Excellent Memorables for all Mourners: Especially Mourners for the Loss of Dearest [...] Gathered out of Mr. B's prepared (though not Preached) Farewel Sermon, at Kederminster, Aug. 24. 1662. upon our Saviours [...]
[...] therefore have sorrow, but I will see you again, [...] Hearts shall rejoice, and your joy no Man take [...] [...] you.
THE Separation of dear Friends, made by Persecution or Affliction, doth somewhat resemble Death it self. It doth so in Eleven particulars.
1. Death is the Separation of dear Companions; and [...]
2 Death is Ʋnwelcom unto Both of them: so is the said Se [...]
3 Death is the end of Humane Converse; so is that.
4 Death is the end of Earthly Comforts; so is that.
5 Death is the end of Humane Labours; so is that.
6 Death is the effect of Sickness, and usually of Folly, and In [...] and Oversight of our selves; so is that also, most com [...]
7 Death puts surviving Friends into Mourning; so doth that.
8 Death is the end of all the Living; so is that.
9 Death is followed with Judgment, God's and Man's; so is [...]
10 Death destroys not the Relations of Soul and Body, sepa [...] doth the said Separation of Friends destroy their [...] unto each other.
11. Death's Power is not Everlasting; there will be a Resur [...] So the Power of the said Separation is not Everlast [...] Godly Friends will surely meet again in that Kingdom [...] admits of no parting.
12. Death, I would add, Works good to the Saints: and so in the said Separation, as grievous as it is to sense, Rom. [...]
But yet this said Separation resembles not Death in all [...] [...]or,
1. [...] Friend is the Life of his Friend; no Pastor is the Life [...]; as the Soul is the Life of it's Body. It is Christ alone is our Head and Life.
2. And the Continuance of ones Welfare depends not on the con [...] of my Friend with us. A Church-state depends not on [...] of any one single Pastor whatever.
The Text contains, [and happy is he that well attains and [...],] these Six Doctrinal Propositions.
D 1. Sorrow goes before Joy, with Christs Disciples. Even [...] before Morning. Their Sowing in Tears, before Reap [...] in Joy. Their Pain of Travel, before Joy of Birth. Se [...] [...] of Sorrow, go before their compleat Joy.
1. Sinful Sorrows go before it. Though they should not do [...] do ever so do. Worldly, Passionate, Peevish Sor [...] [...] that are Positively Sinful.
2. Sorrows in their nature Lawful, and only in their degree sin [...] [...] before it. These be our Excessive troubles, at things [...] we may Lawfully Sorrow for, with Moderation.
3 Sorrows meerly Natural do go before it. Such as Weariness [...] Labour, Painedness with our Diseases, grievous Feel [...] [...] of Heat and Cold, of Hunger and Thirst.
4 Sorrows Castigatory go before it. These be God's Cha [...] [...] which have a tendency to do us good, if they be [...] improved. Such be all Sufferings in our Souls, Bodies, [...], Estates and Friends.
5. Sorrows Honourable and gainful go before it. These be Sufferings from Men for the sake of Christ & the cause of Christ.
6 Sorrows Penitential do go before it. These are Contrition [...] true Repentance, Fasting, Abstinence, and Humiliation. [...]ese Sorrows we must inflict upon our selves, to Kill Sin, [...] to Promote the work of Grace.
7. Sorrows Charitable do go before it. These be such as the [...] of God and of his Church; and our Pity of the perish [...] World, do affect us with. Even as long as we live in a [...] so full of Sin and Misery.
Hear five Reasons for Sorrow's going before Joy.
R 1. God will have some Conformity between the order of PLACE and NATƲRE. In Nature, Nothingness was be [...] [...] Being; Infancy before Manhood; Weakness before [...]; Crying before Laughter. No wonder then, if [...] Sorrow be before our Joy.
R 2. Sin goes before Grace; and we are the first Adam's [...], before we are Christ's. It is therefore but just that [...] should be before Joy, where Satan goes before Christ.
