Death the Sweetest Sleep
The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo2/A49502.0001.001
Project Note
This is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND. This license allows reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.
The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.
This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.
Although this is no substitute for a properly compared, proofed, and scholarly edition, I believe that the result is a document which is far more accessible, particularly for searching for terms using standard spelling. The document has been cleaned and presented in what I hope is a pleasing and useful format for the vast majority of Christian brothers and sisters who just want access to read these spiritually nourishing works.
However, a word of warning: The Puritans were a very diverse group of people and their age was characterized with godliness, but also much upheaval, disputation and strife. They disagreed on many doctrines and some of these works contain less orthodox or Scriptural views than others. The reader is strongly advised to read with discernment, particularly if it is unknown whether author is trustworthy.
This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.
Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org
Death the sweetest Sleep, OR A SERMON Preachit on the FUNERAL OF Mr. WILLIAM HIETT, Late CITIZEN of LONDON.
By Tho. Lye, Mr. of Arts, and formerly Minister of the Gospel in Alhallows Lombard-street, London.
LONDON, Printed by J. R. for Thomas Parkhurst, at the lower end of Cheapside. 1681.
The Epistle Dedicatory.
To the worthily Respected. Mrs. ANNE HIETT, Relict of Mr. WILLIAM HIETT lately Deceased.
CHRISTIAN FRIEND,
THis plain Sermon was lately Preacht, and is now Printed at your request. What you heard with your Ear then, you will now see presented To your Ey, with some few additions, which my Time then did not permit me To touch upon. It hath been Always my judgment, That, when Ministers of the Gospel ar called forth To improve funeral obsequies, their proper Work is not so much To launch out into praise, and panegyric of the Dead, as to excite, and profit the Living. By this compass I hav endeavored to steer in this discourse. And herein, the judge of Hearts knows, my Heart, and Ey, and Aim were steadily fixed on the Spiritual, and Eternal Weal of that good Society, whereof, through Grace, I am an unworthy Pastor, and you, A becoming Member.
I told them then, and I tell you now, that the Time of our departure to our Beds of Earth was at hand, that we must all, certainly, if not suddenly sleep in the dust, and if so, may not the Blessed Moses his pathetic breathing be looked on as a rational inference from that deep consideration. O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end, Deut. 32.29. That you ar not now to begin that great Work, I do not question, and do promise myself, that, in God's strength, you will vigorously endeavor so to improve this fatal stroke, as, by it, the more To meditate on, and prepare for your last, lasting, endless end. You well understand the great Work, and Business, that you have yet To do, before you fall Asleep. — It is certainly, so to liv, as that you may cheerfully welcome Death as a reconciled Friend, or believingly defy it as a conquered Enemy. To that end, you will go on more, and more To clear up your interest in that Christ, who hath Turn'd the worst of poisons into the Best of Antidotes, transformed Death into sleep. To liv in the constant Acts, and Exercises of your Graces, specially Faith, Repentance, Self-denial, Heavenly-mindedness. To liv, whilst in, Abov this vain, falls, vexing World. To walk before God in Truth, and with a perfect Heart. And do but Ask your own experience, whether That be not the way to be in Heaven here, when even on A supposed Death-Bed. To have your Lamp so filled with Oil, so fairly trimmed, and clearly burning, as that when you come to die, you may have nothing else left to do, but to die, to die in Christ, to sleep in him, and, at his return, arise, and liv for ever with him. That thus you may resolv, and do, thus liv, and dy, both is, and shall be the fervent prayer of
Clapham, Aug. 15th. 81.
Your sympathizing Friend and Pastor, Tho. Lye.
JOH. 11.11.
Our Friend Lazarus sleepeth.
THese Words are an Affirmativ Proposition, delivered by our blessed Savior, wherein we note
- 1. The SUBJECT of it, or the Person spoken of, who is here described, by his Name, LAZARUS, with his Relation, a FRIEND, OUR Friend.
