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land_n	great_a	life_n	time_n	1,561	5	3.0874	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A32087	A funeral sermon preached upon occasion of the decease of the eminently pious Mrs. Elizabeth Williams, late wife of Mr. Daniel Williams, who departed this life, June the 10th, 1698, Ætat 62 with some account of her exemplary character taken for the most part out of her own papers / by Edmund Calamy.	Calamy, Edmund, 1671-1732.	1698 (1698)	Wing C272; ESTC R29171	36,308	112

A Funeral Sermon PREACHED Upon Occasion of the Decease of The Eminently Pious Mrs. Elizabeth Williams Late Wife of the Reverend Mr. Daniel Williams Who Departed this Life Iune the 10 th 1698. Aetat 62. With some Account of Her Exemplary Character Taken for the most Part out of Her own Papers By EDMVND CALAMY LONDON Printed for I. Lawrence at the Angel in the Poultry over against the Compter 1698. To My Much Honoured FRIEND The Reverend Mr. DANIEL WILLIAMS Reverend Sir IF the PRESENT which I here make You should occasion any Renewal of Your Grief You know where to Charge it Though I should Hope a repeated Reflection on Your Deceased Yoke-fellows Correspondence both in Temper and Practise with the Instances and Patterns propos'd for Imitation in the Text which I with Your Approbation fixt on for the Subject of the Ensuing Discourse might administer Consolation and Refreshment FOR it cannot but be very comfortable to have so good Grounds to believe that at the same Time when withdrawn from You She was remov'd out of a troublesome World into that Better Countrey which had Her Heart so long before Where She hath unspeakably better Friends and better Entertainments than this World was ever capable of affording Her and that without any mixture or fear of Change IT hath pleas'd GOD Sir that in the midst of a great many signal Mercies You have met with a Variety of Difficulties and Troubles some of which have been attended with very uncomfortable Circumstances I take this Opportunity to join with You in heartily Rejoicing and Blessing Him who hath so wonderfully supported You under and so comfortably carry'd You through all hitherto Methinks You had a peculiar Mercy under the most Furious Assaults of those envenom'd Spirits who combin'd together sometime since to blast Your Reputation of some of whom 't is sufficiently evident that they aim'd at giving a Wound to the Ministry in General through Your Sides in having such a Domestick Instance of Exemplary Patience in Your Dear Consort Who though deeply Affected and not free from just Resentments of their Inhumanity especially in Charging You with Vnkindness to Her who ever retain'd a most thankful Sense of Your endearing Love and Tenderness yet carried it all along with that evenness of Temper that Christian Composure and Vndauntedness being fully satisfi'd from first to last of the Groundlessness of their malicious Insinuations as seem'd wonderful to all who knew and observ'd Her I am persuaded You then reap'd much Comfort and Benefit as from the serious Supplications of Your Loving Flock and many other Christian Friends on Your behalf so also from Hers Particularly which were sent Vpwards with a peculiar Tenderness and Fervour And Your Loss of Her Prayers by Her Removal is with me and I doubt not with You much more of considerable Account WOVLD the most Angry and Censorious but take the Pains to peruse and have the Patience seriously to consider those Genuine and Vnaffected Breathings of a gracious Heart a Gospel Spirit and truly Christian Temper which I have inserted in the Annexed Character of the Deceased out of Her own Papers I could not but Hope if they had any remaining Tincture of Sober-mindedness they would see the Folly of Inveighing against that sort of Ministry either as Legal or Vn-Evangelical which GOD so blesses and makes use of to Form Christians of such a Make and Spirit and Temper If not let them go on and see what they 'l get by it in the Issue And although while they persist in this Course I am well assur'd they are doing the Devils Work yet all the Hurt I wish them is that they may not in the Event fall short of Her whose Character is here faithfully though imperfectly given and others of the like Stamp to whom GOD is pleas'd so remarkably to bless that sort of Ministry which they with so much bitterness Censure and Condemn MAY You Sir If it be the Will of GOD shine the Brighter the more others study to Eclipse you May the Devil who is too subtle to Rage most where his Interest is least Assaulted find You through Divine Assistance the more effectually supplanting and undermining his Kingdom the more Opposition he raises against You May You be more and more fixt out of the reach of Envy and Bitterness Rage and Malice May the Exemplariness of Your Life and Carriage silence all the Calumnies of Your Adversaries And the Eminent Success of Your Ministerial Labours more and more Confirm the Truth of the Doctrine You deliver May You still have fresh Supports afforded suitable to Your Tryals and Exigencies And long remain an Instance of Publick Spiritedness and Integrity in a wretchedly Selfish