Abrahams Death, Sermon

Abrahams Death · Sermon

p. 1Abraham's Death.

GEN. 25.8.

Then Abraham gave up the Ghost, and died in a good old Age, an old Man, and full of Years, and was gathered to his People.

THE Words, give us a brief Hiſtorical Account of the Death of the Patriarch Abraham. A large Deſcription we have, of his Genealogy, Birth, and Life (from the cloſe of the 11th Chapter to the beginning of this 25th Chapter): But as to his Age, Death, and Burial, the Hiſtory of them is contracted within the ſhort Bounds of three Verſes here; (the 7th, 8th and 9th Verſes.)

'Tis the Death only of Abraham that I ſhall diſcourſe of. Concerning which, here's as much ſaid in a little as could well be expected, or deſired, upon ſuch an Argument.

The Occaſion of our preſent aſſembling is, That we may pay our laſt Reſpects to the Reverend and Worthy Mr. Thomas Caſe, Miniſter of the Goſpel, (lately deceaſed) With whom the Text does ſo well ſuit, as that, mutato Nomine, we may read it thus; Then CASE p. 2gave up the Ghost, and died in a good old Age, an old Man, and full of Years, and was gathered to his People.

In the managing of the Work in hand, I will firſt ſpeak to the Inſtance here mentioned, and to the Matter aſſerted of him; and then bring that down to our precious Friend, (upon whoſe account we are come together this Day).

As to the firſt, obſerve;

1. The Perſon ſpoken of, [ABRAHAM.]

2. What is ſpoken of him here; [he Died.]

3. The Amplifications about his Death.

1. From the Manner of it; [He gave up the Ghost.]

2. From the Time of it; [In a good old Age, an Old Man, and full of Years.]

3. From the Conſequent of it; [And was gathered to his People.]

'Tis the Third Head that I deſign to ſtay upon; the Two Firſt I'll put together, and briefly diſmiſs.

[Then ABRAHAM — Died.]

This Abraham was a great Man, a great Saint: who, in the whole Catalogue of Saints bears a greater Name than He? He was a Prophet, Gen. 20.7. the Friend of God, Jam. 2.23. The Father of the Faithful, Rom. 4.16. One who was, and for ever will be, renown'd for thoſe two unparallell'd Acts of Obedience and Love to God; (his forſaking of his own Country, and his readineſs to offer up his dear and only Son.) Well! what became of this eminent Perſon? Surely, his extraordinary p. 3Grace and Holineſs, that high Rank of Faith and Obedience wherein he ſtood, exempted him from that Death which we poor Striplings are expoſed unto! No, 'twas not ſo, he Died, went the way of all Fleſh, under-went the Stroke of Death juſt as we do.

Saints themſelves, the higheſt and choiceſt of them; Obſerv.the Servants of God, they who are most eminently uſeful and faithful; even They are ſubject to Dying as well as others.

'Twould be tedious, and unneceſſary (in ſo plain a Caſe) to heap up parallel Inſtances: That great Servant of God, Moſes, he died; that great Prophet Samuel, Deut. 34.5. 1 Sam. 25.1. Zech. 1.5.Deut 34:51 Sam 25:1Zech 1:5he died; all the Prophets of the Old Teſtament, all the Apoſtles of the New, all died; (as we have it in Scripture-Record).

All the Exemption from Death that the Beſt can claim or hope for, is, to be exempted from Eternal, but not from Natural Death. Grace does free Believers from the former; (Whoſoever liveth, and believeth in me, ſhall never die; Joh. 11.26. — Verily, verily, I ſay unto you, If a Man keep my Sayings, he ſhall never ſee Death. Joh. 8.51. — Bleſſed and holy is he that hath part in the firſt Reſurrection; on ſuch the Second Death hath no Power—. Rev. 20.6.) but it does not free from the latter. It may indeed, and does, as to this Death, exempt from the Curſe and Sting of it; (O Death, 1 Cor. 15.55.1 Cor 15:55where is thy Sting?) but not from the Stroke of it; not from the thing it ſelf Naturally conſidered, (as it conſiſts in the diſſolving of the Ʋnion 'twixt Soul and Body). Chriſt has unſtung Death for every Believer; the Serpent now may hiſſe, but it cannot hurt; yet it may ſting ſo far, as to put a Period to the preſent Life.

p. 4Doe Abrahams die? muſt they die? Oh happy Neceſſity! bleſſed be God for it! This is grounded, not only upon their Natural Frame and Conſtitution; (as they are Fleſh and Blood as well as others, and made of the ſame brittle Materials): Nor only upon their having Sin as well as others; (and where that is, Death muſt follow upon it): Nor only, upon that Ʋniverſal Statute, [It is appointed unto Men once to die]; Heb. 9.27. — But alſo, upon the ſpecial Love and Grace of God to his People. He has prepared an Heaven for them, they are deſigned to a future State of Bleſſedneſs, ſhall be rewarded above for their Service below. Now, that they may be put into the actual Poſſeſſion of all this, they muſt die. Death, to the Saints, is but their Tranſition into their everlaſting Bleſſedneſs; and ſo, 'tis not their Miſery, but their Felicity, that they die. This, to the Wicked, is in Judgment; but to the Godly, in Mercy: The former die, becauſe God will glorify his Punitive Juſtice upon them in another World; but the Other die, becauſe God will glorify his free Grace and Mercy upon them in another World. Death ſhall come to an Abraham, but it comes to him as a Friend, not as an Enemy. Whilſt he is paying the indiſpenſible Tribute due to Nature, God is carrying on the glorious Deſigns of his Grace towards him. (But this I paſs over).

I proceed to the threefold Amplification, or to the three Specialties obſervable in the Death of Abraham. The firſt of which, points to the Order, and to the Manner of his Death; in this Branch.

Then Abraham [gave up the Ghoſt, and died.]

p. 5In the Syriac Verſion, 'tis, infirmatus eſt, he was debilitated and weakened, ſo he died. In the Septuagint; foreign, he fainted, and ſo he died: (thus alſo the Chaldee Paraphraſt, the Vulgar, Oleaſter, and divers others)**Malè in 70 Interpretibus additum eſt, [& deficiens Abraham mortuus eſt]; quia non convenit Abrahae deficere & imminui Q…aſt. Heb. in Gen. Hierome objects againſt this Rendring the Words, as if it did reflect upon ſuch a Perſon as Abraham to faint: But what Diſparagement could it be to him, at ſuch an Age, to lie under bodily Fainting? ſo long as he was not weak in Faith, — but ſtrong in Faith, giving Glory to God, (Rom. 4.19, 20.) meer Natural Weakneſs could not at all reflect upon him, or be unbecoming to him.

The Samaritan Verſion renders it by Expiravit; he expired, breathed out his laſt Breath, or his Soul and Spirit; his Breath and Soul went out of him, ſo he died. (This Reddition is moſt generally followed by Expoſitors).

The [giving up of the Ghost], is the uſual Expreſſion to ſet forth Death by; ſo its uſed as to Iſaac, Gen. 35.29. — as to Jacob, Gen. 49.33. as to our Saviour, Joh. 19.30. (& paſſim).

We'll conſider it, as 'tis expreſſive not only of Abraham's ſimple Dying, but alſo of ſome Adjuncts and Circumſtances about his dying: It notes,

1. The Order of his Dying; and what was the Antecedent to it. Abraham firſt gave up the Ghost, then he died. Firſt the Soul departs, and then we die; and when that is once gone out of the Body, Death immediately follows. That being the living, vital, quickning Principle in Man; when that is once ſeparated from the Body, this muſt neceſſarily be turned into a dead Carcaſe, a dead lump of Clay. So long as that ſtays with us, we live; but when it takes its Flight p. 6from us into its higher Manſion, forthwith we die. The diſſolving of the Union 'twixt Soul and Body, as it neceſſarily antecedes Death; ſo Death neceſſarily ſucceeds upon it. This is the Order of Nature, (as to what goes before and what follows after), in that which I am ſpeaking of.

By the way, let ſuch who believe, (and who thereupon are united unto Chriſt), rejoyce in this ſpiritual and myſtical Ʋnion: inaſmuch, as it does ſecure to them the Perpetuity of their Spiritual Life. The Natural Ʋnion of the two Conſtitutive Parts of Man, is diſſoluble; and ſo, the Natural Life that reſults from it, may ceaſe: But the Spiritual Ʋnion between Chriſt and the Believer, being indiſſoluble, conſequently, the Spiritual Life reſulting from it, is and ſhall be Abiding and Everlaſting. The Soul may leave the Body, therefore that may die; but Chriſt and the Animating Spirit will never leave the Soul, therefore that ſhall never die. How may Believers comfort themſelves from this!

2. It holds forth, the Manner of Abraham's Death.

1. As to the Speedineſs and Eaſineſs of it.

2. As to his ready and willing Submiſſion to it.

1. His Death was quick and eaſy. He was not long in Dying, did not ſtand out any long Siege, Death did but ſummon him, and he preſently ſurrendred up himſelf; he breathed out his laſt Breath, and the Work was done. Neither did he grapple with thoſe ſharp Pains, thoſe grievous Agonies and Conflicts, which many feel in a dying-hour; no, he juſt expired, juſt gave up the Ghoſt, and that was all. The Hebrew Word, p. 7uſed in the Text, is foreign; which the**Dictio, expiravit, egreſſionem Spiritus è Corpote ſignificat, quae ſit ſubitò ſine Dolore & Morâ Aben-Ezra. Putant Rabbini foreign, eſſe mortem, quae Homini accidit abſque ullo praevio morbo & dolote Munſter: Expirando mortuus eſt, mortis quadam facilitate uſus, quam foreign, Vatab. Verbum foreign, apud Hebiaeos dicitur de Morte ſine Dolore, Grot. (ſo Oleaſter, & quamplurimi alii.) Calvine rejects this Expoſition. Rabbinical Doctors, (and many Interpreters after them), make to import a quick, ſpeedy, and eaſy Death.

But others obſerve,Vid, Fagium in Loc. that we can lay no great Streſs upon the Word, (as importing, and eaſy Death to belong to good Men; at leaſt, not ſo as to be appropriated and limited to them): becauſe, elſe-where, we find it applied to wicked Men in their Dying. As it is, to thoſe that periſhed in the General Deluge, Gen. 7.21. to Iſhmael himſelf, (in this Gen. 25.17.)

And for the Thing it ſelf, Abraham might have this eaſy Death; but we cannot from him conclude that all Saints, and they only, ſhall have it. This is wholly at God's diſpoſe, who orders every Man's Death to be eaſy or painful as he pleaſes. Even the Godly ſometimes have a rough Paſſage to Heaven, while the wicked have a calm Paſſage to Hell. Do we not ſee this verified in daily Experience? the Good, dying with ſad Groans, ſharp Conflicts, acute Pains; and the Bad, dying like Lambs, having a very ſerene and placid Death? As to this, all things fall alike to all; and there's no Knowledg of the Love or Hatred of God, by it.

All that I can ſay upon it is this;

An eaſy Death is a great Mercy.Obſerv.

