to one Husband even Christ 2 Cor. 11.7 And we read of the Marriage of the Lamb and the Readiness of the Wife cloathed in fine Linnen which is the Righteousness of the Saints Rev. 19.8 9. Now if you think you are ready for the Coming of Christ under this Notion ask your selves Hath there been any such Agreement between Christ and your Souls which the Scripture represents by a Marriage-Covenant Have you penitently and thankfully Accepted him for Yours and given up your selves entirely to be his To as many as have thus Accepted and Received him He gives Power and Priviledge to become the Sons of God Do you renounce all other Lovers Do you prefer Him alone abandoning all Competitors and Rivals so as not to be for another but for him Hos 3.3 The like we read Psal 45.10 11. Hearken O Daughter and consider and encline thine ear forget also thine own people and thy Father's house So shall the King greatly desire thy beauty for he is thy Lord and worship thou him Is there a Supream Superlative Correspondent Affection on your part to him who hath said That as a Bridegroom rejoyceth over a Bride so will He rejoyce over Thee Isa 62.5 Is this express'd by an entire Subjection to him as the Head of his Church and the Saviour of his Body Eph. 3.23 And this not for a time only but for ever Hos 2.19 And I will betroth thee unto me for ever yea I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness and in judgment and in lovsng-kindness and in mercies The publick Solemnity of this Marriage will be at the Resurrection of the Dead when he shall come again to conduct his Spouse to his Father's House and more fully to evidence his Love by the Manifestation of his own Glory Our Readiness therefore for the Coming of Christ implies our hearty Choice of him and Consent to be his to Love Serve Honour and Obey him with Faithfulness Diligence and Perseverance to the end Secondly Christ is represented as a Housholder and Lord who is gone into a far Countrey and hath intrusted his Servants with various Talents which they are to employ according to his Order and trade with for his Service expecting to be accountable to him at his Return Luk. 19.23 Though our Lord be gone to Heaven he hath left a Family upon Earth and committed a Trust to every of his Servants Now our Fidelity and Care in the Improvement and Use of our Talents will be our Readiness for the Coming of Christ under these Considerations we are to be Responsible to him for all the Blessings Natural or Spiritual that he hath committed to our Trust and we have no Right in them any other way We are but Stewards He is the Proprietor and Absolute Lord. And according to the number and kind of our Talents he expects proportionable Care and Diligence as good Stewards to manage and improve them For to whom much is given of them much will be required Every one hath some Talents some Trust our Reason and our Health our Time our Parts Reputation Estate Interest Authority Power All the Blessings of any kind that we have are Talents to be used for the Service of our Lord And Blessed is that wise and faithful Servant who at his Lords Coming shall be found to have done so Our Faithfulness and Care herein is our Readiness for his Coming For he may demand an Account of our Stewardship when we expect it not Luk. 16.2 Therefore if we would be Ready we must be Diligent in his Work and not bury our Talents in a Napkin or waste our Lords Goods but be sound faithfully doing his Business in the Places and Relations he hath set us In this consists that Readiness for his Coming that will intitle us to the Blessing Luk. 12.43 But lest it should be said Who can come up to this Who is able to be always thus diligently Employed Who then can be Ready Let us therefore Thirdly Distinguish concerning this Readiness There is an Habitual Readiness and Actual The one of our State and the other of our Frame 1. An Habitual Readiness which concerns our State When our Peace is made with God so that she shall be found with him in peace at the Coming of Christ 2 Pet. 3.14 When we have so put on the Lord Jesus as at the Great Day we shall not be found naked 2 Cor. 5.3 When we are interested in the attoning Sacrifice of Christ so as to be reconciled to God and shall find Mercy of the Lord in the Great Day Rev. 3.17 Persons of this Character will manifest in their Course and Carriage that they expect the Coming of Christ by walking in all holy Conversation and Godliness 2 Pet. 3.10 Denying all Vngodliness and worldly Lusts they will live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this World as those that look for the blessed Hope and glorious Appearance of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Tit. 2.12 13. But because all that are Ready as to their State and as to their general Course are not so as to their Frame therefore Consider 2. There is an Actual Readiness as to the Disposition of the Heart which upon the near Prospect and Approach of any Messenger of Christ to call us out of the World is a Christian Duty This Actual Readiness we should all endeavour after That we may have greater degrees of that Readiness of Mind and Preparedness of Spirit to Obey the Summons and Call of Christ tho' it should be with very little Warning being Prepar'd and Willing to go to him whensoever he shall call I am ready saith the Apostle to be bound at Jerusalem yea to Die there for the Name of Christ Acts 21.13 All holy Persons though Habitually ready do not reach this Some cry out with David Lord remove thy stroke from me spare me a little longer Psal 39. Or as Hezekiah when he received the Message of Death turn'd his face to the wall and wept Isa 38. But if we have Warning of the Approach of Death we ought to stir up our selves actually to Prepare to trim our Lamps and set our Souls in Order reviewing our Lives renewing our Repentance exercising our Graces exciting our Hopes recollecting our past Experiences getting our Evidences ready and the Promises on which we may venture our Souls in a dying Hour that we may say with old Simeon Now let thy Servant depart in peace And with the Apostle Paul I have finish'd my course henceforth a Crown of Righteousness is laid up for me And with our Lord himself Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit Or with Holy Stephen Lord Jesus receive it Christians Are we not too Unready the best of us as to Frame and Actual Preparation Do we sit as loose from this World and all the Personal and Relative Comforts of it that accommodate the bodily Lise as we should Have we conquer'd the Fears of Death and familiarized the Thoughts of the Grave to that
Followers shall one day be with him to behold his Glory Let this then be remembred as the matter of our Christian Hope that we may not mourn * See Cyprian de Mortalitate ad sinem Greg. Narianz Orat. deca in laudem Caesarii Fratris Fun. as strangers to the Gospel for such as dye in the Lord. We sind the Egyptians mourned longer for Jacob than Joseph did even threescore and ten days They that have little Knowledge and Expectation concerning another Life and the Resurrection of the Dead may more excusably extend their Funeral Sorrows and grieve for the loss of this and equal the Days of their Mourning to the number of the years of the Life of Man but so tedious a Funeral Solemnity would have been unsuitable to Josephs Faith Had he shown himself more a Son by such a Testimony of his Natural Affection in Mourning longer he had shown himself less a Patriarch When God restored to Job after his long Tryals double for all his Cattel and Goods which he had lost as Fourteen thousand Sheep for Seven thousand c. he gave him but the same number of Children again for they were not really lost though Death remov'd 'em they were Alive in another State And if they were Holy Persons he had the like number in Heaven as God gave him on Earth It 's a great Relief to a Christian Mourner to consider that his Deceased Friends are not Lost but Live I know very well that the Holy Will of God must take place of mine I know that I ought to love God and Christ above all and absolutely resign my self and All that 's mine or cannot hope to see his Face I know that I shall shortly follow the Desire of mine Eyes I hope I shall be silent and adore and not charge God foolishly But methinks I know with sensible supporting Insluence from such a Thought that She is not Dead but Sleepeth She is not Lost but Lives And if I get to Heaven shall meet her there in the presence of the Lord our Redeemer And then the Company of our Holy Relatives will be more Sweet than ever it was on Earth For though the Blessed Vision of God be our Chiefest Hope and Joy yet the Presence of all the Blessed Spirits will make a Real though Subordinate part of our Happiness and Delight I am so far from doubting whether we shall Know and Love one another in the Heavenly State that the Belief and Expectation of it is or should be one great Motive why we love 'em so well now If we thought we should not Know and Love them after Death we ought to Love 'em but as Earthly Transitory things and not as Heirs of Heaven with such a Love as shall be perfected and last for ever Neither can it well be imagin'd how the Process and Proceedings of the judgment-Judgment-Day according to the Scripture Account of it can be manag'd by the Man Christ Jesus or the Lord Redeemer cloath'd with Humane Nature without our Knowledge of One Another in the other World who were acquainted and convers'd together in this 'T is true the present Relations by Marriages and Blood will then cease but there is no reason to think that the Remembrance of those Relations must also cease Yea their Knowledge and Remembrance of us and their Affection to us whom we knew and lov'd in the Lord is not like to be abolish'd but perfected by Dying Doubtless