Age May You have an abundant Reward above and have Your Memory when You are gone to Rest blest here Below This is the Hearty Prayer Of SIR Your Unworthy Fellow-Labourer in the Work of the Gospel E. CALAMY A Funeral SERMON HEB. XI xvi But now they desire a better Countrey that is an Heavenly wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God for he hath prepared for them a City THESE Words may be consider'd under a double Aspect Either as particularly relating to the Old Patriarchs of whom the Apostle is in this Place discoursing Or As they are equally applicable to any who tread in their Steps in After-Times Either as peculiarly meant of the Fore-Fathers of the Iewish Nation Or as generally regarding all who are acted by a like Faith with them All who are heartily Listed in the Service of the same GOD and stand in the same Relation to Him whose common Spirit and Temper Honour and Happiness is here exemplify'd and illustrated Consider'd the former of these ways Three Things in them deserve Observation I. The Character given of those Ancient Worthies Abraham Isaac and Iacob concerning whom 't is asserted That they desir'd a better Countrey that is an Heavenly II. A comfortable Inference drawn from that Character Wherefore GOD was not asham'd to be call'd their GOD. III. The Manifestation of the Truth of that Inference GOD shew'd he was not asham'd of that Name in that he had prepar'd for them a City These Three things duly weigh'd and consider'd will give a sufficient insight into the sense of the Words according to their Primitive and Original Intention which once settled will make way for the Doctrinal Observations they afford with their suitable Improvement I. Begin we then with considering the Character here given of the Old Patriarchs Abraham Isaac and Iacob of whom 't is asserted That They desired a better Countrey that is an Heavenly Abraham upon a Call of GOD had forsaken his Native Countrey his Kindred Friends and Paternal Inheritance which are naturally very dear and valuable and taken his Progress towards an unknown Land which he upon the Divine Promise believ'd would in time become the Possession of his Posterity While there he had a Son and Grand-Son born to him who were

Inferrence which stands thus GOD show'd He was not asham'd to be call'd their GOD in that He had prepar'd for them a City A CITY This is the same with that better Heavenly Countrey of which in the fore-going part of the Verse they are said to be so desirous Heaven is exprest to us in the Sacred Scriptures by sundry Metaphorical Resemblances Sometimes it s call'd a Paradise or Garden because of its santness and delightfulness But there being in a Garden no fixt abode 't is called an House which hath conveniency for fixing But an House may be too strait for the number of Inhabitants and therefore 't is here called a City and elsewhere in this Chapter and in many other Places But least any should think of being incommoded for want of Room and Air 't is here also call'd a Countrey And because a City or Countrey may be destitute of the Glory that attends a Court 't is call'd a Kingdom And the Design of these and all other the different ways of Representation us'd in this Case is to satisfie us that the Place and State prepar'd by GOD for the Everlasting Entertainment of His Faithful Servants hath all things in it that can be really needful or useful delightful or entertaining comfortable or desirable to Persons advanc'd to that Degree of Perfection which they shall be rais'd unto THIS City is prepar'd Herein there is an Allusion to the manner of disposing Colonys into Cities and Towns Before the actual settling of which all things are usually ready prepar'd for their Habitation and Entertainment Consonantly whereto 't is intimated that in this Case GOD was fully provided with whatsoever was requisite to the Eternal Rest and Blessedness of these His Servants That He had made such Provision for them as was abundantly sufficient to answer all the Ends of His being their GOD or being so called BUT wihhal it is to be observ'd That this Preparation necessarily also includes and supposes the Interposition of Christ the Mediator by whom this City was to be procured and purchas'd And also the Influence of the Divine Spirit to prepare these Candidates for that perfectly Holy State in which much more of the Happiness of Heaven lies than in the Glorys of the Place Which Spirit is supposed to work Faith in them and by sanctifying them to prepare for Possession and Enjoyment FOR these Blessed Patriarchs was this City prepar'd For them and not for others Not because they merited it and others not but because through the Influence of Divine Grace they earnestly minded desir'd and sought it despis'd all Earthly Felicity in Comparison of it and thought nothing too much to undergo in the way to it For them was a Blessed Home prepar'd above who never thought themselves at Home while here on Earth For them who were all their Days Pilgrims and Strangers here was Everlasting Rest provided in the Heavenly State For how unequal soever the present Dispensations of Providence may appear GOD will at long run make a