The Childs Portion, Title page 2 – Sermon 2
The Righteous Man's DEATH A Preſage of evil aproaching: A SERMON Occaſioned by the Death of Major Thomas Savage … Preached▪ …
By S…muel Willard Teacher … in Boston, …
Iſa. 57. 1.
The Righteous is taken away from the evil to come.
BOSTON in NEW-ENGLAND, Printed by Samuel Green, 1684▪
The Righteous Man's Death a Preſage of evil approaching.
Iſa. 57. 1.
The Righteous is taken away from the evi… … come.
THeſe Words are one … of the … phet's mournful lamentation … Godly Man's Funeral; and … ſibly look back to the death of good Hezekiah, that pious Prince, which fell out … long before, whoſe removal was introductive to the ſad and miſerable condition unto which the Jewiſh Nation was ſoon after reduced. The Text, with the Context, ſo far as is contained in the two firſt Verſes of the Chapter, doth repreſent to us,
1. The common lot wherein the beſt of Men … ſhare with others: Righteous and Merciful …, yea Periſh; i. e. (as ſome interpret it) they may be taken away, not only by a natural, but alſo by a violent death, thus it befel that worthy Prince, Joſiah.
2. The unaffected inconſiderate frame of heart in the generality of men at the godly Mans death: No man regards nor conſiders. i. e. There is very little notice taken of it, much leſs is it a grief to them.
3. The happy ſtate of the People of God in and at their death: They are taken away from the … to come, they reſt in their beds, &c. Though … world … ready to think they periſh, yet as to themſelves it is certain that they are ſafe and ….
… …ill … that there is in the death of … to the World: it is a po…tent, and … pre…a…e to them that are left behind, that … Which laſt Particular, and … Verſe, conſiſts of two parts, ….
1. A diſcription of the great incogitancy of men under ſuch awful Providences, none conſidering; the word ſignifies inwardly and in the mind to ponder, and diſtinctly to Judge of a thing: It ſignifies alſo, to know, and hence ſome read it, no man knows, others, no man ponders, or weighs in his mind and thoughts, which is the ſame with conſidering.
2. The ſubject matter about which this inco… gitancy is declared or expreſſed: Which is ſure and evident concluſion that followed from the death of the Godly, viz. That the Righteous is taken from the evil to come. Which concluſion, being of it ſelf a full propoſition, and alſo here inſinuated as a matter worthy of deep meditation, may be the ſubject of our preſent diſcourſe. In which Concluſion obſerve,
1. The ſubject, the Righteous, or the Juſt man: Which is not to be underſtood in a Legal ſenſe, for one that is in all parts compleat, anſwerin… the Moral Law in every point, for ſo the aſſertion were of no comfort at all, ſince among Adam's Progeny deſcending from him by natural Generation, there is no ſuch, Eccl. 7. … There is not a Juſt Man upon Earth, that doth … and ſinneth not, Pro. 20. 9. Who can ſay, … made my heart clean? Hence that, Prov. … A Juſt Man falleth ſeven times: But … Evangelical, in which Men are ſaid to … teous, partly by the imputation of Chriſt's Righteouſneſs. Hence that 2 Cor. 5. ult. He was made Sin for us, that we might be made the righteouſneſs of God through him. Partly by the ſanctificaion of the Spirit, by which Believers are renewed in the Image of God, and indowed with the principles of Holineſs and Righteouſneſs, and do ſerve God, though with much of imperfecti…, yet in ſincerity of heart: Theſe are the …ghteous men of whom this is aſſerted.
2. The Predicate, They are taken away from the evil to come. Where obſerve,
1. The thing it ſelf which is predicated of them, They are taken away: The word here uſed doth primarily ſignifie to congregate, o… gather together; and ſome there be who think it to be a Metaphor borrowed from a Shepherd, who, when he foreſees a Storm coming, thereupon gathers his Sheep unto a place of ſafety, noting the happineſs of the Righteous in their Death, they are gathered to the great Aſſembly … the firſt-born.
2. The end of their Being thus gathered, … the evil to come: in the Hebrew it is, From …: i. e. From that evil which is … (as it were) ſtares them in the … words of our Text are like a folded … looks pleaſantly on the one ſide, … the other: If we conſider … the Righteous themſelves … ſpeak their great felicity in the … of their dying, in that they are taken from the evil to come that it may not overtake them; if we note the Aſpect they have to the ungodly generation which theſe once lived among, they ſpeak their great unhappineſs in the loſs of the Righteous; they are taken from the evil that it may come upon the World. Hence,
Doct. The death of the Righteous is ſometime… a preſaging fore-runner of approaching evil.