- 2. The PREDICATE. Sleepeth. Our Friend Lazarus sleepeth.
First, As for the Subject. Lazarus, OUR Friend. Not My Friend, but Ours. q. d. Behold, my dear Disciples, I, who am your Liege Lord, and King, do yet stoop so far, as To own you not only for my Servants, and Subjects, but for my FRIENDS, and faithful Lazarus, though' now dead, to be my Friend; I am indeed your Friend, and ye are my Friends, and so was Lazarus, whilst Living, my Friend, and your Friend. Our Friend Lazarus. From hence I infer
I. That there is A Mutual Friendship, a dear and intimate Lov betwixt the Lord Jesus and true Believers. 'Twas so betwixt Christ and Lazarus. CHRIST was certainly a Friend to Lazarus. Both his Sisters attest it. Lord, he whom thou lovest, is sick, ver. 3. The Evangelist averrs it, Jesus loved Lazarus, v. 5. and the Jews, from his melting Tears, and yearning Bowels, conclude it, ver. 36. Behold, how he loved him. And that LAZARUS loved Jesus, abundantly appears from his friendly Converse, and Communion with him, his friendly treats and entertainments of him. Christ did often eat of his bread, and drank of his Cup. That BETHANY, which, by Lazarus 's Death, may justly now be stilled an house of Sorrow, was, in Lazarus Life-Time, to Christ a real BETHLEHEM, an house of bread. And so it was, and is betwixt the Lord, and all Tru Believers. ABRAHAM is styled the Friend of God by Jehoshaphat; 2 Chron. 20.7. and Jam. 2.23. because of his firm Covenanting, and frequent Communion with him: and GOD owns him as his Friend. Isa. 41.8. The like doth Christ our Lord. Henceforth I call you not servants, but friends. Joh. 15.14, 15. This friendship is Mutual I lov them, that lov me. Prov. 8.17. My Beloved is mine, and I am His. Can. 2.16.
From hence Learn.
1. The height, Ela, Zenith of a Tru Believer, a clod of dust, and sin, his Exaltation, that, as the Son of God is not ashamed to call him Brother, so both Father and Son are pleased to own and embrace him, as a Friend.
2. The infinite stoop, and condescension of the Lord Jesus, who, though' he thought it no robbery, but rather claims it as his just Prerogative, to be equal with God, judges it no disparagement, to match himself with weak, and wretched men. Our Friend Lazarus. Friendship bespeaks a kind of (a) Parity. There may be lov, where there is the greatest inequality. Lov descends. But Friendship either finds, or makes an Equal.
II. That All those, that are Tru Friends to Christ, are mutually loving Friends each to other. Not my Friend, but OUR Friend, saith the Text. Not a Friend to me only, who am the head, but To you also, and all, that are like you, living Members of the Mystical body. The holy Ephesians, that had true Faith in Christ, had a sincere lov to All the Saints. Eph. 1.15. So had the Colossians, Col. 1.4. The Beloved Discipl assures us, that 'tis impossible to lov the Father, or his Eternal Son, if we lov not his adopted Children. The Mutual lov of Saints is the very badge, livery, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Distinctiv Character of a Tru Discipl. By this shall all men Know, that ye ar my Discipls indeed, if ye lov one another. Ecce, ut Christiani se mutuo diligant, was the blessed Elogy, the convinced Heathens gav the Warm Christians of Old, who, were they now aliv, would see too much reason to decry, yea condemn the frozen hearts, and yet distemperd heats of the shallow Professors of this divided Age.
We hav dispatched the Subject; proceed we to
Secondly, The PREDICATE of our Savior's Assertion-, SLEEPETH; i. e. is dead. The Apostle makes use of that, which we call an Euphemismus. By a soft expression hinting that, which is of a more harsh signification. So, to depart hence, is To Die. The Syriac Version renders it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , jacet, cubat, decumbit, is Laid down to sleep; to rest himself on a bed of Earth, on a pillow of Dust. So the word is used, and interpreted by the Septuagint.