R 3. God seeth this to be the fittest Method for our Cure. [...] may Deny our selves, we must know how little we [...] beholden to our selves; and must smart by the fruit of our [...] and Folly, before we are eased by the fruit of Grace and [...].
R 4. Fore-going Sorrows raise the price of following Mercies. [...] that come out of great Tribulation, will joyfully sing [...] of their Redeemer.
R 5. God will have the Members conformed unto their Head. [...] went to the Crown by the Cross; and so shall they [...] [...]e Christs. God's Will, alone, should satisfie our [...] concerning this matter: But these Reasons do set to [...] the Equity and Goodness of God's Will and Way.
Learn hence two things Exhorted.
E 1. Judge of your Sorrows not by your present Sense, but by [...] Ʋse and Tendency. Count them Purges, and Vomits; [...] you like best, when they work in the way wherein [...] use to Cure such as take them. Remember, Sirs, and [...],
[...] 1. Who is it you suffer by? Is it one that you suspect of [...] of Power, Wisdom, or Goodness?
Q. 2. See you not that Carnal Pleasure is far more dangerous than all your Sorrow? Would you be in the condition of the ungodly, that prosper in the World?
Q. 3. Would you not rather follow your Saviour, and be conformed to Him and his Saints, than to the Wicked? Would you not go the common way to Heaven?
Q. 4. Hath not Suffering done you good, and the Cross bore you good Fruit? Why then afraid of it, and why so desirous of the Ease and Pleasure that hath often Hurt you?
Obj. But 'tis not all Sorrow that foretells Joy.
Sol. No, but all Sorrow of these three sorts doth foretell it.
1. Sorrow undergone in sincerity for Christ's cause and sake.
2. Sorrow performed as a Duty, for Gods dishonour by our own and other Mens sins, and for Miseries thence rising.
3. Sorrow of Chastisement patiently suffered, and improved unto Reformation.
E. 2. Condemn not the Generation of the Just, because you see them suffer more than other Men. Be not as some Beasts; which, when one of their Fellows is wounded, do all forsake him. —And yet, err not on the other hand; think not that all be Blessed hereafter, that be Afflicted here. Know the Cause, e're you judge of the Suffering.
D. 2. Christ's Death and Departure was the cause of his Disciples Sorrow. Three things grieved them;
1. That their Beloved Lord must be took from them.
2. That He must Die in such a manner, painfully and ignominiously.
3. That He must Die while they had so little fore-sight of his Resurrection and Return. Had they known what would follow, they had been less troubled.
D. 3. The Sorrows of Christ's Disciples are but short. For,
R. 1. Life is but short.
R. 2. God's displeasure with his Servants, is but short, Psal. 30.5.
R. 3. Our Trial, must be but short. God will see that the Furnace be not too Hot, nor we in it too Long.
R. 4. The Power of those that afflict us, is but short.
Observe then,
I. 1. Religion is not a whit disparaged by short and small Sufferings. Do any think them long? Let them consider,
1. Your Suffering will be no longer than your Sin.
2. Nor any longer than you make them NECESSARY.
3. No, not so long as you do deserve.
4. Nor so long as the Sufferings of the Ʋngodly, &c.
5. Nor so long as your following Joys; nor so great.
I. 2. It is reasonable that we moderate and mix our Sorrows with Joy. Being they be as hath been said; Rejoice evermore, is no unreasonable command.
D. 4. Christ will again visit his sorrowful Disciples. He means not to forsake them, when he hides his Face from them. For why?
R. 1. He hath Conquered the greatest Enemies already; and there be none remaining to Conquer Him.
R. 2. He retains still his Relation unto his Disciples. He is their Head, while they suffer so in the World.
R. 3. He loveth us now He is in Heaven as much as ever He did on Earth. He lays not by the least measure of his Love.
R. 4. His Covenant with his Servants is still in force. And his Promises cannot be broken.
R. 5. His own Interest, Honour, Office, Preparations, do engage him to return unto his disconsolate Flock. It doth so; And,
R. 6. It is for their sakes that He withdraweth for a time. The Bitter of it, is intended as Medicinal for their Benefit. John 16.7. It is expedient for you that I go away.
