this assertion because 't is not my business to preach a worldly Lecture But observe it therefore in Spirituals There 's not any one now perisheth under the Gospel but if he had or would comply with the strivings of the Spirit he might be saved You will say 't is only the Elect shall be saved I say so to But add then There is not any one in the World 〈…〉 can prove he is not elected I grant 't is easie to prove that they are not yet effectually called but who can prove they never shall be Though Salvation be of Grace yet Damnation is onely for Sin There 's not any one in the World ever was or shall be damned onely because he was not elected Do you therefore catch at the offer of Salvation and let not one offer slip Perhaps you 'll say this Counsel is too late you have let many slip Well but be intreated to slip no more cast thy self at the feel of Christ in a way of Duty and there humbly resolve to live and die I do once more in the name of my Master invite and adjure thee to accept of this offer do not neglect it it may be thy last thou canst not of thy self close with it call in help from the Spirit of God take Provocation and Encouragement from the Apostles way of urging it Phil. 2.12,13 Work out your own Salvation with fear and trembling for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure V. Prop. V. The present time is always the fittest for the present Duty What is our present Duty There are preculiar Seasons for particular Duties Eccles 8.6 Because there is a time and season for every work therefore the Misery of Man is great upon him Here it is that we blunder and run our selves into confusion in perverting our Duties in doing that first which should be last and putting off that to the last which should be first Mat. 6.33 Seek ye first the Kingdom of God We tire our selves in hunting after the World and when we are weary we would have rest not in Heaven that 's a Holy place possest by holy Inhabitants Holiness is hated about all things let it be called Heaven but let it be a Turkish Paradice a place of freedom from Misery and an enjoyment of sensual Delights Thus we pervert both means and end and while out our life in a Dream till we awake in Hell At best we lose our Tyde and then must row against it all the way Whereas the hardest Duties of Religion did we but mind their season would be made graciously natural to us 1. Consider what help God ordinarily affords for present Duty which if that be neglected he sometimes offers it not again Should we reflect upon the Duty God now injoined in this Verse and remember what God did to their immediate Ancestors Numb 13.31,32 V. 30. And. Caleb stilled the People and said Let us go up at once and possess it for we are well able to overcome it v. 31. But the Men that went up with him said we are not able to go up against the People for they are stronger than we compare this with Num. 14.37,40 v. 37. Those Men that did bring up the evil Report upon the Land died by the Plague before the Lord v. 40. The People rose up early in the morning and got them up into the top of the Mountain saying Lo we be here and will go up into the place which the Lord hath promised for we have sinned The sum of the Story is this 't was their Duty to go presently and take possession of Canaan Those that discouraged them to this Duty God struck them dead suddenly This startles the Survivors they did but sleep upon it or rather wake upon it one night on the very morrow morning they 'll go to rights to Canaan No 't is too late God refuseth the Conduct of them there 's never a Man of them shall ever see Canaan Think of this over again 2. The oftener present Help for present Duty is neglected the more likely it is that God is upon his departure from such a People Jer. 16.21 Therefore behold I will this once cause them to know I will cause them to know mine hand and my might and they shall know that my Name is the Lord q. d. once for all and I 'll trouble my self with them no more And now God saith My Servant Brand is dead Perhaps some may be ready presently to say Will you compare him with Moses It is said Deut. 34.10 There arose not a Prophet since in Israel like unto Moses whom the Lord knew face to face You may observe several Persons are commended in Scripture as Non-such Persons for some peculiar Excellency wherein they excelled others though some in other things excelled them e. g. 2 Kings 18.5,6 Hezekiah trusted in the Lord God of Israel so that after him was none like him among all the Kings of Judah nor any that were before him c. For trusting in God without calling in Heathenish Succours none like him So of Josiah 2 Kings 23.25 Like unto him was there no King before him that turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might according to all the Law of Moses neither after him arose there any like him For his diligent care to root out Idolatry and establish the true Religion none like him And of John Christ saith Mat. 11.11 Among them that are born of Women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist Other Prophets prophesied of Christ to come John Baptist could point to him and say Joh. 1.29 Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the