But our Lord's own Mouth is his Best Commentary, What he Here calls Sleep, ver. 13.14. he most expressly, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 i. e. most plainly, without a Metaphor, calls Death, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , is dead.
From hence we gather This Note, That
2. Positivly. The Body, that, and that only is said to sleep. This Metaphor of sleep applied to Death is taken from the Body only. Now the great Resemblance between a Believers Death, and Sleep appears in four Things.
1. From those many Synonymical Texts, that do all with one Mouth Echo to this Truth. David slept with his Fathers, 1 Kin. 2.10. Solomon; 1 Kin. 11.43. Asa, Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah. 'It is Paul's usual Idiom, to call death, sleep; 1 Cor. 7.39. and 11.30.— and 15.6.18.20.51.— a sleep in Jesus, 1 Thes. 4.13, 14, 15.— Since the Fathers fell asleep, 2 Pet. 3.4, the sleep of death, Psal. 13.3. Thus the Protomartyr Stephen his Death is expressed; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , He fell asleep.
2. From those Terms, that are given to the Saints Graves. They are called their Beds. They shall rest in their Beds. When a Believers Work is done, all he hath to do, is to go to Bed, and take his rest on his Bed, not of down, but dust. Hence the places of the Saints Burial, both in Greek, Latin, French, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Dormitoria, Cemitieres, i. e. sleeping places. As in Dutch, God's-acre, because bodies ar only sown there, to be raised again, which the Heb. express with a greater Faith, by calling the Grave Beth-chaim, the house of the Living.
3. From that which is Contrary to Death, viz. Resurrection. It is called An Awaking. When I awake with thy Likeness. Many, that sleep in the Dust, shall Awake; Dan. 12.2. To allude only to that Isa. 26, 19, 20. Awake, and sing ye, that dwell in the Dust.
4. From that notable Parallel, that most clearly runs betwixt Sleep, and Death, which, say judicious Divines, appears principally in two things, Rest, and Resurrection.
1. Rest. Sleep argues Rest, at least it tends to it, and disposes for it. They shall rest in their Beds, Isa. 57.2. Sleep on now, and take your Rest, Mat. 26.45. When A Believer dies, he goes to his Rest, to a sweet repose in his Bed of Earth, Warm'd and Perfum'd for him by the precious Body of his Lord, and Savior. A fivefold Rest, from Labor, Troubl, Passions, Sins, Temptations.
1. From Labor. This Life is the day of the Saints Labor, and Working, his Death is the Night of his Resting. The Sun ariseth, and Man goeth forth To his Labor till the Evening. Ps. 104.23. When the Sun of A Believers Life ariseth, he goes forth to his Labor till the Evening of Death. Till Evening, but no longer, for then he shall rest from his Labors. Rev. 14.13. A Christian here is like quick-silver, which hath in its self a principl of motion, but not of rest, is never quiet. His Life is a continued motion, his Death a continued Rest? Here as a Ball upon the Racket, as a Ship on the Waves, a Strong man in his Race, Death brings him To his Goal, to his Port of Rest. This life is but nois, and tumult, Death is silence.
2. Troubls, sufferings, oppressions, and these either public or private.
3. From Passions, and inward perturbations, griefs, Anxietys. Here in this Life, the Believers pulse beats slow, and faint, his heart pants, his eyes moisten'd, and his cheeks blubbered with tears; you may read the Anguish of his Soul in his Countenance. But in Death every tear dried up in the eye, wiped off the cheek, All sorrow, and sighing flown away, Rev. 21.4. The Saints Baca is turned into A Berachah, sighing into singing, misery into mercy.