There can hardly be a parting of the two old Companions, ſuch a Violence offered to Nature, but there will be ſome Pains and Difficulties attending this; but the leſs there is of Theſe, the more there is of Mercy. This foreign,Suiton, in V. …ng. was paſſionately deſired by p. 8the Emperor Auguſtus for Himſelf and all his Friends. And indeed, it is a Bleſſing much to be deſired! provided, that this be done with due Submiſſion to the Will of God. We muſt not be our own Chuſers, as to the Circumſtances either of Life or Death; but in both entirely refer our ſelves to the Sovereign Pleaſure of God. And Chriſtian, comfort thy ſelf in this, whatever thy Pains may be in Dying, thou art ſecured from thoſe worſer After-Pains that will ſucceed theſe to the ungodly and unbelieving. That Death which is ſo painful to thee, for a few Minutes, Hours, or Days, when it has done its Work, will put an end to all thy Pains, and to whatever here is afflictive to thee.

2. It imports, Abraham's readineſs and willingneſs to die. He [gave up the Ghoſt], when God called for his Soul, he freely gave it up; there was in him no ſtriving, ſtrugling, or reluctancy; nothing but a quiet and willing Reſignation of himſelf to die. 'Twould have been ſtrange had it been otherwiſe! He that was willing, at God's Command,**Gen. 12.1.Gen 12:1 To go out of his own Country; from his Kindred and Father's Houſe, to a Land that God would ſhew him; ††Heb. 11.8.Heb 11:8though he knew not whither he went; ‖‖Acts 7.5.Acts 7:5had no Inheritance in the Place, no not ſo much as to ſet his Foot upon: I ſay, it would have been ſtrange, that he, who ſo readily complied with this Command of God, (when as to his Earthly Intereſt things were no better Circumſtantiated); ſhould have been backward to have complied, with God's Will as to his removal from Earth, when he knew, upon this, he ſhould be taken up into Heaven. This was in his Eye in his removal from his Country here; [for he looked for a City which hath Foundations, p. 9whoſe Builder and Maker is God]; Heb. 11.10. — But ſurely, he might have, and had, a more immediate and proximate view of the Heavenly Inheritance, in his Departure by Death, which would put him into the preſent Poſſeſſion of it. No wonder therefore he ſhould be thus willing to die!

A good Pattern for our Imitation!

Saints ſhould be willing to die.Obſerv.

Thus it was with Abraham himſelf, and thus it ſhould be with his Seed alſo. We muſt with the greateſt Readineſs give up the Ghoſt whenever God demands it. Not die, out of Force or Neceſſity, (becauſe we cannot help it), but out of Choice, and ready Reſignation of Life to God's Will. Sapientis eſt exire, non ejici; Sen. Ep. 30.a wiſe Man, is not forced out of the World, but he ſpontaneouſly goes out of it.! The wicked, Oh how averſe are they from Dying! (and can we blame them for it)? Their Souls are pull'd out of their Bodies, whether they will or no; they do not give them up, but they are taken from them; Thou Fool, this night, &c. Prov. 14.32. [The wicked in driven away in his Wickedneſs]; (it's an Alluſion to things, that are hurried away by ſome tempeſtuous Winds, quite contrary to their own Natural Inclinations): [but the Righteous has hope in his Death]; and upon this Hope he dies willingly.

Certainly they who duely conſider the Miſeries of the preſent Life, the true Nature of Death, the Gain and Advantages of it to the Upright, the**Quam praepoſterum eſt, quam que perverſum, ut cum Dei Volun atem fieri poſtulemus quando evocat nos & accerſit de hoc Mundo Deus, non ſtatim Voluntaris ejus imperio pareamus. Cyprian de Mortal. Serm. 6. Soveraignty of God over Men, as to Life and Death; cannot but be ready and willing to die. Ripe Fruit, how eaſily does it fall into the hands of him that gathers it? Oh ſuch who are fit to die, p. 10ripe for Heaven, how readly ſhould they fall into God's Hands when by Death he comes to gather them!

The Truth is, 'tis not enough for ſuch barely to be willing to die, but this they ſhould paſſionately, (yet not impatiently), deſire and pant after. Having a deſire to depart, and to be with Chriſt, which is far better; foreign.Phil. 1.23.Phil 1:23 In this we groan earneſtly, deſiring to be clothed upon with our Houſe which is from Heaven. 2 Cor. 5.2, 4.2 Cor 5:22 Cor 5:4— For we that are in this Tabernacle do groan, being burdened.

So much for the Firſt Amplification in the words, about Abraham's Death. The Second, is taken from the Time of it:

Then Abraham gave up the Ghoſt, and died [in a good old Age, an old Man, and full of Years.]

In a good old Age] foreign, (Sym.); in an hoary Age; (like that of Samuel, I am old and gray-headed; 1 Sam. 12.2.)

This, God had promiſed before to Abraham; [Thou ſhalt go to thy Fathers in Peace, thou ſhalt be buried in a good old Age] Gen. 15.25; and here it was made good to him. The ſame is ſaid of David, 1 Chron. 29.28. of Gideon, Judg. 8.32.

It may here be queried,Object. How is Abraham ſaid to die in a good old Age? when, if we compare his Age with thoſe who lived before him, it comes much ſhort of theirs? What's an 175 Years to thoſe ſeveral hundreds of Years, that the Fathers before the Flood arrived at? (according to what is recorded of them, Gen. 5.) And in the Computation of the Lives of the Fathers after the Flood, (Gen. 11.) we find all of them, p. 11(one excepted, viz. Nachor, who lived but 148 Years) to be older than Abraham was?

Some anſwer, He is ſaid to die in a good old Age, Anſw.an old Man, Senex dicitur, non ſpatio dierum & Temporum, (cùm junior obierit omnibus Avis ſuis); ſed quia ſenſu, Fide, Sanctimoniâ Vitae, profecerat in immenſum.not as to the meaſure of his Life by Days or Years; but in regard of the great Progreſs he had made in Faith and Holineſs. A more ſatisfactory Anſwer is this; That Abraham's Age, abſolutely conſidered, (eſpecially at that Time wherein he lived, when God ſhortened the Lives of Men very much), was a good old Age; although it was not ſo, if taken comparatively with thoſe that lived before him: And, in a comparative Notion too, it was ſo,Auctor Cat. in Lipem if we compare it with the Age of them who did ſucceed him: 'Tis true, Iſaac lived ſome-what longer than he; (for his days were an 180 Years, Gen. 35.28.); But as to the reſt of his Iſſue, and as to the Body of ſucceeding Mankind, few (if any) ever did attain to his Age. The Days of our Years are threeſcore Years and ten; Pſal. 90.10; (and not one of a thouſand now live to this); Abraham much exceeded this Proportion; and ſo it may be well affirmed of him that he died in a good old Age, an old Man, full of Years.

From this Head, I'll raiſe three Obſervations.

1. That to live to, and to die in, a good old Age, Obſerv. 1.is a great Bleſſing.

It may be ſaid to be [a good old Age] either,

Upon a

Natural and Phyſical,

or a Moral and Spiritual.

Account.

According to the firſt Conſideration, 'tis either a great and long Age, or a ſtrong and healthful Age; either ſera, or ſana Senectus.

p. 121. A great and long Age: Namely, when a Man's Days and Years are many, when the Number of them riſes very high, when he has full meaſure of them, (meaſure preſs'd down and running over). Some divide Old Age into three Periods; (according to which, they diſtinguiſh it into Firſt, Second and Laſt): the Firſt, they make to commence from the 60th Year of Man; the Second, from his 70th; and the Laſt from his 80th; foreign; (V. Druſ…an loc.) Now, when a Man's Life is prolong'd not only to the Firſt and Second, but alſo to the Third of theſe Stages; ſurely his is a good old Age.

Now this is a great Bleſſing: So the Scripture repreſents a long Life, and a late Death. God himſelf makes uſe of it as a Motive to Obedience; (the Apoſtle turns it into a Promiſe, Eph. 6.2.) Honour thy? Father, &c. that thy days may be long upon the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee; Exod. 20.12. Its Promiſed, —Thou ſhalt come to thy Grave in a full Age, like as a Shock of Corn cometh in in his Seaſon; Job 5.26. —The number of thy days, I will fulfil; Exod. 23.26. — You ſee this good old Age is promiſed as a Mercy: The oppoſite to it, is threatened as a Puniſhment: So in the Caſe of Eli, and his Poſterity, 1 Sam. 2.31. Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thine Arm, and the Arm of thy Father's Houſe, that there ſhall not be an old Man in thine Houſe. Pſal. 55.23. — Bloody and deceitful Men ſhall not live out half their days: Job 15.32, 33. It ſhall be accompliſhed before his time, and his Branch ſhall not be green. He ſhall ſhake off his unripe Grape as the Vine, and caſt off his Flower as the Olive. David therefore deprecates this, O my God, take me not away in the midſt of my days; Pſal. 102.24. — It's obſervable when God would ſet p. 13forth the glorious State of the Church, in the latter days, he doth it by this Alluſion; Iſa. 65.20. There ſhall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old Man that hath not filled his days: for the Child ſhall die an hundred Years old, but the Sinner being an hundred Years old, ſhall be accurſed.

To prove it to be a Mercy, it appears to be ſo,

1. In regard of Others.

2. With reſpect to the Aged themſelves.

1. In regard of Others: It's a great Mercy, to be ſerviceable and inſtrumental in the promoting of the Good of Others; 'tis that which we are all born for, have all our Graces and Gifts for; that which all ſtand obliged unto by many Bonds; that which is the higheſt Expreſſion of true Love and Charity; that which will much conduce to the ſecuring and heightning of our own Future Happineſs. This Life now being the only time for this Service, muſt it not be a great Mercy, if God will lengthen it out, and ſpare a Perſon to a good old Age? In this reſpect (and upon this account) the Life of Chriſtians here, is preferable before the glorified Life of the Saints in Heaven; inaſmuch, as here they may be ſerviceable to others; which there they cannot be. Oh the longer thy Life is continued, the more Good thou mayſt do! the more thou mayſt bring in to God, the more thou mayſt inſtruct, exhort, comfort, (and the like); and is not this Mercy? He that goes not to bed till nine or ten at night, may certainly do more Work, than one who enters upon his Repoſe early in the Morning, or at Mid-day.

p. 14And beſides this; Old Age does both qualify Perſons for Service, and alſo make their Service moſt ſucceſsful. 'Tis to be preſum'd, that the Aged have a greater Stock of**Mens & Ratio & Conſilium in Senibus eſt— Temeritas eſt ſlorentis Aetatis, Prudentia Senectutis. Tull. de Sen. Wiſdom, Experience, than the Younger; and ſo are more able to adviſe, convince, reprove, and every way to further the Good of others. And then, upon that Reverence and Veneration, which all (but profligate Perſons) have for theſe, what they ſay, and do, comes with great††Apex Senectutis, Authoritas. Tull. de Sen. Authority. That Admonition, Counſel and Reproof, which is ſlighted as it comes from the Young, is received with awe when it comes from the Aged. An eminent‖‖Mr. Gattaker, Abraham's Deceaſe, …. 282. Divine, (treating of this Subject) cites this Speech of one. A few gray Hairs may be of more worth than many Locks; and a few gray Beards do more than many green Heads. Old Age, (where 'tis not decrepit and ſuperannuated), is not the unuſeful and unſerviceable part of Man's Life (as to others); but quite the contrary.

2. With reſpect to the Aged themſelves. The longer they are continued here, the more time they have to ſet their Houſe in order; to prepare for their everlaſting State;Iſa. 38.1. Phil. 2.12. 1 Tim. 6.19.Isa 38:1Phil 2:121 Tim 6:19 to work out their Salvation; to lay a good Foundation for Eternal Life; to get clear Evidences for Heaven. The longer the Fruit hangs upon the Tree, the riper it grows; 'twould be ſad, if they who live long, ſhould not be full ripe for Glory when they die. Upon this twofold Conſideration, its a great Bleſſing to live to a good old Age.

