The Saints Mansions in Heaven, Title page – Dedication
THE Saints Mansions IN HEAVEN.
A DISCOURSE occasioned by, and Preached upon THE DEATH and FUNERAL OF Mrs. Elizaheth Brookes, (Late WIFE To Mr. Samuel Brookes, Minister in Dorking, in Surrey.) Who Deceased March 13th, 1697.
By THO. DOOLITTLE, M. A.
LONDON: Printed for John Lawrence, at the Angel, in the Poultry, over against the Compter. 1698.
The EPISTLE TO Mr. SAMUEL BROOKES, Mr. JAMES WYLD, Mrs. SARAH WYLD.
My much esteemed Friends,
HEAVEN and Hell are the Long, Eternal Homes, and Abiding Places that all, in this short Plilgrimage are hastening to, and quickly will be lodg'd in, at the Door of Death, that stands betwixt the Two Worlds, Angels stand ready to receive the separated Souls (according to the Sentence past upon them by the omniscient and impartial Judge in their particular Judgment) to carry them to that unchangeable State to which they shall be determined; the Bad Angels to drag the frighted, sorrowful Souls, that left their Bodies in Ʋnregeneracy, to the Place of Torment; the Holy Angels of God to transport sanctified, separated, joyful Souls, to the Paradise of unexpressible Pleasure, in the Presence of their God and Saviour; where both shall be for ever fixed, the one without all Hope that their Misery will end, the other without all Fears that their Happiness shall cease: That will aggravate the Punishment of the Damned in Hell; this will be additional increase of the Joy of the Saved in Heaven.
Having Preached about the Saints Convoy to Heaven, occasioned by the Death of Mr. Benjamin Lindsey, Three Weeks before, and then receiving the sorrowful Tidings of the decease of this Relative of Yours, and Your desire of a Funeral Discourse thereupon, my Thoughts presently fixt upon The Saints Mansions in Heaven: Setting forth in the one the Saints safe Conduct by the Guard of Holy Angels to the very Gates of our Father's House above, and in the other, their Entrance in, and taking Possession of their Mansions, and their joyful Entertainment, and Everlasting Happiness therein; and the Desire of the surviving Relations of the Former, and yours of this, was the Reason of the Publishing of both.
Dear Brother.
The Sacred Office You are called to, to Preach the Gospel of our Lord Jesus unto others, excuseth me from saying much unto You, not doubting but You that are able to comfort, to instruct others in the like Case, know how to apply the Grounds of support to Your self, and the Directions for a sanctified improvement of such afflicting Providences, now it is Your own; that I may not say to You as Eliphaz did to Job, Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak Hands, thy Words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble Knees: But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee and thou art troubled: But I wish that You may be so comforted in this Your Affliction, by the God of all Comfort, that You might be more and more able to comfort such as are in any Trouble, by the Comfort wherewith You Your self are comforted of God.
The Sweetness of her Temper, the Tenderness of her Love, the Suitableness of her Company, the Forwardness in her to what was Spiritually Good, togethether with the Likelihood (by reason of her Younger Years) of abiding longer with You; yet the Shortness of the time in the Conjugal Relation, and the Suddenness of her Removal from You, in so few Days after her Sickness did seize her, must all concur to the Increase of Your Sorrow, in being now left so Solitary, without any more of her Company.
Especially when You had a Trial thereof by a violent Feaver, whereby you were brought to so great Danger of Death, in a few Days after her Funeral, that for Your Relief You were cast into a Sweat of above Forty Hours, and afflicted with an inward Bleeding, which hath hitherto taken You off Your Ministerial Labours, when the Want of the Care and Attendance of one that was so near, must needs add to the Weight of Your Affliction; but You know whither to go to have all supplied, from the Cistern to the Fountain; from the Stream to the Spring; from the failing Creature, to the never-failing God: And as my Prayers shall be for You, so I bespeak the Prayers of such as fear God, that by these few Lines read by them, do understand Your present Indisposition for Your Ministerial Work, would strive with God for Your Continuance, after his removing so many Labourers in so short a time, as of late he hath done.
As for You (my dear Friends) that are the sorrowful Father and Mother of this Daughter lately deceased, being a Breach made upon You, after a fore-going, by the Death of another Daughter, eminently Religious, dearly beloved by You, and singularly Obedient and Dutiful to You, let me be Your Monitor, that while You are poring upon Your Afflictions in the Absence of these, Ye do not over-look God's Mercies to You, in continuing You so long one to another, and other Children to You both. If with Sorrow Ye say, God hath bereaved us of one Daughter after another; yet let the one say, with a thankful Heart and Mouth, my Wife is continued to me, and the other, my Husband is not yet taken from me, and both say, tho' some of our Children are removed from us, yet some are continued with us; especially since God did so graciously deliver Your hopeful Son from so great Danger of Death, to which he was so near, when he was cut so young for the Stone, and been preserved so many Years since. Do not say, because God hath taken away some, Ye cannot be thankful for them that do remain; least the same Divine Hand that removed the other, should also take away these, and then Ye will find that Ye shall have more Cause of Sorrow, than yet is come upon You.
Besides, let the equal Division God hath made, when all are His more than Yours, he hath of late (after six before in their Infancy) taken the one half of Your Number to himself, and lest the other half to You; quiet Your disturbed Thoughts, and prevent all murmuring Discontents, as if his ways were not equal; especially, when Ye consider that those that are with God, are in a State unspeakably better than those that are with You; and how unreasonable it is, that when Ye desire for Your Children, above all things in this World, that their Souls may be saved, Ye should sorrow (more than becometh believing Christians) when God granteth You Your Desire, or that they could be saved and be with God in their Mansions too soon? Hath God done You or Yours any Wrong, in that he first gave them Grace, and then received them to his Glory? that he did give them special Grace, dare Ye deny? that he hath received them to his Glory, do Ye need to question, when one makes them meet for the other? And if so, is there Reason for excessive Mourning, or the least room for impatient Complaining? Let us grieve we our selves are no more ripe and ready for Heaven, and labour to be sure of Mansions there, and then long to have Possession of them. So Pray Ye, and so will I, who am,
Yours, for your Souls Welfare, Tho. Doolittle. April 26. 1698.