And in the song of conjugal loves this is rendred as the reason of those sparklings Thou art fairer then the children of Psal 45. 2. men As there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person then Saul from the shoulders upwards he was higher 1 Sam. 9. 2. then any of the people So Jesus Christ doth wonderfully over-top and exceed in all rich endowments the most amiable creatures in the world And as in all Israel there was 2 Sam. 14. 25. none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him and this might be some reason of Davids great love towards him So in the Lord Jesus there are perfect beauties without the least blemishes He is altogether lovely No wonder therefore that wise knowing Christians do chuse and value and embrace him with vigorous loves Reason 2 Because of his famous magnanimous undertakings and adventures as Mediator that he might at once advance his Fathers glory and the happinesse of his Elect. We read that Jonathans soul was knit to the soul of David 1 Sam. 18. 1. and that he loved him as his own soul because upon a Duel he had encountered and conquered the Monster Goliah who had blasphemed God and vilified his people Now this service was low and inconsiderable being compared with Christs renowned exploits who hand to hand combated with the devil in the wildernesse for the space of fourty days Luke 4. 2. Col. 2. 15. who spoiled principalities and Powers made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in his crosse Who did beare up bravely against the power of darknesse to be quell'd under the weight of divine justice to be satisfied and under the flames of his Fathers displeasure to be quenched These and the like rare actings of Christ being pondered by Christians do draw forth their hearts in friendship towards him He himself saith Therfore doth my Father love me because I John 10. 17. lay down my life And how can new-born Christians partakers of the divine Nature be otherwise affected upon the same account towards their blessed Master Reason 3 Because of their manifold rich receipts from Christ Davids heart giveth out loves to the Lord because upon his prayers he had delivered his eyes from tears and his feet Psal 116 1 8. from falling Now Christ hath rescued his people from wrath to come and that without respect to their requests yea before they sought him Our Saviour himself giveth this as the reason wherefore the sinful woman loved him Many sins are forgiven her Luk 7. 47. 1 Sam. 19. 5. therefore she loved much And Jonathan by this Argument laboureth to win Sauls heart towards David Because the Lord by him wrought a great salvation to all Israel In this respect the Apostle Paul was rationally under the 2 Cor. 5. 14. constraint of commanding Loves to Christ because of quickning grace received by his death Now if I should here discover our large enjoyments from Christ it would abundantly appear to every ingenuous soule that there is sufficient cause wherefore he should be accounted and affected as an incomparable friend By him we are delivered from sin and hell as is hinted even now from the curse of the Law the hater of God the Gal 3. 13. Eph. 2. 14 16. Gal. 1. 4. 1 Cor. 15. 55. Ephes 1. 3 6. 1 Cor. 1. 30. and 2. 1 20. deadly snares of the world and the poison-sting of death We are blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places We are accepted in the Beloved He is made unto us Wisdom Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption And all the Promises of God are in him Yea and in him Amen How rationally therefore doth living love to Christ spring out of this root Reason 4 Because of their full expectations from him for the future even unto soul-satisfaction and that to eternity Many chearing cordials are handed to Christians from Christ here upon earth in which regard he doth lie as a bundle of myrrh between their brests but he reserveth the best wine for Cant. 2. 13. the last Whatsoever for kind or for measure the believing John 2 10. Christians comforts are here yet to be with Christ in heaven Phil. 1. 13. will be far better and this this in glory is looked for through Christ This consideration causeth their love unto Christ to break forth in a great flame Let the words of the Apostle be weighed for the evidence hereof who having spoken both of the Inheritance incorruptible and undefiled 1 Pet 1. 3 4. that fadeth not away reserved in heaven as also of the assured Perseverance through Gods Power and all this by Christ he adds Whom having not seen yet ye love Ingenuous 1 Pet. 1. 8. Christians duly weighing the worth of their future happinesse dearly purchased by Christ and undoubtedly to be possessed by them through Christ do hereupon practically conclude that nothing can be imagined more reasonable then this that they should love him as their special friend Thus from confirmation I proceed to the Application of this Truth by way of Use which I will propound under three heads viz. 1. Information 2. Examination 3. Exhortation Vse 1 Sad therefore is their condition who are not loving friends unto Jesus Christ For doubtlesse though they be by profession in the estimation of others true Christians yet they are but only Slips in Christianity As Judas c. Our Saviour speaketh roundly unto such If God were Joh. 8. 42. your Father you would love me And if God be not their Father they are questionlesse the devils children children of the curse How open and expresse are the words of the Apostle to this purpose If any man love not the Lord Jesus let 1 Cor. 16. 22. him be Anathema Maran-atha The heavy and lasting maledictions of God hang over the heads of all them who love not Christ This is the great severity of God against such who are not friends unto Christ and that the righteousnesse of his Majesty herein may be manifested I wish that this may be minded viz. that unfriendliness to the Lord Jesus in Gospel-times wherein his excellencies deservings are so fully laid open doth proceed either from 1. Infidelity Or 2. Contumacy Either people hearing from Scripture of Christs loveliness do give God the lie to his face by not believing him or else their disregard of Christ ariseth from malignity and stubbornnesse of will though they yield to the report of his incomparable worth And 1 Joh. 5. 10. Non à câ—citate mentis sed Ã
most truly be applied unto our loving friend Christ Jesus This the Text suggesteth for Christ did not only love Lazarus while he lived but called him friend even now when he was dead Our friend Lazarus sleepeth Secondly the efficiency of his love is admirably comfortable to all such who enjoy it For first it worketh their deliverance from whasoever may be grievous and dangerous He loved us and washed us from our sins in his blood Rev. 1. 5. Gal. 3. 13. 1 Thes 1. 10. And hence follows deliverance from the curse of the Law and from the wrath to come Secondly it procureth whatsoever may be joyous unto a spiritual heart 1. He hath made us upon this account Kings and Priests unto God and his Father Rev. 1. 6. 2. He feedeth the soul plentifully by the dainties of sacred Ordinances Eat O my friends and drink yea drink Cant. 5. 1. abundantly O my beloved 3. This his love running through all providences maketh blessings the more sweet and supporteth the sinking soule under crosses As Hezekiah's recovery was the Isa 38. 17. Heb. 12. 5 6. more pleasant because God in love to his soul wrought it so the Apostle puts this as a prop under a fainting afflicted Christian that the Lord correcteth with paternal love 4. And his love will prepare his beloved for glory Christ loved the Church that he might sanctifie it with the washing of water by the word that he might present it to Eph. 5. 26. himselfe a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it might be holy and without blemish If unto all these which I mentioned without enlargement we add the complacency which he taketh in all communications of his love it will be a great addition to their joy The Lord will rejoyce over thee he will rest in his love he will Zeph. 3. 17. joy over thee with singing God seemeth to take such content in his loving transactions them-ward as though he desired nothing more Let the friends of Jesus Christ feed and feast themselves with these expressions and provisions of his love Vse 2 How should the remembrance of such rare refreshings belonging to them who are the beloved friends of Christ quicken endeavours in all sorts to gain a share in his friendship To enforce this exhortation I will cast these few thoughts into your mindes 1. Whereas Solomon telleth us What every dayes experience also speaketh that many seek the Rulers favour Prov. 10. 