the Angels who rejoyce at the Conversion of a Particular Sinner and the Departed Saints too do know more even of the State of this World than we do who are * Mr. Baxter Of the Knowledge of God part 3. p. 331. acquainted with so very little a part and spot of it Which by the way should check anâ— inordinate fond Desire of living to see Glorious Times on Earth For if we get to Heaven we are like to know much more of those Happy Times than if we remain'd alive in a Corner of the Isles of the Gentiles But as to our Mutual Knowledge in the Heavenly state Shall those whom we Reliev'd on Earth Welcome us to Heaven And are therefore said to receive us into Everlasting Habitations Luk. 16. And shall not the departed Saints know one another in Glory Shall we then know as we are known And shall the Thessalontans be the Joy and Crown and Glory and Rejoycing of the Apostle Paul in the Day of Christ And shall he not know them or they him who prosited by his Ministry Did the Rich Man in Hell know Abraham afar off in Heaven and can we think a blessed Lazarus shall not For though that be a Parable there is some Truth as the Foundation of it Shall it aggravate the Misery of lost Souls to meet their wicked Companions in the place of Torment as few deny or doubt And shall it not Rejoyce the Blessed to meet their Holy Friends whom they knew in this World Did Peter James and John know Moses and Elias in the Transsignration whom they never saw before and we read not that Christ told em ' who they were And shall those who were acquainted upon Earth and helpt one another to Heaven utterly forget and lose the remembrance of any such thing It is a pleasant Thought and proper to support under the Death of those we have honoured and loved and profited by on Earth to think that hereafter we shall meet and know several Ministers of Christ whose Preaching and Converse and Writings have been useful to us That we shall then meet and know several of our Holy Relations and Acquaintance with whom we were wont to walk together to the House of God and meet often at the Table of the Lord with whom we conferr'd about the Misteries and and Promises of the Gospel and many a time discours'd together of the Heavenly Inheritance believingly to foresee and consider that though they are gone before we shall meet 'em again at the last great Supper of the Lamb in the Celestial Kingdom And why may not I suppose such a distinct and personal Knowledge and Remembrance of one another as to be able to say This was the Person whom God employed to bring me into the World and educate me in his Fear who instructed my tender Years and taught me early to Know the Lord. Or This was the Person who was at so much pains to convince me of my Sin and reclaim me from the Errour of my Ways This was He or She who tendred my Salvation as their own who watch'd over me and pray'd for me and with me and often told me of the Evil of Sin of the Excellency and Pleasantness of Wisdom's Ways of the Freeness of the Love and Grace of Christ and his Willingness to receive Returning Penitents at first and even Backsliders afterwards This was the Person who was assisted by God to encourage strengthen revive and comfort my desponding my doubting my unbelieving Heart and establish me in the way of
degree as we ought Is our Love to Christ so sprightly and vigorous that we could heartily welcome any Messenger to call us to him Be the Instrument what iâ— will and the Manner and Circumstances of our Departure as God shall please and the Warning never so short and sudden Are we ready to go presently at the first Call That were it not for doing Service in our Places which God who needs not our Help can do by other ways we should rather choose to be with Christ as far better Could we Answer to such a Call of God as Samuel Lord here I am thoudidst call me O let me pass through the dark Valley that nothing may keep me longer at such an uncomfortable distance from my Lord and Saviour that where he is I may be to behold his Glory This Readiness Habitual and Actual we have need to look after because the Son of Man comes in a time when we think not of him And therefore II. To urge your Diligence and Care to be Ready for the Coming of Christ let me amplifie and enforce the Argument in this Text by several Considerations As I. That whether Ready or not Ready e're long our Lord will come Our particular Judgment by Death which shall confine us to the eternal and final one is at no great distance We are hastning to this Day of God whether we believe and mind it or no As Passengers in a Ship to the end of their Voyage whether they sleep or wake whether we be wise Servants or foolish faithful Stewards or unfaithful whether we expect the Coming of our Lord and Prepare for it or do not He will shortly come and call us to an Account O how soon shall you and I be gone What a Change will a few days make in this City and in this Congregation We may judge of it by what it hath made in few years past In less than Twenty Years what Changes in Families and Churches and Cities and Nations Husbands and Wives parted Parents and Children Friends snatch'd away out of the Bosom of their Friends Those we loved and lived familiarly with Called before us and gone home And we are hastning after a pace whether our Readiness and Preparation do or do not answerably hasten One Relation and another Acquaintance drops into the Grave Some are ready and some unready One Pastor after another is removed to Heaven and the Pulpits where they preach know them no more and others will start up in our rooms and are preparing to fill our Places who succeed any of those whose Funerals you Remember And after a sew Lords's-Days more and at most after a few Summers and Winters more you and I shall be called likewise whether we be Ready or not Ready 2. When once thou art called to thy particular Judgment by Death nothing more can be done to get Ready for the Coming of Christ Eccl. 9.10 John 9.4 What if you were now leaving this World and how near and sure is such an hour You would then be sensible that now or never is the time to prepare and get Ready Awake therefore and Mind it without delay that you may not cry for more Time when time is gone and for the mercy of God when it is too late O how shall my unprepared Soul Appear before my God! How shall I pass into Eternity unready What shall I do to meet my Lord with Comfort as if you had never heard till that time that you must dye and come to Judgment O what Hearts of stone have Sinners that can hear these things so often and not resolve without delay to get Ready That will not consider the Judge is at the Door his Vengeance at their back his Wrath pursues their sins and woe be to them if it overtake them Before their Friends have laid their Bodies in their Graves or wrap'd them in their Burying cloaths their Souls shall feel that God is in earnest and that now is the only time to get ready for Judgment 3. When men think not of it and least expect his Summons the Lord doth often come When thou art most regardless of Death thy Head and Heart taken up with other things the Hand-writing on the Wall may appear and strike thee into a sit of trembling a Voice from God may be heard Come away Man or Woman Come away thy Time shall be no more this Evening or the next Morning this Night or the next Day thy Soul shall be required of thee Believe it no Place no Age no Time no Portion of thy Life is certainly exempted Do not then put off thy being Ready lest thy Resolutions for hereafter should bare longer date than the time of thy Life 4. All the Time of our Lives is little enough to get Ready for the Coming of Christ 'T is little enough to learn to Live says the Moralist it is short enough be sure to learn to Dye Ask those who have taken most Pains and spent most of their Time to get Ready Yet after all their Prayers and Tears after all their Watching Striving Running and Preparedness they complain they are Vnready still unready for the Spiritual Coming of Christ when they are to meet him at his Table much more Vnready for his last Coming Therefore let us give Diligence that we may be found of him in Peace without spot and blameless And if the question be seriously ask'd of all of you one after another ARe you prepared for Death are you Ready for the Coming of Christ or are you not How few will have the Heart or Face to say they are The best will say they need further Preparation But what must they think and say of themselves who own they are habitually as to their State unready no way sit to Dye I cannot say my peace is made with God I have not yet enter'd into Covenant with him I have not subjected and yielded my self to Christ I have not taken on his Yoke or I have cast it off after I took it on I am yet a Stranger to him or I have shamefully left him after some Acquaintance And will you put it any longer to the venture when your Lord may call within an hour 5. God is now ready to Assist you by his Grace if you will awake and Mind your Work but if you delay he may justly refuse and withdraw it And if once the case comes to that you can no more make Ready for Death and Judgment than if you were already dead it being as possible for us to Repent without life or after we are dead as to Repent without Gods Grace while we are living Therefore they that promise for themselves that they shall Repent and Prepare for the coming of Christ some time hereafter they resolve they will they must not only promise for themselves but for God too that he will wait their leisure and dance attendance after them through all the Stages of their Delays and yet be as ready to