The concluſion in our Text is not to be taken foreign It is not alwayes ſo: Sometimes God removes the godly without any ſuch preſage: Moſes's, and David's death (to name no more) were not ſo: But it is ſometimes, and often thus: It was ſo here in our Text. In the Explication there are two things briefly to be conſidered, 1. When it is ſo: 2. The grounds of it.
1. When it is ſo?
Anſw. Death is a common change befalling all the Sons and Daughters of Adam: Hence in the ordinary courſe of nature the Death of the Godly falls out as well in dayes wherein God is pleaſed with his People, as in times of diſpleaſure… God will not only have his ſervants, to … their Generation in this World, but alſo to … their reward in Heaven: God will ſome … remove faithful men, when they have done … appointed work, to bring in their places others that ſhall be uſeful inſtruments in his … Moſes gives place to Joſhua; David to …. Theſe are no ill boding ſymptoms, when God is ever graciouſly providing a ſucceſſion of ſuch for his People, who may do worthily in their time.
Hence,
There are ſome circumſtances whereby this is to be judged as judicial and calamitous, viz.
1. When good men are taken away and leave their places empty: I mean there are not others to ſupply them that are ſuch as they were; but goodneſs in a great degree decayes and dies with them; and wicked and ungodly men ſucceed and fill their room: On this account was Joſlah's Death po…tentous; 2 King. 22. 16. with 22. Thus alſo Jeroboam's Son muſt die, becauſe there was ſome good thing found in him, that ſo all evil and miſchief might come upon the reſt of his ungodly family.
2. When a People grow degenerate, and God (by his Meſſengers) denounceth his Judgements againſt them, and now pious and uſeful men are taken away, for herein God begins to put his … in exec…ion: This is the Caſe in our …: He had been threatning of them with …, Chap. 56. 9. And now he opens a … them to take place on them, by taking … Righteous.
… warnings of wrath againſt a … of ſuch perſons is to be accoun… only a preface, but alſo a main part of Gods accompliſhment of it: We ſhal therefore find, that when God had uttered ſuch threatnings as are menaced in Iſaiah, Chap. 2. he proceeds in Chap. 3. begin. to diſcover the order and method of theſe Judgements, which was in the firſt place attended by the taking off of men of worth and uſe. The mighty Man, the Man of War, the Judge, &c.
2. In the conſideration of the grounds of the Doctrine we may enquire.
1. How farr the taking away of Righteous men doth ſometimes make way for evil to haſten and flow in upon a People?
2. Why God then takes them away, when he is about to bring evil on a place?
1. How far the taking away of Righteous men doth ſometimes make way for evil to flow in?
Anſw. This will appear in two things.
1. If we conſider how much they did, while they were living, contribute to the keeping … evil, & procuring of good to thoſe among … they were. The very prefence of ſuch is a … ſing: God doth much, bears much for … ſakes: Ten Righteous men might have … Sodom when they were ſo ripe for ruine: … gave Paul the lives of all that were in the … with him, Act. 27. 24. The preſence of Jehoſhaphat ſa…ed three Armies by a miraculous providence, when they were juſt ready to periſh, 2 King. 3. 13. Lebans affairs proſpered well for Jacob's ſake, all the while that he lived with him. God loves to dwel there where his holy and humble ones are: And beſides there are two wayes in which they are inſtruments of keeping evil off the place where they are.
1. By keeping out a great deal of ſin, which oftentimes, when they are gone, breaks in as a Flood, and brings ruine with it. Eminent upon this …ore was Jehoiadah, 2 Chro. 24. Where it is obſerved how he kept things right, and Religion up. Verſ. 2: Joaſh did that which was right in the ſight of the Lord all the dayes of Jehojadah, but when he was once dead, and ſcarce cold in his Grave, all went down again, the Temple was neglected, Idolatry reſtored, verſ. 17. 18. And then miſery comes flowing in upon them in an awful manner, verſ. 23, 24.
