Funeral Sermon of William Hartley, Sermon
Job XXX. 23.
For I know thou wilt bring me to Death, and to the Houſe appointed for all living.
IN the foregoing Chapter we have an Account of Job's Proſperity, v. 1, 2. to the 7th. and in Metaphorical Expreſſions, v. 19, 20. As alſo of the Honour he was in, being reverenced by Young and Old, Great and Small, v. 8, 9, 10, 11. with the reaſon of this Honour, from v. 12. to the 18. This Chapter, wherein is my Text, informs us of the ſad Cataſtrophe that did befall him; firſt, his Honour was laid in the Duſt, and turned into the greateſt Contempt, from v. 1. to 14. and his Proſperity into the deepeſt Calamity, whereof he doth moſt grievouſly Complain, from v. 14. unto the words of my Text, wherein three things are obſervable.
1. The Perſon ſpeaking in this Pronoun I; this was Job.
2. The Perſon ſpoken unto, in the Pronoun Thou; which is God.
3. The Thing ſpoken, or the Matter of his Speech; bring me to Death.
For the opening of the Words, I ſhall propound and anſwer three Queſtions.
1. Who, and what a one he is, that did know.
2. What he knew, or the Object of his Knowledge.
3. How he attained this Knowledge.
Of the firſt, it was Job; that moſt excellent Perſon, that for four things had not his fellow then on the Earth.
1. For Piety and Godlineſs, Chap. 1. v. 1. His Picture was drawn by the Pencil of the Spirit of God in four Lines, all which did ſpeak him to be a moſt excellent Man.
1. He was Ʋpright. 2. Perfect; not with a Legal, or ſinleſs Perfection, but Evangelical. 3. One that feared God, and eſchewed Evil; which contains both the poſitive part of Holineſs, and the privative. He was a worſhipper of God, and an avoider of Evil; this was atteſted by God in the Face of his greateſt Enemy, v. 8. with an Addition, None like him.
2. For Patience; who, when the Meſſengers of moſt ſad Tydings came thick and threefold, one treading as it were upon the heels of another; he bleſſed God as well for taking away, as for giving; he was ſo far from Blaſpheming God, or venting an impatient word under his ſore Afflictions, that he bleſſed God; and it is ſaid of him, In all this Job ſinned not, nor charged God fooliſhly, Chap. 1. v. 21, 22. Preſented to us as a pattern of Patience, James 5.11.
3. For great Affliction and Calamity he never had any equal; no meer Man did ever ſuffer, as we read of, ſuch hard things as he met with; his large Eſtate ſwept away, his Children deſtroyed, Chap. 1. from v. 14. to 20. and his Body ſmitten with moſt noiſom Botches from Head to Foot.
4. A Non-ſuch for recovery out of his deep Calamity, his Loſſes doubly repaired in his Subſtance, having 14000 Sheep for 7000, 6000 Camels for 3000, 1000 Yoak of Oxen for 500, and 1000 She-Aſſes for 500; beſides ſeven Sons, and three Daughters, which were the Beauties of the Land, Chap. 42. v. 12. to 16. This is the Man that had this Knowledge.
2. What he knew: viz. That God would bring him to Death, &c.
1. 'Tis he would bring to Death, that gave him Life; he took away what he gave; it is he that breathed into him and into us that breath of Life, that will ſtop it, and ſend him and us away.
2. It is he will bring unto Death, that ſupports Life, and preſerves it during his pleaſure; Pſal. 66.9. He holdeth our Soul in life; in him we live, move, and have our Being, as Daniel told quaffing Belſhazzar, Dan. 5.23.
3. It is he that hath appointed Death for us, whoſe Appointment is not ſubject to diſappointment: It is a Statute-Law enacted by the Divine Wiſdom, that all are ſubject unto; which none can avoid, but ſtands more firm than the Laws of the Medes and Perſians, Heb. 9.28. This Law is unrepealable, and will ſurely be executed.
