this is the way to glorifie your God to honour your Religion to credit your Pastors In this way you shall be their comfort while they live their Crown when they are dead yea their joy and rejoycing in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ at his coming The exemplariness of your carriages is the best commendation of the Ministers you have and of the Sermons you hear whereas when you walk disorderly and as Enemies to the Cross of Christ you are our shame and reproach spots in our Assemblies goads in our sides and burdens upon our spirits Let no man nor woman tell others they sit under my Ministry unless they resolve by the grace of God to depart from iniquity 2. Follow them in their Love True faith works love and by it it kindles a pure flame of love and then makes use thereof for the promoting and furtherance of all duty Have you not taken notice of your Pastors love What did they think too much to do for you They have hazarded their liberty and spent their strength and broken their rest and wasted their lungs for you They mourned under the untractableness of some and were humbled for the unreformedness of others who had sinned and had not repented they longed for your Conversion to God and progress in Religion and growth in grace They had no greater joy than to see you walking in the truth Oh! how did they prize God and Christ and you how did they rejoyce in their work though hard yet sweet how welcome was a Sabbath upon which they might draw their breasts for your consolation and open their treasures for your inriching imitate you them in their love give the best the flower the quintessence of it unto God Erect in your hearts a Throne for Christ love him as well as you can and then mourn because you love him so little and always pray that you may love him more Love one another dearly for you are brethren and so fulfil the law of Christ and prove your selves his Disciples Have an universal love for all the Saints all in whom you can see aliquid Christi any thing of Christ yea so love all men as to wish their good and to do them all the good you can even your Enemies your Persecutors those that hate you do you hate their sins and wicked ways but love their persons and pray for their conversion and salvation 3. Follow them in their Joy You read of the joy of faith and of the Saints rejoycing in believing with joy unspeakable and full of glory Certainly it is a duty incumbent upon all the Saints to rejoyce in the Lord and that evermore and call to remembrance the times that are past Have you not seen the faith of your Pastors budding and blossoming with joy when you have been sinking and days have been dark and fears many Have you not seen a smile upon their brow even then when there was a Cloud upon their tabernacle You have indeed been acquainted with their sorrows and their tears because men hated to be reformed would not keep Gods Law but dishonoured his Name and opposed his Gospel and would break his bands asunder and cast away his cords from them but you have also been privy to and witnesses of their joys follow them in this Let them that are of a fearful heart be strong be you of a cheerful spirit and let your brethren and others see you are so You have O Saints matter of rejoycing in your worst conditions nay let me say this You have much more matter of rejoycing than you now have or ever shall have of sorrow and disquiet For if you be really what you profess your selves to be God is the cause and matter of your rejoycing it is he that is your comfort and your glory Psal. 43. 4. I will go saith that sweet singer of Israel unto the Altar of God unto God my exceeding joy or as the margin tells you it is in the Hebrew unto God the gladness of my joy Now I beseech you if you can tell me What can possibly be I ask you again what can possibly be so great a cause of sadness and sorrow as your God is of joy and rejoycing Thou O poor drooping soul thinkest thou hast a great many sins in thy heart and the Church of Christ hath a great many dangers at this day in poor England City and Country is full of them and doubtless all this is very true too too true the good Lord help us Yet know God is above them all and greater than them all He is greater than all thy sins and so can both pardon and subdue them He is greater than all his Churches enemies and so can either reconcile and change them if he pleases or curb and conquer them As he is greater than all our dangers and so can easily obviate and prevent them He can with a word command deliverance and create peace and place a defence upon and about all our glory You have my Brethren at all times in the very worst times more cause of joy in God than you can have of sorrow and discouragement in any thing nay in all things This made the holy Prophet take up that brave resolution Hab. 3. 