2. By their Prayers and Interceſſion for a ſin… People: They do often by pray… ſupplications ſtay God's hand; … ſtand between him and his People, that he … do … to them: God had ruined Iſrael … Wilderneſs for their ſins had not Moſes … and pleaded for them, Pſal. 106. … the ſaid he would deſtroy them; had … his choſen ſtood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath. But when ſuch are taken away, it often falls out that there is none left to intercede, and ſo way is made to their ruine.
2. If we conſider what uſually follows upon the taking away of the Righteous, which tends to haſten a Peoples miſery, viz. Uſ…ally upon this Religion goes to decay, Sin takes the advantage to raign without any rebuke or check, and men begin to grow impudent, when there are none left to reform them, nor any to avert the ſore indignation of God from the…. When Joſhua, and that good Generation that went with him into Canaan were dead, the… a…oſe a new Generation that knew not the Lord, & what followed but Apoſtaſy, and Calamity. See; Judg. 2. 8. &c. And this will help to illuſtrate the ſecond enquiry, viz.
2. Why God then takes them away, when he is about to bring evil upon a place?
Anſw. There may be two eſpecial reaſons aſſigned for this.
1. God doth it with a gracious and favourable reſpect to themſelves: Since they could not by all their pious endeavours reclaim a degenerate People, but miſery muſt come, God takes them away that their eyes might not ſee it: This God promiſeth, as a ſpecial favour to Joſiah, 2. Chr. 34▪ 28. Thou ſhall be gathered to thy Grave in Peace, neither ſhall thine eyes ſee all the evil that I will bring upon this place. Truly, when ever a Godly man dyes, he reſts from his Labour, but when he is taken away from the face of evil, it is a particular bleſſing to him: How could his tender and pitiful heart have born to look upon all thoſe Calamities which his Country, his Friends, his Children, and Relations muſt ſuffer? To ſee all going to Rack before his eyes, would be a lamentable ſight: God therefore in great love & reſpect takes them home, where they are removed out of the noiſe or tumult of all theſe things, dwelling in the fulneſs of preſent Joy and Glory.
2. God doth it alſo that he may have no Remora or Hinderence▪ lying in the way to ſtop the courſe of his anger. Theſe were they who before held his hands, we find that he could do nothing to Sodom till Lot was out of it: And he is put to ask Moſes to let him alone, Exod. 32. 10. Godly Men are God's Jewels, he cannot ſet fire to the Rubbiſh, till they are ſecured; they are his tender Ones to whom he hath a peculiar reſpect, and they muſt be marked, before the deſtroy… Angel executes his Commiſſion: they muſt … many times houſed in their Graves before he … give full ſcope to his Indignation: and theſe … by … ſuppoſed to be thoſe Chambers in which God calls his People to hide themſelves before ſuch a Day, Iſa. 26. 20. But when once they are gone, now God can ſhut up his Bowels againſt a Rebellious Nation.
USE, I. This truth may afford us help to unfold that Riddle of Divine Providence: at the which many are ready to ſtumble, viz. That Godly men are often ſuddenly and ſtrangly taken away, when wicked men are let alone, and ſuffered to live. It is the Wiſe Man's obſervation, Ec…leſ. 7. 16. There is a Juſt man that periſheth in his Righteouſneſs, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his Life in wickedneſs. Let none ſuppoſe that God therfore diſcountenanceth his Servants, and approves of ungodly men: no, th… one is taken away in mercy to himſelf, though in judgement to the World, the other is ſpared to his greater miſery, either here or hereafter: Godly men, when ever they die, are then certainly happy; and at ſometimes it is a peculiar priviledge for them to die, that they may get away from the ſight and report of theſe direful diſpenſations of divine diſpleaſure that are coming upon a ſurviving Generation. The Philoſopher ſaith every thing hath two handles, a right and a wrong, and moſt men take Providence in ſome caſes by the wrong handle; they interpret many diſpenſations to be Judicial, and ſo indeed they may be; but their folly is, that they interpret them ſo to be in reſpect of the perſons ſuffering them, when as it is indeed to themſelves: when Solomon had with ſome conſternation viewed theſe things, he recollects himſelf, and draws this ſafe concluſion, Eccleſ. 8. 12. Surely I know that it ſhall be well with them that fear God: and ſo it ſhall; but woe to the World when holy Men flock to their graves as Doves to their Windows before a Storm: and they may when they are departing▪ ſpeak to ſurviving Mourners in the Language of our Saviour Chriſt to thoſe weeping Women, Luk. 23. 28, 29, 30. Daughters of Jeruſalem, weep not for me, but for your ſelves, and for your Children, &c.