4. It is he will bring us to Death, that hath innumerable, and unaccountable ways and means to do it; ſometimes ſuddenly, without any previous warnings on our own Bodies: Some by Fire, ſome by Water, others by the Sword, or Bullet. Ah! how many Thouſands have thus fallen in a time of War? Some by an Apoplexy, others fall into Swoons, that revive no more.
Some he brings to Death by Chronick Diſeaſes, or lingring Diſtempers, which gradually by little and little do weaken and waſte Nature, until Death comes; as in Conſumptions, Pthiſicks, Dropſies, &c.
Some are taken off by Acute ſharp Pains, as by the Cholick, Stone, Gout, and ſuch like; and no Man can give an Account of all the ways that God doth bring us to Death; but by one means or another, in one way or another, it ſhall be done. So that the common Proverb is verified, That there is but one way of coming into the World, but there are innumerable ways of going out of it.
5. He will bring us to Death, whoſe Power is unreſiſtible. Alas! what a poor weak Worm is Man? what ſtrength hath he when the Almighty God hath to do with him? Can he that is more feeble than a Moth, reſiſt, or withſtand, or bear up againſt an Omnipotent Arm? Job 9.12. Behold, he taketh away, and who can hinder him? That is, none can; if all the Power and Strength of Men were combined together, to preſerve the Life of one Perſon, it would be in vain to attempt it, when God will bring him to Death. Who hath an Arm like him? Job 40.9. If none hath, then none can diſannul his Judgment, ver. 8. No Man hath Power to retain the Spirit in the hour of Death, Eccleſ. 8.8. Therefore no Heart can endure or hold out, nor can any Hand be ſtrong, when God ſhall deal with Man, Ezek. 22.14.
6. It is he whoſe Will is uncontroulable, He is of one Mind, and who can turn him? He doth whatſoever he will in Heaven above, and on Earth beneath: What he is pleaſed to do, that he will do, and who dare queſtion him, or ſay, What doſt thou? Job 9.12. Pſal. 135.6. He hath no Superiour, therefore it is too great Arrogancy and Boldneſs in a poor ſorry Worm, to call God to Account for what he doth, as interpretatively diſcontented Perſons do.
7. He will bring unto Death: Who hath ſet the bounds of our Lives, beyond which we cannot paſs, Job 14.5. And when the appointed Time is come, his purpoſe in bringing to Death ſhall take place. There is an appointed time to Man upon the Earth, Job 7.1. and untill that appointed Time come, Man ſhall be continued on the Earth, whatſoever Dangers he may meet with in his Paſſage through this Wilderneſs, by one means or another God will preſerve; ſome that in probability have been near the Gates of Death, being given up of Phyſicians for dead Perſons, and their Friends weeping about them, have been brought back from the ſides of the Pit, and have out-lived others more healthful, and far more likely to live. And others, when the time appointed was come, have been brought unto Death, when in Reaſon there was little Expectation of it.
8. He will bring to Death, that is, inexorable, when the Time determined is come. It is not Prayers or Tears that ſhall then prevail to procure the lengthening out of the day of Life. It is not crying, O ſpare me a little, that I may recover ſtrength, will ſerve turn. How many on their Death-beds have with Tears begged a little longer time, not being ready and prepared for Death? But all in vain; whether prepared or not, it is not Wealth can purchaſe, nor Cries procure an hour's reſpite, when the ſet time is come. A World of Wealth, as one cryed out, for an Inch of Time; but, had ſhe it to give, ſhe could not have obtained it.
Obj. But did not God add Fifteen Years unto Hezekiah's Life, in Anſwer to his Prayers and Tears? Iſa. 38.1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Reſp. Fifteen Years were added from the time that he prayed and wept, but not unto the time appointed for his Diſſolution.