2. Let's conſider it, as it ſpeaks a ſtrong and healthful old Age. Abraham dyed in a**i. e. Proſpetâ valetudine, haouit faci…em Senectam. P Martyr. Vid. Oleaſt. Piſcat. Semectute bona, i. e. quae aliena a …dlis & incommodis Senectutis. Vatabl. good old Age; though he was old, yet he was hail, vegete, and vigorous; not p. 15bowed down with thoſe Infirmities that uſually attend old Age. Some are Old when Young, others Young when Old; their Senſes, Parts, are as vivid and freſh as ever. We have two famous Inſtances of this foreign, in Holy Writ: That of Moſes, Deut. 34.7. And Moſes was an hundred and twenty Years old when he died: his Eye was not dim, nor his natural Force abated. And that of Caleb, Joſh. 14.10, 11. And now behold, the Lord hath kept me alive, and he ſaid, theſe fourty and five Years, even ſince the Lord ſpake this word unto Moſes while the Children of Iſrael wandered in the Wilderneſs: and now lo, I am this day fourſcore and five Years old. As yet I am as ſtrong this day, as I was in the day that Moſes ſent me: as my Strength was then, even ſo is my Strength now, for War, both to go out, and to come in. Profane††Val Max. l. 8. c. 13 Cie. de Sen. Diuſius ſays of himſelf, Col Senectus melior quam ipſa Juventus. Hiſtory abounds in variety of Examples of it; (but I'll make no Citation of them).

Now that this is a great Bleſſing, needs no Proof. To be full of Years, and yet free from the Diſeaſes, Pains, Weakneſſes, which are the common Retinue of old Age; it admits not of the leaſt Doubt but that this is an eminent Mercy. Some bring the fore-cited Promiſe, Job 5.26. unto this;Mr. Caryl …. Thou ſhalt come to thy Grave in a full Age, i. e. full of Strength and Health; thine old Age ſhall not be a troubleſome Age; thou ſhalt not be weak and crazy, diſtempered and ſick, a Burthen to thy Self and Friends; but ſhalt die in a luſty old Age: It's promiſed us as a Mercy (you ſee), and it muſt be own'd to be ſo.

This for the Natural and Phyſical Notion of a good old Age! But then,

2. There is the Moral and Spiritual Notion of it. And ſo it may be ſaid to be good, either in reſpect p. 16of Grace, or of Peace and Comfort: when 'tis a vertuous, religious pious old Age, or a peaceable and comfortable old Age (the Soul having the Peace of God and Divine Joy in it); this is, truly, **Tenen dum eſt—praecipuam partem bonae ſenectutis in bonâ conſc…entiâ, animo ſereno & tranquillo conſiſtere. Ʋnde ſoquitur, nonniſi in ver…s juſt…ia cultores competere quod Deus Abrahae promitit. Calv.eminently, a good old Age; and that which is peculiar to Good Men.

In both reſpects, Abraham's old Age was good. Firſt, as it ſucceeded an holy and well-ſpent Life; and then, as it ſelf was filled up with‖‖Diſcedens in Cratia. Lyra. Grace and Holineſs; (for, according to the Promiſe, Pſal. 92.14. He brought forth Fruit in his old Age.) And Secondly,††Expirare & mori in Senectute bonâ, eſt placide mori, & exceſſi… d…lciſſimo hanc vitam finire. River. as in it, he enjoyed much inward Serenity of Mind, and Peace of Conſcience. This he had, this he died with; ſo he died in a good old Age.

If we ſtate it thus, Does it not carry much Mercy in it? In a full Age, (when Death is making its near Approaches); for any then to be able to reflect upon a good and gracious Life; to appeal to God (as Hezekiah did),Iſa. 38.3.Isa 38:3 Remember now, O Lord, I beſeech thee, how I have walked before thee in Truth, and with a perfect Heart, and have done that which is good in thy Sight. Lord, I have not lived a vain and wicked Life, thou knoweſt; I have not ſpent my beſt Age in Folly and Vanity, all my days I have endeavoured to live in thy Fear, it has been my great Deſign all along to glorify thee in my Converſation, to do Good to Men, to ſerve my Generation: And now I am old, yet ſtill I keep my Integrity, ſtill I love thee, and fear to ſin againſt thee; ſtill (to the utmoſt of my Strength) I am for Prayer, Meditation, hearing the Word, all Religious Exerciſes: Oh good and bleſſed old Age! p. 17Is not the end of this Man, Peace? Conſcientia benè acta vita, multorumque bene factorum recordatio, juc… diſſima eſt. Tull. de Sen.does he not leave the World, and go off the Stage full of Comfort (as well as full of Days)? Does he not now find the ſweet of his Sincerity, (paſt and preſent)? To die in ſuch an old Age, is Mercy indeed!

Long Life and old Age, ſimply and abſtractly conſidered, are not ſo great a Bleſſing as to make a Perſon bleſſed; For the Sinner of an hundred Years old ſhall be accurſed; Iſa. 65.20. Take them thus, they do but aggravate Men's Guilt here, and Condemnation hereafter. Ah but when they are attended with ſerious Piety and Goodneſs, then there is a great Bleſſedneſs in them, and a greater Reſulting from them. As the Wiſe Man ſtates it, (as to the Honour of old Age); An hoary Head is a Crown of Glory, if it be found in the way of Righteouſneſs; Prov. 16.31. So we muſt ſtate it, (as to the thing in hand.) Long Life, Old Age is a Mercy, if it be found in the way of Righteouſneſs: if not, what ever it may be in it ſelf, as conſider'd Abſolutely, to the Perſon, Eventually, it will have more of Judgment than of Mercy in it.

ƲSE.

Let me a little apply this Point.

1. To the Aged. Have any here liv'd to this good old Age? You can number 70, 80, ſome (may be) more Years? you have had a long Leaſe of Life, and 'tis not yet expired? Pray, look upon this as a great Bleſſing, and own it to be ſo. Let it not be burdenſome to you, be not querulous and impatient under it; but thankful, bleſſing God that he has ſpared you ſo long. Old Age all deſire, (all would live long); and yet p. 18the moſt when they have it, [Senectut…m] …t adipiſcantur, omnes optant; candem accufant adepti. Cic. de Sen.ure diſcontented and diſturb'd at it: this is not ingenuous; let it not be ſo therefore with you. You are apt to judg of it by the outward Inconveniences and Hardſhips that attend it; (and theſe render it afflictive to you): Whereas you ſhould judg rather by this; Oh what a large ſpace of Time have I had, for the honouring of God, doing good to Men, and ſaving my own Soul! Oh when thouſands and thouſands about me have been cut off, in the firſt bloſſomings of their Age, or as ſoon as they were grown up to Maturity, (and ſo hurried into their Everlaſting Eſtate; I am yet ſpared to make further and better Preparation for Eternity! I ſay, would you but judg by ſuch Conſiderations as theſe, they would prevent Impatience, and promote Thankfulneſs in you to God, for lengthening out your Lives ſo long.

It was the Saying of one, foreign; he whom God loves, Men and. in Plutarch.dies when he is young: I cannot aſſent to this Aſſertion without ſome ſtating and qualifying of it. 'Tis true, when God is bringing great Evils upon a Family, or a Kingdom, then to be taken away young, (in order to being preſerved from ſuch Evils), does carry the Love and Mercy of God in it; (as we ſee in the Inſtance of Jeroboam's Son, 1 Kings 14.12, 13. and of good Joſiah, 2 Kings 22.20.) But to make this Propoſition general and univerſal, that we have no ground for. He that promiſes long Life as a Mercy, muſt be look'd upon as loving the Perſons to whom he vouchſafes it.

That which makes old Age to be ſo generally burdenſome, and which cauſes Inquietude of Mind in Perſons under it; is, the muny Afflictive Evils that accompany p. 19it. Within, there's a ſad Decay in the ſeveral Faculties of the Soul; (the Ʋnderſtanding darkened, the Reaſon clouded, the Memory blunted, the Affections dead and flat). Without, there are various Infirmities in the Body; the Eyes dim, the Ears deaf, the Feet lame, the Joynts benum'd, the Hands tremble, the Bones full of Aches, the whole Body a Maſs of Diſeaſes: what an Accumulation of Evils is here! Hence old Age is commonly called, Aetas mala, the evil Age: And Solomon ſpeaks of it, as ſuch; Eccleſ. 12.1. Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy Youth, while the evil days come not, nor the Years draw nigh, when thou ſhalt ſay. I have no pleaſure in them. (He firſt in general calls it the evil Days, and then particularly, in the following Verſes, he moſt elegantly ſets it forth, in the Decay of the ſeveral Parts of the Body).

O quam continuis, & quantis plena Senectus, Longa malis!

Juv.

Multa ſenem circumveniunt incommoda.

Hor.

Now, can any be patient under the Conflux of ſuch Evils? much more, can any be thankful to God, for extending their Lives to an Age which expoſes them to ſuch Diſcomforts?

Anſw. They may, and they ought to be ſo. You that feel all theſe, reflect upon what is paſt. How many Years did you live in Health and Strength? how long was it before it was thus bad with you? And ſhould not the weighing of paſt Mercy, quiet you under preſent Afflictions? When all the Day has been fair, can you not bear a ſhowre at the Evening? When your Way has been good in your whole Journy, can p. 20you not ſubmit to a little ſpot of bad Way, when you are juſt at the end of your Journey? This calls for Patience and Thankfulneſs from you.

And beſides, you are to conſider the preſent Good, as well as the preſent Evils, that attend your old Age. Ye are not yet wholly unſerviceable; ſomething yet you can do, for the Good of others, and for the ſaving of your own Souls. All theſe Calamities do but ſet you nearer to Heaven; every Wave drives your nearer to the Shore; every Wind is but for the throwing down of the Earthly Tabernacle, 2 Cor. 5.1.2 Cor 5:1that you may aſcend to that Houſe, that Building of God which is eternal in the Heavens. So that, upon a ſpiritual account, you have no reaſon to be impatient, or to find fault with your old Age; but to carry it like that **Georgias Leontinus, in Val. Max. l. 8. c. 13.Aged Perſon (that we read of), who being an 107 Years old, and being asked, Why he would be willing to live ſo long? anſwered, Quia nihil habeo propter quod Senectutem meam accuſem; I undergo nothing for which I have cauſe to blame my old Age. Do but you conſider the whole matter, and you'll have more reaſon to ſay the ſame.

Tull. de Sen.The Orator objects Four Evils in old Age:

1. It diſables for Buſineſs and Work.

2. It renders the Body infirm and ſickly.

3. It deprives of all Pleaſures.

4. It brings near to Death.

The Vanity and Weakneſs of all theſe Imputations upon old Age, he particularly makes out with great clearneſs and ſtrength of Reaſon.

When Heathens have ſuch ſound Notions of this, ſhall we Chriſtians entertain falſe Notions of it? Oh p. 21where God has bleſſed any of you with it, do not murmur at it, and give way to Diſcontent, but heartily bleſs him for it.