6. 29. 26. 1 Tim. 6. 15. Mat. 28. 18. Prov. 8. 15 16. Jesus Christ is the King of kings and the Lord of lords the only potentate unto whom all authority in heaven and earth is committed by whom Kings reigne Princes rule and all the Judges of the earth 2. That it will be an high honour to be called Gods friend In holy story Hushai and Zabud have this title of 2 Sam. 15 27. 1 Kings 4. 5. respect put upon them that they were the kings friends And it will be for the everlasting credit of father Abraham that he is recorded in sacred pages to be the friend of God Isa 41. 8. 3. That Christ is and ever will be in favour with God to make and to maintaine our peace with his Majesty though we frequently and fearfully do provoke him every day The inhabitants of Tyre and Sidon made Blastus Acts 12. 20. the Kings chamberlaine their friend when Herod was highly displeased with them because their countrey was nourished by the Kings countrey And is not our dependance more upon God And do not we hourly give the Almighty great occasion to reject us yea to take up arms against us And is there any one either on earth or in heaven that can asswage Gods anger and procure his favour besides Jesus Christ Therefore should meanes be used to make him our friend 4. The people of God conceiving hope that Christ regardeth us they will be encouraged with the more affectionate confidence to pray for us in the times of our need As the sisters of Lazarus making addresse unto him in the behalf of their dear brother pleaded this Lord he whom thou Joh. 11. 3. lovest is sick 5. Hereby we shall be heartned with the more hope to apply our selves unto God by prayer for our selves Our Saviour suggesteth this in the parable of the man who goeth Luk. 11. 5. 6 9. at mid-night to his friend to borrow bread he applieth it to incourage prayer 6. Because all our creature-friends may either fall off by unfaithfulnesse or forsake us by death or be forced from us other wayes This the doleful complaints of sundry dear unto the Lord recorded in Scripture do declare My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore and my Psal 38. 11. and 88. 18. 1 King 16. 11. Luke 16. kinsmen stand aloof off Lover and friend thou hast put far from me and my acquaintance into darknesse Upon this consideration the humane prudence of the unjust Steward is commended in projecting to provide friends against the time of need How far our experience at this day speaketh our losse of creature-friends viz. of some by death and of others by an unfaithful deserting I forbear to speak But I do upon this consideration move your care to gaine the friendship of Christ who will love and live for ever Now if these arguments shall force resolutions in your bosoms to seek Christs love and thereupon means to attain it shall be enquired after I give these short directions 1. Accept of God and of Gospel-righteousnesse with him by a self-outing and a Christ-prizing faith The Scripture saith Abraham beleeved God and it was imputed Jam. 2. 23. unto him for righteousnesse and he was called the friend of God 2. Upon the serious consideration of his worthiness and hopeful expectations of happinesse by him labour to endear Christ unto your hearts Although our love to him doth not merit his love yet it will clearly make manifestation thereof unto our souls I love them saith he who love me Prov. 8. 17. 3. And as an expression of your love submit obediently unto his government studiously conforming unto all his commands This is his own promise which he will perform infallibly He that hath my Commandments and Joh. 14. 21. keepeth them he it is that loveth me and I will love him Vse 3 The third Use is to be directed unto them whom Christ embraceth as friends with love and they are to be perswaded unto real gratitude for his love The Disciple whom Christ loved having touched upon his incomparable love addeth this doxology To him be glory and Rom. 16. dominion for ever and ever Amen From whence might be noted 1. That the glory to be returned unto Christ for his love should not be verbal onely but real also expressed by subjection unto his dominion 2. That this obediential gratitude should not be confined to term of time
give out their shine and their light make a profitable use of them to Gods honour and your own souls welfare Vse 6. Therefore I hence exhort all the friends of Christ to prepare themselves for death and to maintaine upon their Spirits a prepared posture for natures dissolution Although I know that they being united unto Christ and reconciled to God through him they Rev. 14. 13. shall undoubtedly whensoever they die be translated from earth to heaven yet there is something more to Luke 16. 22. be minded by Christians that they may be ready to die How much might be comprized in Jobs expression All Job 14. 14. the dayes of mine appointed time will I wait until my change shall come I shall not undertake to discover but I desire to leave these foure words of advice in the bosomes of Christians in tendency unto their preparation for death 1. Seek well grounded assurance of your interest in Christ and of undoubted title unto heaven through him This foundation being laid Paul could triumph over death Oh death where is thy sting thanks be to 1 Cor. 15 55. God who hath given us victory through Jesus Christ And Simeon could sing when ready to die Now lettest thou thy Luk. 2. 19 30. servant depart in peace For mine eyes have seen thy salvation Whereas there are sad shiverings upon some gracious hearts when death looketh in at the windows because they question their admission into heaven upon natures dissolution 2. Take heed of all scandalous sinnes sinnes against conscience the commission whereof may blemish Religion and lie as blocks of offence in the wayes of others It is conceived by some Divines that in this regard Saint Paul died with the more confidence because after his conversion he was no way scandalous I have fought the 2 Tim. 4. 7. 8. good fight and I have kept the faith and henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of righteousnesse Whereas Peter having dishonoured Christ disgraced his profession wounded his own conscience and prejudiced others how farre we know not by his fearful threefold denial was so full of perplexity that Christ saw cause before Joh. 21. 15 19 the foretelling of his death to confirme his heart in helping on the discovery of his sincere love notwithstanding that sad offensive Apostacy Broken bones though knit will ake towards change of weather And the remembrance of scandalous miscariages may occasion anguish in the bosomes of dying Saints 3. Settle your outward estate and concernments according to divine prudence and holy principles remembring that you must be accountable unto the Lord whose stewards you are how you dispose of the things of this life Luke 16. 2. with which he hath entrusted you This was Gods own advice unto Hezekiah Thus saith the Lord set thine house i◠Esay 38. 1. order for thou shalt die Many good people deare unto God upon this neglect are lesse comfortable to themselves and lesse serviceabl◠unto others upon their death-beds because they suspe◠the many sad consequences of their not endeavouring t◠prevent sinne and trouble by an orderly setling of all the◠earthly enjoyments 4. Leave with gracious gravity and seriousnesse charges Appropinquante morte multò es divinior and convictions upon the consciences of your nearest relations that Christ heaven and their immortal soules may be principally cared for Warne your friends to beware of the sinnes of the times and of their own inclinations Communicate your experiences for future profit prudently Here I might expatiate upon the examples of Jacob blessing Gen. 49. Deut. 31. 2. 32. 33. Josh 23. 1 2. 24. 1. Joh. 13. 1. 14. 15. 16. 17. his sonnes when on his death-bed of Moses and of Joshua their plaine dealing with Israel when ready to die yea and of Christ himself But I am necessitated to abbreviate these things with this hearty request that my friendly faithfull counsell in these things may not be forgotten And do not I pray you do not deferre these things for death may steale upon you suddenly unexpectedly as a man falls asleep sometimes when he thought not of it This lets in the next point Doct. 2. That Christs friends by death do fall asleep The Protomartyr Stephen his death is thus expressed He Act. 7 60. 1 Co◠15. 