Me. This was that Excellent Perſon, that was the Non-ſuch of the Earth in his day. But it is every me: One may ſay, God will bring me; another, that God will bring me; and ſo may every individual Perſon: So that none are exempted, none ſhall be paſſed by, but all God will bring to Death. He doth not ſay, I know I ſhall die; but, God will bring me to Death. All that have ever been before us, and they were innumerable from the Creation of the World, God hath brought to Death, but two; the one was Enoch, who was tranſlated, that he ſhould not ſee Death, Gen. 5.24. Heb. 11.5. and Elijah, that was immediately carryed up to Heaven in a Whirlwind, 2 Kings 2.11. and all that ſhall ſucceed or come after us, except thoſe that ſhall remain, and be alive at the coming of the Lord, who ſhall be caught up to meet the Lord in the Air, 1 Theſ. 4.17. yet though theſe ſhall not be brought to Death, they ſhall be changed, which is equivalent to it; hence 1 Cor. 15.51. We ſhall not all ſleep, but we ſhall all be changed. The longeſt livers died: The Antediluvian Fathers, reported of Gen. 5. all of whom lived, through the ſtrength of Nature, and the Power of God, above 900 Years, except Mahalaleel, that wanted five Years of 900; and Lamech, that lived 777, and Enoch, that lived 365 Years before his Tranſlation, yet they all were ſaid to die, as Adam, Seth, Enos, &c. So that though Men may live many Years, and though they ſpend them in Mirth and Pleaſures, yet it concerns them to remember the days of Darkneſs will come, Eccleſ. 11.8. There is no Age of the World, nor ſhall be unto the end of the World, but Man, that was born of a Woman, hath been brought to Death; and as no Age hath been excuſed, ſo no Rank, Quality, or Degree of Men have been exempted. The King as well as the Beggar hath paſſed through the Gates of Death; the Prince and the Peaſant: hence Pſal. 146.5, 6. Put not your truſt in Princes, nor in the Son of Man, in whom is no help. The Reaſon of this Exhortation, His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his Earth. Both are lodged together, one Houſe holds them both.
The Honourable muſt come to Death, all his great ſwelling Titles of Honour cannot ſecure him, nor can the mean and baſe Condition of others preſerve them.
The Rich and the Poor alſo muſt come to it, and lie down alike in the Duſt. We find, Luke 16.22. that the Beggar died: So did the Rich Man; and in one thing the Rich Man had the Advantage of Lazarus, for he, it is ſaid, was buried, poſſibly had a coſtly Coffin, and had great Splendor at his Funeral, and the Poor Man hurled obſcurely into ſome Hole; for though it is ſaid, he died it doth not ſay, he was buried; well, yet the Poor Man had a far greater Advantage at his Death; for when the Devils dragged the Rich Man to Hell, a Guard of Angels was ſent to convey the departing Soul of the Poor Man into Heaven.
The ſtrong Man is brought to Death as well as the weak and feeble: Job 21.23, 24, 25. One dieth in his full, or in the very perfection of his ſtrength, whoſe breaſts were full of Milk, and his bones moiſtned with Marrow. Another dieth in the bitterneſs of his ſoul, that did never eat his meat with pleaſure; theſe ſhall lie down alike in the dust. By Strength no Man can prevail, the mighty Men of Valour were brought to Death, thoſe that in Old Times were called Men of Renown. The ſtout-hearted are ſpoiled, they have ſlept their ſleep, and the men of might have lost their hands, wherewith they have done great Exploits, Pſal. 76.5. The great Conquerors of the World have by Death been conquered and overcome.
The Doctor and the Apothecary: The one that hath preſcribed, and the other that hath prepared Medicines, whereby the Sick have been recovered, and Life hath been preſerved, cannot deviſe nor provide a Potion that ſhall keep themſelves from Death. The Wiſe and the Fool. Solomon, Eccleſ. 2.16. propounds a Queſtion, How dies the Wiſe Man? And anſwers it, As the Fool. None by their Politick ſhifts can evade or ſhift it off; the great Head-pieces that have been in the World, have laid down their Heads in the Duſt.
