Funeral Sermon of Richard Fincher, Part
ƲSE.
Exhortation firſt: I do Counſel and beſeech you all to reſt ſatisfied with and ſubſcribe to the Righteouſneſs of God in his Judgments that are upon you, and his Faithfulneſs in thoſe Afflictions which which he hath been pleaſed to exerciſe you: Let him be juſtified when he Chides and Frowns, let him be Clear'd when he Judgeth. Do this now with reference to that ſmarting Stroak which was lately given you, and proved the ſad Occaſion of the preſent Diſcourſe, and do the ſame too with reference to any other Rebuke and Blaſt of Providence which is upon you: And it is according to the Will of God and the Practice of his People, for you to make your ſatisfaction known. Let it appear, and that by ſuch things as theſe:
Firſt, By Ceaſing and putting an end to all Diſputes: Stop the Mouth of Contradiction, and let your Souls keep Silence unto God, let there be no riſing of Heart againſt God, no Objecting againſt any thing that He hath done, no finding of Fault. Know, O Man, who and whatſoever thou art, however diſtinguiſhed from thy Neighbours, and dignified above them, the great God is above thy Match, and by no means to be Contended with; He gives no Account of his Matters, and therefore not to be ſummoned to the Creatures-Bar: He himſelf is the Supream Judge, by whom all are to be Sentenced as to their Eternal State, and from whom there lieth no Appeal, and therefore be not you ſo bold as to ſit Judges upon him or any of his Providences. Remember David's Carriage when almoſt Conſumed by the Blow of God's Hand, Pſal. 39.9. I was dumb, I opened not my mouth, becauſe thou didſt it. And look upon the Man bearing the Yoke in his Youth, and Conſider how he is deſcribed in the 3 Lament. 28, 29. He ſits alone and keeps ſilence, and puts his Mouth in the duſt if ſo be there may be hope, and giveth his Cheek to him that ſmites him. Certainly, An humble Submiſſion and patient Silence do beſt become the greateſt and moſt Holy Perſons under the moſt ſevere Chaſtenings. Think with your ſelves what Colour of Reaſon you can poſſibly have for Objecting againſt that which is every way right. Why ſhould you go about to find a Fault where there is none, eſpecially when every one of you have above a thouſand.
Secondly, Quarrel your ſelves for former Quarrelings of God, and unreaſonable diſlikes of his Diſpenſations; thus it was with Holy Job, tho' for a time he would maintain his own ways before God, and thought he had enough to ſay, Job 23.3, 4. O that I knew where I might find him, that I might come even to his Seat, I would order my Cauſe before him, and fill my Mouth with Arguments; but he was of another mind when he was brought forth into a clearer light, then he took God's part againſt himſelf, and that in the ſame words which God had uſed with a very little Variation, Job 42.3. Who is he that hideth Counſel without Knowledge, therefore have I uttered that I underſtood not, things too wonderful for me, which I knew not, which was an humble acknowledgment both of his Ignorance, and of his Folly in meddling with what was above him. The like we find in Aſaph, he being in anguiſh of Spirit, burdened with a continued Series of Affliction, and heated with Temptations, ſpake unadviſedly with his Lips, he threw dirt in the Face of Religion and Godlineſs, by ſaying, He had cleanſed his Heart in vain, and waſhed his Hands in Innocency: But when that Violent Paroxiſm was over, and being at leiſure from his Paſſion, he came to make a due reflection upon what he had ſaid, he fell upon himſelf with a juſt and holy Indignation, and of his own accord cryed out, Pſal. 73.22. So fooliſh was I and ignorant, I was as a beaſt before thee: He did not only eat up his own words, which he found exceeding bitter to him, but by ſpitting in his own Face he gave Glory to God.