to Life He hath brought sweetness out of the Strong and meat out of the Eater 1 Cor. 3.21 and therefore Death as well as Lise is reckon'd in the Inventory of the riches of the Saints All things are yours because you are Christs and Christ is Gods 2. His Resurrection and Exaltation his rising from the Dead not only discovers the possibility of our Resurrection and gives us a pledge and assurance of it as declaring the sufficiency and acceptation of his Sacrifice that therefore the Dead in Christ shall live and with his Dead Body arise Rom. 8.14 Isa 26.19 But being punctually effected according to his prediction and promise it confirms the Truth of all his Word and seals the promise of eternal Life unto all Believers He hath open'd the Prison doors and loos'd the bands of Death and roll'd away the heavy Stones from the Graves of his people he is now become the first fruits of them that sleep in Jesus And hath the Keyes of Death and Hell Rev. 1.18 even the two most formidable enemies are under his Dominion who though once he were dead doth now live for evermore And for this very end did God raise him up that our faith and hope might be in him in reference to the Blessedness of another Life 1 Pet. 1.21 Yea saith the Apostle concerning that he raised him from the dead no more to see corruption Act. 13.34 God said I will give you the sure mercies of David or an Everlasting Covenant which Death shall not dissolve Isa 55.3 And his being risen is the Ground of our Faith and Hope that the Promise shall be fulfill'd For the Resurrection of Christ is the evidence of the validity and efficacy of his Death and Sacrifice and a sufficient proof that his precious Blood shed upon the Cross was the blood of an Everlasting Covenant Heb. 13.20 Establishing a Covenant of Grace and making it truly Everlasting for we know that he is a Priest for ever after the power of an endless Life Heb. 7.16 And therefore know to our unspeakable Satisfaction Incouragement and Joy in whom we have believed and that he is able to keep unto that day what we have committed to him 2 Tim. 1.12 to perfect what he hath begun Phil. 1.6 and at last present us blameless before the presence of his glory with exceeding Joy Jude 24. v. For our Life being hid with him in God we are fully assured that when he who is our Life shall appear we shall appear with him in glory Col. 3.3 4. and because he lives we shall live also and when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is 1 Joh. 3.2 4. Let us consider Whence it comes to pass that notwithstanding the Blessedness of being with Christ and our assurance of it by his Death and Resurrection that yet we are so backward and unwilling to depart What is the true reason why so many of those who acknowledge it far better to be with Christ yet cannot say with the Apostle That they desire to be dissolv'd that they may be with him 1. The weakness of Faith concerning the Invisible World and the future Glory of the Saints is the reason why so many Christians are unwilling to dye They are very sensible of the inconveniencies of their present abode they complain to God and men of Corruption Temptation and Sin and they hear of a blessed Deliverance from all these by Death and a perfect Felicity in the presence of the Redeemer after their dissolution but unbelief makes them stagger at the Promise They are not fully satisfied that such a transcendent Glory will be consequent to Dying Did they but soundly believe the Testimony and Revelation which God hath given in his Word concerning it they would choose to be absent from the body Some of the Ignorant Heathens have been desperate in their Choice of death only as the Period of present Calamities but others who were doubtful of the Consequence have yet entertained it with an hearty Welcome As Socrates for instance who profess'd That he ought not to fear death because he could not tell whether it were good or evil And shall not we who understand the Grounds and Principles the greatness and certainty of a future Blessedness after Death be as willing to depart A confirmed Faith is therefore necessary and adviseable in the present case and the rather that thereby we may quench the fiery darts of Satan who if he cannot hinder us of our Crown would rob us of our Joyful Prospect of it if he cannot prevent out future Glory would render us dejected in our passage thither if he cannot prevail to exclude and banish us for ever from the Presence of Christ would darken our present comfort by the desire and Hope of it but more especially at the prospect and approach of Death for that is his hour and the power of darkness But by this shield of Faith we may be able to stand even in that evil day of our dissolution Eph. 6.11.16 2. The Pains of Death They pray that God would hasten his Glorious Kingdom and bring them to it and believe it to be most eligible to be with Christ yet are loth their own Prayers should be answered and the end and object of their Faith obtain'd through the discouraging apprehensions they admit of a dying hour Would we not be with the the Lord and know him better and Love him more and enjoy him fully and shall we stick at a little pain as introductory to so great a Happiness A Pain that will speedily convey us to Eternal ease and rest which thousands of Holy Souls in Glory have indur'd more of than we can fear But suppose the Agonies of Death are ne're so frightful to Flesh and Blood hath not our Redeemer a Rod and Staff to comfort us in the dark Valley Ps 23.4 Doth he not know what it is to dye and how much we dread it doth he not understand our weakness remember our frailty pity our infirmities and bid us ask for support and Strength yea hath he not promis'd that when Heart and Flesh shall fail that he will be the Strength of our Hearts and our Portion for ever Psal 73.26 Shall ignorant hopeless Heathens without God in this world without the expectation of being with Christ in the next be so desirous of Immortality as to dispatch themselves and be their own Executioners to force an escape from the Body And shall we resist and struggle draw back and fear object and be unwilling when our Saviour calls us to endless and unspeakable Felicity Is not this the last Experiment of our Faith and Patience and holy Resolution the last essay of our Christian Courage Are not the antecedent pains of dying the fruit of sin no less than the throws and pangs of Travelling Women and are the latter tolerable in hopes of Children and their own deliverance and may we not support the Former by the assistance
the abridgment of that Liberty which other young persons take very often to their prejudice and ruine as a singular advantage and favour from Heaven § 14. In some part of her Sickness she had some humble becoming doubts and fears of her own state but having imparted them to a Reverend Person well acquainted in the Family and heard his Resolutions and Answers she was better satisfied and express'd her hopes of Pardon and Salvation through the Righteousness of Christ who loved her and washed her from her Sins in his own Blood Yea so far was she from questioning the goodness of God and the Truth of his Promise so far from doubting of the alsufficiency of Christs Mediation the Merit of his Sacrifice and his willingness to receive returning Sinners that the believing thoughts of it were her greatest support and joy saying often in the time of her Sickness That though her Sins were as Scarlet God could make them as Snow though red like Crimson they should be as Wooll Isa 1.18 § 15. Moreover she did thankfully acknowledge the Mercies of God to her in the former part of her Life whereof she had very many both Personal and Relative And particularly desired that Thanks might be returned to God for his singular goodness to her during her Sickness § 16. She was very desirous of Prayer to God on her behalf and very joyful and well pleased when she had it and being at any time ask't what particular request she desired should be made to God for her she mention'd not her Recovery and the lengthening of her days but the forgiveness of Sin through the Merit of her Redeemer an humble submission to Gods disposal and a prepared heart to acquiesce in his appointment And so in one sence she was full of dayes though she dyed very young being satiated with the Time she had liv'd on Earth and not importunate for a longer stay § 17. Within a few hours before her dissolution of the approach whereof she was more apprehensive than those about her she was very desirous that a worthy Minister whom she named might immediately be sent for Mr. S. F. to commend her Soul to God Who accordingly came thô at Midnight She her self joyn'd in that last Office with great seriousness and affection and afterward return'd him her hearty thanks for his great kindness therein saying Now I have nothing more to do but to dye Only requested him not to leave the house that night as knowing that his Company and Counsel might administer to the support of her Affectionate Mother and other Relations whom she should leave in sorrow thô she her self was passing to Eternal Joy § 18. After which she composed her self to rest and refused every thing that was offer'd her to take making Signs with her hands of her unwillingness to be disturbed § 19. In that short space of her Continuance which was not an hour she was heard to say Be gone Satan Be gone Thou art a Lyar from the Beginning and the Father of Lyes O come Lord Jesus And soon after she said He is come he is come and so fell asleep as in the Arms of her dearest Saviour or as the Jews report of Moses That he dyed with the Kiss of God O Death where is now thy Sting O Grave where is now thy Victory The sting of Death is Sin and the strength of Sin is the Law But thanks be to God who hath given us the Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ And blessed are the Dead that Thus dye in the Lord. § 20. Would to God that the Account here given might effectually