Mark ye then, and be Exhorted.
E. 1. Misunderstand not the Departings of your Lord. Say not with the Evil Servant, My Lord delayeth his coming.
1. He will Return to Judge the World, at his appointed day, Job 19.25.
2. He will Return to his seemingly Forsaken Flocks. And give them Pastors after his own Heart, Jer. 3.14.
3. He will Return to the Souls of his particular Servants seemingly Forsaken. Weeping endures for a Night, but Joy cometh in the Morning, Psal. 30.5.
E. 2. Learn to behave your selves well, till Christ doth Return unto you. Particularly,
1. Bear his Absence, but be not Pleased with it.
2. Be not too Indifferent neither, but Resent it much.
3. Be not drawn to take another Lord, or Portion, in his stead. Let not Riches, &c. serve you instead of Christ.
4. Be not emboldened to Sin by his Absence.
5. Be not discouraged from Duty, by his Absence, Heb. 12.12.
D. 5. When Christ shall again appear to his Disciples, their Sorrows shall be turned into Joy. When He comes, Joy comes with him. When the Sun riseth, it is Light day, and Frosts are thawed, and all things revived.
1. The Deserted Soul turns from Complaint, to Triumph. He that said, There is no hope; now says, My Lord and my God.
2. The Deserted Church doth the same. Joying in its restored Ordinances, Order, Opportunities, and Advantages.
3. The Ʋniversal Church shall have an end of their Sorrows, and a Harvest of Joys, when Christ returns at the last day.
And here attend ye well.
1. It is Christ Himself that is the Believers Joy. The Beloved of their Souls.
2. And He will not come Alone neither. He brings an innumerable Company of Blessed Saints and Angels.
D. 6. The Joy that cometh at Christ's return will be a secure and everlasting Joy. Who should deprive us of it?
1. Not our Selves. For our trying time will be out, and Confirmation will be the reward of Conquest.
2. Not Devils. For there they cannot corrupt our Imaginations, or pervert our Understandings, or disturb our Passions.
3. Not any Men. The Holy and Blessed, will encrease our Joy; their Joy will be ours. And as for the Wicked, they will be disenabled to hurt us, either by Flatteries, Threats, Reproaches [...] [...] cusations.
Now observe;
I. The belief of this, rejoices the Soul under all Disappointment [...] Though the ART, and FORM, and WORDS of Holiness [...] so do.
I. 2. Be not Deceived by a Flattering; nor Dejected by a Frou [...] World. No, but place your hopes on the Joys which no Man can tak [...] from you.
O Neglect not these Counsels and Requests.
C. 1. Spend most of your Studies, in confirming your belief of, 1. The Truth of the Gospel. 2. The Immortality of the Soul; And, 3. The Life to come. Lay up Treasure in Heaven; and Live for it, as Worldlings Live for the Flesh.
C. 2. Flatter not your selves with the hopes of Long Life. But make it the Summ of your Religion, Care, and Business, to be ready for a safe and comfortable Death.
C. 3. Live as in a constant War against all Fleshly Lusts, and Love not the World as it cherisheth those Lusts. He is never to be trusted, that falls deeply in Love with Riches.
C. 4. Be Furnished before-hand with Expectation and Patience, for all Evils that may befall you. And make not too great a matter of Poverty, or Wrong from Men.
C. 5. Take heed of a Self-conceited, Ʋnhumbled Ʋnderstanding, and of hasty, and rash Conclusions. It is a Fool that rageth, and is confident.
C. 6. Maintain Ʋnion and Communion with all true Christian Churches. Hold to Catholick Principles of meer Christianity. Love CHRISTIANS as Christians, but Love the BEST most.