mighty difference between those who sincerely Love and serve Him and Value His Favour and such as neglect and slight Him and bid Him defiance NOW how full an Evidence was GODs thus preparing this City for these Patriarchs of his not being asham'd either to be their God or to be call'd so Hereby He sufficiently discharg'd the demands of that Declaration and carry'd it as became that Relation For had He been either weary or asham'd of them He 'd have cast their Souls into a deep Sleep whence they should never have recover'd He 'd have let their Bodies have for ever lain rotting in the Grave without any Hope of Resurrection He 'd never have thought of them more He 'd have let them sink into their Primitive Nothing bury'd them in an Everlasting Oblivion and have taken effectual Care that neither they themselves should survive to upbraid him with his acting so unsuitably to his profest Relation to them in his not having made answerable Provision for them nor any others on their Account But on the other side having provided such an Happy Reward for all their Pains and Labour in his Service as the Blessedness of the other World He fully shews that He is altogether Consistent with Himself and punctual to the utmost Tittle to all His Promises and no way wanting in any thing which they could reasonably expect that a GOD nay even their GOD should be unto them or do for them THUS have I as briefly as well I could open'd and clear'd the Primitive Sense of the Words according to their Reference to the Ancient Patriarchs As to whom they intimate to us in short That a most excellent Spirit was found in them and a suitable Reward was provided for them But they have an Eye upon Vs also as well as upon Them and may be of use to all who come after them For with good Reason may we upon Reflection conclude that where-ever there is the same Spirit working and showing it self the same Reward in Process or Time will follow GOD will no more be asham'd to be call'd the GOD of any of us as meanly as we may possibly be thought off either by our selves or others than He was to be called the GOD of Abraham Isaac and Iacob if we are Heavenly in our Temper Bent and Stated Course as they appear to have been and we shall find in the Event He hath made as ample Provision for our Everlasting Entertainment as ever He did for theirs SUNDRY Doctrinal Observations that would be both Instructive and Affecting would so full and copious a Text as this thus open'd afford Foundation for But waving others I 'le Select these two which I 'le endeavour succinctly to open and illustrate DOCT. 1. THAT all Holy Souls look upon themselves but as Pilgrims and Strangers here on Earth and are therefore earnestly desirous of a better Countrey that is an Heavenly DOCT. II. THAT GOD would be asham'd to be call'd the GOD of such as Renouncing this World devote themselves entirely to his Service and ardently aspire Heaven-wards in the Course of their present Pilgrimage if He had not made abundant Provision for their Happiness in a better State and Life after this DOCT. I. THAT all Holy Souls look on themselves but as Pilgrims and Str●●gers here on Earth and are therefore earnestly desirous of a better Countrey that is an Heavenly THAT it hath actually been thus with many of the most Eminent Saints mention'd in the Sacred Scriptures is undeniable Says Abraham to the Sons of Heth I am a Stranger and Sojourner with you And Iacob speaking to King Pharaoh calls the Days of his Life The Days of the Years of his Pilgrimage They as hath before been observ'd were but Sojourners in that Land whereof they had the Promise and herein they did but shadow out and represent the common Condition of good Men in this Life who notwithstanding the firmness of their

adherence to GOD are travelling up and down in the World for a Time in great uncertainty often changing their Place and State and Posture and Circumstances as they of Old did in Canaan Of which also they have not been insensible Thus David confesseth to GOD We are Strangers before Thee and Sojourrers as were all our Fathers And he gives this Reason Our Days on Earth are as a Shadow and there is none abiding And elsewhere I am a Stranger with thee and a Sojourner as all my Fathers were And it hath been the like with others also But that which bore them up in this their unsettled State and under all the Evils and Troubles which attended it was the Hope and Prospect of a quiet Habitation and perpetual Rest in a Future State Thus we are told concerning Abraham in this very Chapter That he sought a City which had Foundations whose Builder and Maker was GOD. And 't is intimated that it was the believing Foresight of that which made him easie in the midst of all his Difficulties And Iacob in an Holy Rapture cries out I have waited for thy Salvation O Lord. And Iob declares that though after his Skin Worms should destroy his Body yet in his Flesh should be see GOD Whom he should see for himself and not another Though his Reins were consum'd within him The thought whereof enabled him to hold out under the forest Tryals David also herein Triumphs that whatever he was forc't first to undergo GOD would