2. Is it a good old Age, not only for the length of it, but alſo for the Strength and Healthfulneſs of it? where 'tis ſo, ſurely there muſt be great Thankfulneſs. To live ſo long, and yet to be ſtrong and vigorous? free from thoſe Infirmities of Age that have been inſtanced in? Nature yet keeps up its youthful Vigor? there's nothing in the Senſes, Organs, Limbs, Faculties of the Mind, to ſhew that old Age is upon Perſons: nothing but only the hoary Head? Oh what Mercy is this! Whether we conſider, the Paucity of them that have it; or the Advantage reſulting from it for Service. This is very good, not only becauſe it's delightful and comfortable to him▪ who has it; but becauſe it renders him ſerviceable to God and Man! Alas! the old, decrepit, decay'd Man, here lives, and that's all; his time of Service is over, (in a great meaſure); he's laid by like the Ship that's worn out, unfit to go to Sea any more. Ah! but he that is old, and yet hail and luſty, that retains his former Vivacity (of Body and Soul); he's as fit for Service as ever, as uſeful in his Station as ever; a wonderful Mercy! What would ſome zealous Chriſtians give for it! If you have it, I beſeech you prize it, improve it, and be very thankful for it.

3. But thirdly, Is it a good old Age in the moral Notion of it? Here is the higheſt Obligation to Praiſe and Thankfulneſs. Can you take a view of your ſelves in the former Stages of your Lives, that in all of them you have feared God and walk'd with him? that all along you have been good, and done Good? that Holineſs and Obedience have run through your whole Converſation? p. 22And that now, in the laſt Period of your Days, yet you hold on in the good ways of God? yet you are acting Grace? yet bringing forth Fruit unto Holineſs? Rom. 6.2…. Rev. 3.2.Rom 6:2Rev 3:2yet your Works are good? nay, your laſt Works are your beſt? better filled up than formerly? Oh, where 'tis thus with any of you, rejoyce, rejoyce! call upon your Souls and all within you, to bleſs God for his rich Grace diſplaid towards you! Here's good old Age indeed! (Oh that thee was more of it in the World)! Well, here's living to, and in a good old Age; 'twill not be long before it will be dying in this good old Age: And how ſafe, how ſweet will that Dying be unto you whenever it ſhall come! (ſo much to the Aged).

2. Something I would ſay to the Young: Pſal. 39.5. Job 21.24.Ps 39:5Job 21:24To you who are in your best State, in the prime of your Days; whoſe Bones are full of Marrow, and whoſe Candle burns very bright. Old Age has not as yet ſeiz'd upon you, but you are haſtening to it; the Shadows of the Evening are every Minute drawing nearer and nearer to you. Jer. 6.4.Jer 6:4That which I would urge upon you, is, that you would ſo order your Courſe now, in the time of your Youth and Manhood, as that when old Age ſhall come, it may be to you a good old Age, both living and dying. Indeed, 'tis very uncertain whether you ſhall ever arrive at it, (as I ſhall ſhew by and by); but poſſibly it may pleaſe God to continue you here ſo long: Oh! let it be your great Care and Endeavour to provide now, (if it ſhall be ſo), that it may prove an happy and bleſſed Age to you.

How is this to be effected?

Why, Eccleſ. 12.1.Eccl 12:1Remember your Creator in the days of your Youth; cloſe with God betimes, make an early Dedication of your ſelves to God, let him have the Firſt-Fruits p. 23of one Time; now engage in ſerious and univerſal Piety; fill up your greener Age with Grace and Holineſs: Thus do, and then 'twill be a good old Age in the winding up of all. The way to end well, is to begin well; and ſo to hold on in what is good. If the Youth and Manhood have been vain and ſinful, it cannot well be expected that the old Age will be holy, and comfortable: (what God may do in the Soveraignty of his Grace, who converts when he pleaſes, I do not meddle with; I only ſpeak of what may probably and rationally be expected. The Fruits which do not ſet well in Spring ſeldom come to any good Maturity in Autumn, ſo 'tis here. Beſides the Diſingenuity of putting off Vertue and Goodneſs to your old Age; Non tantùm minimum in imo, ſed peſſimum remanet, Sen.(for what is that but: in effect to ſay, that your worſt is good enough for God? that Sin and the World ſhall have your Flower, and God have only your Bran? that they ſhall have the firſt Broachings of the Veſſel, and God only the Dregs and Lees)? I ſay, beſides the diſingenuouſneſs of this towards God, 'tis a thing that will prove highly injurious and fatal to your ſelves▪ For, if you be not good at the finſh twill be hard for you to be ſo at the laſt. Oh! let God and Godlineſs have all your Time! make him the Alpha and the Omega of your Days; let the whole Web of Life be ſpun with even Thread; wallo in an uniform Courſo of Obedience; let it be good Youth, good Manhood, good old Age, all good, (This is a …, of muſt not expatiate upon it).

I go on to a Second Obſervation:

None live ſolong, but at luſt they die.

Abraham here had lived 75 Years, (a great Age)! but then he died. The longeſt Day will have its Night: p. 24There will be the ſetting of the Sun, as well as the riſing of it; (tho ſometimes 'tis very late before it ſets). There's none continue ſo long upon the Stage, but they go off at laſt. The Glaſs that has but the ordinary Proportion of Sand in it, is ſoon run out; ſuppoſe there ſhould be another with a far greater Proportion, yet even that too, by continual running, at laſt would be empty: So ſome Mens Time is ſoon run out, there's a ſpeedy Period put to their Lives; Others hold out, and hold up a longer time; but yet they too fall and die at laſt. The Ante-Diluvian Fathers lived very long, yet they died; of every one of them (Enoch only excepted) it's ſaid, And he died; Gen. 5.5, &c.

Not to enlarge upon a Point ſo plain and indubitable, let me ſubjoyn but a word of Advice:

1. To the Old. Ʋſe.How does it concern ſuch, always to be expecting and prepared for Death! This ſhould be done by the Young, but much more by the Aged; becauſe of their more uncertain State as to Life. Oh how near are old Age and Death to each other! there's but a ſmall diſtance betwixt the hoary Head and the ſlimy Grave; that which David ſaid of himſelf, [there is but a ſtep between me and Death, 1 Sam. 20.3.1 Sam 20:3] every old Man may apply to himſelf. The Young may die, the Old muſt die: Death lies in Ambuſh for the Young, but it openly ſhews it ſelf to the Ancient; Senibus in Januis, Adoleſcentibus in inſidiis; Bern. There's but a little Sand left in their Glaſs, but a little Oil to keep their Lamps burning; their Leaſe is now almoſt expired; (and what follows but a Writ of Ejectment?) It's Folly in any to dream of long Life; but this would be prodigious Folly in you, to whom the Reſidue of Life is ſo ſmall: (And yet the Orator tells p. 25us,Nemo eſt tam ſenex qui ſe annum non putet poſſe vivere. There's none ſo old but he thinks he may live one Year longer). It being thus, how ſhould you live in a conſtant Expectation of Death? how ſhould you be always ready and prepared for it? What! after you have had ſo long a Space to prepare for your Change, yet to be unprepared? what, to be neither fit to live, nor fit to dy? not fit for work, (becauſe your Strength is gone,) nor fit for Wages, (becauſe not ripe for Heaven)? what a diſmal Caſe is this! Oh therefore be always ready! that when you come to dy, you may have nothing to do but just to dy, and to go to God.

2. Does this Counſel concern the Aged only? no, it reaches to others alſo. For do not the Young die as well as the Old? Verily, every Man at his best State is altogether Vanity, Pſal. 39.5. One dieth in his full Strength, being wholly at eaſe and quiet, Job 21.23. There are in the Grave the Skulls and Bones of Infants, Youths, ſtrong Men, as well as of the Aged. The old Aſse often carries the Skin of the young one to the Market, (according to the Jewiſh Proverb).**Quis eſt tam ſtultus, quamvis ſit Adoleſcens, cui ſit exploratum ſe ad veſperam eſſe victurum. Cic. de Sen. Who can aſſure himſelf (be he never ſo young) that he ſhall live a Day? much leſs that he ſhall live to old Age? What is Life more in the Young than in the Old? 'tis but a Breath in both; and that, God can ſtop as ſoon in the one as in the other. Omnes eodem cogimur, we are all going the ſame Way, and muſt all tread in the ſame Common-Path. Death puts no Difference betwixt the Weak and the Strong. The new-built Houſe ſometimes falls, when the old one ſtands. Wherefore it lies upon you, that are young, to look and prepare for Death, as well as upon the Eldeſt. Oh that you would be wiſe to conſider your latter End! Deut. 32.29. Pſal. 90.12.Deut 32:29Ps 90:12that you would ſo number your Days as to apply your Hearts to Wiſdome! p. 26Do not procraſtinate and delay what you have to do, (preſuming upon living long, and old Age; which is the higheſt Folly, and the moſt groundleſs Imagination): But to day, whilest it is called to day, repent, believe, make ſure of Chriſt, get your Peace made with God, (and the like). And then let Death come as ſoon as it will, 'twill be an happy Death to you.

[And full.]

V. Ainſworth in loc.In the Original there is no more. 'Tis an uſual Ellipſis in the Hebrew; Pſal. 73.10. Waters [of a ful] are wrung out to them; (i. e. of a full Cup). And ſo here.

Satur, accumulatus omnibus bonis & divitiis. P. Mart.Some fill it up, Abraham died full of Riches, Wealth, Honour, and all earthly Proſperity: (As it's ſaid of David, He died in a good old Age, full of Days, Riches and Honour; 1 Chron. 29.28.) Others thus; Full of Grace, of Faith, of good Work: (a much better Fulneſs than the former)! But the moſt fill it up, as here we do, full of Years, or Days, foreign, Sept. (and ſo in divers other Verſions).

The ſame is affirm'd of Iſaac, Gen. 35.29. of David, 1 Chron. 23.1. — 29.28. of Jehojada, 2 Chron. 24.15. — of Job, chap. 42.17. — The Prophet uſes this Expreſſion, Ier. 6.11. — The Aged, with him that is full of Days.

But this (according to Expoſitors) is ſaid of Abraham, not only as expreſſive of the many Days and Years that he had lived; (with reſpect to which, it falls in with what precedes, and is but a repeating of the ſame Matter; [he died in a good old Age, an old Man, and full of Years]: But it alſo intimates what was the Temper p. 27of his Mind, the inward Frame and Working of his Soul, as to Life; (and ſo it carries diſtinct Matter in it). He was full of Years, i. e. he was**Saturatus diebus ſuis. V. Syr. Saturatus aetate. V. Arab. Ut non appeteret vitae prorogationem: Calv. Oleaſt. Pertaeſum eſt eum vitae, mortem optavit: Zwingl. Noluiſſet ulterius dies ſuos pertrah: P. Mart. Hebraiſmus eſt, pro Saturata erat anima ejus; non cupiebat diutius vivere, n…ec dies ſuos innovari. Fagius. ſatiated with Life, ſatisfied with the Time he had lived; he had lived long, and now he deſired to live no longer; he had his Fill of the natural Life, (as one has of Meat and Drink, when he has been at a Feaſt); he was very willing to have a Period now put to it.

Hence note, that

A gracious Man, (a true Child of Abraham),Obj. after he has been here his appointed Time, and done the Work allotted to him; has enough of Life, ſo as not to deſire to live any longer.

Jacob, when he had ſeen Joſeph, thought he had lived long enough; Now let me die (ſays he), ſince I have ſeen thy Face, becauſe thou art yet alive, Gen. 46.30. Simeon, having had a Sight of Chriſt, was very willing to die; Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in Peace, for mine Eyes have ſeen thy Salvation. Thus it is, thus (to be ſure) it ought to be, with every true Chriſtian.