4. From sins, iniquities, corruptions. Whilst here, the poor sin-pestered Saint cries out of the Law in his Members, warring against the Law of his mind, against the body of sin and death. You may hear his out-cry as of a person on a Rack. Rom. 7.23, 24—But now he, that is dead, is freed from sin, Ro. 6.7. 1 Pet. 4.1. Not the least spot or wrinkle left in his Soul. Eph. 5.27. Not one Agag spared alive. Every Egyptian not sprawling, but stark-dead upon the shore. The end of a Saints Living is the Non ultra of a Saints sinning. With this, that good Martyr held up his head, when he encouraged his fellow with telling him, that my Lord of London, (he meant that BLOODY Butcher Bonner ) was sending of them there, where they should sin no more.
5. From Temptations, assaults, trials, combats, Satan's winnowing, &c. Not an Adam, no not in the Paradise of the Church, but hath an Eve in his bosom. Chast Joseph attaqu'd by a Potiphar's -Wife. A Messenger now and then from the lowest pit to buffet us. A damp arising from Satan's deepest Mine, to choke us. Anakims To Wound, Daughters of Heth to Troubl, Daughters of Midian to Allure us. Snares, Ginns, Traps, Limetwiggs. Satan going about like a roaring Lion, seeking whom he may devour. This world is the poor Saints Gymnasium, Arena, Wrestling, place. And Tho' It be the Saints Honor at length to Conquer, yet It is, and cannot but be the Saints Troubl, thorn, pain, so long to Conflict. But now Death puts the Saints into so peaceabl an Estate, as that he is not only without foil, but fighting. Not only the Accuser, but the Tempter of the Brethren is cast out, Rev. 12.10. Thus we see The Paralel betwixt sleep, and death with Respect to Rest. Let us see next, how they suite in
2. Resurrection, or Awaking. Natural Sleep is not perpetual. We sleep, and awake again. Believers, though' they sleep, they shall arise again, as men, awakened out of sleep. This is expressed in the Words immediately following our Text. Our Friend Lazarus sleepeth, but I go to awaken him out of sleep. i. e. to rais him from the dead. The Apostle Paul is much upon this Metaphor; see 1 Cor. 15.18, 20, 51, 52. Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Job 19.26, 27. Although after my skin, worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God, &c.
Death may, yea, shall prevail over the whole outward Man. Death spends both skin and reins; swallows up both flesh and bones, And yet for all this, this Total Consumption of the Body of Man, is no impediment, no bar in the way of Faith, to stop us from a firm Belief of our Resurrection. As Death shall triumph over Jobs Body, so Jobs Faith triumphs over Death. He, that believes in Christ, yea, though he were dead, though' totally corcupted, and consumed, yet shall he live again. John 11.25.
I have done with the proof of our Point, the Improvement follows.
1. You complain of sad and unpleasant lives, of dark and gloomy days, of black and restless nights. Cheer up ye beloved of the Lord, and know, that the time is shortly coming, when ye shall lie down quietly in your Beds, and not have one waking moment, or distracting dream. When once you are gone down to this bed, the grave, when the Curtains of darkness ar drawn about you, you shall never open your eyes anymore till the Morning of Eternity dawns, and breaks forth in luster on you. Behold to your Everlasting comfort, That, which is To others 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . A King of Terrors, to you is the King, or chief of Comforts. what is DEATH to others, is but A SLEEP, a sweet sleep to you. You may safely play on the Hole of this Asp, on the Den of this Cockatrice, nay handl this Asp itself. This Death that was once A Serpent is now none, or if it be, 'It is a Serpent without A Sting. T' hath left its sting in the side of Christ. 1 Cor. 15.55, 56, 57. What that foolish Agag cracks out falsely, you may, in holy Triumph, cry out, Truly, surely The bitterness of Death is past, 1 Sam. 15.32. See how Death itself is even embalm'd, and clothd in such soft, and silken Language, that It carries even A sweetness, and beauty in it. 'It is A sleep, no more than A sleep.
2. Sleep, though' it chains up the senses for a Time, yet it dissolvs not the union between the Soul, and the Body. So, neither doth Death, the Spiritual, mystical union betwixt Christ and Tru Believers; nor indeed betwixt Believers themselves.