The Uſeful and the Uſeleſs. Some Men are Luggage to the Earth, who only live to eat, and do no good in their Generation, whoſe Souls ſerve but for Salt to keep them from putrefying, and rotting above Ground. But there are, and have been others, that have been a Bleſſing in their Places, doing much good unto thoſe they have converſed with: Such a one was Job, Chap. 29.12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. And David, Acts 13.36. who ſerved his Generation according to the will of God, yet for all that, he fell aſleep. Who more ſerviceable unto God and Man, than the Holy Men of Old, Prophets, and Apoſtles, yet they did not live for ever, Zech. 1.5.
Yea, the Godly and Wicked have been, and ſhall be brought to Death. Wickedneſs ſhall not deliver him that is given to it, Eccleſ. 8.8. Nor ſhall the Righteouſneſs of the Righteous, for one event happens to them both, Eccleſ. 9.2.
Object. But doth not Solomon contradict this Doctrine, who tells us, That Righteouſneſs delivereth from Death, Prov. 10.2?
Reſp. It is certain that Righteouſneſs delivers from Death: But not from Natural Death, for that is a Debt owing by all, and muſt be paid by all; but Righteouſneſs doth deliver from the Sting or Curſe of it. So that the Righteous may with holy Boldneſs and Confidence Challenge Death to ſhew his Sting, 1 Cor. 15.55. And alſo from Eternal Death, which is called the ſecond Death, or a Death after Death, Rev. 2.11. Chap. 20.6.
Will God bring to Death? That is, to Natural Death, which is the diſſolving of the Union, or looſing or breaking the Knot that did tye Body and Soul together, 2 Cor. 5.1. The word diſſolved is taken from the overthrowing or demoliſhing of Buildings, whereby the Houſe that was compact, and in the ſeveral parts joyned together, being demoliſhed, it is parted aſunder. Theſe two intimates, Body and Soul, by Death are ſeparated one from another.
Third Queſtion. How did Job come to this Knowledge? Why, in the ſame way as others do, or may attain it.
1. By the Letter of the Scripture: This doth ſufficiently bear Witneſs to this Truth. Gen. 3.19. the Lord tells Adam, That he is Duſt, and unto Duſt he ſhall return. Job ſpeaks the ſame, Chap. 14.1. Beſides the manifold Inſtances of Perſons that died, recorded in the Scripture, do plainly, and convincingly demonſtrate it.
2. Reaſon or the Light of Nature will tell us, that a Houſe of Clay, that is founded on a heap of Duſt, ſuch as our Bodies are, Job 4.19. how ſtrong or beautiful ſoever it be, will fall down. The Apoſtle calls it an Earthly Houſe, 2 Cor. 5.1. If it was built of Stones, and the Foundation was a Rock, or Marble, yet by one means or other it will decay, and may be overthrown. And if this be all the Knowledge Men have, it will not much affect the Heart, nor produce ſuch Effects as the Matter doth require. Men may, and many do know both theſe ways, that they muſt die; and yet the Lord may take up the Complaint againſt them, as he did againſt Iſrael of Old, for not wiſely conſidering their latter End, Deut. 32.29. Not duly expecting or preparing for it, not taking care to order their Converſations as dying Creatures ought to do, but do ſtill careleſly neglect the Concerns of their Precious and Immortal Souls. But,
3. There is a Spiritual Knowledge of it, though the Object be Natural, which proceedeth from the Teachings of God, which Holy David prayed for, Pſal. 39.4. who had the means both of Scripture and Reaſon to inform him, as other Men have; yet this did not ſatisfie him, and therefore applies himſelf to the Throne of Grace, that the Lord would teach him to know his End, and the meaſure of his Days, that he might thereby be made to know how frail he was. For this alſo did Moſes pray, Pſal. 90.12. that he might be taught ſo to number his days, that this Effect might be wrought, to apply his Heart to Wiſdom. In the foregoing Verſe he had caſt up the Account of the Years of Man's Life, but he looked after, and did beg for another kind of Knowledge, than what his Reaſon could Inſtruct him in. You therefore that have only that knowledge of your Mortality, that Reaſon and the Letter of the Scripture teacheth, be exhorted to imitate theſe Holy Men, that you may attain that knowledge of it, as may encline your Hearts to ſeek after the things that belong unto your Eternal Welfare.