Sin of the World He could shew him to be already come And the blessed Apostle saith of the Galatians Gal. 4.14 My temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not nor rejected but received me as an Angel of God even as Christ Jesus q. d. If Christ Jesus himself had come amongst you you could not have been more kind to him then you were to me In a word I will grant Moses excell'd all the Prophets not only in the Sublimeness of his Prophesie but in the Excellency and Multitude of his Miracles In one Age he wrought Seventy six Miracles when all that were wrought from the Beginning of the World to the Destruction of the first Temple were but seventy four as some of the Jewish Masters count them Moses had an Hundred seventy three Colloquies with God which we read not of all Prophets besides But yet if you will consider Mr. Brand though I compare him not with Moses in the forementioned Particulars yet I could mention more than I dare I 'll therefore wave all that I have to say and come to that which I would and should come to after all that can be said and that is Application Application I
THE LIFE AND FUNERAL SERMON Of the Reverend Mr. Thomas Brand. BY Dr. SAMVEL ANNESLEY Phil. ii 20. I have no Man like minded who will naturally care for your State LONDON Printed for Iohn Dunton at the Raven in the Poultrey 1692. To the Honourable the Lady Bridget Roberts Grace be with you Mercy and Peace srom God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of the Father in Truth and Love 2 John 3. MADAM THIS Eminent Saint now in Glory having been sixteen Years your Soul guide to the eternal Advantage of your self and dearest Relations and your House being as it were the Sanctuary for Divine Worship for the spreading of Religion through the Country This cannot but render his Memory to you precious and you may expect that as they had the Benefit of his Ministry from your House they should receive the Memoirs of it from your Hands I make no Apology at all for what 's In the Narrative but only for what 's left out I am perhaps so needlesly scrupulous of offending any that perhaps I may eventually please none Be it so 'T is Spiritual Profit I aim at if I can but hereby provoke and encourage to what is deservedly imitable I gain my point I shall say nothing particularly to your self should I speak any good of you though never so true 't would look like Flattery which I abhor and to speak ill of you with Truth is beyond the Power of your most captious Enemies if you have any such Go on therefore as you have begun practically to remember the sound Doctrine and Non-such Example set before you which is beyond any thing that can be said or done by me I shall always add my poor Prayers that in so doing you and yours may be blessed in both Worlds Though this may by some be accounted the least Yet this is really the most that can be done by Madam Your Ladiship 's most hearty tho' most worthless Servant Samuel Annesley To my deservedly honoured Friend Mr. John Brand the only Brother of Reverend Mr. Tho. Brand now sleeping in Jesus Grace Mercy and Peace be multiplied SIR MY delay of this ill drawn Portraiture is utterly inexcusable I 'll lie down therefore under the Censure of it to be so long in tacking together so short a Story which though it be true and that is all the good that can be said of it yet 't is pity such Truths should be exposed so despicably naked as to have no fashionable Ornament to render it acceptable some being first taken with the Dress and that insinuates the Matter To this I 'll say not a word for my self and but a few to the Subject I am more than a Witness how sollicitous you were in fitting your Brother for the Ministry he came first into the World but I think you were first in Christ Pardon me for giving a hint of your Soul travel for his New birth I cannot forget how restless you were till you had brought his troubled Soul to a well grounded Peace Jer. 2.2 I remember and Christ much more the Kindness of your Youth with what zeal you set out your Race Go on dear Sir go on with a growing Vigor It is not long since you thought to have been in Heaven before your Brother but he hath got the start of you and hath left you such an Example which is more to you than to any one else in the World follow him close thô I hope you will come late to Heaven in his Piety Charity and Usefulness all manner of ways That none may complain his Ministerial Labours only excepted that Mr. Thomas Brand is dead while Mr. John Brand lives And O that he may live in your Posterity that you and yours may be the Blessed of the Lord from one Generation to another So prays Dear Sir Your Soul-servant Samuel Annesley The LIFE Of the Reverend Mr. THOMAS BRAND WOuld to God you could bear with me a little in my folly and indeed bear with me 2 Cor. 11.1 for I have undertaken what I can no way perform so much as to my own much less to others satisfaction when the collecting of some Memorables of Mr. Brand's Life was desired of me I too suddainly consented not sufficiently considering what Difficulties beset me Namely some things of greatest moment must not be mention'd at all either some Persons or Times will not bear it in other