I put in, [when his appointed Time is come, and his Work done], for the better ſtating of the Point. Till theſe be accompliſhed, Life can never be too long; when theſe are accompliſh'd, Life can never be too ſhort. When a good Man is convinced, 'tis God's Will to tranſlate him into another World, and that his Work is done in this; Oh (ſays he) let me die, I have enough of Life!

p. 28Here's one great Difference betwixt the People of God and other Men. The wicked are always deſiring Continuation of Life; as knowing, whenever that ſhall end, all their Pleaſures of Sin are over, and everlaſting Puniſhments ſhall ſucceed in their room. The worldly too, are upon the ſame lock; as knowing, here is their Portion, that they have their good things here. Luke 16.25.Luke 16:25And therefore, as they have inſatiable Deſires after the having more of earthly Things, ſo alſo after the protracting of that Life, in which thoſe earthly things are to be enjoyed. If theſe might have their Will, they would never die, but live on in infinitum. They may indeed ſometimes be impatient of Life; but they never are, (upon good Grounds, and in a right manner), ſatiated with Life. Ah! but ſuch who are ſincere with God, this is their Frame and Temper: Does God ſay, you ſhall live no longer? they anſwer, Lord, we have enough of Life, let us die.

Some Heathens have gone very far in this; I have lived (ſays**Vixi quantum ſatis erat, mortem plenus expecto. Sen. one) as long as ſuffices, I am all for Death. And††Si quis Deus mihi largiatur, ut ex hâc aetate repueraſcam, & incunis vagiam, valde recuſem; nec velim, quaſ… decurſo ſpatio, a calce ad carceres revocari. Cato in Tull. de Sen. another, If ſome God would grant me to grow young again, I would by no means accept of it; I would be loth, having run my Race, to begin all again. If theſe (by the improvement of Reaſon and natural Light) went thus far; ſurely they, who have an higher Light, do not come ſhort of them: and what (I fear) in them was but Words, by the Saints is really put in Practice.

And in theſe, the Grounds of their Satiety of Life, are to be conſidered. This does not reſult, meerly from the Troubles, Loſſes, Croſſes that here they meet with; but from ſomething of an higher Nature. They are convinc'd of the Vanity of things below, that there's an Emptineſs in what this World affords; that p. 29there's nothing here juſtly to make them fond of Life: That ſo long as Life continues, Sin will continue: That there is an higher and better Life to ſucceed, (which cannot be enjoyed till this expire): That 'tis firſt Dying, and then being with God. Upon theſe Grounds, gracious Souls are even glutted with this Life, and care not how ſoon they are depriv'd of it.

Well,Ʋſe. let us ſhew our ſelves to be Abraham's Seed in this, in our being ſatiated with Life: He is an excellent Chriſtian who is ſo, but there are but few who are ſo.

Rarus qui exacto contentus tempore vitae,

Cedat uti conviva ſatur—.

Hor.

Should God meaſure out but a ſhort Duration of Life to us, yet that ſhould ſatisfy us, as being long enough. But much more ſhould he grant a liberal Proportion of it, we have no reaſon to deſire more. True, in reſpect of Work and Service, we ſhould think Life never to be long enough: Vixi ſatis Naturae, ſatis Gloriae, non ſatis Patriae.He ſaid well who ſaid, I have lived enough to Nature, enough to my own Reputation, but not enough to my Country. He ſpeaks much better who ſays, I have lived enough to Nature, enough to my Self, but not enough to my God). But when we have good Grounds to conclude, our Work is finiſh'd, God has no more for us to do; it becomes us to ſay,Non ace…bum jam judicant vivere ſed ſuperſluum. Sen. Ep. 24. We have our ſill of Life, we would not live a day, an hour, a moment longer: (Not becauſe its bitter to us to live, but becauſe 'tis unneceſſary for us to live). 'Twould be an Act of**Singularis eſt Dei Gratia, vitae ſaturi…as, ut ex eâ migrare parati ſumus cum Animi Tranquilitate, &c. Rivet in loc. ſingular Grace from God, if, by his Spirit, he would bring us to this bleſſed Temper!

p. 30I have diſpatch'd the two firſt Amplifications about Abraham's Death, from the Manner, and the Time of it; let me add a little upon the Third, viz. the Iſſue and Conſequent of it. He died, what became of him after that? why,

He was gathered to his People.

This, like the preceding Expreſſions, (of giving up of the Ghost, dying in a good old Age, being full of Years), does often occur in Scripture. 'Tis uſed of Iſaac, Gen. 35.29. of Jacob, Gen. 49.33. of Aaron, Numb. 20.24. (of many otheres). Sometimes 'tis expreſſed by being Gathered to their Fathers: I will gather thee to thy Fathers (ſays God to Joſiah) 2 Kings 22.20. And alſo, all that Generation were gathered unto their Fathers, Judg. 2.10. David was laid unto his Fathers, Acts 13.26. The Promiſe to Abraham was, Thou ſhalt go to thy Fathers — Gen. 15.15. — We read again and again, of ſleeping with their Fathers; 1 Kings 11.43. 1 Kings 2.10. (& paſſim).

It's an uſual Hebraiſm to ſet forth, entring into the State of the Dead. There's a kind of foreign in it; it being a more ſoft and pleaſing Deſcription of that State, inſtead of that which is more rough and harſh.

The Grave being the common Receptacle of all that die; (All go unto one place, Eccleſ. 3.20. I know that thou wilt bring me unto Death, and to the Houſe appointed for all living; Job 30.23): therefore, though Abraham died and was buried in Canaan, where**Gen. 25.10.Gen 25:10 Sarah only was buried, and none of his Progenitors; yet, upon his Death and Burial, he's ſaid to be gathered to his People, (or Fathers).

p. 31The Papiſts Gloſs upon it is, he went to the Limbus Patrum. Their Doctrine is, that the Fathers, and all the Old-Teſtament-Saints, (who lived and died before the Incarnation, Paſſion, and Reſurrection of Chriſt), were not immediately taken up into Heaven, but ſhut up together in ſome ſecret Receſſes or Cavernes of the Earth, till Chriſt ſhould come, and ſuffer, and riſe again; and then they were to be admitted into the Heavenly Glory. And they tell us, that theſe Fathers and others, in this State, did not feel any Paena Senſus, (as they in Purgatory do); but only Paena Damni, in their not having the immediate Preſence of God and the Beatifick Viſion. And amongſt other Proofs that they give of this, my**Apponi ad Populum ſuum, eſt conſociari. Non in majorum Sepulturâ juxta corpus, ſed perduci juxta Animam ad conſortium Animarum Patrum illius, quae erant in poenis tenebrarum uſ que ad diſcenſum Filii Dei ad Inferos, &c. & poſt Salvatoris Domini Reſurrectionem transferendus ad Paradiſum faelicitatis aeternae. Lipem in loc. So Lyranus, P. Burgenſis, in Gen. 49.33. Bellarmin. de Animâ Chriſti, Cap. 11. Pet. Galat. Arcan. lib. 6. c. 7.Gen 49:33 Text, (with other parallel Texts), is inſiſted upon for one: Abraham was gathered to his People, i. e. he was not preſently tranſlated into Heaven, but for a time ſhut up in a common Cell (with the reſt who died before him), as only an Expectant of Heaven. And hence they obſerve, a Variation of Words, in the ſetting forth of the Death of thoſe who died ſince Chriſt came, and of thoſe who died before Chriſt came: The former are ſaid to die in the Lord, to ſleep in Jeſus, (and the like); but the latter, are ſaid to be gathered to their People, to ſleep with their Fathers; (and ſo on).

This Opinion we reject, as having no ſolid Foundation in the Word of Truth: And hold, that as all Believers who now die do immediately enter into Glory; (for the Spirit returns to God who gave it, Eccleſ. 12.7. To day ſhalt thou be with me in Paradiſe; Luke 23.43. We know, that if our earthly Houſe of this p. 32Tabernacle were diſſolved, we have a Building of God, an Houſe not made with Hands, eternal in the Heavens; 2 Cor. 5.1.) So, that all who lived before Chriſt, and believed in him, did alſo, upon their Dying, immediately enter into Glory. See this Limbus Patrum refuted, and the Proteſtant Doctrine defended, in River. in Gen. E…ercit. 151. Idem. ſumma controv. Qu. 42. Rainold. Cenſura libr. Apochryph. Prael. 79, &c. Chamier. Panſtrat. …. 3. l. 25. c. 5, &c.Chriſt being the ſame to Them, that he is to Ʋs, Heb. 13.8; his Merit extending to Them as well as to Us, (he being the Lamb ſlain from the Foundation of the World; Rev. 13.8); and They believing in the Meſſiah to come, as well as we believe in him as come; what reaſon can be aſſigned, why they ſhould not partake of the ſame Bleſſings, the ſame Happineſs, that we now partake of? and conſequently, upon Death, be put into the immediate Poſſeſſion of the Glory of Heaven, even aswe are?

But bleſſed Abraham! was it thus with thee? was this thy gathering to thy People to be ſhut up in ſome dark Caverns of the Earth, (God knows where)? and to be kept out of Heaven, (God knows how long)? In thy Life, at God's Command, thou wenteſt thou kneweſt not whither; and at thy Death too, didſt thou go thou kneweſt not whither? Waſt thou the great Inſtance of Faith,Rom. 4.3.Rom 4:3 the Father of the Faithful? and yet does it fare better, with the meaneſt of thy Seed now, than it did with thy Self? Was Heaven ſo much in thy Eye, didſt thou look for a City which had Foundations, Heb 11.…0.Heb 11whoſe Builder and Maker is God; and yet ſo long kept out of it, and thruſt into ſome Recluſe whöſe Builder and Maker is Man? Is thy**So Auſtin expounds it, Q…e…. Evang. l. 2. c. 28. & in Ep. ad Evodium. So Muldonate in loc. (who yet to ſave himſelf, is fain to ſay, Non quod Abraham in Coelo eſſet; ſed quòd ita loqui ſingarur, quaſi eſſet in Coelo. Boſome made uſe of to repreſent Heaven; and that before Chriſt died; and yet waſt thou not as yet in Heaven? Bleſſed Saint! theſe things we poor dim-ſighted Proteſtants, know not how to underſtand!

p. 33The Adverſay has led me out of my way, I return to the words; which I ſhall conſider not only as a Periphraſis of Death, or of the dead State that follows upon it; but as holding forth ſomething of a far higher nature: As namely, that Abraham's Soul, as ſoon as Death had ſeized upon his Body, was forthwith tranſlated into the Fellowſhip and Society of the glorified Saints, who lived and died before him.

Two things Expoſitors infer from them.

1. The Exiſtence of the Soul in its ſeparated State from the Body. They apply Abraham's being gathered to his People, to his Soul; and from thence aſſert, the Exiſtence and Immortality of it. And whereas ſome affirm, that in all the Books of Moſes there's nothing ſaid, to prove the Soul's Immortality; **In Loc.Cajetan confutes them from this very Text: And many††Vatab. Pererius in Gen. 25 Tom. 4. Diſp. 8. pag. 789, &c. Ainſworth. Theodoret. Q. 109. in Gen.Gen 25 others concur with him therein.

2. The Advancement and Felicity of the Soul upon its Separation from the Body, which conſiſts in this, that it is preſently joyned with, and admitted into, the Society of the glorified Souls that are with God in Heaven.

I muſt not engage in the diſcuſſing of theſe Heads; in brief take this Obſervation.