16 18 20 51. fell asleep And the Apostle Paul doth often in the fifteenth Chapter of his first Epistle to the Corinthians attest this truth This sleep is not to be applied unto the soule after its Eccles 12. 7. Luke 23. 43. Phil. 1. 23. Heb. 12. 23. departure from the body as some fondly dreame for it goeth to God immediately forth-with enjoyeth fellowship with Christ and becometh perfect But it belongs to the dead body laid in the grave which in this regard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mr. Calamy his Sermon upon Acts 7. 60. is called a sleeping place I shall not dilate upon the resemblance betwixt death and sleep which is fully done by others But I will only touch upon two things which are here intended 1. Death is a sleep unto the godly because thereby they are laid to rest There is a Verse 13. taking of rest by sleep They shall rest in their beds saith the Prophet speaking of the death of righteous ones And Isa 57. 2. they rest from their labours so saith the Spirit who die in the Lord. 2. Because their bodies shall be raised as Rev. 14. 15. men are awakened out of sleep This is expressed in the words which immediately follow the Text Our friend Lazarus sleepeth but I go that I may awake him out of sleep And the Apostle Paul is much upon this Metaphor Cor. 15. in that place where he undertaketh to prove the Resurrection Vse 1. Therefore true beleevers real Saints should not be afraid to die I grant that death unto nature is the King of feares and it hath its poisonous sting with which it will wound the wicked whom it doth usher into hell This with many other useful truths relating unto death is admirably Dr. Tuckney his Sermons upon 1. Cor. 15. 55. laid open of late by a worthy servant of Christ and it would be a digression if I should undertake that discovery But I only move Gods people to arme themselves against the sinking feare of death because unto them it is no worse then falling asleep And indeed there is great need of this counsel among Gods own servants every where who like foolish children are afraid to put off their cloathes and go to bed in a dark chamber As Baxter in his Saints everlasting rest Herein the forementioned Authour and others have administred much good help in which regard I may be silent Vse 2. Neither let us mourne immoderately because of the death of our Christian friends seeing they are only fallen asleep When our Saviour had spoken the Verse 12. words of the
span I'th'hollow of thy fâ—st the Ocean Or to describe his boundless hidden worth Nor tongue nor pen can set his praises forth This only I will adde he that would draw His Portraiture must use Apelles Law When to paint Lady Venus with a grace This beauty gave a hand that gave a face The third a colour gave the next a feature Al joyn'd together made that lovely creature In the same manner whosoe're would paint The beauty of this thrice illustrious Saint Must rifle all the world and look apart For that wch shines most in each noble heart One must Humility give another Zeal Another Prudence brethrens rents to heal Learning a fourth in its high'st elevation A fifth must give a spotless conversation His preaching one man cannot imitate Here we must have Beza's triumvirate And when we'ave travel'd all the world to find Or make a copy of this matchlesse minde When other mens perfections al do fail We must with that old Limner draw a vail Upon his peerlesse parts or for the rest Say here lies that which cannot be exprest Sic flevit Mat. Poole Minister of Michaels at the Quern in London An Epitaph HEre lies Saint Whitaker the rest Cannot need not be exprest Great sorrows noise not Give some years For the world to speak in tears First this age must vent its grief In sighs the next may finde relief And joyn their sorrows to compute Till grief returning strikes them mute And makes them silently confesse Their loss his worth was fathom'esse Another Epitaph UNder this stone intombed lies An heap of contrarieties One that 's dead yet doth remaine For person place and work the same His precious person was combin'd Of soul and body firmly joyn'd So still these parts though distant yet In Christ are to each other knit To earth his body was confin'd Alwayes heaven had and hath his minde His work was preaching so 't is still And preach his name for ever will Mat Poole To the memory of the learned that eminently Religious Minister of the Gospel his Reverend brother deceased Mr. Jeremiah Whitaker WHitaker sleeps spices you need not bring For 's body death it self 's embalm'd to him Ah blessed Saint his Sermons were not done When preach'd he liv'd the Application When sick his pangs were mercy for when e're A sigh was breath'd out God breath'd in a pray'r Lie gently on him dust this seed is sown To spring again at th' Resurrection Oh for a verse in black Reader prepare thus For every drop of ink to melt a tear Yet stay with grief there 's cause of joy then Joy shal shed tears for him and grief for us Benjamin Needler Minister of the Gospel at Margarce Moses Friday-street Lond. In obitum eximii tam Doctrinâ quam pietate Theologi Jeremiae Whitakeri funebre ' ΕΤΚΩΜΙΑ ' ΣΤΙΚΟΠDr. Gouge Dr. Walker Mr. Whitaker DEfleat occiduos aetas ingrata Prophetas Liquit Evangelicum collapsa synastria caelum Lugentem moesto Whitakerus funere mundum Deseruit lachrymis squallentem liquerit urbem Jam pereat mendax de florido opinio seclo Mortuus hic Vates nostrum sepelivit honorem Corruit Verax foecundi gloria rostri Patronum amisit Pauper populusque Lutherum Amisitque pium mutilata ecclesia gnatum Pastorem coetus Patrem amisere Ministri Gens mala praeconem immotam synodusque columnam J. Wells Old Jewry Lond. Pastor To the memory of his dear friend and Pastor Mr. Jeremiah Whitaker deceased BEhold the shadow whose admired worth Nor pen nor tongue is able to set forth He whose vast soul walk'd through the Isle of Man Is here confined in a shorter span Whose worth the world though 't were as big again Were much too short and narrow to contain Sweet were his life and death his well spent dayes Began with goodness and expir'd with praise His lamp was ever burning never hid And when his tongue preacht not his actions did And to his death he still fought faiths good fight And then his Lamp exchang'd his borrowed light For an immortal lustre and here lies Enshrin'd not dead for Vertue never dies R. B. Parishioner Upon the Life and Death of that precious Servant of God Mr. Jeremiah Whitaker whose name like that of his Lord and Master is an ointment poured forth JEREMIAH WHITAKER or Etymologie He shall exalt God His work Jer. 20. 13. God shall exalt him His wages Jer. 5. 10. White-aker A field white for Harvest John 4. 35. His fitnesse for Heaven BLest Saint how well thy name and worth agree In name and office thou art Jeremie A God-exalter and by God exalted A Priest a Prophet one that never halted Twixt God Baal twixt the truth error Nor couldst be made to start for hope or terrour Heroick Champion thou deaths venemous sting Hast conquer'd and with Christ now raign'st as King A wise and faithful Labourer for thy Lord To gather in his harvest by the word Thou hast approv'd thy self to Earth and Heaven Witnesse thy life and Doctrine purg'd from Leaven Both Labourer and Harvest were thy part The former living this thou dying art The Field being for Harvest Jer. White-aker Is reapt and of a better soile partaker Thy melting tears now cordial-water be Let me thy sorrows taste thy joys to see Roger Drake Pastor of Peters West-cheap A Funeral Elegy upon the reverend his deare deceased friend Master Jeremiah Whitaker O Let me weep and even like a spring Unto the sea of grief some tribute bring These cheeks of mine with tears bedew'd shall swell For this Seraphique St. who lately fel. To lose a Friend is sad but for our Nation To lose a Jeremy is Lamentation Could he from death some way released be His vertues surely might have set him free But 't was a debt and what enflam'd desire Had he to leave his mantle and flie higher How shal I praise his worth and not dispraise Say more and not say lesse darkning his rays Meeknesse humility in this Orbe shin'd In him the chaine of Graces was combin'd How was he fir'd with zeal even froÌ„ his youth And though he lost all would hold fast the truth With Jeremy he was a man of strife Yet not for Tyths but Souls this was his life A downright upright man he was a Star Whose sacred influence diffused far And that of these an end I may inclose His faith in Christ he solely did repose This made him when he felt the sharpest paine