Thirdly, Submit and yield to God for the future, and do it cheerfully, lye at his Foot, put your ſelves and your all into his Hand, and leave it to him to take his own way with you, and to uſe his own Method. Some of the Jewiſh Writers ſay that David did utter theſe Words in the Text, when he was forced to leave his Palace, and to flee before the Face of his unnatural and rebellious Son Abſalom, in danger of loſing both his Kingdom and Life. And if ſo, then being ſo ſweetly and fully ſatisfied about the Righteouſneſs and Faithfulneſs of God in his dealings with him, you may ſee how readily he reſigns himſelf to the diſpoſal of God, 2 Sam. 15.25, 26. The King ſaid unto Zadok, carry back the Ark of God into the City, if I ſhall find Favour in the Eyes of the Lord, he will bring me again, and ſhew me both it and his habitation: But if he thus ſay, I have no delight in thee; behold, here am I, let him do to me as ſeemeth good unto him. If my God have no Pleaſure in me, I will take Pleaſure in nothing; if he will lay me aſide, I will be content; if he will cut me off, I will lay my Head upon the Block: God ſhall Order, and I will accept; His Will ſhall be the Ruling Will, and mine the Complying Will. Let him as he pleaſeth Carve out my Condition, and I will take it as it comes: If I muſt no longer wear a Crown, then I will take up a Croſs. And the Church was much in the ſame frame when fallen and ſitting in darkneſs, Micah 7.9. I will bear the Indignation of the Lord, take all patiently, and accept the Puniſhment of mine Iniquity, for I have ſinned againſt him, therefore though the Rod ſmart I will Kiſs it.
Laſtly, Be ſure to juſtifie God; always give the Cauſe on his ſide, and ſpeak honourably of him and all that he doth. God is always juſt, and in every thing; juſt in his Acts of Mercy and richeſt Grace, Rom. 3.26. He is juſt when he is the juſtifier of him that believeth in Jeſus: Juſt in all the Afflictions of this Life, and ſo he is in the Miſeries of the Damned in the next, Rom. 2.5. The very day of Wrath (though dark and gloomy) will carry along with it ſufficient light to reveal and manifeſt the righteous Judgment of God; therefore in the forenamed inſtance of Job we obſerved that after Elihu had performed his part, and God had ſeconded him, that good Man ſubmitted, and ſpake God's own Language, thereby ſhewing his being Convinced that what he had ſaid before was according to the dictates of his own fooliſh and corrupt Heart, now he would ſpeak as God ſpeaks, whom he knew to be Wiſdom it ſelf, and Truth it ſelf, and Goodneſs it ſelf. It is not enough for us not to ſpeak againſt God, we muſt be ſpeaking for him, though he needs it not. None ſhall ever have Cauſe to repent of Commending God, becauſe we can never riſe too high in his Commendations, we can never ſpeak too much of him, nor too well. Our Tongues are never ſo much our Glory as when employed in ſhewing forth his Glory. He doth deſerve more than our deareſt Love, and our higheſt Praiſes. The day will come in which the Vail ſhall be taken off from the Face of Providence, and when we come to ſee things as indeed they are, we ſhall be perfectly reconciled to them, ſinding them to have been at Peace with us; and what we are now too apt to quarrel, we ſhall then admire. But I paſs on to the
Second Exhortation, And I deſire you to account it your Duty not only to be ſatisfied about God's dealings with you, that all his Judgments are right, and that there is his Truth and Faithfulneſs in thoſe Afflictions with which he exerciſeth you, but alſo to ſee carefully to it, that your Spirits and Carriages, your Hearts and Affections be right too: That was a ſevere Rebuke which God gave to Eliphaz, and ſpake his juſt reſentment and high diſpleaſure, Job 42.7. The Lord ſaid to Eliphaz the Temanite, my Wrath is kindled againſt thee and thy two Friends, for ye have not ſpoken of me the thing that is right, as my ſervant Job hath. Know and Conſider this, it will be to you when under dark Diſpenſations, both an Honour and Comfort, that your Thoughts of God are right, the Frame and Temper of your Hearts right, and your Deportment and Behaviour right. When all is as it ſhould be, abating for Humane Infirmities, which you cannot avoid, and which God will graciouſly bear with, remembring your Frame, and conſidering you are but Duſt: To this Purpoſe I ſhall give you the following Counſels, deſiring you to put them in Practice.
