Sermon Preached at the Funeral of Reverend Will Whitaker, Title page – To the reader
A SERMON Preached at the FUNERAL Of Reverend Mr. WILL. WHITAKER, Late MINISTER of Magdalen Bermondſey, Southwark.
BY Samuel Anneſley, LL.D.
LONDON, Printed, for Nevill Simmons, at the Sign of the Princes Arms in St. Pauls Church-yard. 1673.
TO THE READER.
I Have more Arguments againſt, than for, the Printing of this Sermon; but yet there's one Argument, from time to time thundered in mine ears, which I muſt confeſs I cannot anſwer, and that is, if I will not Print it my ſelf, it ſhall be Printed without me, by the Notes taken at the preaching of it: And this was ſent me, by Word, by Writing; by Miniſters, by private Chriſtians: But this doth not (there's no reaſon it ſhould) make me think the better of the Sermon, as well knowing, it is the Excellency of the Perſon at whoſe Funeral 'twas preach'd, not any thing in it ſelf, that rendered it deſirable. I muſt not conceal one reaſon I had againſt it, which is earneſtly pleaded for it; viz that I more privately preach't ſomething of it, ſome years before, after the Funeral of my precious and dear Friend Dr. Roger Drake, a Perſon of ſo tranſcendent worth, that were I an Orator fit for it, I could not forbear to ſet his Funeral Oration before this Funeral Sermon: Let it paſs therefore for a pardonable rarity (for I have not two ſuch Friends on this ſide Heaven) to gather a Noſegay off one Grave, to ſtrow upon another, (though the other doth not need it.) They were ſo intimate while waking, that the ſame Sheets may ſhrowd them now they ſleep in Jeſus. I ſhall not ſpeak much of either, where was nothing common, but every thing worthy of Wonder and Imitation. For the Doctor, conſider him every way, and his Worth was unexpreſſible. For his Perſonal Graces, during his forty years ſtanding in Chriſt, he was eminently blameleſs, and ſingularly free from the defilements of Sin, and the buffetings of Satan; and above all this, his humility was unparallel'd. For his relative Piety, beſides the family-duties that are common to all ſerious Chriſtians, he kept a ſet-time of praying with his Wife every day. And for his way of inſtructing, reproving, convincing, and counſelling every perſon of his family, ſeverally and privately in his Study as occaſion required, praying with them ere he diſmiſt them, that his words might abide; I never heard the like of any other. For his worldly incomes, he ever laid by the tenth part for the poor, before he uſed any for himſelf. For his Miniſterial Excellencies, his engaging in, turning from, returning to, and diligence about the work of the Miniſtry, theſe are well known to thoſe that knew him; but will be ſcarce credible to thoſe that knew him not, and therefore I ſay ſo little of them. Thoſe that heard him pray upon any extraordinary occaſion, muſt be forc't to acknowledge, his praying by the Spirit, was not Phanatical. His Writings will be eſteemed while there are Books in the world, for the ſtream of piety and learning that runs through his Sacred Chronology. But the elevation of his Graces in his death-bead Sickneſs was moſt remarkable: he went out like one of the Lamps of the Sanctuary, with a ſweet perfume. I cannot tell you his Triumphs of faith, his foretaſtes of Heaven, his earneſt and holy Diſcourſe, his admirings of God, his unwillingneſs to retreat into the Wilderneſs, his charge to his Children, that they ſhould not dare to meet him at Judgement in an unregenerate ſtate, ſaying if they did, he ſhould laugh at them; and his ſealing of his Miniſtry to his Pariſhioners that viſited him. The laſt time I ſaw him, his Diſcourſe was ſuch of the love of God, that I expect not to hear ſuch another till I come to Heaven. But I'le add no more, only his dying words, which were [Jeſus take me, I am ready]. I need ſay no more, and I could ſay no leſs, as his memory is, ſo let his Poſterity be bleſſed. My gleanings concerning this parallel Servant of Chriſt, you ſhall have them in the Sermon: that all I have, or can ſay, may provoke you to an holy emulation, and fit you to ſit down with them in the Kingdom of God, is the hearty prayer of
Your Soul-ſervant, Samuel Anneſley.