The Upright Mans Peace, Title page – Dedication
THE Upright Man's PEACE AT HIS END: Open'd In a Funeral Diſcourſe, Decemb. 18. 1681. upon the Death of Mr Martyn, Citizen of London.
By T. Jacombe, D. D.
foreign— foreign.
Plutarch: foreign P. 476.
LONDON, Printed for Daniel Brown, at the Sign of the Black Swan and Bible without Temple-Bar, 1682.
To Mrs MARTIN, the Sorrowful Relict of Mr MATTHEW MARTIN Citizen of London, lately deceaſed.
My good Friend,
UPon the late afflictive Breach, which it pleas'd the Holy and Sovereign God to make upon you, in the taking away of your dear Husband; it was your requeſt to me, to Preach upon ſome Subject that might ſuit with this dark Providence. I moſt readily comply'd with you herein; not only to teſtifie my reſpect to the Dead, but alſo (and chiefly) to take the advantage of ſuch an Opportunity to promote the Good of the Living.
The Text, (upon which the following Diſcourſe is ingrafted,) was choſe by your ſelf. And could you, or any other, have choſe a better, for ſuch an Occaſion? It being ſo well adapted to the General Caſe of Gods People, and to the Particular Caſe of your dear Husband, both as to Life and Death. 'Tis true, it is a common Text, much beaten, often and often inſiſted upon, upon the like Occaſions: yet, the Matter wrap'd up in it is ſo Weighty and Momentous, as that the frequent handling of it did not in the leaſt diſcourage me, from giving my Thoughts too and Meditations upon it. And indeed, although ſeveral have, from time to time, been drawing from it; yet it is far from being drawn dry: it being like the Breaſt, which, though often ſuckt, yet remains full; or like the Spring, which, though many Pitchers be put into it, yet by new ſupplies it's ſtill kept from being empty.
The Argument, which it leads unto, is very plain, wholly Practical. And accordingly, ſo is this Treatiſe upon it: I hope, none that are judicious and ſerious will deſpiſe it becauſe 'tis ſo: Plain Truths, becauſe ſuch, are diſreliſht only by vitiated and diſtemper'd Palats. 'Tis common Food, not Dainties and Curioſities, that ſuſtain the Natural Life; and ſure, the Spiritual Life does moſt depend upon, is moſt ſupported and ſtrengthned by the plain and eaſie Truths of Religion, in the moſt familiar and intelligible opening and preſſing of them. Wit may pleaſe the Fancy, but it will never reach the Conſcience; abſtruſe and knotty Points may break the Head, ſooner than the Heart: when all is done, 'tis the frequent, plain, powerful inculcating of the moſt known and familiar Truths and Duties of the Goſpel, that muſt bring Souls to God, and Heaven. Oh give me to hear and read, that which tends to further Faith in Chriſt. Real Godlineſs, univerſal Obedience; that, which will promote the holineſs of my Life, the peace and happineſs of my End; let theſe be urg'd and preſs'd upon me, with plainneſs and earneſtneſs: This, this is that Preaching which through Gods bleſſing muſt ſave my Soul.
This is the thing deſigned in this Sermon; viz. to prevail with Sinners to engage in ſerious Piety, in holy and Ʋpright Walking with God. And what an Incentive have we in the Text hereunto! The End of that Man is Peace: Peace? peace in a dying hour? What are a thouſand Worlds to this! to live in Peace? and then to die in Peace? What higher felicity is the Creature capable of! What have we here to do, to be ſollicitous about? but this, firſt to live well, and then to die well: all other Things are merae Nugae, baubles and trifles in compariſon of theſe. Well, I have here caſt in my poor Mite to further them; oh that it may find acceptance with God, and ſucceſs with Men! (with as many as ſhall peruſe what here is publiſht!
But why do I erect a Porch before ſuch an inconſiderable Building? I return to your ſelf▪ After I had done what firſt you deſired, you then would have me Print what I had preached. That troubled me, and brought me into a ſtreight; I being loth to deny, and yet not knowing well how to gratifie. The doing of it, might be ſome kindneſs to you, but then I very well knew therein I ſhould be unkind to other Friends, (whom I had denied in the ſame requeſt, upon the ſame Occaſion;) and moſt unkind to my ſelf, in publiſhing a thing ſo raw and indigeſted as this is. But that which drew me to a compliance with you, was, your Relation, (whom you ſent to me about this) told me, you deſired only a few Printed Copies for your ſelf and your ſpecial Friends; this I thought not my ſelf much concerned to oppoſe.
To leſſen my pains, you got a Friend to tranſcribe what I had preached. He moſt accurately had taken in Writing what (upon the Review) I found I had not been ſo accurate in ſpeaking. I peruſed his Tranſcript, mending and altering ſome Expreſſions, (ſo far as Interlining would admit of;) but as to any conſiderable alteration of the Matter, (in ſome neceſſary additions to it,) I could not have the advantage of ſecond Thoughts, (unleſs, I wrote all over again.) So you muſt take it as it is!
I commend you, and all yours, to the bleſſing of the great God. Praying, that this ſmarting Rod may be ſanctified and ſweetned to you all; that, God will be your God and Portion forever; that, what you have loſt in the ſtream may be abundantly made up to you in the full and never-failing Fountain; that you may all imitate his holy Example whilſt he lived, and ſo partake of that unſpeakable happineſs which he poſſeſſes now he is dead. So prays
Your true and faithful Friend to ſerve you, Tho. Jacomb. Febr. 14. 1682.