Having run through the words, by way of Explication, I ſhall lay before you two Obſervations that ariſe from them.
1. That God will bring us to Death.
2. That it is a piece of the greateſt Wiſdom, rightly and Spiritually to know this.
I ſhall only handle the firſt of theſe: How long ſoever, and what Lives ſoever we live, yet we muſt die.
Reaſons of the Doctrine.
1. God will bring us to Death, becauſe we bring Sin into the World, which opens a Paſſage for Death. Rom. 5.12. As by one Man Sin entred into the World, ſo Death by Sin; and Death paſſed upon all Men, for that all have ſinned. Here we ſee at what Door Death enters; though Man was made of weak and feeble Matter, yet if Sin had not made the way, he ſhould not have died; but our Father Adam, the Repreſentative of Mankind, tranſgreſſing the Law of Creation, preſently Death is threatned, Gen. 3.19. and that not to himſelf only, but to all that ſhould come out of his Loyns, or his whole Poſterity; and although the Guilt of Sin, binding over to Eternal Death, be removed from ſome of his Seed, by the Seed of the Woman, yet Natural Death muſt paſs upon them all.
2. Man having ſinned, God did not ſend us into the World with a Deſign of ſpending an Eternity to it, but gives us a little Time to prepare us for an Eternal Glory, which he hath prepared for thoſe that die in the Lord. Moſt Men live as if they were ſent hither only to eat and drink, and provide for their Fleſh; but the All-wiſe God had higher Ends in making ſo Noble a Creature as Man, putting him into a Natural Capacity, by the Soul he hath endued him with, which is a Spirit and Immortal of an Immortal Glory. And the Lord hath given him time to ſeek after it, and appointed ways and means how he may attain it, which time not being duly improved, and the means wofully neglected, proves the occaſion of mens Eternal Deſtruction. Hence it is that the tender Heart of Chriſt did ſo condole the caſe of Jeruſalem, Luke 19.42. They had the means of attaining the knowledge of the things belonging to their Peace, but they let ſlip the time, and made no good uſe of the means, until the things of their Peace were hid from them. A fair Warning to us that are partakers of the Goſpel, and call aloud upon us, to ſeek the Lord while he may be found, and to call upon him while he is near, Iſa. 55.6.
3. God will bring us to Death, becauſe of his Appointment: He hath ſo appointed, and ordained, and this cannot be fruſtrated. Men may ordain, purpoſe, and appoint things that never come to paſs; but it is otherwiſe with the Infinitely, All-wiſe, and Almighty God; there can be no Contingencies happen to make his Purpoſes and Appointments void.
4. Becauſe he will bring us to Judgment, which follows Death, Heb. 9.28. There is the Judgment of particular Perſons at Death, for the Spirit returns to God to be diſpoſed of, when the duſty Body doth return to the Earth, Eccleſ. 12.7. The General Judgment, which is commonly called the Day of Judgment, is at the Reſurrection, when the Lord will bring back from Death again.
5. God will bring the Wicked to Death, to put an end to his Wickedneſs: When he hath filled up his meaſure, Pſal. 7.9. he ſhall Damn, Curſe, be Drunk no more; he ſhall no longer mock at Religion, nor Perſecute God's People with Tongue or Hand: He is a Burthen to the Earth whilſt he lives, and God will eaſe the Earth of that Burthen by his Death.