USE, II. This may ſerve to reprehend their folly who are weary of the company of righteous men: they think that the World hath been troubled with them even long enough; they look upon them as Enemies, as buſie bodies, as men that are the troublers of Iſrael, and no body can be quiet for them (ſo wicked Ahab unjuſtly cenſured holy Elijah.)
And hence,
They take it for certain that it would be much better for the place which they live in, if they were well laid up in their Graves: They wiſ… them in Heaven, as the vulgar note of wicked men is: What do theſe men do, but in effect … and impreeate upon themſelves a miſchief … God grant them their deſires upon this account, … would but carry the godly to the place of their …, and bring them home to the … of their eternal reſt: But in the mean time when they are gone, who ſhall plead and pray and mourn for a ſinful People? Will God hear wicked ſinners? Who ſhall ſtand in the Gap to keep out Judgement and Wrath? Shall wicked and ungodly men? Aſſure we our ſelves that ſo much of Godlineſs as goes away from a place, ſo much of God goes away too, and it may not be long ere the time comes, when thoſe that ſo earneſtly longed for their removal, and were inwardly ſatisfied and glad that they were taken away; ſhall as much wiſh that they had them again, when it will be too late.
USE. III. For Tryal; is it ſo ſometimes, then it may put us upon the enquiry, whether there be not good ground for us to fear that it … may be ſo with us at this day. I might urge it more particularly to our ſelves of this Congregation from whom God hath of late years taken▪ away many pious and precious Servants of his; and w… that are left alive ought to lay it to hear… But I ſhall take liberty to urge it on a more publick account as it bears reſpect to this People in general; and here give me leave to further this tryal, by leaving ſuch things as theſe to conſideration.
1. They are Apoſtatizing or declining times, by reaſon of which there is (d…uotleſs) much of provocation offered to the holy Maj… … Heaven: I need not to ſeek out witneſſes … this, Habemus confitentes reos; yea, and … himſelf hath alſo teſtified to it in his many awful and amazing providences: It is a thing too manifeſt, that the power of Godlineſs is now under great decayes, and many ſins begin to look abroad, and dare to hold up their heads: And from hence we may ſafely conclude that it is a day of rebuke.
2. The faithful ſervants of God, who have been called to declare his mind in the moſt publike, and general Aſſemblies, have predicted and forewarned us of Judgement coming, except by repentance we prevent it: This hath been a point in which there hath been ſuch an univerſal concurrence, that we have abundant reaſon to conclude that there hath been much of the preſence of God with them in it; They have from one time to another ſolemnly warned us of, and called upon us to prepare for theſe calamityes.
3. Since the time wherein God by his ſervants began to treat us with theſe warnings, his hand hath bin awfully out upon us in taking away eminent, uſeful, publique & pious men: God hath ſince that time ſeemed to be upon quick diſpa… ches in that buſines, our eys have ſcarcely bin dry for one (though alas! they are too ſoon dry) but anothers death hath alarum'd us: the ancient pilars on which our foundations once ſtood ſtrong are almoſt all gon, …ea & alſo many young ones, and very likely to have bin eminently uſefull, to have bin placed in their roomes, and hopefull to have made up the breach have bin pluckt out agen, as it were by force.
4. It is ſadly obſervable, that the ſpirit of zeal for God, and Holineſs, hath died apace with them. We may in a deplorable degree ſay of our times, not only that the godly men die, but that they ceaſe: we are not now put to it to know whom to employ in our publick concerns in the Magiſtracy and Miniſtry, yea, and other places of weight, by reaſon of multiplicity of choice, as it hath ſometimes been, but rather for want of choice: how many Congregations do now want to have the bread of Life to be broken to them, and are at a loſs how to obtain it▪ and in all ſorts of men, there ſeems to be a dying (at leaſt a fainting) of Religion, with the death of the Religious: and though (through mercy) God hath a number yet, of choiſe and faithful ones, yet their hands are thus weakned, and the ſons of Zerviah begin to put out their heads and ſpeak inſultingly.
5. Nor is it a little to be lamented, that thoſe men dye in a great meaſure unlamented; yea, by too many reproached: and this is the ſad note of our Context, men lay it not to heart, nor conſider the hand of God in theſe things. Now let us lay all theſe things together, and ſee if they do not ſolemnly ſpeak that we have reaſon to be afraid that God hath removed them in order to ſome ſore and dreadful calamity which he is preparing for us, except he be in time prevented, and therefore.