Firſt, Be ſenſible of that which God hath done to you: He loves to be taken Notice of, and would not have his People careleſs or ſtupid, but hear the Rod, and who hath appointed it: And his Anger comes up into his Face, when Men do not Obſerve his Works, nor regard the Operation of his Hands. Withall it is a ſad Omen, and certain Preſage of ſome impending and approaching Judgment, when Godly Miniſters and Chriſtians are taken away, but there is a ſenſeleſneſs upon the Spirits of thoſe which are left behind, Iſaiah 57.1. The righteous periſheth, and no man layeth it to heart, and merciful Men are taken away, none conſidering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come: They neither mind who is gone, nor what is to come. Here is an excellent Perſon gone, a Man of whom the World was not worthy, and there are doubtleſs many to be found among us that do not lay ſuch a Providence to Heart. He is dead; but what of that; no body ſhall live always: He is gone; e'en farewell He, we could ſpare more of them. They did never Value the Life and Labours of ſuch a Man, nor are they Concerned at his Death. But I do adviſe every one of you, and others alſo, to beware of ſuch a Spirit as this. We find in the Scriptures that ordinarily when the Saints dyed, there was great Lamentation becauſe thereof. When good old Jacob dyed, the very Egyptians mourned for him threeſcore and ten dayes, Gen. 50.3. When Moſes dyed, the Children of Iſrael wept for him in the Plains of Moab thirty dayes, Deut. 34.8. When Stephen had been Stoned to Death, Devout Men carried him to his Burial, and made great Lamentation, Acts 8.2. But though Joſhua had been an excellent Man, true to his truſt, and reſolved for God, and his Service and Honour, though he had gone before them as their Prince and Leader, and given them the Poſſeſſion of the Land of Canaan, yet when he dyed, we do not read of one Tear that was ſhed over him, nor of one Groan nor Sigh that was poured out upon him: And if you do but Conſult the Hiſtory, you will ſee that not long after the Wrath of God brake in upon that People.
We are not Ignorant that there are thoſe among us, that are glad at Heart when ſuch Men as He are taken away. He was a Diſſenter, ſay they, and a Schiſmatick, (which is more than they can prove) and ſuch as he they look upon as the troublers of Iſrael, and diſturbers of the Peace, the Burdens and Peſts of the places in which they live. Theſe are the Men that ſtand in their light, and would ſtop them in their full career of Profaneneſs, and they hate them becauſe they cannot away with that Reformation which theſe men preach up, and would fain promote and perfect; and upon this account theſe wretches, when ſuch men dye, will ring a Peal inſtead of a Knell, and when they are buried, could ſind in their Hearts to leap and dance upon their Graves. Well, ſince it is ſo, God will take theſe men away, and give unto thoſe Enemies their deſire; they ſhall be troubled with them no longer: He knows of another place, and better, where theſe his Servants will be welcome: There are myriads of Angels and Saints in Heaven that will rejoyce in their Company; but what will follow hereupon? Theſe mens departure from hence is no other than a making of way for ſome tremendous Judgment to come in their room. The Inhabitants of Sodom were as much vexed with Righteous Lot for his preciſeneſs, as he was with them for their profaneneſs and deteſtable abominations, and they had a great mind to be rid of him. Well, ſaith God, you ſhall ſee two Angels come from Heaven to ſend him out of Sodom. He linger'd a while, but at length he goes, and now they hoped a good Wind would blow after him, and they ſhould have fair Weather too, and they had it, but it did not laſt long; the Sun roſe gloriouſly upon them, but it ſoon ſate in a dark Cloud, in a Bed of Sorrow, Gen. 19.24, 25. When Lot entred into Zoar, the Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah brimſtone and fire from the Lord out of Heaven: And he overthrew thoſe Cities, and all the plain, and all the Inhabitants of thoſe Cities, and that which grew upon the ground. I will add but one Inſtance more, which ſingle and alone will be ſufficient evidence: Our Lord and Saviour came to his own, but his own received him not, ſeeing in him no jorm nor comelineſs for which he ſhould be deſired. They looked on him as the only Perſon that ſtood between them and their proſperity, and would, if tolerated, bring a ſtorm upon them, if they ſhould ſuffer him to live and go on, the Romans would come and deſtroy their City, whereupon they would have Barabbas a Thief releaſed, and Jeſus crucified; well, what followed, their fear did not indeed enter at that door, but it came in at another, when the Meſſiah was cut off, the Romans came, their Temple was burnt, their City turned into a ruinous heap, and the Inhabitants were deſtroyed with a moſt dreadful deſtruction.
Know, my Friends, the Saints and Servants of God are the Pillars of the Earth, the Bail to the World, that ſhall continue no longer than till God hath finiſhed his Number, called his Elect, and prepared his called Ones for Glory, The World is no more than a Stage upon which he acts his great and gracious deſign concerning thoſe whom he hath choſen from among the reſt of Mankind, and ſet apart for himſelf, and when that is throughly accompliſhed, the ſtage ſhall be taken down. A Criminal Woman for ſome Villany committed by her is condemned to dye, but being found with Child, ſhe is reprieved till ſhe hath brought forth, and then ſent to the Gallows, and Executed. So this World which lies in Wickedneſs is condemned to the Fire, once it was drown'd by a Deluge, but not waſhed from its filth; therefore its end is to be burned, only it is continued till all the Children of God be brought forth: Hereupon my Counſel is, that all who have a Kindneſs for England, or a love for themſelves, would take notice of ſuch diſpenſations, and lay them to their Hearts.
