Advice to Mourners Under the Loss of Dear Relations, Paper 12 – Paper 13
PAPER XII.
I Am frequently assaulted with this sore Temptation, that I shall never persevere and hold out to the end, but shall tire and saint, and grow weary, so that every Trial shall master and overcome me; so that I sometimes fear there is no Hopes for me of entring into Rest: I fear I shall fail short of eternal Life, which is a cutting Consideration to me, and sometimes sinks me into the Depth of Misery. But that I may not wholly despond, I will here recite some Places of Scripture which consist of Precepts and Promises; and which, I hope, may be of use to me, and may make me stir up my self to do what in me lieth to lay hold on the Hope set before me; and may cause me to look to thee, O blessed Father, for Grace and Strength to hold out to the End of my Days. Let me not grow weary in Well-doing, for in due time I shall reap if I faint not.
In Rev. 2. 10. it is said, Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: Behold, the Devil shall cast some of you into Prison, that ye may be tried, and ye shall have Tribulation ten Days. Be thou faithful unto Death, and I will give thee a Crown of Life.
Doth God say, Fear none of those things which ye shall suffer? and yet shall I be overwhelmed, and dejected, and distracted, for fear of Troubles and Calamities? Here is mentioned the worst of Enemies, the Devil; he shall afflict some, and cast them into Prison; but at this we ought not to be terrified, for sometimes God doth it to try his poor People, and he doth permit them to be in Tribulation: but God limits the time, it is expressed here ten Days, that is a certain for an uncertain time; it implies but a short time: were it at our Adversary's, the Devil's Disposal, we might be as many Years as here are mentioned Days, yea all our Life-time in continual Sorrow; but we are in the Hands of a merciful God: and though he see meet sometimes to scourge and try us, yet he will not let us be tempted beyond what he will enable us to bear; and for our Incouragement he hath said, If we be faithful to Death, he will graciously reward us. He that saith, Be thou faithful, make me faithful, and then I need not doubt but he will give me this Crown of Life: It is not, nor cannot be merited by us; it is the free Gift of God. Here are several Promises he hath graciously made to those that hold out to the end; as in ver. 7. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the Tree of Life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.
Who would not strive to overcome, that at last he may be admitted into the Paradise of God, where he shall eat of the Tree of Life, and then shall hunger and thirst no more, but shall be happy in the Injoyment of God and the Lamb, to all Eternity?
Ver. 11. He that overcometh, shall not be hurt of the Second Death. What a comfortable Promise is this! The First Death is nothing in comparison of the Second: What's Death Temporal, if compared to Death Eternal? When we die, we are deprived of earthly Friends, and earthly Comforts; but if the Second Death hath Dominion over us, then there is an eternal Banishment from the comfortable Presence of God, and an eternal Separation between God and the poor Soul, (which is Hell it self.) O Lord, give me Grace that I may so fight, strive, run and conquer, and at last overcome, that I may not be hurt of the Second Death.
Ver. 17. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden Manna, and will give him a white Stone, and in the Stone a new Name written, which no Man knoweth, saving he that receiveth it. This is an unspeakable Privilege indeed, to have the Bread of Life: This hidden Manna, it is hidden from the World, and given only to those who through Faith and Patience lay hold on eternal Life. How happy are those that have the White Stone of Absolution, and have in it a new Name written? Once indeed they were Children of Darkness, Children of this World; but now, through Grace, they are made Children of Light, they have the Image of God impress'd upon their Souls; and though the World know it not, yet the Persons that receive this inestimable Privilege, find (at least sometimes) a Change in their Heart, and can rejoice in their future Hopes, that however it goes with them here, yet they can be contented, knowing it will not be long e're they be past the Inconveniencies of their present Pilgrimage, and shall then be admitted into the Heavenly Canaan, where all Troubles, and Sorrows, and Calamities, shall be done away, and they shall injoy God World without End. Amen.
Chap. 3. v. 5. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white Raiment, and I will not blot out his Name out of the Book of Life, but I will confess his Name before my Father, and before his Angels. How many Motives are here to Perseverance? Just now a Promise of hidden Manna to eat, now of white Raiment to clothe the Person that overcomes. This white Raiment is the Righteousness of Jesus Christ, in which poor Sinners must be clothed: If they should have nothing but their own Righteousness to appear in, they would not be able to stand in the Judgment. How blessed and happy are all those for whom this white Raiment is prepared? they are assured that their Name shall not be blotted out of the Book of Life. It is an inestimable Privilege to have their Names register'd in Heaven, for to them Christ saith, that he will confess them before his Father, and before his Angels, to be owned, approved, and commended before Men and Angels, and the great Assembly of the Just. This should excite us to be diligent and faithful to the end, that at the last we may overcome, and be Sharers of these great Benefits that are promised unto those who are clothed with this white Raiment.
Ver. 11. Behold, I come quickly; hold that fast which thou hast, that no Man take thy Crown. We not knowing how soon our Saviour may come, ought to be watchful, careful and diligent, and hold fast Faith and a good Conscience, that so we may hold out to the end, that none may deprive us of our Crown.
Him that overcometh will I make a Pillar in the Temple of my God; and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the Name of my God, and the Name of the City of my God, which is New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of Heaven from my God; and I will write upon him my new Name.
