A Call to Weeping, Application
The Application.
1. We infer, that there is a vast difference between the State of Saints on Earth and the Saints in Heaven; the best of Men and Women here have bitter as well as sweet Sorrow as well as Joy, and Sin as well as Grace, they have their Buts, their Imperfections, we have not put off our Armor; but tho it be thus, yet must not the vertues of Saints be mentioned? do they deserve no Praise? because in some things they may not be Praise-worthy, the Scripture Records the Sins and Miscarriages of gracious Persons as Noah, Lot, Jacob, Moses, David, Peter, and many others also, but doth it not Record their vertues, or what was praise-worthy in them? a Saint carries all to Heaven with him, that was his Riches he carries his Gold thither, and leaves all his Dross behind him.
Our Dear Friend departed, I am sure excelled many (though all have their Buts, their Weaknesses, their Infirmities) Yet Her Works Praise Her in the Gate. What Zeal for God did She shew, and what Love to his People? And how did She long to see Her Relations, and all those She dearly Loved to be in Christ. O the Prayers She put up for them, and the Pains She took with them, and the good Counsel She gave them, and O what a blessed End did She make? The End Crowns all, with what Joy was She filled? She even broke forth into Raptures of Joy; she would have none to Pray for Her Life; I am certain, our honoured Brother hath lost a dear and helpful Yokefellow, and her Near Relations and Kindered, a good Friend; and this Congrgation a good Member, yet mind the Text She Left, Weep not for me, &c. No, no, there is no Cause in respect of Her, Death is gain to Her, She had hope in Her Death and let Her be had in Everlasting Remembrance, but it is loss to them She has left behind.
2. I Infer, that none are so Happy as Believers, neither are they so Happy whilest they Live, as they are when they Die.
3. Moreover, I Infer, there is a vast difference between the Death of the Godly, and the Wicked; the one are great Gainers, the other are great Lossers.
1. The Wicked at Death are great losers.
1. They lose the World, which they valued above Jesus Christ, they lose their God, and what had they more? the World is their God, they lose their Treasure, their Gold and Silver, which was their Hope, and Die not worth one Groate, they carry none of their Riches out of the World with them, 1 Tim. 6. 7. They lose their Pleasures, and all their Honour, and are brought to Shame and Everlasting Contempt. Saladine a Turkish-Emperour, commanded after his glorious Victories, that a white Sheet should be carried before him to his Grave, upon the Point of a Spear, with this Proclamation, these are the Spoils that Saladine carrieth away with him of all his Triumphs, and Victories, of all the Riches and Realms that he had, now nothing is left but this Sheet.
2. They lose their hope; Wicked Men are full of Hope, of a better Life, but at Death all their Hope perishes, their Hope of long Life, their Hope of Heaven is then cut off, Job. 3. 14. Whose Hope shall be cut off, and whose Trust shall be as the Spiders Web.
3. They lose their Souls, and nothing can repair that loss, What doth it Profit a Man, if he should gain the whole World and lose his own Soul, Mat. 16. 26. No Loss like this loss, many bewail the Body forsaken of the Soul; but O how should he be bewalled, that is for ever forsaken by the Blessed God: O there is ground to Weep indeed for the Ungodly, who at Death lose their Souls.
4. They at Death lose Heaven; I mean, they then see that they have lost God, lost Christ, and have lost Heaven, and that too for the love to a cursed World, and through love to their base and filthy Lusts, they depart from him as being Cursed and undone Creatures for ever more; and are cast into Hell, in that hour their Breath departeth out of their Bodys, their Souls are in Torment; as it is said of the Rich Man's Soul. The Rich Man died, and what's next, in Hell he lifted up his Eyes being in Torment, Luk. 16. 23.
4. We Infer, That there is no Reason for any true Christian to be unwilling to Die; are any unwilling to accept of the highest Perferment; is a young Prince troubled that his Coronation-Day is come, or an Heir that he is arrived to full Age, to inherit his Estate; doth a Virgin grieve that Her Wedding-Day is come, when she is to be Married to a great Noble, whose Goodness, Honour and Beauty is admirable? or is a Man who is wearied with hard Labor, troubled to think he is going to rest? At Death a Believer's chiefest Preferment is come, his Coronation-day is come, his Marriage-day is come, and his weary Body then goes to Bed, and his Soul to Eternal Rest; Brethren, the Righteousness of Christ is our Title to Heaven, viz. his active, perfect, Obedience to the Law of God, but Death gives us the immediate Possession thereof.
