Two Funeral Sermons, Biography
The LIFE of Mr. Gilbert Lorimer, Late MERCHANT of LONDON.
MR. Gilbert Lorimer, late Merchant of London was accompliſhed with Learning and Parts: He was Maſter of the Latin Tongue, and underſtood ſeveral other Languages.
He was moſt inclin'd to ſtudy Divinity, but by reaſon of his Bodily weakneſs, and becauſe he could not comply with the terms of Conformity, (though he much valued all ſober, good Conformiſts.) He applyed himſelf to Merchandiſe, wherein he was skilful, diligent, and juſt and faithful: When he was about Thirteen or Fourteen years old, it pleaſed God to turn his Heart to himſelf; he told a Holy and Judicious Perſon nearly Related to him, the Time when, and Place where Infinite Grace began that bleſſed Work: wherein ſomething was ſo ſignal that made ſuch an abiding Impreſſion upon him, as to ſay with David, Pſal. 119.93. I will never forget thy Precepts, for with them thou haſt quickned me. It pleaſed God to exerciſe him with divers Afflictions, eſpecially Bodily Diſtempers, which for four or five years before he died, were often accompanied with ſtinging Pains; but in all God had his Heart and Love, and he poſſeſſed his Soul in Patience: This is evident by ſeveral Letters which he writ to his Holy, Learned, and Judicious Brother, Mr. William Lorimer, Miniſter of the Goſpel, part of which I thought ſit to Communicate.
In Feb 23.168…, After his Recovery from a dangerous Sickneſs, he writ to him thus, What ſhall I render to the Lord for all his benefits, who healeth my Diſeaſes, and crowneth me with loving kindneſs, and tender Mercies. O that I may no more live to my ſelf, but to God my moſt Gracious and Almighty Deliverer; for this I deſire your Prayers, and to return thanks to God through Jeſus Chriſt on my behalf.
On June 7. 1687. He wrote to him of the Death of their Dear Mother: Some of his Words therein are theſe: O that through the hope of our being alſo with the Lord, we may purifie our ſelves as he is pure, that we may deſpiſe whatſoever in this World would take us off from the Love of Chriſt. Bleſſed Jeſus, draw our Hearts to thy ſelf in Heaven, where thou ſitteſt at the Right Hand of the Father, that Death may be the Meſſenger to open the Priſon Doors, that we may flee away, and be at reſt with Chriſt the beloved of our Souls, Amen.
In September following, his former Diſtemper, returned with greater force: But when by means of two able Phyſitians he had ſome eaſe, he wrote to his Brother aforeſaid, on Septemb, 12. 1687, wherein among many other of the like Nature, are theſe words, Lord ſupport and comfort me under my Bodily Pains, and grant that I may wholy reſign my ſelf to the will of my Heavenly Father. I deſire your Prayers, although I am chaſtiſed ſorely: Yet the Lord will not give me over unto Death, not to a Temporal Death, ſo long as the continuance of Life may be for his Glory and my good; however I ſtedfaſtly truſt in the Infinite Mercy of God, through the perfect Obedience, Sacrifice, and Interceſſion of my Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, that the ſecond Death ſhall never have power over me.
On Sept. 24. 1687. He writ to his Brother in Anſwer to one of his to him, wherein he ſaith, I have received your very comfortable and Chriſtian Letter, the only fault in it is, that it runs in expreſſions more ſuitable to thoſe who are in ſome high degree of Chriſtian perfection, than to me a vile ſinner; I am nothing, but Chriſt is all in all in me, and for me, adding his pain was much abated, for which (ſaid he) Magnifie the Lord with me, and let us exalt his Name together; Salvation and Glory be aſcribed to the God of Salvation, pray rather for a ſanctified uſe of my Afflictions, than for deliverance from them; and O that the conſideration of the ſhortneſs of them, may keep me from being weary of the chaſtening of the Lord, or fainting when I am rebuked of him.
In a Letter of Octob. 15. 1687. He gave notice to his Brother of another Relapſe into Sickneſs, wherein he ſaith, I deſire to bleſs God for the good of my Soul through the Afflictions of my Body, pray that I may improve my Afflictions unto Victory over Sin, and increaſe in all Grace.
On November 22. 1687. He wrote how ill he was, ſaying with David, Day and night thy hand is heavy upon me: It is the Lord, let him do with me what ſeemeth him good: I am his by right of Creation, and therefore at the diſpoſal of his Sovereign Will, and I am alſo his by right of Redemption and Purchaſe in the Blood of Chriſt, and therefore he will ſave me, if not with a Temporal, yet with an Everlaſting Salvation, in hopes whereof I deſire to poſſeſs my Soul in Patience.
His laſt Letter to his Brother was on July 14. 1688. wherein after he had given him account of his preſent Diſtemper he ſaith, Lord help me, that I may be more and more fitted for Communion with God here, and for the full enjoyment of him for ever; of which I am an Expectant through the alone Merits, and Mediation of Jeſus Chriſt my ever bleſſed Lord and Saviour.
About a MonethMonth before he dyed, his Worthy Brother heard him often ſay as he lay awake in the Night on his Bed, Come Lord Jeſus, Amen, Even ſo come Lord Jeſus.
I was with him about half an hour before he dyed; he continued to the laſt both theſame Man in the uſe of his Reaſon, and the ſame Chriſtian in the Exerciſe of Grace; I deſire his ſurviving Relations will never forget his Counſel and Example which they heard and ſaw.
This Iſraelite indeed paſſed into the World without Sin, on Octob. 26. 1688.
I was ever tender of what I ſaid on ſuch occaſions as this, making Conſcience of theſe 2 things.
I. To give no Perſon that Character in my Words, which they have not in my Heart.
II. To ſpeak nothing of any one when they are dead, which I did not think, or ſpeak of them whilſt they were alive; but I had perſonal knowledge of him for many years, and therefore have given this true Relation.
Edward Lawrence.
FINIS.
End of the text · Edward Lawrence, Two Funeral Sermons (1690)