USE. IV. It calls upon us ſeriouſly to conſider, and ſolemnly to lay to heart the providence of God in this reſpect: It may teach us ſadly to bewail, and greatly to lament the loſs of ſo many righteous men as God hath lately taken from us, for them indeed, we have cauſe of congratulation, for they are taken from the evil to come; but for our ſelves, there is reaſon to mourn, becauſe their going bodes and beckens evil a coming, and at the door: I might here urge many incentives; but I ſhall only ſay this much; that to be duely affected with Gods hand, and to hear the r…d, and him who hath appointed it, may be a mean to continue our tranquillity: God is angry with the World, when his Children dy unlamented, he takes it well when their loſs is bewailed: And if we would make a right improvment of theſe things, let us lament, and repent of thoſe ſins which have procured us theſe miſeries; let us ſay, Wo to us, that we have ſinne… Have not the Righteous been ſlighted, and ill requited for all their faithful ſervice? Have we not ſlandered, reviled, and trampled upon them? And was it not then time for God to take them to a place where they ſhould be in more honour and eſteem? Repent of theſe ſins, leſt you hurry away thoſe that are left, and then you may too late ſit-down and howle out your Ichabod. Oh! be not brutiſh, but ſit down and conſider; when the Pillars are gone, how ſhall the building ſtand? When the Watch-men are aſleep, who ſhall deſcry, and warn us of the enemies approach? When the Wall is pluckt down, and the hedge removed, who ſhall keep out the Bore of the Wilderneſs? When the Gap-men are taken away, who ſhall ſtand in the breaches? When the lights are put out, who ſhall direct us in a right way? When the Chariot and Horſmen of Iſrael are removed, who ſhall defend us from miſery and miſchief? When God is gone what but woes and calamities can befall us?
God hath now for a long time been pleading with N-E. in this kind … how many preciou… names are there regiſtred in the black bill of a few years? nor is his anger turned away, but his hand is ſtretched out ſtill. And now God calls us again to a further occaſion of deep conſideration, by that awful hand of his in the ſudden and unexpected departure of that precious one from us, and that at ſuch a time …. I know he was gathered to his People in a good old age and full of dayes. he lived long enough for himſelf, but dyed too ſoon for us … will not be curious in noting the day of his removal, though I believe that it deſerves its remark: nor need I give light to his perſonal worth, which challengeth a ſorrowful remembrance of us; his own works ſhall praiſe him in the gates: And though ſome evil tongues (which evermore account much deſerving a fault) have ſought to blemiſh him, yet his name ſhall live in deſpite of envy it ſelf. His long ſervice in publick imployment; and his skilfulneſs in that … ▪ his great dexterity in milita… Diſcipl… (a thing now indeed little valued degenera… ſpirits) and his great induſtry propaga…g it to thoſe under his guidance: love to his Country, … not in … few▪ … pty words, but real de… ▪ his adventuring himſelf in the higheſt places of the field, in … greateſt difficultyes and hazards, and that o… and again, at ſuch time as eminenteſt dang… threatned us, and enemies fluſhed with ſucce… were moſt inſolent; yea, and then when for his years he might have received his white wand, and been acknowledged to be Miles emeritus; his tender care for the welfare of this people (under the weight whereof, there is good ground to think, that he ſunk and dyed) theſe things I ſay, beſides his uprightneſs towards God as a private Chriſtian, his tenderneſs and love to his brethren as a member of the Church, his affability and ſweet deportment towards all men in his ordinary converſe, ſpeak emimently his worth, and our loſs. He is now gone from an unthankful world, to receive his reward with God. But that which moſt of all ſhould affect us, is, that by his removal, the gap is wider, and we left the more naked. Repent then; and return to the Lord; pray hard for thoſe that are left, that you be not utterly ſtript and bereaved: Be prudent, foreſee the evil and hide your ſelves, take the preſage to be awakened to meet your God in that way wherein he is ready to receive and be reconciled to a ſinful People, and repent of the evil which he is ready to bring upon them; leſt otherwiſe, if you now neither believe nor conſider. Your ſad experience do to …late convince you, and extort that better confeſſion from you, that ſuch have been taken away from the evil to come.
FINIS.