5. We may therefore from hence also Infer, What great Folly they are guilty of that seek not this only Title to Heaven, by laying hold of Jesus Christ by the Faith of the Operation of God, or through the Spirit do not seek a vital mystical Union with the Lord Jesus. Many think that their Faith, their Repentance, their Obedience, or their inherent Righteousness is their Title to Heaven. O take heed, be not deceived by the Errors of these times if you have no other Title to Heaven, but what is wrought in you, or done by you; you will certainly at Death drop into Hell. Faith, &c. may evidence the goodness of your State, but you cannot plead your Faith, nor your Holiness and sincere Obedience as that which gives you a Right and Title to Eternal Life. Tis only Christs Obedience, and yet without Faith no man is actually possessed of this Title, Christ in you the hope of Glory Col. 1. 27. He that believeth not shall be Damned, Mark. 16. 16.
5. Here is Comfort to Dear Pious Relations, who mourn for the Deceased, your Wife is Taken away from the evil to come, and which Evil may soon come; your Friend is gone to Christ and when Christ comes she and all that sleep in Jesus will God bring with him: When Christ who is our Life shall appear, we shall appear with him in Glory, Col. 3. 4. Therefore Weep not for Her, Weep not for me, but weep for your selves, and for your Children.
This brings me to the second Proposition.
Doct. II. That there may be cause to weep for our selves and for our Children that survive.
1. This also I shall endeavour to prove and demonstrate.
2. Apply it.
First. There may be cause to weep in respect of internal evils that we groan under.
Secondly. In respect of external evils which we feel, and have cause to fear.
1. Weep for your selves (as if our Lord should say) for you are Left to combat stil with your Spiritual enemies, viz. the Flesh, the World, and the Devil: you have not yet put off your Armor, you are still and shall be afflicted with the Body of Sin and Death, we groan being burdened, 2 Cor. 2. 5, 4. We have peace but not without trouble, we have Light but not without Darkness, Joy but not without Sorrow, Honour but not without reproach, and dishonour; we have Faith but not without Doubts, especially it is thus with some of us; we have grace but not without Sins: we meet with sore Trials and Temptations from Satan and sometimes may be under the hidings ef Gods face and the withdrawing, of Jesus Christ, and be tossed as with a tempest and not comforted.
Secondly, We may have cause to weep for our selves and for our Children, in respect of Eternal evils which we feel, and may fear.
1. From those Losses, and sad disappointments which we do, and may meet with all; We perhaps, have sown much and bring in little, We eat and yet may be have not enough, Hag. 1. 6. Cloathed but not Warm, earn Wages, but put into a Bag with holes; God has strangely blasted Men in their Trades Callings and Expectations. O saith one, if the Times hold thus what shall I do for Bread for my Family? and says another, what shall I do to get Money to pay my Debts? distress of Nations, Sirs, are come and a coming, and this may be cause for such to Weep that do survive.
2. We may have Cause to Weep, from those Pains, Diseases, and sad Distempers, which afflict our Bodies; Many may and do Groan upon this Account.
3. And also upon the Consideration of their Children, Who go on in the Broad-Way, taking wicked Courses, and seem to be wholly under the ruling Power of the God of this World, O saith the poor Father and the poor and sorrowful Mother, this and that Child I think will anon break my heart, they are Stubborn, and Rebellious, Hardned, I fear in Sin, and regard not my Crys, nor my prayers and good Counsel; I know not what will become of their Bodies, but O what will become of their precious Souls, O their Souls! their Souls!
4. The Inormities and great Evils of Professors is cause enough to make us Weep and all that Love Jesus Christ, We may wish with Jeremiah, Oh that my Head were Water and mine Eyes a Fountain of Tears, that I might Weep Day and Night, Why what is the matter, they are an Assembly of Treacherous-Men, They bend their Tongues like their Bow for Lies, but are not valliant for the Truth upon the earth, they proceed from Evil to Evil &c. Take heed every one of his Neighbour and Trust not in a Brother—Jer. 9. 1. 2. 3. 4. If ever any Day lookt like the Day the Prophet saw, I think it is this, we may say with Paul, Many walk of whom I have told you often and now tell you even Weeping, they are enemies of the Cross of Christ, Phil. 3. 18. How is Religion exposed, and Gods Name dishonoured, few have a heart to do for God, and some that God Stirs up with some degree of Zeal, are but desamed, and vilified for so doing, especially if things prosper not according to expectation.