6. God will bring his People to Death, to give them Reſt from all their Labours, Rev. 14.13. They ſhall be carryed out of the reach of a vexing, tempting Devil, and from the malice and enmity of an envious World, and from all the Tribulations they meet with whilſt they are in it: John 16. ult. In the World ye ſhall have Tribulation. They ſhall no longer groan under the Burthen of a Body of Death, have no more cauſe to complain, and fetch deep ſighs from the oppreſſion of Guilt, nor bemoan themſelves for the filthineſs of their Hearts, nor ſhall they any longer be without the light of the Sun, nor walk in Darkneſs, as here often they do, from the hidings of God's Face. But,
7. God will bring them to Death, to bring them into Poſſeſſion of the Eternal Inheritance prepared for them, thoſe Manſions of Light that he hath been by his Grace fitting and preparing them for, Rom. 9.23. Col. 1.12. Or if you will, God will bring them to Death, to bring them to the full, glorious, uninterrupted Enjoyment of his bleſſed Preſence, that they may ever be with the Lord; for whilſt they are at home in the Body, they are, in the ſenſe forementioned, abſent from the Lord, 2 Cor. 5.6. So that by what hath been ſaid in theſe three laſt Particulars, and many other that might be mentioned, which, the Time being paſt, and my Strength much exhauſted, I muſt forbear to inſiſt on; it will appear, though both Godly and Ungodly are brought to Death, yet there is a vaſt difference between the Death of the one, and of the other. A little time I muſt take to improve this Doctrine by Application.
1. If God will bring us to Death, this informs us,
1. Of the certainty and neceſſity of dying, unleſs God will change his Mind, repeal his Statute-Law, or hath not Power ſufficient in his Hand to execute it. So that we may ſay, as the Woman of Tekoah did to David, 2 Sam. 14.14. We muſt needs die, and be as Water ſpilt upon the Ground. For unleſs that firſt Law, which was the Reſult of Infinite Wiſdom, be reſcinded by a Poſt-Act, which cannot be ſuppoſed, or that there is a Proviſo to exempt any from the common Fate of Mankind; the firſt Law doth ſtand in full force, and muſt certainly be put into execution.
2. That ſeeing the Lord will bring us all to Death, this doth inform us of, and reproveth the Folly and Madneſs of thoſe that put this far away, upon a preſumption of long Life, and yet know not what the next day or hour may produce, like the raſh Fool in the Goſpel, Luke 12.19. and it may fare with them as it did with him, v. 20. What, wilt thou preſume of length of days, and on this Preſumption defer thy Repentance? Alas! how many ſuch are there now, that are paſt Repentance? Doth not the Lord denounce a Woe againſt ſuch, Amos 6.1.3? What Bed doſt thou lie on, what is thy Pillow ſtuff'd with, that canſt ſleep ſecurely in thine Impenitent Condition? Doſt thou not fear, that when thou ſleepeſt on thy Bed in the Night, that in the Morning thou ſhalt awake with the Everlaſting Flames about thine Ears? I am ſure thou haſt cauſe enough to fear it.
3. If God will bring us to Death, it doth greatly concern us to bring Death near to our ſelves, before God brings us to it.
1. Believing the Truth my Text ſpeaks of, I find that though it is generally acknowledged that all muſt die, yet too few there are that do really believe that they are of that number. Surely, was it believed, it would produce better things than do appear in their Lives and Converſations. What Peter ſaith touching the diſſolution of all things, and what uſe ſhould be made of it, 2 Pet. 3.11. If Men did believe their own Diſſolution, it would provoke unto a Holy and Godly Converſation. What a poor Woman once ſaid, lying on a Death-bed, may many ſay in the like Condition; I often (ſaid ſhe) thought of Dying, but would I had believed it: Believing brings that near, that is at a diſtance; Janus-like, it looks backward and forward.