convince us of the great difference between the Death of the Holy and the Vnholy of the Righteous and the Sinner Might convince us of the great Blessing of holy Parents and a good Education and encourage Parents to be diligent and faithfal to be serious prudent and affectionate in the Education of their Children because such a deportment is most likely to be owned by God with the desired Success And Oh that it might Convince us likewise of the Vanity of Youth the shortness of our Lives the uncertainty of our Time the nearness of our Change the necessity reasonableness and manifold advantages of Remembring our Creator in our younger Years And withal might hasten our Preparations and spirit our Desires to depart and be dissolv'd whenever God shall call us That following their Example who by Faith and Patience are gone to inherit the Promises We may at length meet those Precious Souls above who are gone before us that with them and all the Children of the Kingdom we may be for ever with the Lord which is Best of all THE END M rs SHOWER's Funeral Sermon BY Mr. JOHN SPADEMAN of Rotterdam Sickness and Death for the Glory of CHRIST A Funeral Sermon ON THE DECEASE OF M rs ELIZ. SHOWER Who Dyed the 24th of Aug. 1691. By JOHN SPADEMAN Minister of the English Church at Rotterdam LONDON Printed for J. Dunton and A. Chandler 1691. TO My Honoured Friend Mr. SHOWER SIR WHen after an unpleasing separation the Providence of God gave Opportunity of renewing our Converse in your Habitation I promis'd my self an unmix'd satisfaction during my stay with you And as none is more oblig'd to rejoyce in all the Good which you or yours are partakers of so none could be more heartily dispos'd to do it Indeed the hopes of enjoying your Society sweetned the fatigues of a Voyage which after many Years absence I lately made unto my own Countrey In which I was truly delighted to find that not only your Person and Ministry were acceptable and useful but that there was a prospect that God would make your House to grow But when I was preparing to return I perceived that God had brought me to mourn with you under a most afflictive Providence In which though my Character had made me unfit to present Comfort to you yet few of your Friends had more light to discern the deepness of your Wound and greatness of your Loss For the intimate Friendship between us and our cohabitation in Holland gave me opportunity of understanding the worth of Her whom now you lament Though this Consideration as it makes your Tryal greater renders your Resignation more acceptable to God and useful to Men. To part with an ordinary Possession with willingness is a kin to that Patience which is exercis'd under merited Punishment which in the Apostles judgment hath no Glory or Commendation in it 1 Pet. 1.20 But 't is an Heroick Spirit a resemblance of that Faith which dignifi'd the Father of all who believe to give up a rare and endearing Treasure And if any Consideration hath strength to work this Noble Disposition in our Souls that which is taken from the Glory of God and the Redeemer hath 'T was this which led my thoughts unto the Meditations in the following Discourse which though much below the dignity of the Subject am willing to make thus
like Calamity before-hand is in some sence true but does not that inflict as much of the Evil before as it takes off afterward For such * Parker's Demonst of the Law of Nat. part 1. §. 28. a fore sight and Expectation cannot be without Anxiety and many sad and melancholly thoughts I mean upon Principles meerly Philosophical it cannot And therefore it is a Disputable point among that fort of men whether it be best to be surprized by an Evil or to pre-meditate and foresee it's approach Both grant we are condemned to be miserable Think upon it before-hand says the one sort that you may feel it the less Never think of it before says the other with equal reason that you may not feel it twice But others more plausibly and with some Weight will be ready to say You knew a Parting Time must come You knew the Matrimonial Union might easily and suddenly be dissolved and broken by Death What did you not know that you and your Relations must Die or did you not live together with this design to help and prepare one another for Death And the Providence of God continued such a suitable Relation to you for so many years might he not have made this breach sooner you ought to be thankful for such a blessing so long Besides it may be added as to the manner of their Disease they had what Art and Care could do to preserve their Lives and earnest prayer to God was added if it did consist but with his Holy Pleasure that they might be longer spar'd And after all they Died quietly on their Beds and went to the Grave in peace and died Lamented and the last Offices of Friendship were perform'd at their Funerals c. Moreover you know not but they are taken away from the evil to come for notwithstanding the beginning and progress of National Deliverances thus far some of us may live to see the Cup of Trembling that our Neighbours and Brethren have drank of come round to us so that the dead may be accounted more happy than the Living As the Prophet speaks Jer. 22.10 Weep not for the Dead but weep for him that goes forth and escapeth Death You know not but such a Calamity may befall this Land this City or their own Family or Dearest Friends as would have made their Lives bitter and miserable if they had been prolong'd And were nothing of all this to be consider'd it might yet be said It is in vain to weep and mourn you cannot call back the Desire of your Eyes to Life again You only torment and hurt your self for heaviness in the Heart of Man makes it stoop it dries the bones and deadens the Spirit and very much unfits for the Duties and Comforts of Life Yea which is worse Immoderate sorrow for your departed Friends does but prove that you love this World too well it shews too plainly that your Faith concerning the Invisible Future World is very weak that you your selves as yet are too unprepar'd to die or count upon tarrying longer here than it may be God intends you shall These and such like considerations have all their influence and use in their proper place to contribute somewhat to our support but of themselves are not sufficient There are four things among others that a Christian Mourner ought to consider for his Relief 1. Whose Hand it is that gives the stroke who it is that does it 2. The Faithfulness of God to his Covenant Promise notwithstanding any such Providences 3. The Gain of those who Die in the Lord by our loss of their Company 4. Our Belief and Hope of meeting them again with all the Children of the Kingdom and being with them for ever with the Lord in Glory And let me add our Expectation of knowing them there for that to me is more than probable First We should not Grieve immoderately when Dear Relations are remov'd by Death because it is the Lord that doth it he who hath a Soveraign Authority and unquestionable Right to dispose of us and them as seems him good I take away the Desire of thine Eyes with a stroke I have done it saith the Lord. We mistake our Tenure if we think he may not call for for his own whensoever he pleaseth The Lord gives and the Lord takes we must adore and bless his Holy Name in both He is not responsible at our Bar or Accountable to us for every thing he does He hath not given us an account of all his matters He does not think fit to answer all our Questions or say all he can to vindicate the Righteousness and Wisdom of his present proceedings therefore why dost thou strive with him Job 33.13 Asa Ruler it is true he hath shewed us reason enough in the general for such Providences but as our absolute Lord and Owner he need not It may be we importunately prayed for their Recovery that God would spare them longer But if we did not pray with a humble submission to his holy Will our very Prayer was a Provocation and we need to repent and mourn for our selves And do not all holy Parents pray more earnestly for the Salvation of their Children and yet you know they are not all answer'd in kind if they were all the World would be saved for doubtless holy Noah prayed for all his Children and they if they were holy would do so for them c. But do we not daily supplicate for the honour of Gods Government for the Glory of his Name the accomplishment of his Councels and the fulfilling of his unerring Will and shall we Repine and Murmur when our prayers are answer'd Consider then whose Hand it is It is He hath taken who gave thee that and all thy other Mercies and prolongs innumerable ones which thou hast forfeited And shall we not receive evil at the hand of God as well as good Job 2.10 Especially since he may have the same kind and merciful design in taking as he had in giving and hath promised that all things this not excepted shall work for good It is He hath done it who is Infinitely Wise and Gracious who loves and pities and spares us as a Father does a Child And shall we not drink of that Cup which our Heavenly Father hath put into our hands His Soveraignty might justly silence us but his Goodness Righteousness and Wisdom should calm and settle our Hearts and make us resign our Will to his It is He hath done it who hath purchased a people out of the World and is collecting them one after another so soon as they are ready and have served the ends of his Glory upon Earth And how shall the many Sons and Daughters be brought to Heaven for which end the Son of God was incarnate and dyed if we and others should have our wish that God should take whom he would and when he pleased but our Relations should be excepted It is He hath done it who told us