I. Not between God in Christ, and Tru Believers, Tho' Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob be dead To others, They are not so to God, Mat. 22.32. God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. The Relation of God to Abraham, and of Abraham to God, was as strong, when dead, as living. The Sleep of the Wife breaks not the Marriage Knot between her, and her Bridegroom. The union betwixt Christ and Believers outlives Death. Tho' Death triumphs over the Natural union between the Body and the Soul, yet not over the mystical union between the Soul and Christ. Let them liv, they liv in, and to Christ: Let them die, they die to, and sleep in Christ. 1 Thess. 4.14. Living, and Dying, they are the Lord's. Ro. 14.8.
II. Nor yet between Believers themselves. As Faith is the Evidence of things not seen, that are future, So It is a clear Reflection on things, that are past. By Faiths ey we may easily look on the pale face of the first Martyr, and with Faiths ear, Tho' he be dead, yet hear him speaking. Is a Godly Sarah dead, 'It is possible for her surviving spiritual Daughters to convers with her, as though' aliv, mark her outward dress, her inward ornaments, how she Trusted in God, and obeyed her Husband. 1 Pet. 3.1. to 7. There is not A Saint of God that dies, but leaves A glass behind him, in which, when ere you pleas to be Truly serious, you may behold their face, and conversation. The succeeding Jews did so nearly convers with Jacob, that was dead 2000 years before, that they thought themselves to be present with him, and his God at Bethel. Hos. 12.3, 4. By his strength he had power with God, yea he had power over the Angel, and prevailed. He found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us. The Holy Exampls of the dead, what ar they, but the Spiritual, lively monuments of the Spirits of just men made perfect, now living.
3. Sleep is A refreshing, reviving Enjoyment. A man lies down in weakness, sleeps, and rises up in Strength. Like A Giant, refreshed with Wine; mounts up like an Eagl, runs and is not weary, walks, and faints not: 'It is Reported of Antaeus, A Giant of Italy, that as oft as he was weary, he would but touch the Earth, and immediately he rebounds, and rises with renewed strength. The Death of a Believer, is like the Death of a grain of Corn. It dies, only to spring up in more lustr, beauty, fruitfulness. Joh. 12.24. if It dy, it bringeth forth much fruit. As by sleep A Believers Body is refreshed, so by Death his Body is refined. 1 Cor. 15.42, 43. It is sown in corruption, It is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, It is raised in power.
1. Away then with all inordinate, immoderate, slavish, sinful fear of Death. 'It is Tru, Death to Nature is the King of fears, and it hath its poisonous sting, with which it will wound the wicked, whom it ushers into Hell. But now To prop you up against this sinking fear of Death. Know, 'It is no worse to you, than FALLING ASLEEP. Even God's own people ar too too much like foolish Children, afraid to put off their clothes, and go to bed in A dark Chamber. All this while, we utterly mistake the case of our dissolution. We take it for An Enemy, it provs a Friend: There is no littl pleasure in that, wherein we suppose the greatest horror. Who is afraid, after the weary toiles of the day, to take his rest by night? Or what is more refreshing to the spent Traveler, then a sweet sleep. It is our infidelity, and unpreparedness, that makes Death any other than advantage! I grant indeed, A bloody Cain, A foolish Nabal, an Apostat Saul, An intemperate Felix, and that Ranting company mentioned, Rev. 6.15, 16. may justly fear Death. The Conscience of Unregenerate men brings in A black Bill of Inditement against them, and convinces them of Rebellion against their Lord and Sovereign: and then no wonder, if, as arraigned and condemned Malefactors, they live in continued fear of the Ax, or Gibbet. 'It is no wonder, If their evil Conscience be To them like the hand-writing on the Wall to A Carousing Belshazzar, Dan. 5.5, 6. and makes their countenance to change, to caus the joints of their loins to be loosed, and their Knees to smite one against another. But Believers, Through infinite Mercy, That's not your case. Death to YOU is not A summons To Eternal Death, but A gentl Lullaby, and softer Hush To A Sweet sseep, and that in order to A Resurrection, An Awaking to An Eternal Life.