2. Seriouſly and frequently thinking of it, and meditating on it. Alas! how few are there that buſie their Heads in thinking of that which is coſting, will certainly come, and ſuddenly may come. This Subject requires our deepeſt muſing on it. Sad will be the ſurpriſal, if Death ſhould look in at the Window with his auſtere Countenance, and ſit on our trembling Lips before we have ſeriouſly thought of it, expected it, and are prepared for it; we ſhall never wait for that change which we never thought of.
3. Dying daily, as Paul ſaid of himſelf, 1 Cor. 15.31. not only becauſe of the continual danger he was in for his work-ſake, but becauſe he was daily making ready for it, fighting the good fight of Faith, that he might lay hold on Eternal Life, as he exhorted his Son Timothy, 1 Epiſt. Chap. 6.12. Dying to the World, to Sin, unto Self, and following the Captain of his Salvation, to oppoſe and cut off the Enemies of his Salvation. By bringing Death thus unto our ſelves, there undoubtedly will follow choice and excellent Effects. As,
1. Hiding Pride from us; pulling down the high Hearts, and high Heads. What! ſhall Mortal, dying Duſt lift up it ſelf? Shall not the conſideration of our Frailty bring down our lofty looks? When a proud Thought appears, reflect on thy Mortality, and think with thy ſelf, whether ſuch a Thought becomes ſuch a piece of Duſt as thou art, whoſe lofty looks ere long muſt be humbled; ſurely the thoughts and conſideration of Death is enough to preſerve from ſelf-exaltation.
2. Moderating our Affections unto our Creature-Enjoyments, and to beget Temperance in our purſuit after, and uſe of them, as the Apoſtle, from the conſideration of the brevity of our Lives, doth exhort unto, 1 Cor. 7.29, 30, 31. … all muſt be left when Death comes, both in reſpect of Uſe and Enjoyment, undoubtedly ſetting Death in good earneſt before us, will be a means to Crucifie us unto the World, and the World unto us. Shall that be lodged in our Hearts, that we ſhall hold but a little while in our Hands, and will be wholly out of our Eye? Did we really believe that it will not be long that we ſhall have theſe things in our Poſſeſſion, we ſhould make the leſs of them whilſt we do poſſeſs them.
3. Quickning our dull and ſleepy Hearts unto greater Diligence in ſeeking after, and endeavouring to ſecure cur main and principal Intereſt, will a time come, and may it be near to us, that will put an end unto all Opportunities, for our Souls Eternal Welfare? O then, why are we ſo ſottiſh, as to waſte our little time in Vanity or Drudgery of the World, when we have ſo great a Concernment lie upon our Hand? And how ſad will it be, if we miſs the Time, and loſe our Opportunity?
4. If it be God that brings to Death, then let this Command us into Holy Silence, and bring our Hearts into quiet Submiſſion, when our chiefeſt Friends, and deareſt Relations are taken away; this Conſideration, that God hath done it, ſhould quiet our Minds, and charm us into the moſt profound ſilence; as Aaron, Levit. 10.2. when by a moſt diſmal ſtroke from Heaven two of his Sons were cut off together, which did teſtifie God's great Diſpleaſure, they being taken away in the Act of ſinning, yet he held his peace; that is, he quarrelled not at that Awful Providence, but with the greateſt Patience did bear up under it. So Pſal. 39.9. I was dumb, and opened not my mouth, becauſe God did it. Thus did Job, when all his Children fell together by an unuſual and fearful ſtroke, Chap. 1.18. A Miniſter's … impatiently lamenting the loſs of her late deceaſed Husband, and her Livelihood alſo by that means taken away, an aged gracious Woman diſcourſing with her, that ſhe might compoſe her diſturbed Mind, did ask her, who did it? She anſwered, God had done it. Then, ſaith ſhe, be ſtill; for if he hath done it, he hath done thee no wrong.
1. It is he that hath an abſolute and uncontroulable Right to diſpoſe of us, and all our Creature-Comforts at his own Will and Pleaſure; his Sovereignty therefore ſhould ſtrike us into a Holy Dumbneſs, when under ſuch chaſtiſing Providences.