Truth Yea to be able to say This was the Person with whom I lived and so journed in yonder World whose sincere Affection I so much valued whose delightful useful Company I so much prized whose Sickness and Removal I so much lamented c. But lest I run too far let me draw to a Close Let us therefore after what hath been said resolve to have Communion with them though they are Departed by Contemplating what they are and where they are and what they do and what they possess and by Rejoycing in their Blessedness more than we would have done for their Temporal Advancement in any kind on Earth Let us desire and endeavour to be as like 'em as we can by imitating their Temper and Work above in the Love of God and the delighful thankful Praises of the Redeemer When we look up to Heaven let us think they are there When we think of Christ in Heaven let us remember they are part of his Family above When we think with hope of entring into Heaven our Selves let us think with Joy of meeting them there Oh welcome welcome happy meeting with Christ and them Never more to Part never more to Mourn never more to Sin O Happy Change O Blessed Society shall we then cry out with whom we shall live for ever to Know and Love Admire and Praise and Serve our Common Lord We formerly Sinn'd together and Suffer'd together But this is not like our old Work or State Our former Darkness Complaints and Sorrows are now vanisht This Body this Soul this Life this Place this Company these Visions these Fruitions these Services and Employments are not like what we had in the former World And yet which is the Quintessence and Spirit of all this Happiness shall last to all Eternity and after Millions of Ages be as far from ending as when at first began Fit us Lord for such a Day and Come Lord Jesus Come quickly Amen THE END Prepare to Follow OR THE SECOND DISCOURSE FROM MATTH XXIV 44. Occasion'd by the DEATH OF M rs Eliz. Gearing Prepare to Follow A Funeral Sermon Occasion'd by the DEATH OF M rs Elizabeth Gearing Late Wife of Mr. Henry Gearing who Departed this Life the second of July 1691. By JOHN SHOWER 2 SAM 12.23 But now he is Dead wherefore should I fast Can I bring him back again I shall go to him but he shall not come to me LONDON Printed for J. Dunton and A. Chandler 1691. Prepare to Follow OR A DISCOURSE FROM MATTH 24.44 Therefore be ye also ready for in such an hour as ye think not of the Son of Man cometh UPON a like Exhortation of our Blessed Lord to Watchfulness and Prayer to Faithfulness and Diligence in Expectation of his Coming the Apostle Peter makes bold to ask the Question whether it concern'd only the Apostles or was spoken to all Luke 12.41 The answer whereto doth sufficiently express the Universal Obligation of such a Duty For our Lord replies Blessed is that wise and faithful Servant who when his Lord comes shall be found doing his Masters Work And yet more expresly by another Evangelist where the like Parable is apply'd with this addition What I say unto you I say unto all Watch Mark 13. last which Watching is the general Comprehensive word for being Ready This is the repeated Voice of Christ in his Word where-ever he speaks of his Second Coming This is the distinct and loud call of his Providence unto this Congregation by the Death and Funerals of one of our number you know I mean our Friend Mrs. Gearing which speaks the same language to all of us Be ye also ready And being desired on this Occasion to preach from these words I shall reserve the mention of some things that were Instructive and exemplary in the Deceased for the close of my Discourse and in the mean time consider this seasonable Admonition of our Blessed Lord Therefore be ye also Ready for the Son of Man cometh in such an hour as ye think not of This and the foregoing Verses are part of the Answer which our Saviour made to the Disciples question in the beginning of the Chapter v. 3. Tell us when shall these things be and what shall be the sign of thy coming and of the end of the World According to the common Apprehensions which the Jews had of the alteration of the present state of things among them by the coming of the Messiah and that general destruction of the World and the State of Eternity which would thereupon follow they enquire of both to gether as reckoning his Coming and the End of the World would be at once And throughout this Chapter we find our Lord's Answer to both Questions are intermixed some whereof referr to the destruction of the Jewish State and his coming to execute judgment upon that Nation and others to the end of the World whereof the former was but a figure It is plain that some passages referr to the Jewish State several of the signs of his coming were literally fulfilled a little before their destruction by the Romans as Josephus and Tacitus and others mention particularly the 15. and 16. verses When ye therefore shall see the Abomination of Desolation spoken of by Daniel the Prophet stand in the Holy place whoso readeth let him understand then let them which be in Judea flee into the Mountains And again 34. v. he says This Generation shall not pass away till all these things be fulfilled There is yet no reason to confine the whole of this Chapter to the Calamities which befell the Jewish Nation which was but as a Type and Representation of the general Judgment preceding the final Doom of the World for some passages do as plainly referr to the end of the World As when he speaks of â—â—s coming in the Clouds with power and great glory and of the Angels sounding the Trumpet and of two men in the Field and of two Women grinding at the Mill one taken and the other left referring to the great Discrimination of persons that shall be made at the end of the World as when it is said in the 36. verse Of that day and hour no man knoweth no not the Angels of Heaven but my Father only And by another Evangelist the Son himself is excluded from knowing that hour Mark 13.33 But did not Christ know the time of the destruction of the Jews their Temple City and Nation when he himself foretells the time when it should be And therefore those words in the 35. v. Heaven and Earth shall pass away but my words shall not pass away seem to be a transition from answering the first Question concerning the Destruction of the Jews to answer the other question about the End of the World whereupon follows the Exhortation in the 42. v. Watch for you know not what hour your Lord will come But know this or you do know this as the Original word will bear and may better be
affecting manner to the faithful discharge of his Duty by that Consideration I charge thee before God and before the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and dead at his Appearance and his Kingdom or when he shall appear in his Kingdom 2 Tim. 4.1 The Jews knew and granted that the Messiah was to come as a Judge by the Traditional Prophecy of Enoch which began with those words The Lord shall come This they understood long before the Incarnation of our Saviour So that they were wont to begin their Writs or Instruments of the Greatest Excommunication with those words of the Prophecy of Enoch The Lord shall come As if besides all other Punishments they bound over the Excommunicated Person to the last great Assize to be Judged by the Messias And the Apostle seems to allude to this 1 Cor. 16.22 If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha i.e. Accursed with that great and terrible Excommunication The Lord shall come For so they call it from the first words as we often give Names to Writs and other Instruments by reciting the first words of them He shall come again he shall be revealed from Heaven in slaming sire with his mighty Angels to render vengeance to them which know not God and obey not the Gospel c. 2 Thes 1.7 9. We shall all be made to stand before his Judgment-Seat 2 Cor. 5.10 14. Rom. 14.10 And every one shall then give an account of himself to God and receive according to what he hath done in the body whether it be good or whether it be evil He is delegated and appointed by God for this Work and every way fitted and qualified to undertake it Acts 17.31 II. The Suddenness and Vnexpectedness of his Coming again The hour of it no man knows no not the Angels of God in Heaven It will surprize Mankind as the Deluge did the Old World in the days of Noah The time of it is lock'd up in the Treasuries of Heaven and we have no Key that will open it Neither the time of Christ's coming to Judge the World or the time of his calling us by Death to come to him is certainly known Behold I know not the day of my death we may every one say with Isaac Gen. 27.2 The Knowledge of this time and Season he hath reserved in his own power it belongs not to us it is no part of our Priviledge to know it Acts 1.7 If it had been fit and becoming adviseable and expedient for us to understand it if it had been for our Advantage to know the precise time of our own Death or of the Final Judgment if it would have added any whit to our Spiritual Stature and Growth in Grace if it would not have much better promoted our Watchfulness and serious Diligence and forwarded our Preparations to have remained Ignorant he would not have drawn such a Veil over that Day and Hour But would have left it written in fair Characters But he every way consulted our Interest and the general Good of the World by hiding this Knowledge from us God's Government of the World and the Magistrates influence under God for the Good of Men would very much be weakned if every Man did certainly know before-hand the time of his Death Our Usefulness to others would be very much check'd and the necessary Preparation for being so if we knew we should not out-live such a Year or such a Stage of our Lives Our Joys and Sorrows with respect to our Relations and Friends would then be immoderate our Carriage in Prosperity and Adversity would be more unbecoming