2. Adore, bless, lov the Lord Jesus for his infinite lov, and mercy To you, and All other sound Believers: in that, by his Painful, shameful, Accursed Death, he hath plucked out the sting of Death: and altered both its Name, and Nature. That, which once was death, is now but A SLEEP. A Cooling, A refreshing shadow of Death, and no more. Heb. 2.14, 15. 1 Cor. 15.55, 56.
3. Carry it so, while you liv, that your Death may be A sleep, A sweet sleep, when you die. Eccl. 5.11. The sleep of A Labouring man is sweet. The sleep of A diligent Servant, of A Laborious Husbandman, of A painful Tradesman, O how sweet is it? Oh then my dearly Beloved, whilst you are yet awake in the World, ply your oar, follow the plow, work, and work hard for your God, be steadfast, unmovabl, always abounding in the Work of the Lord, for as much, as ye know, that, as your labor shall not be in vain, so your sleep shall be sweet in the Lord. The Lord will give you sleep, as his beloved, Psal. 127.2. Pro. 3.24. Psal. 3.5. and 4.8.
To make this sleep sweet indeed, I would offer these 2 things.
I. Carefully avoid Those things, that disturb sleep. I do but allude. Reflect we back on Eccl. 5.12. The sleep of the Labouring man is sweet, But the abundance of the Rich will not suffer him to sleep. Take heed, that the abundance of your Wealth, with the many cares, businesses, and fears, troubles, which are consequent thereupon Gen. 41.19. Pro. 3.10. Luk. 12.16, 17. —12. the fatness of diet, gluttony, and excess of delicious fare, cause not such Distempers, as may hinder your sleep on your Beds, or disturb it in your Graves. I question much, whither Dives his every day sumptuous fare, did not rise in his stomach, after he was dead. Luk. 16.19. Abraham seems to throw it in his Dish: v. 25. Take heed therefore to yourselves, as you would hope to sleep undisturbed then, that your hearts be not over-charged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and the cares of this life Now. Luk. 21.34.
II. Sincerely follow the Blessed David home, To his Sleeping Room, Tread in his steps, imitate his Nobl Exampl. Read the lovly Epitaph, which the Holy Paul hath as it were written on his Tomb. Act. 13.36. David served his Generation by the Will of God, and then fell Asleep. He served his GENERATION, before he fell A sleep. Remember, Remember, Dear Brethren, and forget not, David thought it not Enough To serv his Generation, when he actually fell asleep, by letting fall some few ears, or gleanings then: No, No. David served his Generation, dispatched the greatest part of his Work, and then sweetly laid him down To Rest. O that High, that Honorable, that Heavenly, that God-like frame of Spirit of living in, and dying for the service of our Generation. This, if anything in the World makes Saints to be like David, Men after God's own Heart. How precious is the memory of that Blessed DORCAS? How doth she shine as the Moon among the Stars, she, that was so full of good works, and alms-deeds which she did! she, that left so many Coats and Garments for the poor, which she made, whiles she was yet living. Act. 9.36, 39. Oh 'It is Wisdom, as well as Charity, To make your OWN Hands, your Executors, and your OWN Eyes, your Overseers. Do good, All good, I had Almost said, Do All your good, whilst you liv. I own it, Brethren, I own it for A great, and serious Truth. If any man provides not for his own, especially for those of his own House or Kindred, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. Charity, Regular charity, must, and ought to begin at Home. But it must not stop, and center There. That Stomach, that greedily takes in food, merely to satiate, and glutt its own appetite, and not to transmit the digested food to the needy Parts, would quickly prove not so much A MEMBER, as A MONSTER. 'It is Tru, You Ar Husbands. As such, next to God, your dearest Wives must hav your Hearts. You ar Parents. Next to Wives, your Hopeful, obedient Children must hav your Bowels. You ar Brethren, and Sisters, and have near, and it may be poor Relations. These do All put in for A Christian share. But then know, My Brethren, you hav OTHER Relations, which ar as near, and dear To God, to Christ, To the Spirit, as Wives, Children, Kindred ar, or can be to you! Read, and read again. Mat. 12.50. And look, what e're you do to, and for these, is filed up, and registered, and shall be brought forth and proclaimed at the Great day of Account. Mat. 25. from 35, to 41.