things Places and Persons upon the same Reasons must not be named and of those things which may be spoken where they can't be mention'd without commending of him others of name will count themselves reproach'd and what scapes these difficulties is attended by another which tho' it be really better 't is in some respects worse 't is that which Christ charged the Jews with Joh. 8.45 because I tell you the truth you believe me not So when I shall mention somewhat done by him which perhaps was never done by any before those that have Faith enough to save their Souls may want Faith to credit such a Relation tho' attested by such evidence which is in its kind infallible What shall I do must I shall I yes I will venture out a crippled Discourse which will present you with somewhat worthy your acceptation and let that procure your pardon for the mangling the rest His Birth Mr. Thomas Brand was born at Leaden Roothing in the County of Essex in the Year 1635. his Father was Mr. Thomas Brand a Dignitary of the Church of England the mentioning of this unavoidably leads me to obviate the only plausible Objection against his being so zealous a Dissenter to which I need say but this His chief Zeal was neither for nor against any Party whatsoever but for the vigorous promoting of the sound Knowledge of those Doctrines wherein we are all agreed and of that Holiness which we all commend tho' too few practice And this right Christian Temper he exercised towards the Conforming Clergy He spake honourably of the Piety and Learning of some and never let fly indecent Reflections or bitter Invectives against any but maintained and encreased this commendable Moderation all his Life Those who were intimately acquainted with him could not perceive his leaning to any Party whatsoever but when any Discourse tended to partiality he did industriously divert it to downright Godliness or to somewhat useful to promote it He was never without some Project for doing good and could as soon cease to live as cease to be attempting the doing good to Souls More particularly His School He was sent to School to Bishop Starford where how soon I can't say he attain'd to such an accuracy of Grammar-Learning that he made good use of it to the great Benefit of others whom he would critically examin upon all occasions throughout the Course of his Life scarce any young Scholar whom he occasionally met with but hath felt it He well apprehending as other learn'd Men
most high you are the Children of Adoption and Heaven is yours by Inheritance Col. 2.6,7 As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk ye in him Root'd and built up in him and stablished in the Faith as ye have been taught abounding therein with Thanksgiving III. III. To Youth 'T was to Young ones Mr. Brand delighted to speak in some respect above all others to these was his Heart most enlarged and his Tongue most fluent and 't is to these my Tongue and Pen are most streightned my consciousness to my self of coming short of him in every thing but most in this of his holy Oratory to Youth that Text almost frights me from saying any thing Job 6.15 How forcible are right words But what doth your arguing avail Not but that I am willing to imitate him and wish that my words might be his Eccho in more then repeating a little of that he hath spoken and longer than for a short time and with more than a vanishing faintness I heartily wish that the Spirit of God would bring things to your remembrance that you might not only thrô strength of Memory but through strength of Grace remember the Counsel he gave you what Questions he put to you upon the Questions of your Catechism and what Answers he so prompted you to make as to make them your own what youthful Sins and Temptations he warned you against and how he prest you to early Piety How he encouraged you from Christ's being the Childrens advocate against their captious Accusers for following him with Hosannahs Christ applying that of the Psalmist to them that Psal 8.2 God by them did still the Enemy and the Avenger i. e. they did more to the Detriment of the Devil's Kingdom than most others I hope you will never forget with what evidence of Reason with what warmth of Affection with what conviction of Conscience he bespoke you for Christ I hope you cannot but remember Here was his Heart here were his hopes here was his sleeping waking Thoughts his sleeping thoughts his last thoughts when he went to sleep his waking thoughts his first thoughts when he wak'd in the Morning here was his plodding praying thoughts his plodding thoughts how he might do good to the next Generation his praying thoughts that God would direct and bless unwearied his Endeavours You know how sollicitous he was to give you suitable Instruction and how desirous that you might drink it in as the Earth the Rain In short I cannot express pray do you endeavour that you may practically conceive how he did as it were travel over you that might be the Comfort of the present and the Blessing of the next Generation But now 2 Kings 2.3,9 God hath taken away your Master from your Head this day you shall never more skip for joy at his approaching presence you shall never more be cheared with