our Dependance upon God and his Providence the Redemption of our Time the Contempt of this World and the Preparation for another would all be very much hindred by the certain knowledge of the time of Christ's Coming to call us to Judgment Therefore he tells us That in an hour we think not of the Son of Man cometh It shall be suddenly when he is not expected and therefore All should be Ready It is sometimes represented by the travailing Pangs of a Woman with Child which may over-take her at a distance from her own House when she looks not for it 1 Thes 5.3 'T is set forth by the surprize of a Thief entring the Window of a House by Night when the good Man of the House little expected him Rev. 16.15 Behold I come as a Thief blessed is he that watcheth And again we are told As a snare shall it come upon all that dwell upon the face of the earth Luk. 21.35 When Men are careless and secure and confident of Long-life when they are busie in pursuit of great things for themselves in this World when they are big with mighty Projects and Designs for hereafter when they enlarge their Imaginations to contrive the Satisfactions they shall have for many years to come in the Pleasures and Dignities and Wealth which they count upon before-hand when they say in their Hearts Our Lord delays his Coming I have yet time enough to get ready Then shall this day overtake them when they think not of it The Lord of that Servant will come in a day that he looked not for him and in an hour that he is not aware Luk. 12.46 III. The Necessity and Obligation of being Ready because of the Certainty and Suddenness of the Coming of Christ Where I shall First Consider the Nature of this Readiness and Explain something of it Secondly Shew the Force of the Argument and amplifie it in several Considerations to urge it the more effectually upon All to make Ready I. What is the Nature of this Readiness In the general it is expressed by Two or Three Evangelists under the term of Watching Which as the summary Preparation for the Coming of Christ takes in all the Duties of a Christian with respect to the Affairs of his Soul and the Everlasting World as awaking out of Security foreseeing our Danger providing against it carrying it suitable to the Expectation of the Appearance of Christ from Heaven Looking for Waiting for Praying for Hastning to or hastning of the Coming of the Day of God It comprehends an awaken'd Heart an active Faith a lively Hope a diffusive Charity and persevering Diligence in all the Fruits of Righteousness That we may perfect Holiness in the Fear of God lay up a good Foundation against the time to come and at last lay hold of Eternal Life That we may have Confidence at Christ's Appearance and be able to stand before the Son of Man with exceeding Joy This in general under the Name of Watching and being Ready is the Duty of all 2. Besides this General Account we may consider some of the Particular Metaphors under which our Lord represents himself or is set forth in Scripture when he comes again First As a Bridegroom And so our Readiness consists in our Accepting him and Choosing him in such a Relation I have espoused you
One would wonder what Apprehensions and Thoughts of these things such careless Christians have who durst not say they disbelieve or deny the Scripture Revelation and yet feel no correspondent Impressions answerable to the Nature Weight and Tendency of such things Let me ask thee O man that hast neglected hitherto to make Ready Dost thou think that Christ will receive thy departing Soul at Death or no Will he acquit and own thee in the Judgment or no What say'st thou hast thou enquired and examined and made it thy business to know this and to make sure of it How is it that thy Mind is fill'd with other Thoughts thy mouth with other Talk and thy Time employed about other things when thou art so near to the final Judgment of Christ and seest so many Souls daily passing into another World and yet wilt not consider what shall become of them and of thy self but wilt continue to pursue some transitory Pleasure or Profit while God and Heaven are neglected and Christ despised his Favour lost and thy own Soul lost or in the extreamest danger of being so because thou art not Ready Canst thou think that Christ will then accept thee if thou now neglect him Canst thou hope that he will prove himself a Lyar by owning such as he hath often declared he never will O pity your selves in Time that you may not be denyed his pity at last The door of Grace is yet open but how soon how speedily may it be shut if now you will not enter O what an unspeakable Mercy is the offer from God that yet you may enter what would departed Souls that dyed Unready give for such a Call of God Hold a little Tremble and Believe and delay no longer For Direction in the general Since the Bridegreom will come and it may be in an hour when you do not look for him see that you have Oyl in your Vessels and Lamps as those that wait for the Coming of their Lord. If thou hast no Oyl buy it if thou hast burn it if thou hast no Wedding Garment get one if thou hast put it on if thou hast no true Love to God never leave till the Holy Flame be kindled if thou hast any in truth exercise and use it as one that expects the Coming of Christ More particularly 1. Seek Reconciliation to God by a Covenant Dedication of your selves to God in Christ accepting him as offer'd in the Gospel and resigning and yielding your selves unfeignedly and without reserve to be his 2. Let the Work of Mortification both as to Sin and the World be progressive and constantly carried on that you may be found of him in Peace as to your State and without Spot as to your Frame as well as blameless as to your Conversation 2 Pet. 3.14 Sit loose in your Affections from Earthly things that Death may not rend and tear you from that which hath the chiefest possession of your Hearts for then you cannot meet the Summons of Death but with an excessive Sorrow 3. Be much in Self-Examination that you may get over your Doubts and fears concerning your Adoption and attain to a more well-grounded Hope and Assurance of the special Love of Christ What will it avail us to think we are Pardoned and shall be saved and e're long to find our selves mistaken when there can be no Remedy You must now understand your danger if ever you will be saved from it And we have the same Rule and Law given to judge our selves by that God will judge us by at last Therefore retire and examine your selves whether you can observe the Seal and Earnest of the Spirit of Grace upon your Hearts whether you can review your Conversation and Course as transacted in simplicity and godly Sincerity as in the sight of God under the conduct of the same Spirit whether this sanctifying Spirit hath drawn out your Desires after Holiness and your Love to God his Word his Worship and his Servants so as to wean you from the World and make you place your Hopes and Happiness above choosing God for your only Portion and Christ for your Teacher Saviour and Lord enabling you to live with sincere Desires and Endeavours to please and honour him in the believing expectation of what he hath purchas'd and promised preferring the Hopes of it before all the Pleasures and Advantages of Sin and the present Life And if upon serious search your Hearts condemn you not you may have confidence towards God But how can you know these things without Examining and how can you have this confidence without such a Knowledge and how can you think of the Second Coming of Christ with comfort without some such good Hopes thrô Grace 4. You should likewise Endeavour to carry it in every Relation and Condition as expecting to be called to an Account when your Lord shall come Do nothing now but you would be willing to hear of then nothing that you would be ashamed or afraid to have ript up opened and discovered in that Day Think with your selves often Is this that I am now doing the Life which I now lead the Designs that I now pursue such as will be sweet or bitter to be remembred when Christ shall come will it be to my Shame or Honour to my Joy or my Confusion in the Day of Reckoning when I must stand before my Judge How many Temptations to sin might this repell How many necessary Duties might this awaken us to perform especially toward Relations It may now be a terrible thought to some of us to consider and foresee that those of our Relations whom we most tenderly Love are like to fall under the condemning Sentence of Christ and perish Eternally You can hardly bear up now under the weight of such a thought will you not then awake to Counsel Warn Reprove Exhort Admonish and Intreat them and do all you can to prevent it But if they will not hearken your Faithfulness shall be your Comfort and their Condemnation shall not diminish your Happiness tho' it will aggravate their Doom if you have done your Duty I will instance in one Relation Suppose a Wicked Child to behold his Parents on the Right Hand of the Judge one or both of them owned by Christ rejoycing in his Love and taking part with him so as to be pleased with the Execution of his Righteous Sentence without any such Bowels of Pity toward them as now they feel And if we could imagine them to discourse together how might Holy Parents mind them of the various Methods they used to prevent their Ruine and of all the Counsels Reproofs and Prayers with which they follow'd them from year to year I begot thee or brought thee forth I laid thee in my Bosom I carried thee in my Arms I took care of thee in Infancy I instructed thee in Childhood I look'd after thy Education I brought thee to the publick Assemblies I put thee upon Secret Prayer I warn'd