'It is your GENERATION -Work. I am now pressing you to dispatch before you fall Asleep. You profess your Selvs not Nominal, but Real Sons of the Tru -Church, your Spiritual Mother, if so, let me Bespeak you in the words of our Lord To his Belov'd Discipl, Joh. 19.27. Behold your Mother. Behold I say, and see, whether there be any sorrow like unto her sorrow, which is don unto her, wherewith the Lord, your displeased Father, hath for your sakes, and sins, justly afflicted her in the day of his fierce Anger: Lam. 1.12. Fix your ey upon her, and let your ey affect your Heart, and do, as your Everlasting Father did, when he was just preparing himself to his last sleep. He beheld Jerusalem, and wept over it. Luk. 9.41. Methinks I do, and surely you cannot but hear the Doleful Groans of the sinking, dying Church, piercing not our ears only, but hearts, in holy Jobs Soul-stabbing Dialect, Hav pity upon me, hav pity upon me, O ye my Sons, Daughters, Friends, for the hand of God, the paw of Satan, the fangs of Antichrist hav touched, wounded, stabbed me. Job 19.21. As SUBJECTS, your Generation Work is To Giv To Caesar the things that are Caesars, and as Godly Subjects, To GOD the things that are God's. As CITIZENS. O pray for the Peace of this our English Jerusalem, poor LONDON. They shall prosper, that lov Her. Endeavor to your utmost, that Truth, and peace, and piety may be within her Walls, and your Houses, and Prosperity within your Palaces. Psal. 122.6, &c.
As WEALTHY CITIZENS, O be wise Merchants, and think not much To Exchange your Bristol -stones for Tru Diamonds. Make you friends of the Unrighteous Mammon. Luk. 6.19. Do you see any poor desolate Widows, be you Husbands To them; any perishing Orphans, be you Fathers to them; any lean, meager, honest, industrious, poor Houskeepers, do not suffer them to starv for want of Bread, or Work. This, this is your GENERATION -Work, To the speedy and faithful dispatch whereof, what mighty Encouragement Hath the Father of All your Mercies given you in that grand Text. Psal. 41.1, 2, 3. I could wish it engraven with the point of a Diamond on every wealthy Citizens door or glass, or heart in London. He, that hath promised To strengthen thee on thy bed of Languishing, yea, To make all thy bed in thy sickness, will certainly not fail after Death, To Turn thy bed of Dust into A Bed of Down.
3. Is A Believers death A sleep? This should teach us immediately to prepare for Death. To be always ready. Sleep creeps, steals upon us in a moment. Be praierful. Be watchful. 'It is our Savior's great advice. Luk. 21.34, 35, 36. Your sleeping by day is very like to prevent your sweet sleeping by night. Keep up in your Spirits a present PREPARED posture for natures dissolution. See, that you have not your Oil to buy, when 'tis To burn. Remember the 5 foolish Virgins. Let your Lamps be both Lighted, and Trim'd, and burning. Your Lord coms in an hour, that you look not for. Mat. 24.44. and 25.16. Paul was ready, i. e. prepared to be offered up. 2 Tim. 4.6. Job is ready, and prepared. All the days of his appointed time waiting, till his change come. Job. 14.14. Set your houses, and hearts in order. Isa. 38.1. Never rest, till you have gotten a Well-grounded assurance of your real interest in Christ, and of your undoubted title to Heaven through him. Fight the good fight. Keep the Faith. Be indeed dead, mortified, crucified To the World, and all in it. Then may you with Paul, in an Holy Triumph, set your Foot on the Head of This stingless Serpent, 1 Cor. 15.55. 2 Tim. 4.7, 8. and breath forth your Soul into your God's Bosom, in the Swan-like Song of good old Simeon. Domine, nunc dimittas. Lord, now Lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace, and sleep and rest in peace. Luk. 2.19, 20.