And in particular, as to this Providence which hath been ordered out to you who are the Members of this Congregation, I do heartily commend to you a ſerious reflection upon it, together with a deep and afflicting ſenſe of the hand of God therein. God hath been pleaſed to take away from you your Excellent Paſtor, that Good Shepherd who led you into green Paſtures, and by the Waters of ſtillneſs, and who (as it is ſaid of David in the 78 Pſalm 72.) fed you according to the integrity of his heart, and guided you by the skilfulneſs of his hands. I need not perfume his Name, which is a precious Oyntment, nor ſpend any of the little time (which is left) in commending to you him who was ſo well known, and ſo exceeding dear, therefore I will only ſay this in ſhort: He was a very gracious and holy Man, I doubt not to ſay, an Iſraelite indeed, greatly ſet for the Intereſt and Honour of God, and much in Communion with him. He had received a plentiful Unction from the Holy One, and was rich in Spirituals; and indeed in all my Converſes with him, I found him to be of a ſweet, affable and loving Temper, by means whereof his Grace was the more taking, being like a Diamond ſet in Gold. He had good Natural parts, which were cultivated and improved by acquired Learning. He had found mercy to be faithful, having been ſo all along to his great Lord and Maſter, his Cauſe and Intereſt, ſtanding his ground like a Rock unſhaken in the days of ſoareſt and moſt violent Temptation; nor would he touch (tho he ſaw others ſwallow down) thoſe things which his Conſcience told him would prove defiling to himſelf, or ſnares and ſtumbling-blocks unto others; yet was he a Man of peace, he would ſtudy it, adviſe it, and pray for it, and follow it with all men, ſo far as ever he could go without forſaking of Truth and Holineſs, that he was bound to be dear over; while he was true to his Principles, and held on his way, he was no Incendiary. He was a very modeſt Perſon, cloathed with Humility, as his upper Garment in which he walked up and down, I never ſaw him without it. You know full well, and are ready to teſtifie, that he was an induſtrious painful Labourerer in God's Vineyard; and as he laboured, ſo he longed for the Life, Salvation and Spiritual Progreſs of his Hearers, traveling in birth to ſee Chriſt formed in them. He was a Workman that needed not to be aſhamed, his Pulpit was a witneſs to his pains with you, and his Chamber to his Prayers for you, in the former he wreſtled with you, and in the latter with God on you behalf: And as he preach'd ſo he walk'd, commending his Doctrine by his practice; was he an Angel to and in the Church? he was a Saint in the ſtreet, being in his Converſation a ſingular Ornament to the Goſpel, and an Excellent Pattern to them that knew him: But he is gone, here you ſhall ſee his Face no more, and hear his Voice no more. Having finiſhed that Work which his great Lord and Maſter had given him to do, he was by that grim Meſſenger Death ſent for, and carried to his laſt and everlaſting Home, the Preſence-chamber of God, the habitation of his Holineſs and Glory, where he hath received that Crown of Righteouſneſs which was laid up for him. It is well with him, very well, Eternally well, ſo well that he would not have it better, for he hath fulneſs of Joy, and Pleaſures for evermore at the right hand of God; he is at reſt in the Boſom of his Lord, being ſatisfied with his likeneſs, and taking his fill of Love: Only his Body lies ſleeping in its Bed of duſt, but reſts in hope of a comfortable awaking, and bleſſed Reſurrection, when it ſhall ſtand up from the dead, ſhake off its duſt, ariſe and ſhine, being made like unto Chriſts moſt glorious Body, no longer a clog and impediment to the Soul, but an Help-meet, fit to accompany it in all its great and bleſſed Employments and Operations. The loſs is yours, and indeed it is a great one, it becomes you to be intimately ſenſible of it, and to bewail it. Weep not for him, but for your ſelves, and for your Children.