Upon the flinty rack not to complaine Nay when he at the point of death did lie Did as the milky Swan most gently die What did he die his soul as in a Câ—ll In heav'ns bright Paradise is gone to dwell Among the Cherubims where he doth ring With them that joyntly Hallelujahs sing Where he for tears in joy doth much encrease Pleasure doth him of former pain release He never shall of Stone or Ulcer heare He never need any more sicknesse feare Dear Saint I sooner had adorn'd thy hearse But grief first vents by weeping then by verse Thomas Watson Pastor of Stephens Walbrook London Vpon the Death of that reverend Divine Mr. Jeremiah Whiraker STay and lament all you that travel by 'T is sin to passe and not to cast an eye Upon this mournful spectacle the herse Of one whose name can dignifie a verse Loe here th' exuvium of that heavenly soul Who living did by ' s words works controul The pow'r of sin and Satan whose breath Redeem'd poor souls from darkness and from death And by his pious Doctrine did convince The sly Temptations of that airy Prince He whose whole life was a continued Tract Of practical Divinity each Act A Sermon and each word an explanation So that his Audionts might by imitation Of him and of his life to Heaven come Although they had been deaf or he bin dumb But that Almighty pow'r who from above Does all things order and in whom we move Wrapt all these treasures up in brittle Clay Death gav 't a crack and so took all away And now our griefs amount to such a sum That to expresse them best is to be Dumb. They that can count their wealth are counted poor And who can speak his griefs can suffer more 'T is diminution to his worth to weep With single tears we his whole flock of sheep Joyne in one Lamentation and let fall Our general tears at this sad Funeral Of our Dear Shepherd in whose fatal grave Both he and we one joint interment have From hence there 's no return for him to us But we must by degrees all follow thus He 's gone before to usher us now dead What all his life he wrought is perfected Living he shew'd the way to heaven whither Now dead he 's gone to clear our passage thither Parishioners of Bermonsey FINIS ERRATA Reader BEsides the oversights of the Printer in false spelling ill pointing and misquoting some Scripture proofs thou art intreated to correct these Errata's following p. 4. l. 8. for me r. was p. 6. l. 25. for hater r. hatred and l. 26. r. poysonous sting p. 8. l. 9. r. in the. p. 9. l. 4. r. friends and l. 13. for be r. by and l. 20. r. reviewing p. 10. l. 3. for First r. viz. and l. 17. r. relations and l. 23. r. discovereth and l. 24. r. lest p. 11. l. 7. for diligent r. affectionate and l. 9. r. dissatisfactions p. 13. l. 4. r. of my p. 16. l. 27. for beautiful r. bountiful p. 13. l. 33. for him r. himself l. 34. r. which did cost p. 20. l. 9. r. being also the fountaine p. 21. l. 23. for these r. the p. 24. l. 12 r. which I have p. 36. l. 22. for gods r. 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of it and fit us his Ministers that supervive to preach and live as he did To fight a good fight to finish our course and to keep the faith that so we may at last obtaine a crown of righteousness which the righteous Judge will give at the last day to all that love his appearing So prayeth Your servant in the work of the Ministery EDM. CALAMY To the Right Honourable ELIZABETH Countesse Dowager of Exeter MADAM HOw irresistible is the power of love and importunity The holy Scriptures do plentifully manifest that divine love doth set Gods All whether within or without himself on work for his childrens good and that his childrens importunity hath in al Ages prevailed with his Omnipotency to appeare for their comfort And multitudes of daily experience do evidence the prevalency of these two Arguments among the sons of men My self makes one instance for the verifying hereof by preaching at Reverend worthy Mr. Whitakers Funeral and by printing my Sermon with the Narrative of his memâ—rable life both which come abroad with enlargements because streights of time and the discomposednesse of my spirit through grief would not suffer me thus fully to dilate upon in the Pulpit Madam I am confident that your Ladyship can of your own knowledge not only attest the truth of most passages in my Narrative but adde also much more from your own observation which will render his memory precious unto posterity And will your Honour give me leave to give some further account unto the world wherefore I have presumed to dedicate unto your Ladyship these expressions of my great respect to my precious much endeared brother Mr. Jeremiah Whitaker Gratitude is at the bottom of this Dedication Madam As I shall alwayes really acknowledg your Honours favour towards my worthlesse self so I judg it meet to make known upon this occasion that more then many thanks are most due unto your Ladyship from all Mr. Whitakers Relations for your many and great testimonies of your constant respects unto him all his life long since your first acquaintance with him I have often heard him mention before the Lord with praises and prayers your Honours abundant kindnesses both unto himselfe and his family which I beleeve are on record in heaven to be fully recompensed in due time because they were the products of your sincere love unto him as the faithful Minister of Jesus Christ Madam there are not many who be so deeply sensible as your selâ—e of the great losse sustained by the death of this holy man of God What mine own losse is I had rather expresse it before the Lord then publish it unto the world He was Madam a faithful servant to your immortal soul the wel are whereof God in mercy hath given you to mind much more then all matters sublunary whatsoever In reference hereunto he was your wise counsellour in all your doubts and difficulties your compassionate comforter in all straights and sorrows your vigilant Physician to prevent spiritual sicknesse and infection your zealous Incourager in all wayes of holy service and a daily Remembrancer of you and yours before the Throne of Grace Though these things speak your losse which may warrantably afflict your heart yet I beseech you good Madam consider with comfort that notwithstanding this bucket be broken as Dr. Preston was wont to expresse it nevertheless the fountain of light life grace strength comfort and satisfaction is still at hand ever full and alwayes flowing He who is now removed out of the Land of the living to be serviceable by preaching praying conference no more was only one of those golden pipes through which the God of your mercies conveyed relief sweetly and seasonably unto your soul the wel-head is not removed and many other choice conveyances of grace and consolation from Christ be still continued to you Let this therefore be the language of your faith The Lord liveth and blessed be the 〈◊〉 oâ— my salvations who will never forsake nor faile the soule which in humility and faithfulness doth depend upon his Majesty And Madam Mr. Whitaker his rich receipts of much sanctifying grace strong confidence invincible patience undaunted courage un-interrupted peace with pure elevating joyes from the Lord may encourage the hopes of the poorest Christians to expect great things from heaven according to their necessities and desires because God is no respecter of persons but free and liberal in the communications of his peculiar goodnesse These are the words of his grace Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it Psal 81. 10. If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink He that beleeveth on me as the Scripture hath said out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water Joh. 7. 37 38. The Almighty hath given you some tastes of that incomparable fruit which comes from the Land of promise that you may be encouraged to hold on in the way thither with cheerfulnesse and perseverance Madam It is no small addition unto your honour here and it will undoubtedly make to your happiness hereafter that you do own God in unwearied attendance upon his sacred Ordinances laying forth your self for his name faithfully with that prudence self-denial and plainness of heart wherewith he hath adorned you through his rich mercy in Jesus Christ Madam I humbly beg pardon for this my boldness and crave leave to subscribe my self Madam Your Honours humble Servant SIMEON ASHE JOHN 11. 