2. Particularly To the DISCONSOLATE RELICT, and near Relations of our Worthy Friend Deceased. 'It is Tru, It is, and cannot but be A day of darkness, of clouds, and thick darkness To you, and us. It hath pleased the Allwise God, To take from you The guide of your youth, the desire of your eyes, the delight of your Soul, and from us, and our Society, A very considerabl Pillar. For this we do, and cannot but truly mourn. But yet, both you, and we must remember, that we mourn as becomes Believers, not as those, that hav no hope, but according To the Apostles Advice, 1 Thess. 4.13, 14.
Something I suppose you expect concerning our dear Friend departed, I confess, I hav not the art of embalming the dead, And, whilst I utter anything of them, would not willingly give the least occasion To Any To cry out assomtimes they did of that great Lawyer, Now, Now, He pleads, not for the Caus, but his Fee. However, had I not been so happily prevented by that fair, full, proportionat character, which that Reverend, and Faithful Minister of Christ gave of him to that solemn Assembly, that waited on his Herse To his Grave, 'It is more than probabl, that I should hav ventured at some dashes at least with my Ruder Pencil, which now to do, after such an Apelles, would be, not so much To add a gloss and luster, as a Blot, and soil To so well drawn a Picture. And yet for All this, I should not be able To stem the Tide of my Affections, did I not greatly fear, that should I give them the least rein, they would soon transport me into some Excesses concerning my dear, faithful, and Friendly Gaius. (For such He was to me and mine, from the first hour we saw his face, which is now near 23 years) which A Malevolent Capricio would not stick To censure for Paint, and Flattery. However before I Take my leave of his Ashes, Giv me leave To Tell the World, that he lived, and died, with a perfect Antipathy against Popish Principls, and Practises: dreaded the Return of Popery as much, if not more, than Death: bewailed and abhorred the Debaucheries of the Times and place wherein he lived. A cordial well-wisher to the best of Men and Interests. What A sober Citizen he was, and How Tru An Englishman, let the Common Council speak, amongst whom he sat for many years, and his Vote was always for Truth, and peace, and soberness both in City, and Kingdom. As for his charity, The backs, and Bellies of the poor Orphans of Christ's Hospital may be instead of Tongues. to declare it. As for his justice, in Commerce and Trade, (that sparkling Diamond in the Ring of Christian Profession) The whole Circl of his Acquaintance, To my utmost Observation, give him this Attest, That his Word to Him, was as Obligatory, as His Bond: and what he spake with his Mouth, he would faithfully fulfil with his Hand. A false Tongue, and Ballance were both an abomination to Him. He had learnt that from the God of Truth, and Righteousness. He durst not go beyond, or defraud his Brother in any matter, as well Knowing, That his just All-seeing God would avenge that.
A Word to his Mournful surviving-half, and I shall dismiss both the Text, and this Assembly. Your nearest, dearest Bosom Friend is now gone to sleep, to sleep in Jesus. It cannot be long, you know not how soon, you may from Heaven be called to mingl Ashes with him. Whatever you clearly saw, and dearly loved, as Truly good in him, take it for your Copy. Never forget that good God, that gav you so large an Interest in his Heart, and Hand. Your God by Him has filled your Hand with power, O may the same God fill your Heart with grace, most faithfully to improve your All for him, who hav so graciously received your All from Him. Fix, and keep your ey steady on Luk. 12.48.