Secondly, Learn from hence one ſingular piece of Wiſdom and good Husbandry, in Improving your faithful Miniſters, and others, the precious Saints of God, while you have them among you. Bleſſed be God, tho many are called up to a better State, yet there are many left behind, but they are only ſojourners here for a ſhort ſeaſon, the time will come when they muſt be gone too, the Number of their dayes is with God, who hath appointed and fixed thoſe bounds which they cannot paſs. As for the Fathers where are they, and do the Prophets live for ever? No, no, Experience tells you that they do not; and they themſelves are ready to tell you that they would not: And indeed it is a thouſand pities that they ſhould, as matters do now ſtand. It is pity they ſhould alwayes carry about them a Body of death, which is worſe than Death it ſelf, that they ſhould be alwayes groaning under Corruptions, and conflicting with Temptations. What! alwayes upon hot and hard ſervice, and never have the Victory and Triumph? It is pity they ſhould alwayes live in a dirty ſtinking World, in an ungrateful and malicious World. It ſhall not be, no, it ſhall not be; God hath graciouſly provided a better Place for them, and better Company, and incomparably better Things than ever they could have met with here. Well, do you think of this feriouſly, frequently, and manage your ſelves accordingly. Your late Paſtor was ſnatched away from you on a fudden, as if Heaven had been longing for him, and in a kind of Haſte to have him there; and it may be quickly ſo with reference to others as well as to him, none hath a Leaſe of his Life.
And be not offended, if I propound one Queſtion to you, which is this: Doth it not this day wound ſome of your ſpirits to think, your Miniſter is gone, and you have not Improved him as you might and ought to have done? If a Friend lend you an excellent Book for a Week or Month, will you let it lye by on a Shelf, or throw it into a Corner, and not read it. God lends you Faithful Miniſters, gracious Friends and Relations, that you may get good by them, and be the better for them; if you will not make uſe of them, their very remembrance will be a terrible ſting in your Conſciences. Let me commend to you the Wiſdom and Practice of Eliſha, he had an inkling of his Maſters leaving him, and that more than once, 2 Kings 2. The Sons of the Prophets that were at Bethel ſaid unto him, Knoweſt thou that the Lord will take away thy Maſter from thy head to day? And ſo again ſaid the Sons of the Prophets that were at Jericho. Well, his Maſter carried as if he had a Mind to ſhake him off; three times he would have had him ſtaid behind, Tarry here, I pray thee, for the Lord hath ſent me to Bethel, v. 2. and ſo again v. 4. and yet again v. 6. but all would not prevail, ſtill Eliſha anſwered, As the Lord liveth, and as thy Soul liveth, I will not leave thee: But he kept with him, and his Eye fixed upon him, and by that means obtained a double portion of his Spirit. We need not a Spirit of Prophecy to let us underſtand that we ſhall be taken from one another. The Scripture aſſures us, that it is appointed for all Men once to to dye, and there is never a pore in our Body but what may ſerve as a door, little indeed, but wide enough to let Life out, and Death in; therefore while you have thoſe with you by whom you may get good for your Souls, make all the advantage of them that you can. Do thus with your Fellow-Chriſtians, your Godly Neighbours and Acquaintance, thoſe with whom you walk in an holy Communion, and in breaking of Bread, and in Prayers. You are all of a Calling, dealing with and for Heaven, now when Tradeſmen meet together, what do they diſcourſe of but their Calling, Merchants of their Ships, Shop keepers of the price of their Commodities? Oh that you would do the ſame as to your excellent and holy Calling! Oh that Diſcourſes that tend to edification may be more frequent and familiar at your Tables and all your meetings! this would not hinder and obſtruct your worldly Affairs, but ſanctifie and ſweeten them: Our great and gracious Lord hath ſet us a Pattern. After his Reſurrection he continued with his Apoſtles forty days, of which he ſpent none in idleneſs and froth, but all in speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God, Acts 1.3. and ſo likewiſe do the ſame with your faithful Miniſters, attend their Miniſtry, hearken to their Doctrine, follow their holy Counſels, walk in their light, and do not grieve their Hearts by your ſlights, neglects and diviſions, but obey them that have the Rule over you, knowing they watch for your Souls, and ſhew your Reſpect and Kindneſs to them now if ever you would do it, yet a little while and you ſhall not have the Priviledge of doing it. In Heaven they will not need your Countenance and your Prayers, and they will be above your Purſes. Do what you can now, knowing it is the beſt and moſt fruitful Soil you can find to ſow upon. Puul turned over to God that debt which he owed to Oneſiphorus, 2 Tim. 1.16. The Lord give mercy unto the houſe of Oneſiphorus, for he oft refreſhed me, and was not aſhamed of my Chain: And Ver. 18. The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: And without peradventure God did moſt readily accept the Bill, and will be ſure to pay it with a very great increaſe.