17 18. To rejoyce in the Lord and to joy in the God of his salvation though there should be a famine in the world and the staff of creature-comforts should be broken to pieces though earth should sink under him yet he would by faith hang upon a God above him and as long as he had a God above to live upon his joy should live and flourish He knew not only how to make a meal but how to feast it upon God alone Thus have I at large set before you that duty which is incumbent upon you in reference to your deceased Pastors who have Preached to you the Word of God it lieth in these two things Remember them Follow their faith Now I come to the last clause in the Text which you may look upon either as a third duty or an excellent means for the commending of the two former and facilitating them unto you and that you have in these words Considering the end of their conversation Here again you have the Act Considering and the Object The end of their conversation I will begin with the former Considering We ought to be a considering people it would be our safety our honour our comfort and advantage every way as I could easily shew you We should sin less if we would consider more Most if not all our sins come in at this door want of consideration Men do not consider their ways lead directly to Hell going down to the Chambers of Death and therefore they go on in them They do not look into the state of their souls nor consider how affairs stand with them and so when they should mourn and weep they live jovally and frolick their days away dancing and roaring upon the very brink
Dragon but by the hand of death did I say he fell no no he rose higher and is now in the highest with the highest This Star is removed into another Orb His Mantle of flesh he dropt and left behind but his Spirit mounted and returned to God that gave it And Si verbis audacia detur give me leave to saâ— a great man is fall'n in London His work was done and his dear Master would not permit his stay after it but took him home and gave him his Crown Hear a little my Brethren of those precious sayings which fâ—owed from him abundantly that Night before a full surrender was made What he spake was taken by the Pen of a ready Writer Out of that large Garden I have pickt some few flowers which I thus make up and present unto you He had his light of comfort in that day of trouble though not a bright Sun-shine yet under the thickest Cloud he could see grace in his Heart and read his Evidence These words assure us of that Dear Iesus dost not thou know that I love thee though not with that activity which others do yet with truth of love Oh! thou knowest that I love thee and wilt not thou love me and manifest thy self to me Lord thou knowest the bent of my heart was toward thy self thou knowest I laid up my treasure with thee and made choice of Heaven for mine Inheritance thou wilâ— not forget it nâ—w He had his experiences ready to produce as Cordials to himself and Arguments with his God will you hear them Oh dear Iesus a glimpse of the light of thy Countenance is worth an age of pains and prayers I have had formerly not only tasts but large draughts sometimes Ah my dear Father thou hast given me sweet encouragement in waiting upon thee and of late thou hast not wholly turned thy back Oh my dear Iesus didst thou not manifest thy self to me at the Sacrament when I was so very weak didst not thou give me some tasts that thou art gracious and that thou didst love me in particular and that thou wouldest never leave nor forsake me nor suffer me to depart from thee is this so long a time ago He had high thoughts of God when he was at the lowest he justified him and that in this very Lauguage O my Lord I will not complain of thee though I must complain to thee I complain of my self but not of thee I have deserved thou shouldest let me die in a Cloud and though I do I doubt not but I shall be happy He could with a composed Spirit take his leavâ— and shake hands with all His expressions were these Farewell the world the pleasures profits and honours of the world farewell sin I shall ever be with the Lord. Farewell my dear Wife farewell my dear Children farewell my Servants and farewell you my Spiritual Children whom he was at leisure thus to advise be careful in your choice of a Pastor choose one who in his Doctrine life and manners may adorn the Gospel I shall be glad to meet you all in Heaven This spake a calm within a sedate frame of Spirit He could welcome death observe how his words were dipt in oyl when its hands were to be imbrewed in his blood Oh noble Death welcome welcome Would you know how this came to pass these words tell you Death hath wounded my head death hath wounded my breast which was full of pimples but he hath not wounded my conscience blessed be God He could with importunity call for Death Hasten hasten oh hasten Death where is thy bow where thine arrows come come come I am yet in the body I am yet on earth but it is Heaven Heaven Heaven I would fain be at I seek death but 〈◊〉 find it How long O Lord holy and true He would scarce be reconciled to the means of rebuking his disease and prolonging his 〈…〉 was conscience of duty that put him upon use of them That learned and excellent Physitian who applied to him in his sickness and whose heart was set upon his recovery though he much question'd it told me he said to him why do you come to keep mâ— out of Heaven Hâ— could play with Death thus