Funeral Sermon for Richard Fairclough, Title page – Dedication
A Funeral Sermon FOR That FAITHFUL AND LABORIOUS Servant of CHRIST, Mr Richard Fairclough, (Who Deceased July 4. 1682. in the Sixty first year of his Age.)
BY JOHN HOWE Minister of the Gospel.
LONDON, Printed for John Dunton at the Black Raven in the Poultrey, 1682.
To the Reverend
Mr. SAMUEL FAIRCLOUGH,
Mr. JOHN FAIRCLOUGH,
Mr. GEORGE JONES,
Mr. RICHARD SHUTE,
With their Pious Consorts;
The Brethren and Sisters of the Deceased Mr. RICHARD FAIRCLOUGH.
My worthy Friends,
IT is, I apprehend, a grievous thing to you, to be destitute of the wonted solace, you have taken in those your most delectable Relatives, the Father, and the elder Brother of a Family, whereof you were the genuine, or the ingrafted Branches. Whether Nature or Choice gave you your Interest, you had a common concern, and Comfort in it. And indeed, from a Love too little common to the rest of the World. The Love that hath so observably flourished among you, and been your Collective, Unitive Bond, as it hath shewn it self to be of an higher, than the Common, kind; demonstrated its own Divine Original, and that it had its root in Heaven; so have its effects been a Demonstration, what such a Love can do, for the Cherishing of Union, not only in a private Family, but in the Church, and Family of the Living God also. And how little necessary it is unto an Union, even there, that there be a sameness of sentiments, and Practices in every little punctilio; for a disagreement wherein, too many have thought themselves licensed to hate, and even destroy one another. As God himself was the Fountain, so he was tbe first object of that Love with you. And as your Love to him caused your entire devotedness to his Interest, so your mutual Love united your Hearts (according to your several Capacities) in serving it; without grudging, or hard thoughts, that each one serv'd it not exactly in the same way. By that Love you have been undivided in your Joyes, and Sorrows in reference to one another. While your very eminent Father Survived, how gladly did you pay a joint Reverence and Duty to him! what a glory was his hoary Head unto you! This your worthy Brother was the next resort and center of your united respect, and delight. I doubt not you feel your loss as to both; which (thô God had made a former breach upon you) the longer continuance, as well as the pleasantness of the enjoyment, cannot but have made the more sensible unto you. We are somewhat apt to Plead a Prescription for our more continued Comforts. But you know how little that avails against a Statute, as that (for instance) by which it is appointed that all must dye: Nor is it to be regretted that the absolute Lord of all, should pluck in pieces our earthly Families, for the Building and Compleating his own in Heaven.
What I have said of this your excellent Brother, in the close of the following Discourse, is but a small part of what you know. The saying it serves for the Solace of the Survivors, not the advantage of the Dead †August. de cur. prpage missing mort. gerend.. And the Solace is real, and great, when imitation makes all that is commendable, our own and most intimate to our selves. It is, otherwise but a faint Comfort to have been Related to an excellent Person! When a Limb is cut off, the Soul retires to the remaining parts. May a double Portion of the Spirit and Life, which were so copious and vigorous in the Deceased, abound unto you! And I should be very faulty, if I put not in for some share with you, who must profess my self a great sharer in your Affliction and Loss; and
Your very Affectionate Brother, and Servant in our Lord, John Howe.