Thirdly, Inſtead of murmuring that God hath taken him from you, be you thankful, and with your Hearts bleſs his Name that ever he brought him to you: For certain God had ſome Work for him to do in the City, and therefore he fetched him hither: 'Till then he liv'd at a diſtance, and this place was quite out of his Road: And Oh! what a ſingular Mercy was it, that God ſhould raiſe a Storm in the Countrey, and thereby drive him to this place, that ſo he might find thee out, and deliver a Meſſage from the great God to thee, and from the Prince and Fountain of Life ſpeak a Word of Life to thy Soul, who to that very day waſt a poor, ignorant, loſt, filthy, vile Creature, altogether dead in treſpaſſes and ſins! Prithee, go thy way admiring rich and free Grace, and ſhew the tender Bowels of a Chriſtian in pittying and bewailing thoſe poor Creatures, thy ignorant and graceleſs Neighbours, who came to the ſame Congregation with thee, ſate in the ſame feat with thee, and had the ſame Means with thee, but got no good at all, remaining in the ſame Condition in which they were before, Vaſſals of Sin and Satan, in the gall of bitterneſs and bond of iniquity: Thou haſt been ſavingly enlightned, when others are ſtill unacquainted with God and the things of God; thou haſt turned thy back upon thy wicked Aſſociates and Courſes of Debauchery, but others are the Companions of Fools ſtill, and march on to Hell as if they were in Poſt-haſte, Swearing and Curſing, being Drunk and Unclean ſtill. Do thou, I ſay, Bleſs God for it, and be exceeding thankful, that his Servant liv'd 'till he had wrought ſavingly upon thy Soul, and muſt not himſelf go to Heaven before he had brought thee to God.
Fourthly, Remember the precious Truths which be Preached to you, and often call to mind thoſe holy Counſels that He gave you: This is a great Duty bound upon you by Scripture-precept, Heb. 13.7. Remember them which have the Rule over you, who have Preached to you the word of God, whoſe Faith follow, conſidering the end of their Converſation: Where the Apoſtle did not ſpeak only of thoſe that were preſent, but alſo of them that were gone. Now, pray, do ſo; Remember him, and the gracious Speeches you have heard from him, and the wholſom Advice you have received from him, and the bleſſed Truths that have been deliver'd by him, and hold them faſt; and if any ſhall now come, and bring with him another Goſpel than that ye have received, entertain him not, liſten not to him, let him be accurſed, Galat. 1. There are many falle Prophets gone forth into the World, and into this Nation and City, yea, there are many Antichriſts, whereby we know this is the laſt time, and it is like there will be ſome plucking and tugging at your Faith. When an Orthodox, Gracious and Peaceable Miniſter is dead, then is the Devil buſie, thinking it a fit Opportunity for him and his Servants to ſow his Seed and put off his Wares; that is a time for Men of dividing Principles to infuſe and ſpread their wretched Notions, and diſturb the Peace of Churches. If you love your ſelves, and as you will Anſwer it another day, do you avoid them, and take heed you do not drink in any unſound Opinions, any rotten and exploded Errors, an Old Falſhood under the Notion of a New Light, and to this end bear upon your thoughts the Text laſt mention'd, which in my Judgment furniſheth us with a Reaſon why ſo many are Fly-blown in their Heads, and led into Error in theſe ſeducing times, viz. They do not remember them that have the Rule over them, they do not Obſerve their Faith, nor the End of their Converſation: For many tho' Convinc'd of the Truth of thoſe Doctrines which they Preached, and Eye-witneſſes of their Converſations, that they were Holy, Exemplary, and according to the Rule of the Goſpel, yet they will moſt abſurdly queſtion what ſuch Paſtors did deliver, and believe a Stranger and follow him: Whereas, whom ſhould you Credit? whom have you Reaſon and Encouragement to follow but him who made it his Buſineſs to get to Heaven himſelf, and to ſhew you the right way, that He might meet you there, and have you for his Crown and Joy? You have found him faithful to God and to You, why then ſhould you not continue ſtedfaſt in, and immovable from thoſe holy Truths which he hath deliver'd to you, rather than give an Ear to them whom you know not from whence they came, nor what Spirit they are of?