2. It is he that is too juſt to do us any wrong, and too good to do us harm; and if neither wrong nor harm are done us, we have no reaſon to mourn exceſſively, nor to give way to any Impatience.
3. It is he that can make up our Loſs, be it never ſo great; and if we carry it well, and put our Truſt in him, he will ſurely and certainly do it; who makes all things work together for their good, who love him, and are the called according to his purpoſe, Rom. 8.28. He can, you need not fear, ſupply the abſence of your beſt Relations.
O but, may one ſay, I have parted with a moſt tender and loving Father. True; but he was but an Earthly Father, and Mortal alſo: If thou getteſt an Intereſt in God, he will be an Heavenly, and an Immortal Father.
O, ſaith another, I have loſt a moſt Faithful and Conſtant Friend, the beſt Friend I had in all the World. Be it ſo; then make ſure of that Friend that will never fail, and that will be ſo for ever; There is a Friend that ſticks cloſer than a Brother, make him your Friend.
O, ſaith a third, the Lord brought unto Death a moſt Tender, Dutiful, and Obedient Child, as ever Parent had. Well! is there not enough in him that hath taken thy Child from thee, to repair that Loſs with unſpeakable Advantage? It may be thou didſt lodge thy Child in that Bed of Love; which the Lord had taken for himſelf, and therefore, to make room for him, he hath taken that Child from thee. I remember the ſaying of a good Woman, who had only one Son, who by a diſaſtrous Providence was brought to Death; upon the News of it, anſwered, Now I ſee God will leave me nothing to love but himſelf. And if that Love which was ſet on thy Child, be placed upon God, when thy Child is gone, it will be manifeſt, that it was his love to thy Soul, that thy Child was removed from thee.
5. Ʋſe. My Text, and the Doctrine inſiſted on, brings very good and very bad News: Very good unto the Godly, but very bad unto the Wicked.
1. It is your Mercy that are the called of God, and by Grace are brought over to Jeſus Chriſt, that God will bring you to Death, and eaſe you thereby of all the Burthens and Grievances that whilſt you are in this howling Wilderneſs you are oppreſſed with; you by Death are delivered from the Body of Death, that ſometimes you groan under; from the Spirit of Bondage, Temptations of the Enemy, and all Evils, both Corporal and Spiritual, that whilſt here you are annoyed or vexed with.
2. By this you will be brought into the Poſſeſſion of that Inheritance which is incorruptible, undefiled, and fadeth not away, 1 Pet. 1.
3. By this your imperfect Grace and Knowledge will arrive unto that full perfection that your Nature is capable of.
4. And hereby you ſhall attain unto full and entire Satisfaction; your Deſires being ſo fully anſwered, that you ſhall deſire no more, neither can more be deſired.
But 2dly, As this is good, the beſt News unto Saints, ſo it is the worſt News that can be to Sinners and the Ungodly that ſo live and die. For,
1. They leave all their good things, and the things they take moſt Pleaſure and Delight in behind them, and muſt take an everlaſting farewel of them.
2. Their Evil VVorks will follow them, and the Reward of them will be their Portion, the VVages thereof is Eternal Death, Rom. 6.
3. They will have nothing to yield them the leaſt Relief or Comfort when Miſery unconceivable will come upon them; not ſo much as a drop of cold water to cool their flaming Tongue, Luke 16.24 which whilſt here was ſet on fire of Hell; that Tongue wherewith they blaſphemed God, by Curſing, Damning, and Swearing; and wherewith they mocked and derided the People of God, his VVays, and Ordinances.
4. VVhen God brings them to Death, they are carried by the Devil, whom they have ſerved, to be Companions with him in that unquenchable Fire, that is prepared for them.
5. And that which aggravates all their Miſery, that they ſhall be endleſs, and deſpair of ever having any eaſe or end of them.
FINIS.
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End of the text · John Gibbs, Funeral Sermon of William Hartley (1698)