C. 7. Be sure you maintain due Honour and Subjection unto your Governours, Prov. 24.21. Obey no Man against God. But if you fall under persecuting Governours, in patience possess your Souls, trust God, and hold fast Innocency, and abhor Rebellion and Revenge. Do nothing but what God will own. Self-saving Men, are usually the destroyers of themselves and others. Peter, that drew his Sword for Christ, denied him the same Night, with Oaths and Curses. Fools trust themselves, and Wise Men trust God. — We may learn Wit from that Fool, who seeing great Guns and Musquets, asked, What they were to do; and being told, they were to Kill Men, said presently; Do not Men Die here without Killing? In our Countrey they will Die of themselves.
C. 8. Be sure you keep up Family Religion. Especially in the Education of Youth.
C. 9. Live in the Love of God and Man. Blessed be they that faithfully practise those three Principles which all do profess. Sc. 1. To Love God as God above all, and so to Obey him. 2. To Love our Neighbour as our selves. 3. And to Do as we would be done unto.
Notes of the same Author, from Luke 20.20.
Doctrine. To have our Names written in Heaven, is the greatest Mercy, and first, and chiefly, and only for it self to be Rejoiced in. Which so puts the estimate on all inferior Mercies, that further than they refer to this, they are not to be the matter of our Joy. For why?
R. 1. All common Mercies may consist with present Misery.
R. 2. Yea, they are also the ordinary and strong Means of making Men miserable, and holding them in Misery.
R. 3. They are often made the Devils Tools to do his Work by, and are used against God, to the hindrance of the Gospel, and injury of the Church.
R. 4. All of them may end in Misery, and leave the Owner in Everlasting Woe.
But I challenge all the World to tell me,
Q. 1. What should be Rejoiced in if not a Name in Heaven? If not the Lord of Life himself, the Joy and Glory of Saints? What is Heaven, but the Enjoyment of Him?
Q. 2. Is it not fit we now Rejoice, in that wherein we must Everlastingly Rejoice? If you knew the Friend and Place in which you were to have but an hundred years Joy, that fore knowledge would make them presently more delightful to you, than any other.
Q. 3. And, Is not this Joy a Divine, Pure, Profitable, and a Warrantable one? Need you be Ashamed of this? Is not he the best Christian, that hath most Love, Joy, and Gratitude? Is not he the likest to perform best his other Duties, and to conquer his remaining Sins?
You may be sure your Names be written in Heaven;
1. If Heaven has the preheminence in your Practical Esteem. If you are resolved to stick close to Christ whatever it cost you, and take God for your Portion.
2. If obtaining Heaven be your principal [...] Care, Business, and Work, which you mind in the World.
3. If finding your selves Lost and filthy in Sin, you see Christ's Sufficiency and Necessity, and unfeignedly take him for your Saviour and Lord.
4. If the Heavenly Nature be most amiable in your Eyes.
5. If you have a special Love to the Heirs of Heaven.
Rejoice not, till you have these Evidences; For, 1. God [...] not you to Rejoice. 2. Your Joy is Ʋnreasonable. 3. It is Dishonest [...] Disingenuous. 4. It is Dishonourable and Shameful. 5. It can be but Short. 6. And it is Unprofitable, yea Hurtful.
Rejoice evermore, when you have these Evidences; For, Joy b [...] longs to you, 'tis your Priviledge and your Duty. Let not So [...]s and Firebrands of Hell, live a more Joyful Life than you, who must be Everlastingly as full of Joy, as the Sun is of Light.
Did you but know 1 how God approves holy Right Rejoicing, more than your Pining Sorrow; and 2 how it strengthens the Soul, and 3 sweetens [...] 4 caseth Sufferings, and 5 suits Gospel-grace, and 6 encourageth [...] 7 serves to subdue the Sins that trouble you, you would labour and [...] your drooping Spirits raised.
☞ However; if Melancholy, and your Mistakes, [...] shall keep you sad here; as to your Happiness, [...] comparatively great. Heaven will wipe away [...] Those Joys will be long enough, when they come.