Praythee take possâ—ssion of my Body see whaâ— thou wilt get by it fatten thy Grave with thy Sacrifices He had high and admiring thoughts of Jesus Christ read them thus Oh dear Iesus what or who art thou Oh! that glorious Spirit that laid â—he foundations of the Earth and stretched out the Heavens like a Curtain Oh what an excellent person aâ—t thou oh what an excellent person art thou thou art all lovely in every part from the Crown of the head to the Soal of the foot thou art all love all excellent thy bounty is divine thy love is divine thy beauty is divine He was not satisfied with what he had of Christ. Observe how desires flam'd Dear Iesus dear sweet Iesus come unto me and manifest thy self unto me that others may see and know that thou lovest me Now if ever now now now if ever now if ever O dear Iesus I am going out of the body to be with thee to deal only with Spirits Oh that I might have the light of thy countenance the sense of thy loâ—e oh bome unto me I see but a little of thy beauty and excellency oh that I might see more and taste more and enjoy more that I may have more than ever I had and â—ast more than ever I did And he longed to be with Jesus was in a kind of holy impatience sick of love and desires to delight himself in clear vision and full fruition of him Witness these groans Dear Iesus come and take me away I have no business hear my work is done my glass is run my strength is gone and when my work is done why shall I stay behind Oh come come be as a Roe upon the Mountains of spices How long shall I wait and cry how long shall I be absent from thee And again O come and take me to thy self and give me possession of that happiness which is above the vision of thy self perfect likeness to thy self full fruition of thy self without any interruption or conclusioâ— And yet again O come deâ—r Lord Iesus how long before thou â—end thy Chariots O come thou down to me and take me up to thee Having â—ain some time silent and still a Friend desired him to give him his hand if the clouds were scattered whereupon he reached out his hand and said as those present understood him I am upheld in the Arms of a Mediator Thus died this precious Saint this eminent Minister thus he lived and thus he died Let him never be forgotten he shall not he cannot be forgotten And let us who survive be followers of him and others who serv'd and walked with Christ on earth and now sit and reign with Christ in glory FINIS
too weak and feeble to admit of so lofty a flight Let nature and the power of it be never so much commended by its admirers the natural man without a supernatural principle and the sweet yet mighty assiâ—â—ance of special grace never did never can make God his highest end No no self sâ—icks too close to him and is predominant it is both at the top and bottom of all his actions and doth indeed run quite thorough them Whereupon Theophylact said you cannot instance in one good Heathen because they did all for vain glory 2. Your deceased Pastors desigâ—ed the salvation of their own souls interest in God communion with him and fruition of him tasts of his sweetness sights of his beauty now and satisfaction hereafter They were of David's mind and rejoyced in the same hopes David had been speaking of the men of the world how they had their bellies filled with hid treasures Oh! that is good say some we wish we had our belly full too but stay that which spoiled all is this that they had their portion in this liâ—e The comforts of the wâ—â—ld are good enâ—oymenâ—s but they are a bad portion that holy man did think them so and therefore closed most sweetly thus Psâ—l 17. 15. As for me I will behold thy â—â—ce in rightâ—â—usâ—ess I shall be sâ—tisfied when I awake with thy likeness It is as if he had said Every one as he likes if these men see so much in the world let them take it and much good may it do them when they have their bellies full let them go to rest and sing themselves asleep in the lap of pleasures at the breast of creatures when God awakens them they will find emptiness and pain having fed all along upon wind and ashes As for me I will not be put off with these things they are but for the body but for the belly which must be destroyed for that part of man which shall never be glorified As for me I study the good of my precious soul and am set for a portion for my soul I would have my portion to take when their portion is spent I am for beholding the face of God and satisfaction with the likeness of God and when I once have that I am sure that I shall have enough both of his love and of his glory Paul laboured more abundantly than all if you should ask him what it was he laboured for he tells you I and my faithful Brethren labour that whether present or absent they might be accepted of God 2 Cor. 5. 