11. Our friend Lazarus sleepeth THese are the words of Christ concerning Lazarus and they speak 1. His relation 2. His dissolution First the relation was friendship wherein we are to observe 1. How far this friendship was extended viz. both unto Christ and to his Disciples our friend It is not my friend or your friend but our friend both yours and mine 2. That this friendship was acknowledged by Christ himselfe not only while Lazarus was yet alive but even now when he was dead Our friend Lazarus sleepeth In the second part of the Text viz. Lazarus's dissolution we may note 1. The truth asserted viz. that Lazarus though a friend both to Christ and to his Disciples yet he was dead 2. The Metaphor whereby it is expressed which is taken from natural sleep He sleepeth 3. The notice which our Saviour took of Lazarus his decease This he reporteth unto his Disciples he saith unto them Our friend Lazarus sleepeth Thus from this plaine division of the Text I proceed unto the observations which do from hence offer themselves naturally unto our consideration And the doctrines will be six in number viz. three from each part into which the Text hath been divided Doctr. 1 The first is this viz. That there is a mutual friendship betwixt Christ and true Christians Our Lord himself here calleth Lazarus friend And that this friendship was mutual it is evident from this history First the love of Lazarus towards the Lord Jesus was witnessed by the many entertainments and hearty welcomes which he received
from the Scripture concerning Christ his worthinesse both in his person relations and several Administrations as Mediatour betwixt God and man As this is his own advice Search the John 5. 39. Scriptures for they testifie of me So by the manifestations of him friendly affections are kindled towards him Witnesse the experience of such who during their ignorance of Christ were so farre from loving him that they accounted the love of others groundlesse yet understanding his unparallel'd beauties fell in love with him This is open and apparent by comparing Cant. 5. 9. with ver 10. to the end and with Chap. 6. 1. The words being Prov. 14. 20. many I refer you to the reading of them The rich hath many friends saith Solomon And are not all the riches of earth and heaven in Christs possession and at his disposing 2. By presenting often unto your view by meditation Psalme 39. 3. all things amiable in Christ While I mused saith the Psalmist the fire burned Looking causeth loving The eye Lam. 3. 51. affect the heart By blowing a spark becomes a flame As Abrahams servant brought forth Jewels of silver and Gen. 24. 53. Jewels of goâ—d to win Rebecca her heart towards Isaac So should we spread before our souls frequently those things which are enjoyed iâ— Christ that our hearts may be enamoured with him Ponder upon his own expressions I love them that love me and those that seek me early shall finde Prov. 8. 17 18 19. me Riches and honour are with me yea durable riches and Righteousnesse My fruit is better then Gold yea then fine Gold and my revenues then choice Silver Dwell upon these and the like considerations and the Lord blesse them to the end for which propounded that your souls may flame forth loves upon the Lord Jesus The second Branch of the Doctrine followeth viz. That Branch 2. Christ is a loving friend unto all true Christians Howsoever he here calleth Lazarus his special friend and the Apostles were so accounted in some way of peculiarity Henceforth I call you not servants but I have called John 15 15. you friends Yet this compellation and this amiable relation belongeth unto all faithful Christians likewise He loved all his own in the world which is plaine also by that Joh. 13. 1. gracious invitation Eat O friends and drink O Beloved Cant. 5. 1. wherein he intendeth to take in all living Christians Now if the reason be demanded Wherefore Christ is so good a friend unto believing Christians I answer Reason 1 1. Because they are peculiarly his own upon Covenant Gal. 3. 16. compact betwixt the Father and himself The Covenant was primarily betwixt God and Christ whereupon they were committed to his trust for the praise of glorious grace And He therefore loved them because his own This our Lord himself Joh. 13. 1. doth more then intimate in his most heavenly prayer wherein expressing his respect to his Fathers honour together with abundant love towards the Elect he doth very often touch upon them as given unto him by the Father And Joh. 17. 2 4 6 7 8 9 11. 12 24 upon this account it was that he thus speaketh of the communion which he had with his Father before the foundations of the world were laid I was by him as one brought Pro. 8. 30. 31. up with him and I was daily his delight rejoycing alwayes before him Rejoycing in the habitable parts of his earth and my delights were with the sons of men Reason 2 Because of the dear deliberate purchase which he made Titus 2. 14. of them that they might be brought in to friendly fellowship with him It is commonly said that the mother loveth those children most which cost her the most paine when she brought them into the world The Prophet calleth the fruit of the womb Beloved And that is very Hos 9. 16. considerable to this purpose which the Evangelical Prophet foretold of Christ He shall see of the travel of his Isa 53. 11. 1 Cor. 6. 19 20 soul and shall be satisfied We are Christs by redemption and in this regard also we are his beloved friends and highly esteemed by him above others as the Prophet witnesseth Since thou wast precious in my sight I loved thee Isa 43. 4. c. Reason 3 3. Because of their spiritual troth-plight unto Christ The Apostle speaketh of espousing the beleeving Corinthians 2 Cor. 11. 2. Hosea 2. 19. unto him as their husband And as this is done in loving kindnesse and mercy so because of this relation Christ is propounded as an example of great love Husbands love Eph. 5. 25. your wives even as Christ loved his Church and gave himselfe for it Reason 4 4. Because they are incorporated into Christ as members 1 Cor. 12. 12. of his body mystical As the body is one and hath many members so also is Christ And upon this ground likewise is Christs love to his people inferred No man ever yet Eph. 5. 29 30. hated his own flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it even as the Lord his Church For we are members of his body of his flesh and of his bone Reason 5 5. Because all the revenues as it were of Christs honour and reputation on earth are raised from among believing Christians for praise waiteth for him in Zion and Psal 65. 1. Psal 22. 30. Exod. 19. 5. Mal. 3. 17. 2 Cor. 8. 23. this is the seed which shall serve him As before his incarnation they are called Gods peculiar treasure and his Jewels so since his Ascension the Apostle Paul stileth them the Glory of Christ And in this regard a principle of divine self-love doth incline the Lord Christ to be a friend unto beleevers For the illustration of this truth know that this love of Christ is fourfold viz. 1. Of his eternal purpose 2. Of Benevolence 3. Of Complacency 4. Of Compassion 1. There is a love of divine good pleasure appertaining unto Gods people In this sense God saith Jacob have Amor benepla citi I loved and in the pursuit hereof the Lord in due time converteth Rom. 9. 13. them unto himselfe I have loved thee with an everlasting Jer. 31. 3. love therefore with loving kindnesse have I drawn thee 2. The Lord loveth them with the love of benevolence Amor benevolenâ—iâ—e communicating to them together with himself and his loves his All for their comfort Who loved me saith Saint Paul and gave himself for me All are yours and Gal 2. 20. 1 Cor. 3. 21. 2 Cor. 4. 15. all things are for your sakes saith the same Apostle Christ himself being the heir of all things both in heaven and earth the fountaine both of grace and comfort brings along with himself all needful accommodations terrestrial celestial whether they concern this life or that which is to come How liberal was Gods love to Abraham
