A Love-Token for Mourners, Dedication – To the reader 1
A LOVE-TOKEN FOR MOURNERS: TEACHING Spiritual Dumbness and Submission under GODS Smarting ROD.
In two Funeral SERMONS.
By SAMUEL FISHER M. A. late Preacher at Brides London, now at Thornton in Cheshire.
VntoUnto which is added,
An ANTIDOTE against the Fear of DEATH, being the Meditations of the same AUTHOR in a Time and Place of great Mortality.
LONDON, Printed by A. M. for T. Underhill at the Anchor in Pauls Church-yard, 16… ▪
Spiritual Submission: IN TWO SERMONS: One at the Funeral of Mrs HOLGATE, the other at the Funeral of Mrs BAKER.
By SAMUEL FISHER.
JOB 1. 21. The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the Name of the Lord.
LEVIT. 10. 3. And Aaron held his Peace.
MICAH 7. 9. I will bear the Indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him.
LONDON,
TO MY VERY LOVING AND Much respected Friend Mr William Holgate Citizen and Haberdasher of London.
S. F. wisheth humble Submission to, and holy dependance upon God.
SIR,
IT pleased you upon the death of your dear Consort, to make choice of me (the most unworthy) to preach at her Funerall. My affections to you were strong obligations upon me, I was willing to perform any Service within my compasse for her that was dead, from whom I enjoyed so many real Respects when she was alive. I was Debtor to you both for very much love, and therefore willing to serve you both in doing this last Office for her, which was no other according to Scripture language) then your self;Ephes. 5. 28, 29. When you engaged me to this work, my hands were full of troublesome businesse about my removal into the Countrey, which though it did not take me off, yet did much indispose me for this Service; But being engaged, I laid aside (as much as I could) other thoughts, that I might be in my measure provided to offer something which might be sutable to the present occasion, and usefull to those that should be my Auditors in that Solemnity. I intended no more then the service of my Master, and the benefit of the hearers by the bare preaching of a Sermon. Yet when it was done, whiles my affections were stirring, and before I cooled, I was drawn contrary to my former inclinations, to promise you the Notes of what I had preached▪ And since my promise, you have kept me warm with your letters, that I might not recede. I confess I judge my self of rashnes in that promise, and I have smarted for it; for my own thoughts have been a press to me, before my Notes come under the Press for you. I know mine own nakednes, and have so much pride in me, that I can hardly be willing that others should have occasion to take notice of that nakednes. But it may be God may stirre up some faithfull friend to bestow some wholsome reproof upon me, and that may repair my loss by some real advantage. I am resolved to trust the Lord.
Sir, what they were, when they were delivered, I have sent them to you without any new clothes. You have called for them earnestly, I have only crouded for time to transcribe them And now you have them much good may do you with them. They teach a very weighty lesson under the Cross, viz. To be dumb, and not open the mouth, because of Gods doing. A lesson for all that are trained up in the School of affliction, but especially directed to you at this time, that you may learn with humble silence to bear the smarting twigs of that Rod which lies upon your back, in the loss of so great a Comfort, by th… with-drawing of so sweet, so good a Companion. I hope you have learned this lesson. Something I think I saw before I left you, I shall be glad if yet they may contribute any thing further towards your help, and the satisfaction of those dear Friends that were in near relation to he… that is with God, who in regard of the manner of her death, seemed more dis-satisfied, and therefore as they have need, so possibly they may gain some advantag… by the reading o… what they heard.
A part of these Notes were used at the Funeral of another Friend, the good wife, of a very good man that lives in the Parish of Brides. I present the whole that neither of you may complain of loss. My prayer shall be, that you, and all that read them, may reap some good fruit by them, that God may have the glory of an humble silent submission under the Crosse, who hath so much dishonour by our sins that bring the Crosse: And if this may be the issue of these poor, weak, unpolished lines, he that praies shall have occasion to adde praises, and Thanksgivings for so rich a blessing to the God of his Mercies. To whom, and to whose Mercies, he commends you, who is
Your Friend, that heartily desires to meet you and your dear Consort in Heaven S. F.
TO THE READER.
Reader,
THOU hast me now in Print, and it may be thou wonderest, and so do I. I beleeve thou didst not expect it, and I assure thee I did not intend it. My Sunne is now drawing … pace towards the West, yet till this time I never durst venture into so open an air, as now I must. I have not wanted strong provocations from the … fretting pens of other men (who have endangered my liberty,M. Studley and some others. by traducing my Doctrine, wresting my words, and charging me (beyond what I ever thought) with that which their own wicked hearts had forged, to appear before this in mine own vindication; but believing a day of Judgement, and knowing that God sits upon the Throne judging right, I thought it as a more quiet, so a safer way to interest God in the quarrel, by committing my way to him, then to take up the bucklers to defend my self: And I found this advantage by my silence, though I did, yet God did not sit still, he raised up others to appear for truth, and for his poor servant, who having more honour, and greater abilities, have done that for both, which possibly through weaknesse might have suffered in my hands. I tell thee this to beget thy favourable opinion, that thou maist not think me over forward in this undertaking.
This poor thing which is under thine eye, hath nothing of Art to commend it to thee. The Father himself is poor. But if thou be one exercised under affliction, desirous to know and do thy duty, canst imbrace Truth naked, and love it for it self. If thou wilt bring an holy and humble heart to the reading of these lines, and wilt adde some fervent requests for Gods blessing, possibly thou maist get some little g…od by the sober pains upon that which is here offered thee by a weak and worthless Instrument, I take it for granted that thine is within the common lot, amongst those that are subject to affliction; And if thou be afflicted, this duty is incumbent upon thee as well as me, to be dumb, and not open thy mouth under Gods hand. Now if thou be so perfectly learned in this lesson of holy …ilence, and humble submission, and hast thy heart at that command, that thou canst presently silence any distempered motion in the springing of it, without any more ado. I perswade thee not to bestow either cost or pains upon this little piece, because it on…ly treats of that which it seems thou hast no need of, and indeed contains nothing in it of that Subject, but what is plain and common. But if thou be as I am (a man subject to like passions with other poor Saints) that hath need of all the helps that may be to keep down unruly affections, when God strikes hard, the Rod smarts and the flesh bleeds. And let me adde, if thou be willing to learn at a petty School, I hope I may say thou maist finde that which may be worth as much as thy cost in buying, or pains in reading will amount to; If thou do get any good by this poor traveller (which is the passionate desire of the Author) bestow thy prayers upon him, that dares not send out this paper without prayers for it, and thee, viz. that there may be a blessing in it, and that thou maiest finde it, with which I leave thee, and desire to be, whiles I am
Thornton Sept. 25. 1654. Thine, desirous to offer up fervent prayers for thine everlasting good S. F.