Fifthly, Stand in the gap, doing what in you lies that this Breach, this great Breach which hath been made upon you, may be made up again, and that with all convenient ſpeed: You that have a ſincere Love to the Intereſt of Chriſt and the Everlaſting Goſpel, and a real Kindneſs to the Church of which you are Members, lay out your ſelves to ſuch a purpoſe, and that to the utmoſt. You that have the Spirit of Grace and Supplication poured out upon you, and dwelling in you, that have Acquaintance with God, and an Intereſt at the Throne of Grace, now do you improve that Intereſt, try what you can do, and beg of God, beg earneſtly that he would be graciouſly pleaſed to ſet up a burning and ſhineing Light in this Candleſtick, and to provide for you ſuch a Workman as is both-skilfull and faithfull, that needeth not to be aſhamed, and that will build proper Materials, not Wood, and Hay, and Stubble, but Gold and Silver, and precious Stones, upon that good Foundation, which this holy Man of God, now with God, hath laid among you.
And let ſpecial Care be taken that there be no unbrotherly and unbecoming Diviſions among you, but avoid them, delight not in Breaches, leſt the Devil enter in by them, but keep the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace, and be of one mind, of one accord, that ſo the precious Goſpel may not ſuffer by your means, for if it doth, verily you ſhall pay for it. Adviſe together, and manage all your Meetings and Conſultations calmly, with Wiſdom and Meekneſs, and Brotherly Love: And if you ſhall ſee Occaſion of doing ſo, Adviſe alſo with others, who will be cheerfully willing to afford you all the Aſſiſtance that they can. But above all, be ſure to Adviſe with God, and Wreſtle mightily with him, who is the beſt Counſellor, and holds all the Stars in his right hand. Go, go to Heaven for a Paſtor, and beg of the Lord who knovveth the Abilities and the Hearts of all Men, that He would Chooſe for you, and ſend One that will be indeed a Bleſſing. Let me tell you this, when a godly able Miniſter dyeth, the People who have loſt him, have very little Reaſon to expect that God will ſend them another, 'till they have been earneſt and importunate in ſeeking One, that is, 'till they have Prayed him in, and Sighed him in, and Wept him in. And I beſeech you, look to it that you be not miſguided by any bad Counſellor, and that no fordid ſiniſter End, no petty private particular Intereſt do betray you into the Hands of an unfit Perſon, one that is Corrupt in Judgment, tainted with Erroneous Principles, who will endeavour to Poiſon you; or one that is of a Factious Spirit, who will foment and keep up, and help to increaſe thoſe differences, the laying and compoſing of which doth deſerve and call for the utmoſt Endeavours of thoſe that fear God and bear good Will to Sion. That which was the Prayer of Moſes for Iſrael, is and ſhall be mine for you, Numbers 22.16, 17. Let the Lord, the God of the Spirits of all Fleſh, ſet a Man over this Congregation, that may go out before you, and that may go in before you, that may lead you out, and that may bring you in, that this Congregation of the Lord may not be as Sheep without a Shepherd. The good Lord give you a Man after his own Heart!
You will think it now high time for me to ſhut up this Diſcourſe, and I think ſo too You, I ſuppoſe, will not; ſure I am, you have no reaſon to judge me uncharitable, if I look upon this Congregation as being no better than mine own and others. Surely there are ſome here, in whom to this day Satan hath his Seat, while in others of you Chriſt hath Erected his Throne. Surely this is not a Floor in which there is nothing but Wheat. For mine own part, I do deſire to be a Paſtor to ſuch a Church, as all the Members of it are Saints; for as I greatly love pure Ordinances, ſo an Holy Communion, but I would not deſire to be a Preacher to ſuch a Congregation in which there are none but Saints, becauſe, though Edifying Work be very good, and great, and excellent, and accordingly to be attended to, yet Converting Work is the main and principal Work of the Goſpel Miniſtry: Thus our Lord Jeſus ſpake to Paul, Acts 26.17, 18. I ſend thee to the Gentiles, to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkneſs to light, and from the power of Satan to God: Therefore, before we part, I would leave ſomething among you, and with thoſe of you who are as yet in an unregenerate ſtate, that through the Bleſſing of God accompanying it, it may do them good.