his holy Charms you shall never more be provoked by his irresistible Perswasion Methinks you can do no less then cry to God for what Elisha askt of Elijah a double portion of his Spirit not twice so much as he had I know not whether that may be expected on this side Glory but as the first-born in dividing of Inheritances twice so much as any of the Brethren of the Family so twice so much as those who have not had such helps You will be great losers if your gain be not proportionable to your Talents Great are our Expectations from you if you do not bestir your selves to be exemplary for Piety and Vsefulness good and bad will justly blame you the good will mournfully bewail their disappointment they are big with hopes that those who were the chief of his Care and Charge should stand up in his stead and make it their business to do that by many hands which he did alone that the Church may be no loser by his death The bad will with triumph scorn you which is a dreadful way of real blaming of you as degenerate Plants there needed no such cost and care to make you like them How will you bear such dagging upbraidings But in short how will you answer it to my Master You must give another kind of account to him than you did to Mr. Brand the account he called you to was such that what was faulty might be amended and what was defective might be made up But when Christ shall call you to an account you know not how soon that will be the State of Preparation will be over there will be no more no not a Minutes space for Repentance no place of rectifying Mistakes Now now is your time your only time your fleeting perishing expiring time Therefore answer the Convictions of your own Consciences now make Conscience of the performing the Promises you have made to God and him Now do that in a way of Faith and Holiness that Christ may say to you Well done good and faithful Servants enter you into the Joy of your Lord. FINIS Elogies were sent in all the Languages Christ's Epitaph was written if I may so call the Inscription upon his Cross but I 'll only present you with these Vpon Reverend Mr. Brand. T he helpfullest of Ministers and Saints H is Work God blest with Grace or with restraints O n those who felt neither of these effects M uch may they fear their hardning for neglects A ll sorts who knew him best they him most pris'd S trangers alone they were who him despis'd B ehold Report Admire never Disdain R ead'ly to imitate him Heaven to gain A ll worldly Happiness it shrinks before N ever to vy in competition more D eath is at hand to open you the Door t' a Wake eXhort proVokes the Vse o' th' Story DeCeMber the first he Was taken to Glory ◠A. Vpon Reverend Mr. Brand. WHen Primitive Devotion Zeal and Love Fled back to th' Ark like Noah's weary Dove Heav'n left some Sparks behind to let us see What once we were and still we ought to be Some few good Men and this was one to save A sinking World not only just but brave Nobly he stemm'd the Tide vast Seas roll by And dash the Rock but could not mount so high The firm Foundation could not sink or start 'T was deep and sure a meek and humble Heart The noisy Bar the Road to Wealth and Fame He shuns those gawdy Toys below his aim The despis'd Gospel all his Thoughts did claim Nor rashly did the sacred Charge invade He chose it as an Office not a Trade Trembling the weighty Task he undertook But when engag'd did never backward look His Zeal alike well plac'd and well design'd Neither luke-warm nor raging cold nor blind Sworn to no Party in no Interest he But that of common Christianity So sweet so affable his Mind and Face He prov'd Good-nature was no Foe to Grace His Charity like Heav'ns confin'd to none Not even the worst but shar'd his Rain and Sun Tho'
Cull out the Best Here all invite On Free-cost or for Colour ask their Mite Who Starving yet his Treat accepted not Pag. 57 58. Till they might seem at least to Pay their shot Spred thus the Sacred Writ more common grew Yet better known was held more Sacred too None Bought more Truth or Weightier than he None would less Sell or Give it out more Free The Happy Scheme that Great Assembly drew Pag. 46. By England's publick Doctrine wouched True By Ireland's Learned Primate voted best With Cumber's for the Temple Service drest Sent out by Thousands lodged every where Freely to Teach God's Knowledge and his Fear VIII That Hundred thousand times repeated Call Answer'd by Thousands yet not heard by all Directions too with Now or Never prest And many more by Everlasting Rest Commended he from the Great Baxter's Pen Spred in an Age how blest with two such Men He at the Head of Twenty thousand Guides Pag. 55. Drew after those as many more besides All Offering Freely or at lowest Price To lead Men to the Heavenly Paradise Pink Caley Wade Dent Scudder's Daily Walk Pag. 56. With Reyner's Rule and to prevent a Balk The Vindication of that Godliness They Teach some Mock few Live thô most profess These giv'n to make Men Practically Wise Pag. 57. To such a Word Polemick might suffice Pool against that which Most Worst Errors does comprize With more and larger Volumes showing forth At once their Authors and the Donor's worth Some in the Plainer