To be a Pillar in God's Temple is an high Honour, it is a fixed Place; no danger of being removed, if once set there: and God will write his Name upon it, and own it for his own, and ingrave the Name of the City Ierusalem which is above, as a Token that they are Denisons and Inhabitants of the New Ierusalem, and then the Lord will write upon him a new Name. The Lord knows them that are his, he distinguisheth them from the rest of the World: Happy are those that be in such a Case: Blessed are those whom God hath chosen to be a Pillar in his Temple.
To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me on my Throne, even as I also overcame, and am sat down with my Father on his Throne.
Who would grudg at a little Pains, and Labour, and Difficulties, if at last he may overcome his Spiritual Enemies? Here's a gracious Promise that our blessed Saviour makes, that if we do overcome, (though it must be by his Grace, his Strength and Assistance) he will grant us to sit with him on his Throne. What an Honour is this to be conferr'd upon poor Mortals? What, to sit with Christ and his Holy Angels upon a Throne! Well may we say with the Apostle, Eye hath not seen, nor Ear heard, what God hath prepared for those that love him. If we do overcome a few Difficulties, and deny our selves some small things for Christ's sake, will he thus amply reward us, by admitting us to be Sharers with him in the Glories of Heaven? He hath said it, and his Word shall stand, that if we overcome we shall sit with him, even as he hath overcome, and is set down with his Father. Our Saviour indeed did the whole Will of his Father, and overcame all the Hardships and Difficulties that he met with, in accomplishing his Father's good Pleasure. He was despised of Men, he was spit upon, he was mocked and buffeted, and at last crucified; and yet how meekly did he submit to all this! We find him in his greatest Agonies saying, Not my Will, but thine be done; and, the Cup that my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it? And shall I dispute his Will and Pleasure? Our Saviour he indured the Cross, despised the Shame, and is now set down at the right Hand of the Throne of God. He bore all the various Difficulties, he pass'd through here with an invincible Courage and Constancy; and now we are assured that he is set down on the Throne of God, and hath promised that those that are true Followers of him, shall in due time inherit Eternal Life, and shall sit down with him on the Throne of God, as certainly as he is already set down with his Father.
Chap. 21. v. 7. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my Son. Here are several Particulars instanced, in what those shall possess that overcome: and here, to conclude, it is said, he shall inherit all things, all things necessary for this Life, or a better; all things conducing to this Life and the other. But to compleat the Happiness of the Godly, God hath promised to be his God, and that he will own him as his Son: And I am sure none can be miserable that have this God for their God and Portion.
Seeing here are so many comfortable Promises to those that overcome, help me, O my God, that I may not seem to fall short of entering into thy Rest, but help me to persevere and hold out to the End. Do thou strengthen me against all needless Fears. Thou that saidst, Fear none of those things that thou shalt suffer, give me an undaunted Spirit against all earthly Troubles. What though thou meetest with many Troubles and Trials, yet thy God hath told thee, they shall not last long. If thou sink under thy Burden, thou art undone; but if thou couragiously overcomest, these Promises to thy Comfort thou mayst lay hold on. Be faithful to the Death, and then thy good God will give thee a Crown of Life, which fadeth not away, but is reserved in Heaven for these that love and fear him.
PAPER XIII.
O Lord, I beg a Meetness for Heaven; make me meet to be a Partaker of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light. I am unmeet, unfit, unprepared, unworthy to be a Partaker of those Privileges that are injoyed above at thy right Hand by thy redeemed Ones: But, Lord, I humbly desire thou wouldst sit, prepare and qualify me for Communion with thy self in Glory. Help me to be getting Dispositions for Heaven, to be meet to live above. I often desire to be at home at my Father's House, to be there where God and Christ is, where the Saints and Angels, and all the Host of Heaven are continually lauding, blessing, praising, and magnifying thy Great and Holy Name. O Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of Hosts, shall ever such a poor Worm as I be admitted to dwell with thee in thy Heavenly Temple? I that am so ill-deserving; I that am so undeserving, dare I presume? Can I hope upon good Grounds that I shall be of the Number of those happy Ones who shall be called unto thy Kingdom and Glory; there to live and reign with thee, World without End? Sometimes I am overwhelmed, and utterly despair of this high Honour, when I consider what a vile Wretch I am by Nature. And when I reflect on the Sins of my Life, that my whole Life hath been one continual Provocation against thy Divine Majesty, I can hardly find Day or Hour wherein I have not offended thee: Nay, I fear my very Prayers are Sins and Abominations to thy pure Eyes: And if my Condition be such, how is it like to fare with me to all Eternity? Who will be my Companions in the other World, if I am cast off by thee, and excluded from thy Presence? (which, Lord, I earnestly implore may never be my Portion.) Give me leave to plead with thee; I find in thy Word that the Blood of Christ cleanseth from all Sins, those of a Crimson and Scarlet Dye: and also I read that he came to save the Chief of Sinners that are sensible of their lost and undone Condition, and that fly to him for help. He hath said, those that come to him he will in no wise cast out. Being incouraged by thy Holy Word to come to thee in thy Son's Name, I humbly beg, for his sake, that all my Sins may be pardoned, and done away; that I may be sanctified, washed, and cleansed in the Laver of his Righteousness. Let me have a Meetness and Fitness for Heaven, where I long to be: Help me to be laying up a good Foundation against the time to come, that I may lay hold of Eternal Life. Let me be kept by the mighty Power of God through Faith unto Salvation. O keep me from falling, and preserve me blameless to thy Heavenly Kingdom, for Christ Jesus's sake. Amen.
FINIS.
End of the text · Thomas Manton, Advice to Mourners Under the Loss of Dear Relations (1694)