That whenever the Godly die, immediately they are tranſlated unto the Society of the glorified Saints in Heaven.

We cannot ground this, merely upon the Phraſe of Abraham's being gathered to his People; but we muſt alſo take in the Grace and Holineſs of the Subject. It's ſaid of Iſhmael here (ver. 17.) He was gathered to his People; but how? not as Abraham was, becauſe he was a p. 34bad Man. The Sence of the Words muſt be ſtated, according to the**Ad foelicitatem per ſe …on pe…tiner, ſed tantum pro Subjectorum ra io…e intellecta. Rivet. Subject to whom they are applied: When the Wicked die they are gathered to their People, i. e. they are thrown into the Company of the Damned in Hell: But when the Godly die, they are gathered to their People, i. e. taken up into the Company of the glorified Saints in Heaven.

It's foretold and promiſed, Mat. 8.11. That many ſhall come from the East and West, and ſhall ſit down with Abraham, and Iſaac, and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven. Hebr. 12.22, 23. But ye are come unto Mount Sion, and unto the City of the living God, the heavenly Jeruſalem, and to an innumerable Company of Angels: to the General Aſſembly, and Church of the First-born, which are written in Heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the Spirits of just Men made perfect: And to Jeſus the Mediator of the New Covenant, and to the Blood of ſprinkling, that ſpeaketh better Things than that of Abel. The firſt Intendment of the Apoſtle in this Scripture, was to deſcribe the Goſpel-Church as 'tis here on Earth, in the Glory and Priviledges thereof. One of which is this, that under the Goſpel, Saints on Earth have Communion with the Saints in Heaven; (all making up but one Body, or one Aſſembly): But yet ſo, as that the Things (here ſpoken) have their fulleſt Accompliſhment in the Church triumphant. When any are taken up into that Church, they go indeed to the City of the living God, the heavenly Jeruſalem, an innumerable Company of Angels, the Church of the Firſt-born, the Spirits of just Men made perfect. And this is the Portion of all that fear, love and obey God, whenever Death removes them hence. Luke 16.22. And it came to paſs that the Beggar died, and was carried by the Angels into Abraham's Boſom.

p. 35And is it thus?Ʋſ. 1. then (1.) What an incentive is this to Godlineſs! Abraham died in a good old Age, (an old Age which ſucceeded a pious and well-ſpent Life); what followed upon it? he was gathered to his People; admitted into the Society of the Bleſſed in Heaven. Now as we deſire to partake of his happy End, we muſt conform to his holy Courſe. Let us ſhew our ſelves to be his Children by the doing of his Works; Joh. 8.39.John 8:39Let us believe, obey, live as he did, and then we ſhall be Heirs with him of this, and all that other Bleſſedneſs, which he now poſſeſſes. To be with all the glorified Saints in Heaven? (much more to be with the bleſſed God there)? what Tongue can expreſs, what Heart can conceive, how great a Thing this is! But how is this to be attained? only by being good, and doing good.Heb. 12.14.Heb 12:14 Without Holineſs no Man ſhall ſee God, nor any who are with God. Oh let the Age be what it will, (old or young), ſee that it be good and gracious; and then this happy Gathering will follow upon it: but otherwiſe, 'tis not to be hoped for. Pray tell me, you that live as Antipodes to the Saints on Earth, can you hope to be imbodied with thoſe in Heaven? You that hate and perſecute the Saints on Earth, can you hope ever to be joined with them that are in Heaven? You that are all for the Society of Sinners below, can you expect to be admitted into the Society of Saints above? ſurely you cannot ſo groſly impoſe upon your ſelves! At death there is a ſorting of all Men into their ſeveral Companies: the Wicked go to the Wicked, the Godly to the Godly; the former to their Predeceſſors and Companions in Sin; the latter, to their Predeceſſors and Companions in Sin; the latter, to their Predeceſſors and Companions in Grace and Holineſs. Oh let the Conſideration hereof prevail with us, to put away Sin, and to engage p. 36in all ſerious Piety! Be Followers of them who through Faith and Patience inherit the Promiſes; Heb. 6.12.Heb 6:12that you may be gathered to them when you die,pſal. 125.5. and not rank'd amongst the Workers of Iniquity.

2. It may be improved,Ʋſe 2. to ſupport against the Fear of Death. How are many, through this Fear, all their Life Time ſubject unto Bondage! Hebr. 2.15. But if ye be Abraham's Seed and Children, why ſhould it be thus with you?

Here are in the Words of my Text three notable Antidotes againſt this Fear:

1. What is Death? 'tis but the giving up of the Ghost; the expiring of the Breath; and that's all (to the Sanctified and holy): And is this a Thing ſo much to be feared? Every Breath that comes from thee, is a kind of Death; when 'tis the last Breath then it's Death, (there's all the Difference).… Theſſ 4.14. Iſa. 57 2. 2 Cor. 5▪4. phil. 1.23.Isa 57:22 Cor 5:4 Elſewhere 'tis but a Sleep, a lying down in Bed, an uncloathing, a Departing: Oh what mollifying Expreſſions doth the Scripture ſet forth, Death by! and all to keep down our inordinate Fear of it.

2. All (ſooner or later) are ſubject to it. 'Tis not we alone that die, all are Companions with us in this. The Patriarchs, Prophets, Apoſtles, nay Christ himſelf, all died: and ſhall we be afraid to walk in that Path which ſo many have trod before us? When Phocion ſaw one, who was to die with him, afraid to die; What (ſays he) art thou not glad to fare as Phocion does? Plutarch. in Apoth.So when Abraham gave up the Ghoſt and died, (with innumerable others), ſhall we be overwhelmed with Fear when it ſhall be our turn to die?

3. After the Dying comes the Gathering. That Death that breaks our Company below, advances us to far better p. 37Company above. It takes the Key of Heaven (as it were) and lets us into the Society of Saints and Angels, yea of God himſelf, and the bleſſed Ieſus. And ſhall we then**Ejus eſt morieim …imere, qui ad Chriſtum noll…t…lr… Cyprian. fear to die? Oh let's get above this!

3. Let all God's People rejoyce in the Thoughts of Heaven. Ʋſm 3.What a Place and State will that be to ſuch! when you ſhall be gathered into the Fellowſhip of the glorified Saints; ſhall ſee Abraham, Iſaac, Iacob (with all the reſt of that vaſt Body); ſhall converſe with them and have Communion with them in the praiſing, admiring and magnifying of God for ever: what a tranſcendent Happineſs will this be! Here your Company is mixt, there none but Saints ſhall be with you. Here your Company is often afflictive to you, there it ſhall be wholy rejoicing to your Souls. Here, the Beſt you converſe with have their Infirmities; there, all ſhall be perfect. Here, you ſee this and that Saint, (ſcattered as a little good Grain in the midſt of a Field of Tares); there you ſhall ſee the whole. Body of Saints from firſt to laſt. The Sight of one St. Paul would be a bleſſed Sight; but to ſee all the Apoſtles, all the Martyrs and Confeſſors, all the great Inſtruments of God's Glory (ancient and modern)? Lord, what a tranſporting and raviſhing Sight will that be! How ſhould the ſerious Senſe of this both fill up our Joy, and alſo inflame our Deſires after Heaven! How divinely does the Oratour ſpeak! O bleſſed Day, when I ſhall go to that divine Society and Convention of Souls, O praeclarum diem, cù ad illud di inum Animarum Concillium coetumq e proficiſcar; & cùm ex hac turba & colluvione diſ…edam! Tul. de Sen.and ſhall be freed from thoſe Crowds & filthy Perſons that are here! had he ſuch Notions of a future State, and of the Happineſs thereof? what Notions ſhould we have of it!

p. 38And yet that which I have been upon, is but the leaſt of Heaven. To be gathered to the glorified Saints, is very good; ah! but to be gathered to God, to Christ? to be admitted into the immediate Preſence, Viſion, and Fruition of theſe? ſurely this is incomparably better! This is the Heaven of Heavens, the very Top and Zenith of Glory. And this ſhall be the Felicity of all who are ſincere with God: 1 Theſſ. 4.17. So ſhall we ever be with the Lord: Having a Deſire to depart, and to be with Christ, which is far better. Philip. 1.23. In thy Preſence is Fullneſs of Joy, at thy right Hand are Pleaſures for evermore, Pſal. 16.11. Oh therefore, you who fear God and walk with him (as the great Inſtance in the Text did), how may you comfort your ſelves in this! and what cauſe have you, to ſay, My Soul doth magnify the Lord —. Bleſs the Lord, ô my Soul, and all that is within me, bleſs his holy Name.

p. 39THe firſt part of my Work is diſpatch'd; I go on to the ſecond. The Example which the Text propounds, I have done with; I come now to that Example, which the Providence of God ſets before us this day.

You all expect I ſhould ſay ſomething of that Antient, Faithful, Eminent Miniſter of Chriſt, and Servant of God, Mr. Thomas Caſe, whoſe Funerals (in the Religious Part of them) we now ſolemnize.

Concerning him therefore, I will,

1. Give a brief A count of his Life and Death.

2. Then give a more particular Narrative of him, in his ſeveral Capacities.

Not to inſtance in the Time and Place of his Birth, he was the Son of a Miniſter in Kent; (a Perſon eminent in his time for Parts and Piety). This he teſtified, as in all other things, ſo in his great Care to give this his Son a pious and religious Education: which he was the more excited and encouraged unto, upon his perceiving of thoſe more than ordinary buddings and bloſſomings of Grace and Ingenuity, that were in him in his Childhood.

When he was grown up, and ſit to be ſent abroad, he was put to School; firſt at Canterbury, then at Merchant-Taylors School (in this City). And there he was continued, until his Father, meeting with Troubles and Embroy Iments in his Eſtate, (by Law-Suits p. 40and other Occaſions), was forced to remove him from theſe Nurſeries, and to take him home to himſelf; where he gave him all that Inſtruction in the Arts and Languages, that his many Diverſions would admit of.

Having arrived at a Competency of Age and Learning,Adde p…ſſent & alij haud pauci, ab eruditione merito celebrandi; quales. crediderim—, Thomam Caſe, &c. Antiq. Ʋniv. Oxon. l. 2. p. 283. he was ſent to the Univerſity, admitted in Chriſt-Church in Oxford, (that Famous Society); where his Induſtry and Proficiency was ſuch, as that, by the Dean and Canons (then being), he was unanimouſly elected Student of that Houſe. There he reſided till he had commenc'd Maſter of Arts, and a Year or two after.

From thence (he now being in a conſiderable meaſure fitted for the Work of the Miniſtry), by the great Importunity of Mr. R. Herrick, (his moſt intimate and affectionate Friend), he was prevailed with to come to him, and to be with him at his Benefice in Norfolk. After ſome ſhort ſtay with him, he was called to the Exerciſe of his Miniſtry at Erpingham, (a Town in the ſame County). There he continued eight or ten Years; indefatigable in his Work, preaching twice every Lords-day, expounding the Holy Scriptures, catechiſing the Younger, repeating in private what he had delivered in publick. Hither many reſorted to him, to partake of his Labours; and God wonderfully ſucceeded them to the Converſion of many Souls.

But meeting with Troubles in that Dioceſs, (under Bp. Wren), he was forced to remove out of it. His fore-mentioned Friend, (being made Warden of Mancheſter) took him into Lancaſhire with him: there in a ſhort time he was preſented to a Place in the Neighbouring County. But great Revolutions happening in p. 41the Nation a little after, he was, (by the Urgency of ſome Perſons of Quality) perſwaded to accompany them to London: So Providence firſt brought him hither, and then fixed him here.

