The Epitaph of a Godly Man, Title page – Dedication
THE EPITAPH OF A Godly Man, eſpecially a Man of God: OR, The HAPPINES by DEATH OF HOLINES in LIFE. Delineated in a SERMON preached at the Funerall of Mr ADAM PEMBERTON late Miniſter of the Pariſh of St Fosters Foſter-lane: Who ended this mortall, April the 8th, 1655. and was buried in hope of an immortal life the 11th of the ſame MonethMonth.
By NATH: HARDY M. A. and Preacher to the Pariſh of St Dionis Back Church.
REVEL. 14 13.
And I heard a voice from heaven, ſaying unto me, W…ite, Bleſſed are they which die in the Lord, from henceforth, yea, ſaith the Spirit, that they may reſt from their labours, and their works doe follow them.
Aug: de diſcipl: Chriſt: Tract: 1. c. 12.
Prorſus confirmo, audeo dicere, Credidi propter quod locutus ſum, non poteſt malè mori qui bene vixerit.
Chryſoſt: in Pſal: 114.
foreign.
LONDON. Printed by J. G. for Nathanaell Webb and William Grantham at the Black Bear neer the little North-door of S. Pauls Church, 1655.
To the Reverend Mr. John Pemberton, Miniſter of Charleton in Kent: Contentment here, and Injoyment hereafter.
Reverend Sir,
I Am very ſenſible that this Dedication will revive the memory of your great loſſe, and thereby renew your grief, But withall, this publication will perpetuate the memory of your dead Son, and that may be your comfort. Indeed, this (as I conceive▪ was the chief cauſe why it was ſo earnestly▪ deſired by many of his friends, and this (I am ſure) was the onelyonly reaſon why it was at length yeilded to by me.
But truly, ſo pretious is his name, that I am abundantly aſſured it will live though he be dead, not onelyonly in the inkie characters of this paper, but the tender affections of many hearts: The truth is, might prayers have prevailed with God for his life, he had not yet died; and would tears have brought him back from the dead, he had again lived. What the name of the place was where the Angel of the Judg. 2. 5.Lord ſpake to the children of Iſrael, ſo that they lift up their voices and wept, might juſtly have been given to that Church upon the day of his Enterrement, it was BOCHIM, a place of weeping; every eye almoſt bedewing his grave with tears. And though in reſpect of himJob 14. 7, 8, 9, 10. they were as needleſſe, ſo fruitleſſe; the caſe being (as holy Job obſerveth) farre different between a withered root, and a dead man; yet as the Jewes ſaid of Chriſt weeping for Lazarus, it might well be ſaid of them, Behold how Joh. 11. 36.they loved him: and doubtleſſe, he cannot but be remembred by them to whom he was ſo much endeared.
This I have thought fit to mention (Good Sir) as for his honour, ſo your joy; at leaſt the mitigation of your forrow for him, who lived ſo beloved, and died ſo lamented, 2 Tim. 4. 7, 8.and though he is buried, will not be forgotten. Yet ſtill, that which is, and ought to be, your greatest conſolation, is the good hope you have of his eternall ſalvation, on whom, having finiſhed his ſhort courſe, in keeping the faith, and fighting the good fight, (I trust) the crown of righteouſneſs is already in part, and ſhall be in that day fully conferred by the Lord the righteous Judge.
And now (worthy friend) I cannot but take notice of that whereof (I am confident) you are not unmindfull, the various diſpenſation of Divine Providence towards you and yours. Both your hopefull Sons he was pleaſed to take away in the Morning of their Youth, and you have lived to the Evening of Old Age. Both their years put together could not make up much above two thirds of thoſe you have already lived to, and (if it be Gods will) may you ſee many more, for the ſake, as of your ſurviving Children, Grand-children, ſo eſpecially the Church; that having expended a long life in Gods ſervice, you may at laſt exchange it for an eternall life in his glory.
So prayeth Your Truly Loving friend, NATH: HARDY.