them who will consider it as in other regards so because their love draweth our prayers unto God as need requireth Psal 122. 6 â— 2. From hence they may infallibly conclude their regeneration by special grace Let us love one another saith Saint John for love is of God and every one that loveth 1 Joh. 4. 7. Noscitur ex socio c. 2 Tim. 3 3. is born of God Whereas persons under the power of depraved nature are despisers of them who are good 3. And as they may upon this evidence lay claime to the comforts of grace upon earth so may they raise confidence of future glory in heaven We know that we 1 Joh. 3. 14. have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren Vse 4 The last Use is exhortation wherein two duties might be perswaded First to love Christians because they are like unto Christ and belonging unto him in the nearest relations The holy Ghost is often and earnest in this perswasion 1 Pet. 2. 17. and 3. 8. Col. 3. 14. Love the brotherhood love as brethren and above all things put on charity which is the bond of perfectnesse As helps herein let these meditations be moulded believingly upon your hearts 1. That they are in regard of spiritual beauties the lovelyest people under the Sun Exceeding beautiful The Church is called the fairest among Ezek. 16. 13. Cant. 6. 1. 5. women And this is not the judgement of persons subject to mistakes but even of Christ himself which he gives in again and again both as a ground of his own love and requiring attention unto his testimony Behold thou art Cant. 1. 15 16. and 4. 7. faire my beloved behold thou art faire behold thou art faire yea pleasant Thou art all faire my love there is no spot in thee Therefore that you may beget love in your bosomes towards Saints do not so much pore upon their blemishes as their beauties look rather upon their vertue then their vices as Titus by remembring the obedience rather then the disobedience of the Corinthians found his affections enlarged 2 Cor. 7. 15. towards them 2. That the obligations of love which the Gospel hath laid upon you are many and commanding Here I will only name without enlargement the particulars whereby Saint Paul perswadeth the Christian Ephesians to keep Eph. 4 3 4 5 6 the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace There is one body and one spirit one baptisme one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all 3. That no persons whatsoever have been or are likely to be so useful to your selves and to the publick as these Saints and servants of the most high God This argument Paul presseth upon Philemon to move his affections towards Phil. 11. converted Onesimus because now saith he profitable to thee and me These are repairers of breaches and restorers of paths to Isa 58. 12. Isa 1. 9. dwell in And these are the remnant which if God had not left we should have been like unto Sodom and Gomorrah I forbear to report how they bestead the publick 1. By their prayers As if Moses had not stood up in the breach to turne away Gods wrath Israel had been destroyed Psal 106. 13. 2 And by their presence As God told Lot he could do nothing till he removed from Sodome By this reason Gen. 19. 22. Jonathan speaketh to move Saul's bowels towards David For he did put his life in his hand and slew the Philistine and 1 Sam. 18. 5. the Lord wrought a great salvation for all Israel Secondly I might from this doctrine deale with all sorts by perswasion to endeavour to become godly that they may be admitted as friends into the bosomes of Gods people Although I know that there are higher ends to be intended in undertaking the practice of piety viz. Gods glory and our own salvation yet this consideration under hand would not be slighted if these particulars which I shall onely name were well weighed 1. That the love of Gods people towards us will Phil. 1. 4 6. produce their frequent and fervent addresses unto heaven for us according to our serviceable necessities 1. That their applications unto the Lord are very Job 42. 8. prevalent in regard of their great favour with his Highnesse 2. Their love will work them unto readinesse in any other kinde to serve us with their interests and abilities Heb. 6. 10. counsels and communication of their experiences as opportunity may be offered 3. And their expressions of loving respect may administer some relief unto the faint hopes of self-suspecting soules because they are to be looked upon as best able in regard of their principles and experiments to judge of the spiritual conditions of other Christians I proceed to the third circumstance considerable in the first part of the Text viz. That Christ himself doth testifie the forementioned relation of friendship betwixt Lazarus and himself with his Disciples Our friend Doct. 3 That Jesus Christ knoweth and acknowledgeth them particularly who are friends unto himself and his peculiar people The Lord knoweth them that are his This 2 Tim. 1. 14. knowledge comprehends observation approbation and commemoration As he owned Lazarus here his friend So likewise he did his Disciples under the relation of Matth. 28. 10. brotherhood after his Resurrection Go tell my brethren And since his Ascension into glory such is his respect unto all sanctified ones That he is not ashamed to call them Heb. 10. 11. brethren If more clear Scripture-proof be demanded let these two passages be observed 1. That Christ knoweth who love him while they are alive This is manifest by Peters attestation Lord thou knowest that I love thee Joh. 21. 15 16 17. 2. That the Lord remembreth after the death of his friends that they were so during life As dead Lazarus is thus spoken of Our friend And long after Abrahams decease God speaking of Israel thus expresseth himself The Isa 41. 8. seed of Abraham my friend Reasons I shall only point at the Reasons whence this truth may be concluded 1. God knoweth his friends because himself maketh them so And therefore because he understands his own actions he cannot be ignorant in whose bosomes there Psal 33. 14 15. are these friendly dispositions 2. And God will acknowledge them because he hath undertaken torecompence them He is not unrighteous to forget labours of love Heb. 6. 10. The Application followeth This consideration may be a cooling card unto two sorts of people Vse 1 1. To all them whose consciences bear witnesse that they have no friendly frame of heart unto such godly ones whose holy conversations discover them to be chosen and called out of the world If mens hearts condemn them Gods is greater and knoweth all There will be many 1 Joh. 3. 20. rejected at the last day who
have pretended much respect to Christ Maâ— 7. 22 23. 2. To all those who are ashamed to own Christ in his cause and his friends in their holy conversation for all these our Lord observeth and of them he will be ashamed when he cometh in the glory of Mark 3. 32. his Father with the holy Angels And I leave it to your consideration how miserable their case will be at the last day when Christ who knoweth all his friends and foes shall separate the sheep and the Matth. 25. 32. goats And shall come to execute judgment upon all and to convince all that are ungodly amongst them Jude 15. of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him And of the individual unfriendly neglects of his necessitous servants these must depart with a curse from Christ and go away into everlasting Mat. 25. 41. 46. punishment Vse 2 This truth administreth sweet comfort unto all them who are faithful friends unto the Lord Jesus Christ and his real Relations The testimony of their own consciences 2 Coâ— 1. 12. will in this case reflect refreshing and this will be a great addition unto their comfort that expressions of friendly respect both to God and his servants are thus observed and will be acknowledged The Lord himself to enâ—ourage Israel in captivity giveth them to Jer. 24 5. understand that he will own them in that estate No doubt it was good news to Cornelius when he heard Acts 10. 4. from heaven Thy Prayers and thine Alms are come for a memorial before God So the Psalmist cheareth himself by this consideration I have preached Righteousnesse in the Psal 40 9 10. great Congregation Lo I have not refrained my lips O Lord thou knowest it This consolation will be admirably sweet at two seasons First When we may be injuriously suspected and censured for falsnesse and unfaithfulnesse either to God or to his people How well was it for Mordecai Esther 2. 21. when himself with his Countrey-men were decryed and condemned as enemies to the State that his fidelity in a particular instance was recorded And to bring this home to the knowledge that God taketh of his servants sincerity Jâ—b being reproached Job 23. 10. as an hypocrite hath recourse to this He knoweth the way that I take And Jeremiah being suspected to be one ill-affected towards the place where he lived maketh this appeale to the Lord Jer. 17. 16. I have not desired the wofull day thou knowest Secondly At the day of Judgement when God will measure out unto people according to their wayes The Prophet Malachy having mentioned both Gods hearing the good conferences of such who feare his Name in evil times and the book of Remembrance recording all he addeth And these shall be mine Mal. 3. 