Here he was choſen firſt Lecturer, then Paſtor at Milk-Street; where, how laborious and faithful he was in his Lord's Work, many yet living can teſtify. Beſides his Lord's-day's Pains in this Place, he preach'd a weekly Lecture every Saturday; (in order to Perſons being the better prepared for the Sabbath). And here he firſt ſet up the Morning Exerciſe; which has been kept up in this City (from place to place) ever ſince; (it too having lived to a good old Age, and not as yet given up the Ghost).

And not confining his Labours to this Pariſh, he alſo preached a Lecture at St. Martin's in the Fields every Thurſday; which he kept up above twenty Years.

In thoſe days, the Engagement being vehemently urg'd, and he refuſing to take it, he was put out of his Place at Milk-Street. But God would not have him to be idle; if one Door be ſhut upon him, another ſhall be opened. He was therefore called to preach as Lecturer, at Alderman-bury, and at St. Giles Cripplegate. In which Congregations, he continued preaching Chriſt and the Goſpel, till he was ſent Priſoner to the Tower; (where he was confined about ſix Months). The Grounds of this Impriſonment, (wherein ſeveral others, of Name and Worth, were Companions with him; to Two of which, it ended in more than bare Impriſonment, in Death it ſelf); I ſay, the Grounds of this, are well known to all that know any thing of the Tranſactions of the late Times. We then thought they ſuffered for their Loyalty and Fidelity to p. 42their Soveraign; if the preſent unkind Age have other Notions of it, we muſt ſubmit.

After his Releaſe he was invited to be Lecturer at St. Giles in the Fields. Mr. Moline (then Rector there) dying, he was choſe in his Stead. And ſo continued, till, upon his Majeſty's Reſtauration, the ancient Incumbent was readmitted.

In the Year 1660 he was one of the Miniſters, deputed by his Brethren in this City, to wait upon his Majeſty at the Hague, to congratulate his Reſtauration. With reſpect to which I may confidently ſay, as none (in his Sphere) did more cordially endeavour to promote it, before it was accompliſhed; ſo none did more cordially rejoice in it, when it was accompliſh'd.

When that black and fatal Day, Aug. 24. 1662. came, he fared as the reſt of his Brethren did, (who were not ſatified to conform). Here his Miniſtry in Publick was at an end; yet (as God gave Opportunity) he ceaſed not in Private to be doing all the good he could. And in this Diligence he held on, till the Infirmities of his great Age wholly diſabled him for any further Miniſterial Work.

One remarkable Paſſage of his Life muſt not be omitted; (I hope, the Recital of bare Matter of Fact will give no Offence). He was a Member of that Aſſembly, which, in the Year 1643, was called by the Parliament (as then ſitting) to adviſe in Matters of Religion. And I think, he liv'd to ſurvive all of that Body, (one only excepted).

I have gone over the ſeveral Turns and Motions of his Life, and led you from one Stage to another of it: 'tis the laſt only that remains yet to be ſpoken unto.

It pleaſed God, (the great Arbiter vitae & necis) to p. 43lengthen out his Life to a very old Age: He lived to**Tully's Age. Quartum annum ago & octogeſimum. Lib. de Sen. 84 Years, and then died. On May 30th laſt paſt he finiſhed his Courſe; and on June 14th was decently interr'd in Chriſt Church in this City. And now, how is my Text exemplified in him as well as in Abraham! He gave up the Ghost, and died: how willingly did he reſign up his Soul to God! Death found no Reſiſtance from him, (alas! he had been long deſiring and waiting for it); he quietly and readily yielded to it. And what an eaſy Death did God bleſs him with! The Oil was ſpent, ſo the Lamp went out. There was no Sickneſs, no Pain, no Groans, or Agonies at the laſt; he juſt breathed out his laſt Breath, and that was all. It's ſaid of Jacob, when he had made an end of commanding his Sons, he gathered up his Feet into the Bed, and yielded up the Ghost, Gen. 49.33. Juſt thus it was with our deceaſed Father; for riſing from Dinner he deſired ſome repoſe upon his Bed; where, as ſoon as ever he was laid, he gathered up his Feet, and ſo yielded up the Ghoſt. This facil Death he had much deſired, and often prayed for, and he had it: Sortitus eſt facilem exitum, & qualem ſemper optaverat; (as the Hiſtorian of Auguſtus).

And he died in a good old Age. Good, as to the Greatneſs of it: Good, as to the Health and Strength of it; (a few Years indeed before his Death, his Limbs were much enfeebled, his Memory much impair'd; but till then, he had as much Vegetenes and Vigor every way, as could be expected in one of his Years). Good, in the beſt Sence, as it ſucceeded a well-ſpent Life, and as it was fill'd up with gracious and holy Actings to the Laſt. He began with God betimes, and he kept cloſe to God to the End.

p. 44And now he is gathered to his People; tranſlated into the bleſſed State, gone to the general Aſſembly, and Church of the Firſt-born, to the Spirits of just Men made perfect. Taken up to his People; to thoſe now in Glory, who by his Miniſtry were converted: (and oh what rejoicing is there, in Them to ſee their Spiritual Father; in Him to ſee the Children that God has given him!) He has now a view of all the glorified Saints, and is one of them: Yea, he has now the Viſion of God himſelf, and of his dear Redeemer. What he wrote in his Piſgah about Heaven, he has now the experimental Knowledg of. He that died in Abraham's good old Age, now lies in Abraham's Boſom. He that was a decay'd and decrepit Man here on Earth, with what Strength and Vigour is he loving, praiſing, adoring God in Heaven! Holy was his Life, and happy was his Death. He is with God, and ſo ſhall be for ever.

Thus I have given you a ſhort Narrative of his Life and Death; but a more particular and diſtinct Account of him, as to what he was, muſt be further added. And in order to this, I will conſider him in a fourfold Capacity.

I. As a Man.

II. As a Chriſtian.

III. As a Miniſter.

IV. As ſtanding in ſuch and ſuch Relations.

In the Characteriſing of him under theſe Heads, I will keep cloſe to the Truth, and ſay nothing but what I apprehend to be truly ſo. And as I would not diminiſh his Merit, and any way leſſen his real Worth, (which would be diſingenuous towards him); ſo neither will I advance it above its juſt Pitch and Meaſure; (for that would be injurious to my ſelf).

p. 45I. Let's conſider him as a Man. So he was one, whom God had endowed with excellent Parts, (Natural and Acquir'd: (ſome I know are not of my Opinion in this; be it ſo, they have their Liberty of judging, and I have mine). He was very happy in a good and quick Invention; which firſt furniſh'd him with ſmart Notions (upon all Occaſions), and then with apt Expreſſions to utter them: and this too was attended, in a good Proportion, with a ſolid Judgment. It's very rare, for one and the ſame Perſon to be eminent in all the Accompliſhments that are proper to the ſeveral Faculties; Strength of Reaſon, Depth of Iudgment, Quickneſs of Fancy, Retentiveneſs of Memory, ſeldom concur in the ſame Subject; we value him who is eminent in any One of theſe, though he be not ſo in the Rest too. I ſpeak very modeſtly of our deceaſed Friend when I make this to be his Caſe; (but of the two I chuſe rather to go too low than too high). Towards the Cloſe of his Life, when the Infirmities of a great Age were upon him, there was a ſenſible Decay in his Parts; yet even then it might be ſeen what he had been in the Prime of his Days; (as the Glory of Carthage might be diſcern'd in the Ruins of it).

For his Natural Temper, he had fervidum Ingenium, a pritty quick and warm Spirit; zealous he was for, or againſt, what he approv'd or diſapprov'd; (eſpecially if God and Religion were concern'd therein). And this, in the late unhappy Controverſies, expos'd him to ſevere Cenſures from more than One Party; (whether juſtly or not, 'tis not for me to determine). OnelyOnly this I would ſay for him, if ſometimes undue Heat did prevail in him, either in Words or Actions, much Allowance is to be given for it to his natural Temper.

p. 46And further he was an open, plain-hearted Man; One, who was totally a Stranger to thoſe little Arts and Frauds, thoſe ſubtile Reſerves and Pretences, which the World is too full of. He knew much of other things, but as to Diſſimulation, I think he knew as little of that as any. What Opinion he embraced, he never concealed; and what Affection prevailed, he uſually diſcloſed. He was ſo honeſt and true, as always to think what he ſpake; and (for the moſt part) ſo un-reſerv'd, as to ſpeak what he thought. He could (I queſtion not) had he pleaſed, have acted the Wiſdom of the Serpent, as well as others; but he was wholly for the Simplicity of the Dove; (If this was a Fault, pray pardon it; there are but few that err on this hand).

In his Converſes, he was hearty, affectionate, all Love and Kindneſs; not moroſe and magiſterial, but affable and obliging; not vain and frothy, yet facetious and pleaſant; not confining to himſelf what might be uſeful to others, but very communicative. He was ſomewhat haſty and paſſionate, but his Paſſion was ſoon over; Anger reſted not in him, the Fire was quenched as ſoon as kindled; (the ſooner the better)! Many other Characters of him might be heaped up; but theſe few are ſufficient to give a ſhort view of him, conſidered as a Man.

2. As a Chriſtian; and ſuch he was not in Title and Profeſſion only, but in Truth and Reality; (ſo far as we can judge) a truly gracious and upright Man. How ſincere, eminent, conſpicuous, were all the ſeveral Graces in him!

He was an ardent Lover of God, of Goodneſs, and of all Good Men. His Fear of Sin, and of offending God, was very great; his Publick Miniſtry was very dear to p. 47him, yet when he could not enjoy it without ſubmitting to that which to him was ſinful, (not that he judg'd others by himſelf), he patiently laid it down. His Heart was full of Penitential Brokenneſs: how often have I ſeen him pouring forth Tears, in the Confeſſion of his own and other Mens Sins! His Zeal for God, was exceeding high; (wherein his natural Fervour was helpful to him): he could quietly bear his own Sufferings, all the Indignities offered to himſelf; but when he ſaw God diſhonoured, the Goſpel reproached, the Truth thereof oppoſed and undermin'd, the good way of Holineſs evilly ſpoken of, this he could not bear without great Commotion of Spirit. He minded Heaven more than Earth; (as appears by that ſmall Eſtate which he left, after he had been in the Miniſtry ſo long, and in ſuch conſiderable Places for Gain and Profit). He had a large Heart for Charity, (had his Purſe been equal to it). His Communication was ſavoury and edifying; and altho, (as has been hinted) he ſometimes would be facetious in his Dicourſes, yet ſo, as that always he would miſcere utile dulci; mingle that which ſhould profit with that which ſhould delight. Under his greateſt bodily Infirmities at the laſt, when any came to viſit him, he would ſtill be dropping ſome ſpiritual and heavenly Matter into them. Who more ſenſible of the Church's Calamities and Diſtreſſes than he? Oh how did he uſe to melt and diſſolve in Prayer, when he was ſpreading the Concerns of Zion before the Lord! He was indeed a praying Man; one that was frequent and fervent in this bleſſed Duty. Not contented with the ſtated and more ordinary Performance of it, how did he ſet apart, upon ſpecial Occaſions and more than common Emergencies, p. 48whole days to be ſpent in ſolemn calling upon God! And when he himſelf, in his old Age, was much diſabled for Prayer he would ſcarce let any Miniſter (who came to viſit him) go from him, till he had pray'd with him. Indeed, his firſt Converſion began with this; and ſo too, it continued with this. It pleaſed God, (as he himſelf related it to me) to work upon him betimes, when he was but ſix Years old. And at that Age, through the Influence of Divine Grace, he was inclin'd by himſelf, every Morning and Evening, to pray: And this he did, not by the help of any Book or Form (read or remembred); but by the gracious Aſſiſtance of the Holy Spirit: Nay, this he did, not upon any Precept or Direction, either from his Father or any other Perſon; but ſolely upon God's drawing of his Heart to it: (So as that of Tertullian is very applicable to him, — Sine Monitore, quia de Pectore). Some things I am credibly informed of, relating to his managing of Prayer with others, when he was grown to eight Years of Age; but fearing many will not believe them, and many will turn them into Ridicule and Deriſion; I judg it beſt not to mention them. By what I have ſaid it appears, that from a Child of ſix Years, to an aged Man of 84. Years, he kept a continued, uninterrupted Courſe of Prayer.