thee of thy Danger by bad Company I urg'd thee to flee youthful Lusts I told thee what would be the End and Issue I forewarn'd thee of this day and of the Everlasting Destruction that Christ had Threatned and of thy too late Repentance in the other World and that hereafter I should see thee condemned to Hell without being able to pity thee And now the Case is thus I cannot but approve the Righteous Sentence of the glorious Judge for thou wouldest not prepare and get Ready for this Day notwithstanding thy many Warnings and Calls from God and Man to do it Moreover 5. Labour to strengthen Faith concerning the Certainty and Glory of Christs Appearing and the most important awful Consequences of it both to the Righteous and to the Wicked 1. As to the Certainty of his Coming Unbelief is at the bottom of our neglect to make Ready We do not consider the confirming Reasons of the Truth of the Gospel and beg the Light and Influence of the Spirit to perswade us fully of this foundation Article We take up with the name of Faith and do not Believe with a notional weak ineffectual Faith that may dwell in the Hearts of Hypocrites or Devils and therefore feel no influence by it to excite our Hopes or Fears or Preparation Did we indeed believe it as an unquestionable Truth that Christ shall come again to judge the World we could not but Fear to be found Unready For whatever the distance be between this and that Our Faith would represent it near as if the thing were present as if we saw the Redeemer in the Clouds with the glorious Retinue of Blessed Angles and ten thousand of his Saints It would realize the Solemnity of his Tribunal the Books being opened and the Wicked trembling before their Judge and the Righteous justified and rejoycing in the Approbation of their Saviour Did we believe it Certain we should often put the Question How shall I appear and stand in the Judgment How shall I give an account of all my Talents What shall I answer when I am call'd to his Bar what shall I do to be befriended when I am tryed for my Life Therefore beg that God would fix a believing sence of this upon your Hearts that your Faith may be the Evidence of things not seen That you may believe it as firmly as if Dooms-day were already come as if you heard the Trump to sound and that Amazing voice Arise ye Dead and come to Judgment 2. Strengthen and increase Faith concerning the Glory of the Second Coming of Christ as well as the Certainty of it He shall be revealed from Heaven with visible Glory in flaming Fire with his mighty Angels so that every Eye shall see him and they also that pierced him He shall come again with Power and great Glory and the voice of the Arch-Angel shall awaken the World and fill them with an awful Reverence of their Glorious Judge He that stoopt so low at first to be cloathed with a mean disguise and to glorifie the Father in the form of a Servant by the Sacrifice of himself for our Redemption shall be publickly Honoured in the view of all Mankind At his first Appearance he was a Man of Sorrows and acquainted with Grief he made himself of no Reputation was despised and rejected of men but he shall come again openly to vindicate himself from the Contempt of his Enemies Every knee shall bow before him and every Tongue confess him to be Lord And they who affronted his Throne and lift up the Heel against him shall be made his Footstool At first he appear'd with all the sinless Infirmities of Humane Nature but shall a second time with all the Demonstrations of the Divine Power and Godhead 3. How awful and important will be the Consequences of his Coming to all Mankind 1. To the Wicked With what Amazement and Confusion with what Fear and Horror with what Dread and Trembling shall they as guilty Prisoners be made to stand before his Judgment Seat What killing despair will seize their Hearts what Paleness and shadow of Death will cover their Faces what Convulsions and gripes of Conscience will then torment them Where can they go where can they hide How can they appear How can they avoid appearing What can they say How can they answer the Charge or deny the Accusation or evade the Sentence or put off the Execution for a day or bear it for a Moment Since they can never escape the Tryal or corrupt the Judge or be pardon'd after Judgment or get the Sentence to be reprieved or the Execution deferr'd It will then be in vain to cry for Mercy for now the Day of Vengeance without Pity and of Judgment without Mercy is come what Friend wilt thou go to then where are they who can plead for thee or save thee but he that will not I would not for ten thousand Worlds appear in thy Case among those that shall then be found Naked and Vnready And are not these things sit to be now consider'd believ'd and prepared for What is all the Business and Affairs of this World What but a Play a Game a Trifle to these things 2. To the Righteous The Bridegrooms departure is not upon a Divorce He shall come again to be glorified in his Saints and be admired of all them that believe They shall see him and meet him in the Air and say Yonder is He whom our Souls Love yonder is the blessed Jesus who once came from Heaven to dye for us and now comes to bring us to Heaven we believed his Word and behold now he comes to make it good They shall hear his absolving Sentence their Persons shall be justified their Cause shall be pleaded their Sins shall be blotted out their Sufferings and Sorrows shall all be ended They may therefore rejoyce in hope and lift up their Heads in expectation of that Day for the blessed Sentence shall ravish their Hearts when they shall be bid to Enter into their Lords Joy And hear those endearing Words from the great Redeemer Come ye blessed Children of my Father take Possession of the Inheritance prepared for you Let us therefore pray for the Second Coming of Christ and the hastning of it as all Believers under the Old Testament and New have done And in this posture Watching Praying Waiting and preparing for his last Appearance to Judgment we should be Ready for his particular Coming to us by Death Lastly Let us improve every Warning of Divine Providence every Death and Funeral of our Relations and Acquaintance to promote our own Readiness to follow This is the Language of the late Providence that occasions this Discourse This is the voice of God by every breach he makes in our own or our Neighbours Family Be you also Ready for you know not the Hour when the Son of Man comes We lose the Examples and Holy Lives of our deceased Friends for want of Imitation and we lose
their Deaths too if we be not awakened to prepare for our own But alas How soon do the Impressions wear off of such awakening Spectacles It may be the ghastly looks or dying groans of dear Friends or departing Relatives gasping out their last breath and just passing into the other World for the present may affect us a little It may be when we see an open Coffin in our own House or a Grave gaping to receive the Body of one we knew and loved and lately conversed with this may move and startle us a little It may be when we behold the mournful Looks and Habit the Funeral Pomp and Solemnity that attends them to the House of Darkness some serious Thoughts are excited our Minds are aw'd into some reflections upon our own Mortality But when the Ceremony is over and we are gone from such a Spectacle when the Dead are buried out of our sight and we engag'd among the living World again how soon alas is all this forgotten and how few are Gainers by such a Loss in the manner they should be i. e. To take the Warning to be Ready and Prepared for the Coming of Christ to us which is as sure as if we were already dead One Help to get Ready our Selves for Death and Judgment is to consider and improve the Death of Others Either of such who were called and not Ready whose case speaks loudly to us not to delay and trifle as they did or of such as were Prepared and fit to Dye their Death hath also the like voice of that in the Text Be you also Ready Our Deceased Friend Mrs. Gearing I am perswaded was of this latter sort § 1. I Know very well that the praising of the Dead hath been scandalously abused as a more close way of flattering the living Relations and therefore would be cautious what I speak on such Occasions But the Honour of Gods Grace is not a little concern'd in the Honour of those in whom it did remarkably appear and he hath promis'd that they who serve and follow him shall be honoured To mention what was really imitable and praise-worthy needs no Apology or Excuse the matter carries its own Justification § 2. You of this Congregation could not but observe her Diligence and Constancy in attending on the Publick Worship of the Lords Day and to show forth the Lords Death every Month in the other Solemnity of the Supper Her early Attendance here before the publick Worship began thô she liv'd at a more remote distance than many of you is not unworthy of your Imitation § 3. Her strict Seriousness in Family-worship and Closet Duties by which the Life and Vigour of practical Godliness is to be kept up they who knew her best were well acquainted with § 4. There was one thing in her daily Course which should shame and awaken most Professors viz. the Conscientious daily practice of Self-reflection and Examination reviewing and calling over the passages of every Day in the Evening She made Conscience every Night to look back on the Duties she had performed and the Manner of 'em on the Mercies she had receiv'd on the Errors Weaknesses and Omissions she had been guilty of c. in order to Repentance or Thanksgiving Oh that there were more of such concerning whom this may be truly said We should be more Ready for the Table of the Lord every Month and more Ready for the presence of Christ at the Hour of Death if we did thus review the Actions of every Day at the close of it § 5. Not to insist upon her Faithfulness and