9. We would gladly be accepted of the Saints but our chief desire and ambition is to be accepted of the God of Saints and to be received to live with him as his Children for ever And surely their greatest Adversaries may well allow them this We all know there is a scantiness in the creature and a narrowness in the world from whence proceeds shouldering and justling and scrambling but the Divine Love is infinite the fulness of a God inexhaustible and in Heaven there are many mansions room enough and happiness enough and glory enough for all that shall come thither let us not quarrel by the way nor at the Inne at home at our Fathers house there is fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore 3. Lastly They desir'd and aim'd at the spiritual good and eternal welfare of your souls To bring you unto Christ to build you upon Christ to keep you from departures from him and from unstedfastness with him in a word to be instrumental for the making you meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light Your selves are witnesses of the pains they took among you God is witness of their studies for you the tears they shed in private the prayers they made in which they wrestled with great wrestlings that you might live in his sight and neither fall short of the grace which is bestowed upon his people nor of the Rest which remains for them I dare with highest confidence affirm these were the ends at which they principally aimed and do not fear being put to the blush at last as one that is found a lyar 2. But now let us consider the end of their daies their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 last end their going off the stage of the world and out of this vail of tears What Exist have they how come they off at last for that is the import of the word in the Original which saith a Learned Critick is a metaphor taken from those who being incompast about with thieves are in danger on every side how do they escape Faithful Pastors are tha light of the world but how many are there every where puffing at them They are the Salt of the earth but how do the wicked endeavour to cast all this Salt upon the dung-hill and what an unsavoury world should we have then They are troubled on every side and in all revolutions of Kingdoms and Nations none are so much exposed to hazard as they Well now observe and consider the end the last Act and blessed be our good God you shall find that in the Evening it is light Finis coronat opus Their End is such as that it crowns their works such as makes them free to tell the world that their labour hath not been in vain in the Lord because it fully answers all their hopes and expectations nay doth unspeakably exceed them It is such an End as is desirable for all men Even a Balaam wished thus Let me die the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his The vile wretch did not like the righteous mans life that was too refined and strict for him who loved the wages of unrighteousness but he would fain have his end And you will see no cause at all to wonder at it if you will but retire a little and in good earnest consider these things 1. The End of your faithful Pastors yea and of faithful Christians too is a welcome end Others like the fool in the Gospel have their souls taken from them there is a force put if they could resist they would in a sullen mood and disconted fit they will call for death but when it comes indeed they wish it â—arther off Whereas these resign their souls and give up the Ghost and commend their spirits into their Saviours hand They did according to their duty love their work and Relations and Friends and Comforts yea and glory in the Cross of Christ but they can freely bid farewel to all when they know they shall and think they do go to God Though their daies be few yet they depart hence full of daies because they have had their fill of living they do not only submit to God when he sends for them but also are well pleased the World was crucified to them and they to the World when things are once brought to that pass it is no hard matter to part the World
and everlastingly obliged And such injustice will cost them dear that are guilty of it Labour we to make men and women â—ound Believers Shew them the insufficiency of all they do to justifie them that they may never with the besotted Iews go about to establish their own righteousness but submit to the righteousness of God and by Faith put on that perfect spotless Robe which our dear Jesus hath wrought for humbled sinners It is that and that alone that can cover all our shame and adorn our persons and make our beauty perfect and us lovely in the sight of God Teach them to look after the inward glory which the King's Daughter had Psal. 45. 