5. Have we not cause to Weep for the horrid and Crying Evils and Abominations of this wieked Generation; Certainly, no times exceeded these upon this account, I beheld Trangressions and was grieved, saith David, Psal. 119. 158. Again, he saith, Rivers of Water run down mine Eyes because Men keep not thy Law, Psal. 119. 136.
6. And more directly to the purport and design of our Blessed Lord in my Text, We ought to mourn for our selves and for our Children in regard of those sore and bitter Calamities that are Appro…ching. Our Lord, no doubt, on this occasion gave these Women a hint of those lamentable and dismal distresses that were coming upon Jerusalem, and on the whole Nation of the Jews, and upon the Church of God; mind the words following, for behold (saith he) The Days are coming in which they shall say, Blessed are the Barren, and the Wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck, then shall they begin to say to the Mountains, fall on us, and to the Hills cover us, Luke 23. 29 30. For if they have done all these things to the Green Tree what will they do to the dry, ver. 31. Blessed are they (as if our Lord had said) that have no Children: no Sons to be exposed to War, Blood and Slaughter; no Daughter to be Ravished, and then fearfully mangled, and cut, and torn into pieces, which fell out upon many of them and their Children: Well and what of this (perhaps some may say) what is this to us? why Brethren, see now we are in Peace, Blessed be God, under a good King whom God in Mercy preserve, We have the Gospel, we have Ordinances, and Liberty, and set under our own Vines, and Fig-Trees, and none at the present make us afraid, but alas, alas! what evils are near we know not; may be God set this Text of Scripture upon the Heart of our dear Friend deceased for me to open, as God might help me, at her Funeral, to warn us; and as for my part I fear that a dismal Day is coming (of which I have often hinted to some of you) when perhaps (as one some years ago hath writen) such that Now walk the Streets in State shall run the Streets in distraction †See Reeve's, a Book called a Cry to Nineveh, or Gods Voice to London.The Crown I fear is near falling from our Heads, and we may say, wo to us, we have sinned, Lam. 5. 16. We may ere long, cry, Ichibod, the glory is departed, or where is the Glory? 1 Sam. 4. 21. We have many sad signs upon us as Jerusalem had, tho perhaps many see them not, nor will believe what I speak of, I wish it be not the removing the Gospel—is it intayled on us and on our Children? no, no, the Seven Churches in Asia lost it, their Candlesticks are long ago removed, France and the Palatinate once had it, but have now near lost it, O what a woful condition are the Witnesses of Christ or Saints of God in there, and look to it O England, is not thy Day near? are the witnesses yet slain? if not, what is Approaching? how have our Prophets been mistaken? they have found no Vision, Lam. 2. 9. Or as the Spirit saith, they have seen vain and foolish things, they have not discovered thine iniquities, but have seen for thee false burdens, ver. 14. Who is able to tell us, When will be the end of the Wonders what a Confederation is there at this time amongst the Popish Princes, how low is the Protestant Interest a broad? and how weak and divided at home? that Year, that some have oft Talk'd of, as the beginning of our joys, may prove the beginning of our greater sorrows Sirs I am no Prophet, nor Son of a Prophet, but, Shall a Trumpet be blown in the City, and the People be not afraid? Amos 3. 6. The Lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord hath spoken? who can but Prophesy, ver. 8. The Symtoms and Signs we have upon us, are as when a Lion roareth when near his Prey, God seems to be angry, and will rise up and terribly, Shake both Heaven and Earth, if it prove Babylons ruin (for there it may Issue) yet, Who shall live when God doth this? Satan is come down in a great rage because his time is short, Let me here add some of those things which I fear are sad Presages of Approaching Miseries and cause of Weeping for our selves and for our Children.
