Funeral Sermon for Margaret Baxter, Title page – Dedication
A Funeral Sermon On the Decease of That worthy Gentlewoman, Mrs. Margaret Baxter, Who died the 28th of June, 1681.
By JOHN HOWE, Minister of the Gospel.
LONDON: Printed for Brabazon Aylmer, at the Three Pigeons, over against the Royal Exchange in Cornhil. 1681.
To the very Reverend, Mr. Richard Baxter.
SIR,
WHen you assign'd unto me that part, not of forming a Memorial for your excellent, deceased Consort, (which is reserved to the fittest hand) but of instructing the People upon the occasion of her decease: This Text of Scripture occurring also to my thoughts, (which I reckon'd might sufficiently agree with the design, you generally recommended to me, tho I am sensible how little the prosecution did so) it put me upon considering, with how great disadvantage, we set our selves, at any time, to reason against bodily Inclination; the great Antagonist we have to contend against in all our Ministerial Labours!
An Attempt, which, if an higher Power set not in with us, looks like the opposing of our faint Breath to the steady course of a mighty River!
I have often thought of Cicero's wonder; That since we consist of a Mind and a Body; the skill of curing, and preserving the Body, is so admir'd, as to have been thought a Divine Invention: That which refers to the Mind, is neither so desired, before it be found out, nor so cultivated afterwards, nor is approv'd, and acceptable to so many; yea, is even to the most suspected, and hateful!
Even the Tyrant Phalaris tells one, in an Epistle, (tho by way of menace) That whereas a good Physician may cure a distemper'd Body, Death is the only Physician for a distemper'd Mind.
It works not indeed an universal Cure. But, of such, on whom it may, how few are there, that count not the Remedy worse than the Disease! Yet how many thousands are there, that, for greater (hoped) bodily advantages, afterwards, endure much more pain and trouble than there is in dying!
We are a mysterious sort of Creatures! Yet I acknowledg the Wisdom of God is great and admirable, in planting in our Natures so strong a love of this bodily Life; without which the best would be more impatient of living on Earth, so long as God thinks it requisite they should. And to the worst, Death would not be a sufficiently formidable punishment. And consequently humane Laws and Justice would be, in great part, eluded.
And the same Divine Wisdom is not less admirable, in providing there should so generally be so much of mutual Love, as doth obtain among near Friends, and Relatives; For thereby their Cohabitation, and mutual Offices towards each other, are made more pleasant and easie; which is a great compensation for the concomitant Evil, that, by the same Love, their parting with one another cannot but be rendered grievous.
But for you, who live so much upon the Borders, and in the pleasant view of the other State; The one separation, is, I doubt not, much easier to your sense, and the other to your fore-thoughts, than they are with the most, A perfect indifferency towards this present bodily State, and Life, is, in mine eyes, a most covetable thing, and my daily aim. Wherein I entreat your Prayers may assist,
Your most respectful, though most unworthy fellow-Servant and Expectant, in the Work and Hope of the Gospel, JOHN HOWE.