Dress of Charity Others to Court Acceptance by the Eye Here Golden Drops but there a Learned Show'r Into some Students Laps he 'd frankly pour IX His Purse as free as were his constant Pains Souls to deliver from their Captive Chains On froward Patients backward Clients He Would rare Advice bind with as rare a Fee Answer'd their Need or honour'd their Degree Whilst he the Body fed Twice Welcome Guest Whose Soul would Welcome its Presented Feast They whom his Cost could fit for an Employ Civil or Sacred were his Crown his Joy The Care and Charge of num'cous Churches he Sustained by Apostilick Charity As first he rais'd the People Pastor Place Which oft his Pains would help his Presence grace The Catechist he planted every where And oft would be throughout his ample Sphere Hir'd not a few to Teach more to be Taught Books for the most and Time for many Bought Outdoing Mammer's Pay the Poor had earn'd While they God's Work their Christian Calling Learn'd Conform to Christ He to enrich the Poor Made himself so Would still exhaust his store As that came on his Bounty did advance Reserving but the Entail'd Inheritance A Root of Growing Liberality Which whilst he liv'd was certain not to Die May but his Spirit with that Mantle go And Charity shall never fail below His Income all Return'd each Year above Put out to Use by Acts of Faith and Love He 's now admiring in its vast Encrease Made sure for ever Crown'd with joyful Peace X. How Blessed he who only would receive Of Heaven's Free Gift that he might freely give God's Almoner a Bishop thô no Peer To Church and Poor a Just kind Overseer He knew his Order free for Marriage-bands Was Free in them they could not Tie his hands A Match for him by Heaven's Care design'd He found Well-fitted to his Generous Mind Thus Clear of Popish feigned Chastity Did ev'n their Fame of Charity outvy Thô 〈◊〉 can scarce be told his Right-hand did Which from his Left industriously was Hid. Children he had Born not for Earth but Heav'n To him that gave them so intirely given The Covenant for them so Improv'd and Prest God took them Early Ripe to Endless Rest Thus was he still Surviving Glorify'd He walke his liv'd with God And when he dy'd Left a Name better than of Children here Souls Born to God and Nurtur'd in his Fear XI His Care for Heaven was He Heaven's Care Pag. 62 64. None should be set or he escape the Snare Once Way-laid to be seiz'd Hell's Prisoner Made Heaven's at Large just till the Coast was clear 'T was fit His Feet should hold their Liberty Whose Tongue Hand Purse to Hell's despite were free But Ah! He spent himself too Lavishy His Body â—…'d not Respite scarce Repair Souls did so far Engross his Time and Care Till forced less to Work he seem'd Confin'd Earth grew a Prison to his Heav'nly Mind His Three Years Weakness and continued Pain Hung on his active Soul a heavy Chain Foâ—…'d in the Feverish Fire of Native heat By Pious Travel rous'd enrag'd by Damping Wet His Legs now Fetter'd Swell Thrô ev'ry Part Pain ran in vain Pursu'd by Medick Art Yea thô it sometimes made a daring Halt As from his Side the Vitals to Assault Or fixed like thô since 't is fully known His Temperament had nothing of the Stone An Asthma too Essay'd to stop his Breath What Skill could Loose such Twisted Bands of Death XII He meekly follow'd as his Captain Led In doing and by Suffering Perfected Sence overwhelm'd Faith was his Ease and Rest His Soul in Patience quietly possest Humbly ador'd God's Love and long'd to see The Face so sought by Faith Hope Charity He Greatest in this Greatest of the Three Misgiving Fear could not his Torment prove Who was ev'n here so Perfect grown in Love When Work he might not Fain he 'd go to Rest Could choose to be Dissolv'd as far the Best Prepar'd as one Wise even to Presage That Midnight-Cry which Câ—…'d him off the Stage Who like his Saviour thrô him Crucify'd But Easier far a Bleeding Victor dy'd And went in Triumph to Heav'n's Wedding-Feast If Love be Welcome there a Welcome Guest The Honour due to such a Memory Must lay a Tax on all Posterity A Minor Prophet and a far less Poet For his own Age alone can never show it Men Christians Ministers so many Made More by his means Improv'd yet more Essay'd With all who Owe a Service to that Lord He so well Serv'd should their best Aids afford His Name with just Acknowledgments to Grace And with his Vertues fill the vacant Place This Composition needs must fall too Law All I can Pay is not the Tythe J. O. To the READER On the BOOK REad here the Effigies of a lovely Soul Compos'd with a mysterious Harmony Of what soe're was great and good Behold The Parts rude draught the curious Texture he Alone that formed it so good With that same Wisdom understood A Soul too pure to act a Body here Too great to be confin'd to a Clod of Earth And shackling dull Mortality to bear Impatient to be gone as 't was for birth Too resolutely brisk by far To keep 's frail Cottage in repair Blest Martyr so I dare that Hero call As well as those who mount the Heav'n by fire Who sacrifices quiet Life and all Pusht on by uncontroulable desire To serve the Lord thy Mem'ry shall Without our Praises grateful be till this vast Fabrick fall J. E. FINIS