1. What a Time of Spiritual Plenty have we had! how has England, especially London been exalted to Heaven in respect of means, but hath this plenty been prized, and this great means Improved? have we served the Lord with joy of Heart, in the abundance of all things. Alas no! most of Professors have rather served themselves in a pursuit of the World and their own Worldly Interest. It seems as if there has been a price put into the hands of fools that have had no heart to it, Prov. 17. 16. Therefore God may cause us to serve our Enemies with Hunger, and Nakedness, and in the want of all things, I fear a Famine is a coming, a Famine, but not of Bread. Behold the Days come, saith the Lord, that I will send a Famine in the Land, not a Famine of Bread, nor of Thirst of Water, but of Hearing the Word of the Lord, Amos 8. 11. The Removal of the Gospel is the greatest Judgment; the greatest Sign of God's anger was when the Glory went from the Cherubins, Ezek. 9. 2. The Gospel is the greatest Mercy a People can injoy, therefore the Taking it away must be the worst of Punishments: When that goes, God goes, Christ goes, and then Popery, the Devil, and all Evil comes, Wo to them when I depart. How little is it prized? Sound Doctrine is cast under Contempt, and many are most pleased with airy Speculations, and uncouth Notions. People rather hear to feed their Ears and Curiosities, than for Edification and Profit to their Souls; the Heavenly Manna is esteemed but light Bread; few will hear but at times, when they have nothing else to do, and when they hear the Word they will not do it.
2. What sad Divisions, Strife and Contentions are amongst us, and what Contempt is cast upon the Authority of true Churches; nay, and what tearing of Churches to pieces, under the pretence of Zeal for God, when Pride, Ignorance and Self-Conceitedness is the cause of all. When the Sheep fight and quarrel one with another, the Shepherd foretelleth a Storm is near: Was there ever a more dismal Presage on this account upon a People than is amongst us? Yea, and it appears to be universal, i. e. amongst, People of all Perswasions. How do some Professors expose others and load them with Reproaches and Infamy. Report say they, and we will Report; 'tis the Voice of their Practices, if not of their Tongues.
3. How many faithful Ministers are taken away, (when a King calls home his Ambassadours, tis a sign he intends War): and how are they that are left behind slighted! what Arrows are let fly daily against them and what little care taken of them, or of some who some times were greatly esteemed! Some are look'd upon as Enemies for telling them the Truth, and how are some Truths and Ordinances decried for Errors, nay as bad as Popery that lie plain in Gods Word. Nay, and if you will vindicate; and practice them, look to't, you shall be under their new Persecution, your Consciences imposed on, or your Persons vilified, and this not in a Corner but Publickly. O Sirs, what can we look for!
4. How loose and carnal, earthly and worldly, the generality of Professers become? what difference do you see between Professors and the Prophane in many respects? Do but observe them in their Tradings, Converse, and Conversations, how like vain Wantons do the Daughters of Sion go. O the horrid Pride shewed in their Garbs and Dresses, and will not be reformed! where is that Holy, Heavenly and Humble walker with God. Do not many rest upon a meer profession, without the Life and Power of Religion? are there not now many foolish Virgins, nay are they not half of them such, who have Lamps and no Oil? what then? why look for the Midnight Cry, 'tis at the door.
5. Is not the horrid Prophaneness of these Times a Just ground to fear, that a Shower of Wrath and Divine Vengeance is a coming? was there worse Wickedness found in Sodom than is now in London, nay is not Sodomy and what not found in this City? Be astonished, O ye Heavens! what is London a City of such Light, a place of Vision, become the Shame and Derision of Nations. Have not our Fruits been Grapes of Sodom, and our Clusters of Gomorrah, sure the Harvest is near Ripe for cutting down.
6. Is not Atheism, horried Errors, and Detestible Heresies (which never certainly so much abounded) a grand cause to fear a Dismal Hour is near? what old abominable Error and Heresie is not Broached among us Daily.
7. Is not the Contempt of all Revealed Religion and the treading Christ underfoot a sad symtom of Approaching Judgments. Instead of being Christianized are we not in danger of being Paganized, while Natural Religion is cryed up as sufficient to save mens Souls; men will not believe things which their natural depraved Human Reason, cannot comprehend tho the Gospel is full of Mysteries, yet some are so Bold to affirm there is nothing mysterious in it: But is it not a Mystery to believe Three to be One, and One to be Three; to believe the Father not older then the Son, and the Son to be equal with the Father; to believe in one nature there are three Persons, and in one Person two Natures; to believe the Ancient of Days to become a Babe of a Day old, to believe a Virgin to have been a Mother, and her Son to be her Creator, to believe a man is freely forgiven and Pardoned; and yet all his Debts were fully paid; to believe we are Just and without Sin, and yet Sinners; and that we are Justified and Righteous by another Righteousness. I say some, these are your Fancies and Idle Dreams; why so? because they by their Human Reason can't comprehend them. And thus to these Gentiles, the Preaching of the Gospel is accounted foolishness
End of the text · Benjamin Keach, A Call to Weeping (1699)