16 17. saith the Lord of Hosts in the day when I make up my jewels c. And this cordial is contained in Pauls Prayer for Onesiphorus The Lord give mercy to the house of Onesiphorus for he refreshed me and was 2 Tim. 1. 16 17 18. not ashamed of my chaine But when he was at Rome he sought me diligently and found me The Lord grant unto him that he may finde mercy of the Lord in that day But most comfortable is that full promise of Christ himselfe unto all such who are friendly unto him in his Matth. 25. 34. 40. 46. relations recorded in Matthew 25. from ver 34. to ver 40. from whence these particulars are worthy consideration 1. That he will at the last day remember all the individual offices of friendship to his members and will mention much that themselves never minded And they shall say when saw we thee an hungred Ver. 37. c. 2. That all acts of love and pitty towards his relations even the least and lowest shall be interpreted as a special kindnesse shewed unto himself In as Ver. 40. much as you have done it to one of the least of these my brethren you have done it unto me 3. And the recompence shall be exceeding great Then shall the King say Come ye blessed of my Father inherit Verse 34. 46. the Kingdom prepared for you And the Righteous shall go into eternal life Vse 3 I will conclude this Doctrine and this first part of my Text with a double short Exhortation First to real friendlinesse both unto Christ and to all those who peculiarly belong unto him Suppose ye saw Christ sitting in a chaire of Majesty and heard him speaking thus in the audience of all the inhabitants on earth Who is on my side Let all my faithful friends gather themselves before me In this case would not multitudes come in with professions and protestations of love Now it is thus in truth for our Lord looketh from heaven and considereth exactly who are his friends and who are not Therefore bethink your selves what you will do And if you be content to come in to Christ as faithful friends then befriend for his sake those especially Gal. 6. 10. who are of his houshold for this will be observed and rewarded Therefore my beloved be ye stedfast and 1 Cor. 15. 58. unmovable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord for as much as you know that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. Secondly to beware of all kinds of doubling and hypocrisie both in the profession and practice of love whether towards Christ or faithful Christians It is the admonition of the Apostle Let love be Rom. 12. 9. without dissimulation And the Doctrine is a strong Argument to back it because of the notice which our Saviour taketh thereof Christ himself by this consideration moveth sincerity in all services whether of piety towards God or charity towards men because an eye Matâ—h 6. 4 6. from heaven doth espie whatsoever is done on earth with greatest secrecy This motive will be the more prevalent if we minde Christ who as the Judge of all men will manifest and recompence Luke 12 1 2. 2 Cor. 5. 9 10. their services according to their nature and manner of performance The second part of my Text followeth in the handling whereof I shall be the shorter because I have been so large in the former Lazarus sleepeth In the division of the Text there were three things noted thence which I shall speak unto very briefly in three points of Doctrine Doct. 1 1. That such who are Christs and his peoples friends are subject to death This word Sleepeth is by our Evangelist himself thus Verse 13. Verse 14. expounded Jesus spake of his death and it is added Jesus saith to them plainly Lazarus is dead There is no need of Scripture quotations here because experiences from age to age every where give in sufficient proof of this Truth When the Apostle Heb. 11. 13. had particularized many Worthies
The doleful story of his ruin'd state And his three friends which acted Satans part He on his flesh and these upon his heart Who by disputing him unto a curse Would make his spirits tormeÌ„ts the far worse Were by Gods wise disposal sent to show The strength he on his Champion would bestow Thus Painters put dark grounds where they intend To overlay with finest gold lend By deeper shadows luster to that face On which they mean their choicest skill to place Thus workmen season much with sun wind Those greatest beams which must the building binde Whilst smaler peeces haply are put in When they come bleeding from the wood green Oft where is greatest grace God's pleas'd to send Great conflicts those great graces to coÌ„mend As the six finger'd Giants sword did bring The more renown to little Davids sling The vanquisht Lion and the conquered Bear Prepar'd that holy head a Crown to wear The Angel wrastled first and then did bless And made the greater servant to the lesse Pain was to great for thee Gods grace for pain And made the greater serve the lesse again Thy pains serv'd thee to glory and did sit The head on which a Crown of life must sit This is Gods method to fetch joy from grief To turn our sorrows unto our relief To save by killing and to bring to shore By the ships planks which was quite broke before And thus a barren womb first took the seed Which did six hundred thousand people breed That seed too must from knife and alter rise And be before a fire a sacrifice Great Preacher of thine heavenly Fathers will Thy tongue did many years with Manna fill Thy life out-preacht thy tongue O blessed strife Thy sicknesse the best Sermon of thy life Before each Doctrine must be prov'd anew Thine end was one great proof that all was true Before thou preacht by weeks but now by houres Each minute taught thy mourning Auditors Each patient groan and each beleeving eye Was a new Sermon in Brachygraphy When nature roars without repining words Grace in the mouth wheÌ„ in the bowels swords In midst of torments to triumph o're hell To feel Gods Arrows yet his praises tell Through thickest clouds to see the brightest light In blackest darkness to have clearest sight And with our Lord to cry my God my God Upon a Crosse under the sharpest rod. This is indeed to preach this is to show Faiths triumph over natures greatest wo. Then welcome fiery SerpeÌ„ts scortching sting Which did thee thus to th' brazen Serpent bring Then welcom Whale which though it first devour Renders at last the Prophet to the shore Well might'st thou bear the stone which death did throw Who hadst the white stone the new name to show Wel mightst thou be with such an ulcer calm Whose soul was heal'd before with heavens balm When spirits wounds are cur'd though nature groan An heart of flesh can heal a back of stone Let conscience have her feast and let flesh roare This pain shal make the others joy the more As many times those flowers most fragrant smell Which nearest to soÌ„e noisom weeds do dwel Thus have you seen the forge most clearly glow On which the Smith doth drops of water throw Keen frosts make fire the hotter deep night Causeth coelestial lamps to shine more bright And by a dear Antiperistasis The childs distress sweetens the father kiss A wounded body yields to a sound soul The joys of this do th' others paines controle As in the day that the Sun beams appear All other lesser stars do disappear When heaven shines and divine love doth raign The soul is not at leasure to complain Internal joyes his heart so well composes That they have judg'd their flames a bed of Roses Mr. Gataker Mr. Whitaker But what shall England do from whence are lopt Two of her richest acres to heaven dropt By losse of these two acres shee 's more poor Then if she'had lost a hundred Lordships more 'T were a good purchase to gain these agen By giving to the sea all Lincoln-fen Two little mines of gold do far surpasse Huge Mannors where th' whole vesture is but grasse Learn we by them what al men wil once say One Pearch of heaven 's worth the whole globe of clay Ed. Reynolds D. D. To the memory of Mr. Jeremy Whitaker powerful in Prayer and Preaching pious in life patient in sicknesse c. NAy now forbear for pity sake give o're You that would make the Clergy none or poor We are made miserable enough this year That we have lost our Reverend Whitaker Losâ—e above Deans and Chapters had but he Liv'd stil preacht Ziba take all for me Nay I beleeve had Sacrilegious hands Finger'd our poor Remains of Tyths Lands Whilst he surviv'd they had but sin'd in vain Whitaker would have pray'd them back again As Luther did a young mans soul repeal Giv'n to the Devil under hand