Prudence Tenderness and Affection Affability and Friendly Carriage in every Relation with divers other things very Commendable in her Life I shall only take notice of a few things concerning her last Sickness which after ten days determin'd in Death § 6. Her Patience Submission and Resignation was answerable to the other part of her Character and Deportment that is truly Christian When sometimes by intervals her Distemper did affect her Head as soon as she recovered the use of her Vnderstanding and a composed mind very pertinent and earnest Supplications to Heaven discovered the holy Seriousness of her Heart and Frame When she could hardly speak more than Yes or No yet she did sufficiently signifie her Assent and cordial Approbation of any seasonable Religious Discourse that was made to her § 7. She owned her Hope and Trust in the Mercy of God thro' Jesus Christ for Pardon and Eternal Life and under the disorders of so painful and violent a Feaver yet acknowledg'd she had Peace within § 8. The day before she dyed she told a near Relation that she had a great work to do on the morrow And when it was replyed that 't is true It is a great and difficult Work to dye yet one moments Enjoyment of God in Heaven will make amends for all She very affectionately cries out I so it will I know that my Redeemer lives and that I shall go to him and be with him § 9. The Evening before her Departure after I had prayed for her in the presence of several Relations and Friends and seriously endeavour'd to commend her Soul into the hands of Christ I ask'd her Whether Jesus Christ were not the Chiefest of ten thousands to Her whether she did not desire and prize him above all whether she had not given up her self to him again and again with all her Heart and Soul entirely and without reserve and endeavour'd humane Infirmities and Backslidings repented of excepted to walk and live as a Follower of Christ under the Conduct of his Spirit and according to the Rule of his Word and some other such Questions that might assist her to discern the Truth of her Grace c. She answered in the Affirmative with extraordinary Modesty Humility Thankfulness and Affection And gave me her hand at Parting with thanks for my Prayers and Assistance begging of God the best of Blessings for me and mine which were her own words § 10. After which in a difficult struggle with the King of Terrors we hope and trust she was supported by the Everlasting Arms of that Powerful Grace of Christ who hath conquer'd Death and him that had the Power of it the Devil So that we may now say O Death where is thy Sting c. God grant those lively impressions of Death and another World which the Relations then present seem'd to have on that occasion may not easily wear off or lose their proper Influence And now Christians let us mix our Sorrows for our Deceased Friend with the Joys of Faith on the account of her being made meet and ready for the Presence of Christ Some Sorrow is allowable were it but as Death enters into the World as the fruit of Sin But she being Prepared for Death and made meet for the Promised Blessedness beyond the Grave that ought to be the matter of our Joy which we believe is so of hers
but such as are Taught of God and have their spiritual sences exercised so as to be acquainted not only with the form of Godliness but also with the Power thereof these men do say that the Character which the others do give of this eminent persons teaching are most true and they do further also say that it is extraordinary Clear and convincing most Evangelical and Scriptural greatly practical and profitable and yet very Sublime and Spiritual Now Reader consider whether many if any such have finally miscarryed whose Natures were gentle and easie to be entreated whose hearts were Soft and Tender who had the Benesits of such Education and such Example who enjoyed such Teaching abroad as well as such Counsel at home and all accompanyed with fervent Prayer unto God for a Blessing which I am sure that she did not want it being reported of her Father that his Custom was with the Psalmist 119.164 Seven times a day to pray unto the Lord and to praise him Moreover I am informed that this deceased Gentlewoman was observed to spend much time in Closet Prayer of late consider then I say whether we may not hope considently that the Grace of God had savingly and effectually wrought upon her who was both visibly in Covenant with God and whose heart also God had disposed and prepared by such special Means of Grace which he had bestowed upon her And this is yet more evident if we reflect upon God's dealing with her in her last Sickness whereby God did seem to seal Instruction deeply upon her Soul Her distemper was one of the worst sort of Small Pox At her first being taken she had strong apprehensions that she should dye she therefore did fall closely upon the work of Examination desiring the assistance of some Ministers therein and she was visited by many she opened her case to us all and God was pleased to make her to suspect and be jealous of the worst and to confess and condemn herself for her Sins both of Omission as well as Commission and humbly to inquire after the only way of Pardon And it pleased God so to bless these last helps as that none of us who visited her do doubt but the same Spirit who convinced her of Sin and of Righteousness did at length seal her up to the day of Redemption The Alpha the first Beginning and Foundation of all practical Religion is that act whereby a Soul doth deliberately resolvedly freely and expressely dedicate and devote it self unto God and his Service Thus the Saints in 2 Cor. 8.5 The Omega the last concluding and consummating work of a devout Soul is to commit and commend its Spirit into the hands of God as to a faithful Creator thus did Stephen Acts 17.59 Yea thus did our Lord Jesus himself Luk. 23.46 Thus also did this blessed Person she did I hope begin well in an early Consecration of her self to God I am sure she did end well and 't is the end that Crowns the work she did reckon that she had not fully Finished her Course nor rightly laid the Top-stone of her spiritual Building so as to cry Grace Grace unto it untill she had most devoutly and humbly offered up her Soul to God in Prayer by the assistance of some Friend and Minister Accordingly although it were midnight and although my Habitation was far from hers yet in the very last Agonies of her Death she did send for me and with the clearest use of her Reason and the most servent desires of her Soul she did entreat me that I would in her Name solemnly and expresly furrender and give up her Soul into the Arms and Bosom of her Saviour in whose precious Blood she did hope that all her sins were now fully washed away I did readily obey the Call and did comply with her desire for I did and do judge that this desire of hers proceeded from some extraordinary Impulse and work of the Holy Ghost And Reader thou walt think as I do if thou shalt read and observe the effect and consequence hereof as it is related to thee in the close of the following discourse Almost such another extraordinary Impress as it may be thought was made upon her Spirit on occasion of this Author 's presenting her with a * Exhortation to Touth to prepare for Judgment 11 Eccl. 9. Funeral Sermon which he had preached but a little kefore she was taken sick which Sermon she having received and read and diligently considered she was heard to say That she did think that her own change would not be far off and that she could wish that the Author might preach her Funeral Sermon also and she then named the Text now insisted upon and said That she hoped that God would make her Funeral Sermon as profitable to other young Ones as the Former Sermon had been to her self Her Prognosticks were too true as to the shortness of the time which she lived after those words were spoken by her God grant that her hopes be not frustrated but that all her dying words may prove truely prophetical and especially those which related to the profitable success of the Sermon here before thee The Author hath done his part like himself as well in this as in the former Discourse Oh that he might find as diligent and as considering Readers as she was many excellent Considerations very subservient and conducing to thy Conviction and Salvation are proposed herein but all will be in vain and to no purpose without thine own Meditation and the Spirits application Concerning the Discourse I must say no more and I can do no less than to allude to the words of the Holy Ghost Eccl. 12.9 And moreover because the Preacher was wise therefore in this Discourse he hath Taught the People Knowledge and hath given good heed and sought and set in order many Arguments for thy preparing for Death and moreover for preferring of Death before Life The Lord convince thee by them and also carry thee comfortably through all Time to Eternity My Paper is short and my Time shorter I must therefore conclude for the Sermon is wholly Printed and stops only untill I have told thee that I am Thy Friend and Souls Servant S. Fairclough THE SAINTS DESIRE TO Be with Christ PHIL. I. 23. For I am in a strait betwixt two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better SAint Paul writing from Rome to the Church at Philippi in this Chapter acquaints them with his Bonds and other Discouragements which he tells them by their Prayers and the Assistance of the Spirit of Christ obtained thereby would turn to his Salvation and the furtherance of the Gospel and had already been attended with some considerable success in that kind V. 12 13 14. to fortifie and confirm the Professors of the Christian Faith and to propagate and promote it even in the Court of Caesar and in other places And if Christ might be magnified