at length shew him the Path of Life and bring him to his own Presence where there is fulness of Ioy and to his Right Hand where are Pleasures for evermore And at another Time when he was much discompos'd at the Reflection on his own Afflicted State compar'd with the Prosperity of the Wicked he soon recovers at the Thought of the Happy Issue that awaited all his present Exercises and Conflicts As for me says he I will behold thy Face in Righteousness I shall be satisfi'd when I awake with thy likeness St. Paul also not only in his own Name but as personating the Body of Believers declares We know that if our Earthly House of this Tabernacle were dissolv'd we have a Building of GOD an House not made with Hands Eternal in the Heavens And that our Light Affliction which is but for a Moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and Eternal weight of Glory WHICH Things taken together give us sufficiently to understand that this Doctrine is true in Fact as to many of the most remarkable Servants of GOD whom we find mention'd in our Sacred Records To whose Experiences in a Point of this Nature we may well conclude those of others who are acted by the same Spirit how different soever their particular Circumstances may be should be Consonant and Correspondent But I advance further and dare be bold to say that whosoever truly belong to GOD they cannot but look upon themselves as Pilgrims in this Life and therefore can do no other than earnestly seek an Home above where they may be at Rest and that for ever And if you 'l but a little consider the Divine Principle that is in them the Worlds unsuitableness to them and the Prospect Faith gives them of Futurities you 'l easily conclude that thus it must necessarily be with them FIRST then Let us a little consider the Divine Principle which is in all Holy Souls and which not only is in them but acts and governs them They are made partakers of a Divine Nature which therefore necessarily prompts to and issues in a Divine Life which lies in two things among others a Love of GOD and Vniversal Purity Both which have a direct tendency to alienate them from this World and make them Foreigners in it and to raise their Hearts towards a better World and make them earnest Seekers of it 1. THE Divine Principle which is implanted in all Holy Souls naturally tends to draw forth their utmost ardour in the Love of GOD to whom it brings them wholly to resign and sacrifice themselves desiring above all things to please Him and delighting in nothing so much as in Fellowship and Communion with Him It causes them to disdain and undervalue all things below Him as mean and unworthy So that that Strain of the Psalmist Whom have we in Heaven but Thee and there 's none upon Earth we desire besides Thee becomes their natural breathing For He is really their Souls last End and Rest. Now how can Persons of this Make be fond of this present World which is a meer Stage of Vanity and Sin where under the utmost Advantages they are comparatively distant from Him whom their Souls love Comparatively I say with what they desire and hope to be hereafter THEY well know that While they are at Home in the Body they are absent from the Lord How then can they do any other than as the Apostle intimates be rather willing to be absent from the Body and present with the Lord. 'T is the nature of Love to excite vehement desire after the nearest Union that is possible with its Prime Object and to make uneasie under Absence and Separation from it Now what is in this Life to be found and felt and enjoy'd of GOD is as nothing to what our Natures are capable of and what Grace leads Holy Souls most earnestly to desire and what they hereafter hope for on the Account whereof it is that they are at present said to be as it were absent from him The intenseness therefore of their Love to Him necessarily leads them to look upon themselves as being in this Life abroad and in a strange Countrey and with vehemence to long for that near Vision and close and un-interrupted Enjoyment of Him which they expect when they shall come to be at Home And when they act like themselves nothing but a sense of Duty and desire of serving the Purposes of His Glory according to their capacity here on Earth can enable them to brook their Absence from Heaven where their Hearts and Hopes are fixt 2. THAT Divine Principle which resides rules and governs in all Holy Souls most naturally and directly influences them to an Vniversal Purity They are fram'd for Divine and Intellectual Pleasures which are unspeakably Superiour to what Sense can possibly afford The Body whereto they are at present linkt in its State of Mortality and Corruption hath such a propenseness to be inveigled by those light and Airy Gratifications which Sensual Objects offer for their Entertainment that they are forc't to keep up a constant Contest with it and to be perpetually striving for the Mastery of it And when they have done all they can they find their success so small that they have good reason with the Apostle Paul to cry out of their wretchedness This makes them necessarily very uneasie and the more so because they can see no reason