and Seal A Chariot and an Horsman we have lost In whose each single pray'r incamptan Host How have I heard him on some solemn day When doubtful War could make all London pray Mount up to heav'n with armed crys tears And rout as far as York the Cavileers Have you not seen an early-rising Lark Spring from her turf making the Sunne her mark Shooting her self aloft yet higheâ— higher Till she had sung her self into heav'ns Quire Thus would he rise in pray'r and in a trice His soul become a Bird of Paradise And if our faint devotions prayers be What can we call his lesse then Extasie On his Preaching If with th' Almighty he prevailed so Wonder not that he wonders wrought below The son of consolation and of thunder Met both in him in â—thers are asunder He was like Luke Physitian of both kindes Wrought cures upon mens bodies and their mindes The falling sicknesse of Apostasie Dropsie of drunkennesse prides trimpany The Megrim of opinions new or old Palsy of unbelief Charities Cold Lusts burning Feaver Anger 's Calenture The Collick in the conscience he could cure Set the souls broken boneâ— by holy Art He hath dissolv'd the stone in many a heart Harder then that he dy'd of O come in Yee multitudes whom he hath heal'd of sin And thereby made his debtors pay him now Some of those tears which he laid out for you Interest-tears I mean for should you all Weep over him both use and principal 'T would wash away the stone which covers him And make his Coffin like an Ark to swim Now wipe thine eyes my Muse and stop thy verse Thy ink can only serve to black his herse Yet stay I 'le drop one tear sigh one sigh more 'T is this Although my Poetry be poor O what a mighty Prophet should â— be Had this Elija's mantle falne to me Oh might I live his life I 'de be content His sore diseases too should me torment And if his Patience could mine become I would not be afraid
a friend lies sleeping in the dust The blessed Saint dear Jeremy is gone And who shall write his lamentation Had we his eyes which always showry were Such is our loss each word should have a tear Another Whitaker in a Coffin plac'd The first the Chair this the Pulpit grac'd Reader would'st know his worth then cast thy eye Upon the Narrative there 's his excellency Rings hold not Histories who can rehearse His vast perfection in a narrow Verse Take Vertues Graces Gifts and all you can All are concentred in this holy man A brighter star in all our orb there 's none None do exceed few equal him that 's gone Ah pious soul What mortal man can speak out Thy rare humility Who ere meanly thought Of thee besides thy self What mov'd thy passions But Eulogies and Commendations 'T is well th' art gone from us shouldst thou but look Into and read thy praises in this book I 'm sure by this thou would'st be somewhat moved And Simeon himself should be reproved He speaks thy worth so much yet but little 'T is scarce enough but true to every tittle Thy personal endowments who would commend Should neither know where to begin nor end Thy Minister'al accomplishments were rare Thy constant pains thy diligence thy care For souls in holy things who can expresse Thou might'st have longer liv'd had'st thou liv'd lesse O melting Suppliant who e're did know Thy prayers to heaven without some tears to go The secret ravishings which poor souls have found When from thy mouth the Word of life did sound Our very Pulpits wonder where thou art In which thou didst such spiritual gifts impart But 't is enough we 'l weep the rest we can Launch out no farther in this Ocean Could prayers and teares have kept thee here thy stay It had been longer in this house of clay Pray'r barr'd thee in some time till death would throw Open the door by force to let thee go At last thy soul did finde the way to blisse And now is steep'd in heavens happinesse O blessed change for thee the painful bed Is now a Throne where not a tear is shed No dismal groaÌ„ings now from thee do come But everlasting Triumphs in their room Farewel blest Saint farewel and since 't is thus We 'l hast to thee thou wilt not come to us THO. JACOMB of M. Ludg. Vpon the death of the reverend Learned and Faithful Servant of Jesus Christ Mr. Jeremiah Whitaker late Minister of Magdalene Bermonsey in Southwark WHat speaks this sudden storm of brinish teares What means this doleful volley in mine ears Is the Sun darkned Do the Lamps above Resolve their fiery station to remove And shine no more on earth Doth the Creation Intend to melt it self with Lamentation The holy Whitaker is stept away Late Angel of the Church of Bermonsey A Pillar in Gods house a sweet Musitian That gladded drooping hearts A soul-Physician A Sun whose beams did consolation shine A faithful skilful guide a rare Divine He was a Watchman could not wel be blamed A workman needed not to be ashamed No Proteus that could change to every shape No servile spirited Preacher that could scrape And cringe to please the lusts of wanton men He could not say and then unsay agen Learned yet very humble prudent dear To God to men meek holy wise sincere He lov'd the Truth he hated Heresie A strong opposer of all Blasphemy His heart was toward a holy Reformation But set against a godlesse toleration Of lewd Opinions Great was his care To keep the holy Covenant which he sware The marrow of Gods O acles was iâ— him No Scripture Mystery was hidden from him Cases of Conscience he could well unty Scruples and Doubts from Scripture satisfie His holy Function was his consolation His Pulpit work to him was recreation His pray'rs were zealous heavenly steep'd in teare His Doctrine Orthodox convincing clear Ful of the spirit of life and Power his words Did pierce like nailes did cut like sharpned swords He durst tell Ahab of his great oppression What! dost thou kill and after take possession He durst tell Herod though it cost his life 'T is wickednesse to take thy brothers wife Had strangers heard him Preach they would have sed Sure John the Baptist's risen from the dead His carriage holy harmlesse free from strife His Sermons were imprinted in his life His body was infirm diseased weary His soul still vigorous active strong and cheary The more the Cabinet did waste and wear The brighter did the Jewel stil appear Goodness of nature made the world admire him The brightness of his grace made Saints desire him The Church on earth hath lost a precious plant The Church in heaven hath gain'd a glorious Saint Ra. Robinson Minister of Mary Wolnoth Lumbard street London Jeremiah Whitaker ANAGRAM I have hit everi Mark THou didst not shoot at rovers in the dark Thy polisht shaft could hit the smallest mark Gods glory was thy scope his Word thy guide His stable Spirit did teach thee to divide The word of truth aright A signal Teacher An useful pious fruitful powerful Preacher God made thee to his Chuâ—th None better knew Then Whitaker to carve to each his due The mark of saving grace was first obtain'd And now the mark of glory thou hast gain'd Enjoy it and let other Archers see Thy happy pattern and take aim by thee Ra. Robinson Minister of Mary Wolnoth Lombardstreet London Vpon the death of his most dear friend that eminent servant and Minister of Jesus Christ Mr. Jeremiah Whitaker Pastor of Mary Magdalen Bermonsey in Southwark THus Cedars fall thus Stars do disappear Prophets though Angels yet but mortals are Our Prophet Jeremy's dead and now there 's none That 's fit to make his Lamentation Plato once wisht that vertue could appear To mortal eyes his wish was granted here If any Breviator would comprize All vertues in a word then let his eyes Be fixed here keep Whitaker in minde And there you have the vertues all defin'd Or would you know what all the graces are In short hand writing they make Whitaker Would any have the Bible in a word And what the vastest comments can afford Read Whitakers Works peruse his conversation And there 's the Bible and th' Interpretation That Book was in his brest so well ingrost He could restore it if it had been lost He that by thee blest Saint shall calculate Will finde that Miracles are not out of dare Who e're was so far blest to hear him teaching Was prone to think a Seraphim was preaching 'T was Austin's wish i'th'Pulpit Paul to hear He had been satisfied hadst thou been there Me thought when thy sweet soul was poured out In fervent prayer I began to doubt Whether Elias was come down again And mounting heaven-ward with his fiery train In this thou didst excel he scal'd the sort Alone but thou thy hearers didst transport But whither goes my doleful Muse to