You that have ſate under the Miniſtry of this Holy Man, and have not had your Hearts pierced with it, nor your Conſciences awakened, but have all this while been in a profound, yea dead Sleep: Or, it may be, you have been awakened, and ſometimes ſcar'd and frighted, (as I doubt not but you will own him to have been a ſpiritual and lively Preacher) and for a while you have been greatly concerned, and ſtarted up, but the Pang went over, and you e'en laid your Head down again upon the Pillow of Carnal Security, and at this day are as faſt aſleep in your Sins as He is in his Grave. I know you not, but if you know your ſelves I will ſay this to you; Fall down upon your Knees, and humble your ſelves greatly before God, and admire his Patience and Goodneſs, giving to him the Glory of it. O what a Mercy is it, that your Miniſter is gone, who was fit for Heaven, and that you are yet here who have been all your dayes induſtriouſly fitting your ſelves for Hell! Do you Bleſs God with your Souls, and all that is within you, that you are yet alive in that very place where you have ſquandred away ſo many precious Seaſons, golden Opportunities, withſtood ſo many loud and earneſt Calls, where you have deſpiſed and ſlighted ſo many free Offers of Grace, and been altogether barren and unfruitful under ſuch Beams of Goſpel-light, and Dews of Heavenly Doctrine. And when you are at home, retire into your Chamber or ſome private place, and beg of God, yea moſt heartily beg, that the Death of this holy Man may go near to you, and that it may make that deep impreſſion upon you, and proſper to the doing of that good Work in your Souls which was not done by all the Sermons which you heard from him. Oh that he might prove another Samſon, triumphing over the Enemies of God and Souls, killing more Sins among you and in you by his Death, than he did by his Preaching all his Life.
Know it will be a moſt bleſſed Day, I mean the laſt and great Day, that of the Reſurrection, and it will be at that Day a moſt Comfortable Meeting that He and you will have, if then he ſhall find thoſe Gracious whom he left Wicked and Profane; if he ſhall find them in Chriſt, and alive unto God, whom he left dead in Treſpaſſes and Sins; if at the Reſurrection He ſhall find them to have been renewed in the ſpirits of their minds, whom, when he went out of the World, he left Carnal, and ſold under ſin.
But if at that Day he ſhall find you the very ſame that at his Death he left you, in a Chriſtleſs and Graceleſs State, know and tremble at the Thoughts of it, that Prophet, that Man of God will ſtand forth as a Witneſs againſt you. Truly, it would prove ſome piece of Happineſs to loſt and ruined Sinners in Hell, ſome alleviation of their Sorrow, and abatement of their Torment there, if they could but quite forget there had ever been a Prophet among them, upon that account they wou'd lye at more eaſe than they are like now to do: Every reflection you make, every time that you ſhall think what a Miniſter you had, what Preaching you ſate under, what Means you enjoy'd, it will be as a Sword in your Bones, and as Oyl to your Flames.
Let me but add this one thing more, and with that I will put a Period to this Diſcourſe. If you will not be reclaimed and reformed, but go on in the frowardneſs of your Hearts, and in crooked ways with the Workers of Iniquity, He that Prayed for your Converſion and Salvation, and Preached to you the great things of the Law, and the precious things of the Goſpel; in a word, He that Mourned for you, and Wept over you, becauſe you had ſinned and had not repented, muſt at the laſt day, and will look cheerfully, and be perfectly pleaſed when he ſhall with Chriſt the Judge Vote your Damnation. Be perſwaded to read over, and ſeriouſly think upon that place, 2 Corinth. 2.14, &c. Now thanks be unto God, which always cauſeth us to triumph in Chriſt; for we are unto God a ſweet ſavour of Chriſt in them that are ſaved, and in them that periſh; to the one we are the ſavour of death unto death, to the other the ſavour of life unto life: For Miniſters to be unto their Hearers the ſavour of Life unto Life, is very ſweet, and highly deſirable, but it is exceeding dreadful for them to be unto any of them the ſavour of Death unto Death, however they muſt be both; and the Apoſtle ſaith, in this we triumph: But how, O holy Paul, canſt thou find in thy Heart to do this? Where are the Soundings of thy Bowels? What! triumph at the ſight of poor Creatures going down to Hell! Any one will conclude that Parent hath no Natural Affection, doth not love his Child, who goeth leaping and dancing while he follows it to the Grave or to the Gallows: But if you do obſerve that which followeth in the 17th. Verſe, you will be eaſily reconciled to the Apoſtle; For we are not as many, which corrupt or deal deceitfully with the Word of God, but as of ſincerity, but as of God, in the ſight of God ſpeak we in Chriſt. When Paul and other godly Miniſters triumph over their loſt and damned Hearers, they do it not ſo much becauſe they ſee them miſerable, as becauſe they have the Teſtimony of their own Conſciences; theſe poor Creatures are loſt, but not through any Fault of mine, they go to Hell, but God knoweth I did not ſend them thither; I Preached to them, and, God is my Witneſs, I did it in Sincerity.
FINIS.
End of the text · Samuel Slater, Funeral Sermon of Richard Fincher (1693)