Several other Graces ſhining in him might be inſtanc'd in: As his great Love to Ordinances; how did it afflict him in his confined Condition that he could not enjoy theſe! His patient waiting for his long-deſired, but long-delaied Releaſe, was very admirable. (But I graſp at too much! theſe, with ſome other of the like nature, I muſt paſs over).

p. 49By what I have (or ſhould further have) ſaid, do I deſign to repreſent him as one that was perfect? Good, and unmixtly Good? Oh no! He had his dark ſide as well as his bright ſide, his Corruptions as well as his Graces, his Infirmities as well as his Excellencies: And where ſhall we find the Perſon with whom 'tis not thus? He was a good Man, yet but a Man; he was in the State of Grace, but it was but in the imperfect State of Grace. I would give him his due Worth, (which was very great); but yet ſo as not to advance him above what he was. And the truth is, when I conſider his Natural Temper, the Perſonal Infirmities which he lay under, (which have been glanc'd at), the many Temptations which he, as well as others, was aſſaulted with, I conclude, all his Grace was little enough for him: Nay, aſſuredly it would have been too little, had not an higher Grace been ſufficient for him.

3. As a Miniſter: And as he ſtood in this Capacity, his Worth and Eminency cannot but be ſo well known in this City, (where he exerciſed his Miniſtry, in Publick and in Private, about forty Years); as that it will be ſuperfluous for me to ſay much about it. In ſhort therefore, he was an excellent Miniſter of Chriſt; who, if he be not to be rank'd amongſt the firſt three, 2 Sam. 23.23.2 Sam 23:23(the moſt famous and eminent of our Preachers in England), yet he may well be look'd upon as more honourable than the Thirty.

His Miniſterial Abilities were very conſiderable. He was another Apollos, an eloquent Man, and mighty in the Scriptures; a Scribe, inſtructed unto the Kingdom of Heaven; in whom the Word of God dwelt richly; out of which Treaſure he ever brought things new and old.

p. 50He was as Scriptural Preacher; had a ſingular Happineſs in citing of Texts pertinent to the Matter he was upon, and then in the opening and applying of them. And as his Preaching was ſolid and judicious, ſo it was acute too; fill'd up with quick and nimble Invention: He would ſharpen plain, practical Doctrines, with conſiderable mixtures of Ingenuity and Fancy. His great deſign in his Miniſtry was, not to perplex his Hearers, but to edify them; not to fill them with quaint Notions and Speculations, but with ſerious and important Truths; not to pleaſe their Ears, but to better their Hearts, and awaken their Conſciences; not to advance his own Reputation, but the eternal Salvation of them who heard him.

So long as God ſpared him Strength, none more conſtant and frequent in Preaching than he; and when God laid him aſide, that he could preach no more, what an Affliction was that to him! And his Frequency in it, did not leſſen his Pains in due preparing for it; his Sermons were well weighed and ſtudied, (he not daring to offer to the Lord that which cost him nothing.

What a great Man he was in Prayer, all they can teſtify who ever joyned with him therein. Indeed, God had endowed him with an admirable Gift as to this; (I firmly hope it was ſomething more than a bare Gift). He was ſeverely Orthodox, ſound in the Faith to a degree of Rigor, a thorough pac'd Calviniſt, a firm Adherer to, and Aſſertor of the Doctrine of our Church; (though he differed as to ſome Rites and Ceremonies impoſed in it): And herein he ſtood ſtedfaſt and unmovable to his laſt Breath.

God bleſſed his Labours where-ever he came, with conſiderable Succeſs. In all Places, whither the Providence p. 51of God carried him, he had the Seals of his Miniſtry in the Converſion of many Souls. There are many now in Heaven, many yet remaining here on Earth, who with Comfort can call him their Spiritual Father.

He has not publiſhed much of his Labours; but what he has**His Piſgah. Corrections, Inſtructions. Sermons upon particular Occaſions. publiſhed, ſhows him to be an able, Practical Divine.

4. I come to the fourth and laſt thing, to conſider him in his Relative Capacity: In which, he was as praiſe-worthy, and does as much deſerve Imitation, as in any of the foregoing Conſiderations of him.

God bleſt him with a pious and prudent Conſort; (I muſt ſay no more of her, becauſe ſhe is yet living): And what an high degree of Love was there betwixt them! Indeed, they may be Patterns and Examples of Conjugal Affection and Concord to all who knew them. They lived together near 45 Years; and how often have I heard him ſay, In all that time there had been no Contention betwixt them, except in this, who ſhould love one another most.

He had no Children of his own; but his Wives Children he was as tender over, and as affectionate unto, as if they had been his own. His Love to them, and Care of them, was ſcarce to be parallell'd, ſure not to be exceeded. And how he pray'd for them, inſtructed them, us'd all means for their Spiritual Good, I hope they will never forget.

He had other Relations of his own; ſome of which, by Providence were caſt upon him, for his Care and Relief. And he was a Father to them, at once caring for their Bodies and Souls too.

p. 52And as to his whole Family, he was ever careful of the Souls of all that came under his Roof; in inſtructing them in the Principles of Religion, in helping them to underſtand the Scriptures; which were read in his Family Morning and Evening. And his Method was, to cauſe every Child and Servant to remember ſomething that had been read; which he would then in a plain and familiar way, open to them, and ſo proceed to Prayer. He had many Servants, who lived with him, that bleſs God that ever they came into his Houſe.

I have parallell'd him with Abraham in his Death; I might, (with a ſalvâ diſtantiâ) alſo parallel him with Abraham in his Life: as they died alike, ſo they lived alike. I'll go no further than the thing laſt mentioned. Abraham is famous for his Zeal about his Family; God himſelf has put an high Character upon him for this: Gen. 18.19. For I know him, that he will command his Children, and his Houſhold after him, and they ſhall keep the way of the Lord, to do Juſtice and Judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath ſpoken of him. And juſt thus it was with our Reverend Father, (allowing the Diſparity betwixt Perſon and Perſon).

Well, I have ſhewn you what a Man he was, who died in a good old Age, an old Man, full of Years, and is now gathered to his People. Nothing now remains but a word of Exhortation.

1. To Chriſtians; to you, who move in a private Orb. Many things might be ſuggeſted to you, upon the death of this aged and faithful Servant of God; but I ſhall commend this only to you, Prize good Miniſters while you have them, and be afflicted when you loſe p. 53them. How many Mercies do you deprive your ſelves of, by your undervaluing them? And particularly, how many good Miniſters are removed from you, becauſe you do not put ſuch a value upon them as you ought? When God takes them away, then you ſee the worth of them, but not till then. Did not ſome of you ſit under the Minſtry of him, who is now dead and gone? Pray, was his Perſon, Miniſtry, Labours, prized and eſtimated according to what they deſerved? True, he lived to a great Age; but I fear, the Lives of many others are ſhortened, by that ſlighting of them which they meet with from their People. Wherefore I beſeech you, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admoniſh you; and to eſteem them highly in Love for their Work's ſake. And further, ſo prize them as to improve them; ſo as to thrive and profit by them. Do the Prophets live for ever? your faithful Guides and Teachers, do they not die? Now you have them, in a few days they are taken from you; does it not then concern you to make the beſt of their Labours whilſt you partake of them? How many Miniſters have you worn out and ſpent! and are you not at all the better for them? The better the Miniſter, is under whom you are placed, the worſer it will be with you, if you be barren and unprofitable under him.

And then, Be afflicted for, bewail and lament the loſs of good Miniſters. Indeed this is a great loſs! (whether ye conſider the Benefits ye percieve by them; or the Evils that this does preſage and boad): and therefore, ſhould it not be laid to Heart? Indeed, as to our deceaſed Brother, (his great Age and Circumſtances being conſidered); you have more reaſon to rejoyce for that he lived ſo long, than to mourn that he died at laſt. p. 54Ah! but how many eminent Inſtruments are cut off, when they are young, in their**Mr. Charnock, Mr. Stockton, &c. beſt State? or when they are but juſt††As lately, that uſeful Miniſter, and faithful Servant of God, Mr. Richard Fairclough. entred upon a conſiderable Age? Oh, when ſuch die, with what grief of Soul ſhould that be reſented by all ſerious Chriſtians!

2. To Miniſters: My Brethren, you ſee how your number is leſſened day by day; the ancient Oaks and Cedars are almoſt all cut down: and what is the Duty now of you who ſurvive? Surely, to double and treble your Diligence in your Lord's Work; the fewer Hands are left, the more laborious thoſe muſt be that are left; when other Pillars are removed, the more Weight does lie upon thoſe which ſtand; the fewer there are to preach the everlaſting Goſpel, the more induſtrious they muſt be in this, who are yet ſpared. The Antient die, where are the Young Ones to ſucceed them? to ſtand in their ſtead, and to fill up the Vacancies made by their Death? Bleſſed be God for it, ſome ſuch there are; (and they too, Perſons of excellent Accompliſhments for the Work of the Miniſtry): God increaſe their Number, and double the Spirit of his old Elijah's upon them! that ſtill there may be a Succeſſion of faithful Labourers in the Lord's Harveſt.

3. To Relations; (the near and dear Relations of the Deceaſed). What ſhall I ſay to you? ſhall I preſs Patience and Submiſſion upon you, under this loſs? Certainly, (his Condition being conſidered) even his neareſt Relation, (though ſhe has the greateſt ſhare in it), needs no Excitation to Patience. Had he been taken away when he was in the Prime of his Days, then the Affliction would have been very great; then all Motives to quiet Submiſſion to God's Will, had been little enough; but when it was otherwiſe, p. 55I hope there's not the leaſt riſing of Impatience in you. Your Duty is, Thankfulneſs, and Imitation: Thankfulneſs, that ever you had him, and that you enjoyed him ſo long: Imitation, ſo as to tread in his Steps, and to write after that excellent Copy that he has ſet you. And you that are Young, pray remember the Tears he ſhed for you, the holy Counſel and Admonition he gave you, that great Love that he expreſſed to you; and let all prevail with you, to love God, the People of God, and to engage with your whole Heart in ſerious and univerſal Godlineſs. And then, if you be Followers of him, as he is gathered to his People, to his God and Saviour; ſo, whenever your Dying time ſhall come, (as God alone knows how ſoon it will come), you ſhall be made Partakers with him of the fame Felicity.

FINIS.

End of the text · Thomas Jacombe, Abrahams Death (1682)