13. but withall to put on this clothing of wrought gold And let us also live up to the Laws of our Religion Away with covetousness and debauchery Away with envy malice and contention Let not the noise of Axes and Hammers and evil Tongues be heard among us Verily these things will not be for our honour Bespattering one another is not a likely way to beautifie our selves it is a diâ—ty trick and some of that dirt which you throw upon others will fly back upon your selves or if not the same yet some as bad This very work defiâ—es you That person hath no love in the family who is of a cross sâ—irit and delights in abusing Walk holily and humbly and in love Let not head-divisions cause heart-divisions Hatred variance â—mularions wrath sâ—rise envyings are works of the flâ—sh as well as seditions and 〈◊〉 These gratifie the Devil and please Papists but offend God and dishonour you Let all of us that fear God and love godliness keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace for we are Brethren We see the common Adversary is at work to ruine and destroy us all let not us strengthen his hands for it by weakening our own and devouring one another Vse 2. I would exhort you that are the People to remember your deceased Pastors and follow their Faith And in particular do you set upon these duties my dear friends who are the Members of this Congregation who sate under and rejoyced in the Light and Labours of my dearest Brother your late Reveâ—end Pastor Mr. Tâ—omas Vincent Concerning whom much very much may be said in his high and just commendation My acquaintance with him hath been short not full three years so that I cannot look back so far nor inlarge so much upon this noble and copious Subject as some of my worthy Brethren could have done had you pleased to have invited one of them to this service Blessed be God there is no need of many words for his works praise him in our Gates they will â—peak though I should be silent But I know you do expect something from me which you may please to take thus Reverend Mr. Thomas Vincâ—nt was a man really set for God having chosen him for his portion and for his Lord too He was devoâ—ed to his fear and honour and delighted greatly in communion with him him he served with his spirit in the Gospel of his Son Prayer was his daily work and great delight he was much at it mighty in it and successful too Many a gracious answer was given him from Heaven This wrestling Iacob was a prevailing Isâ—aâ—l a Prince with God He was a painful and industâ—uous Labourer in God's Vineyard laying out himself to the utmost for his peoples good Oh! how great was his zeal in the Pulpit what his hand found to do there he did it with all his might You his Auditors could not but conclude his Heart was in his work He put up his requests to God and delivered his messages to you with inlargedness of soul and in the sweat of his brows I can assure the world he was none of those idle drones those â—lothful servants who did the work of their Lord negligently He stayed with you here in the time of thâ—t noisom and greedy Pestilence which raged so furiously and devoured so hastily and numbred out many thousands and ten thousands to the Grave when others fled for their lives he kept his station all the while knowing he could not go out of Gods reach the arm of omnipotency could so bend his bow and draw his arrow to the head that it should flie as far as he could run He knew his duty and his safety lay together He was however freely willing to venture his life for the salvation of sâ—uls He was sound in his judgment and turned not aside to any errours upon the right hand or the left Hâ—s Doctrine speak his faith in Chriâ—t and both thâ—t and his life exprest his lovâ— to Mâ—râ—liâ—y and Piety I will tell you one passage which came from him about three or four daies before his death Asking him how it was within He answered me very well adding withal Blessed be God for an imputed Righteousness and blessed be God for an inherent Righteousness Dear Brother I must tell you if I had not an inherent Righteousness I could take no comfort from an imputed Righteousness He was of an unblameable Conversation I never heard of one dead flie in his Box of Ointment Did I say he was of an unblameable Conversation it was too little a word too short by much He was of an exemplary Conversation He reduced precepts into practice and was not only in his Doctrine but in his way too a shining light He was a sweet Companion Ah! my dear Brother how pleasant how very pleasant wast thou unto me Grace was poured into his lips and they dropt as an hony-comb I was beholding to him for frequent visits And though sometimes my own occasions were very pressing and urgent yet was his company never burdensom for he still detained me from business with delights and sweetnesses And if at any time I was not a gainer by his company it was mine own fault He was a warm Christian and carried up and down with him a heavenly fire a Divine heat both in his heart and his discourses Some opposition he met with in his work and discouragements yet he was not discouraged but held on his way and grew stronger and stronger Sub ponderâ— crevit storms made him root the faster and flourish the more He did not count liberty nor life dear to him so that he might finish his course with joy and the ministry which he had received of the Lord Iesus to testifie the Gospel of the grace of God And his blessed Master crowned his labours with admirable success he did not draw up his net empty nor had he cause to complain of labouring in vain spending his strength for nought in vain He did see of the travail of his soul in the conversion of many and will be able to say at last Lord here am I and the Children which thou hast given me But alas alas this bright and orient Star must fall he must fall not by the rail of the