The Resort and Remedy of those Bereaved by Death of William Williams, Sermon
The Reſort and Remedy of thoſe that are bereaved by the Death of an eminent Miniſter.
A SERMON Preached at Hatfield, Sept. 2. 1741. Being the Day of the Interment of the Reverend Mr. William Williams, the aged and venerable Paſtor of that Church. And publiſhed at the united Requeſt of thoſe Reverend and Honoured Gentlemen, the Sons of the Deceaſed. As alſo by the Deſire and at the Expence of the Town.
By Jonathan Edwards, M. A. Paſtor of the Church of CHRIST at Northampton.
James 1.17.
—The Father of Lights, with whom is no Variableneſs, neither Shadow of Turning.
BOSTON, Printed by G. ROGERS, for J. EDWARDS in Cornhil. 1741.
The Sorrows of the Bereaved ſpread before JESUS.
Matth. XIV. 12.
And his Diſciples came and took up the Body and buried it, and went and told Jeſus.
COncerning theſe Words I would obſerve three Things, 1. On what Occaſion that was, that we have an Account of in the Text; It was on Occaſion of the Death of John the Baptiſt, who was a Perſon whoſe Buſineſs it had been to preach the Goſpel of the Kingdom of God; He was a Miniſter of Jeſus Chriſt, and had been improved to do great Service, was an Inſtrument of much good to many in Judea and Jeruſalem, in his Life Time. He was cruelly murthered by Herod, at the Inſtigation of Herodias, having expoſed himſelf to her Malice by faithfully reproving them for their inceſtuous Wickedneſs.
2. We may obſerve who are the Perſons ſpoken of in the Text; they were thoſe that had been the Diſciples of John the Baptiſt, that had ſat at his Feet to hear him preach the Goſpel, that were his conſtant Followers, that were with him as thoſe that received great Benefit, by his Miniſtry, and were as it were his Children.
3. We may obſerve their Behaviour on this Occaſion, conſiſting in two Things.
(1.) That whereby they ſhewed their Regard to the Remains of the deceaſed, They took up the Body and buried it: It had been uſed in a barbarous Manner by others, that had alſo been his Hearers, and were under ſpecial Obligations to have treated him with Honour. They cruelly murder'd him, by ſevering his Head from his Body; and his Head was carried in a Charger to Herodias, that ſhe, inſtead of paying that Reſpect that was due to the Remains of ſo venerable a Perſon, might have her Malice and Cruelty gratified by ſuch a Spectacle, and that ſhe might thence take Occaſion to inſult the Dead. While that Part of the dead Body was thus uſed by Herodias, his Diſciples out of Reſpect and Honour to their Maſter and Teacher, decently inter the Reſt.
(2.) That which they did, conſequent on this, for God's Glory and their own Good, They went and told Jeſus. Him they knew to be one that their Maſter John, while he lived, had teſtified a great Regard to. Jeſus was he whoſe Forerunner John was; whom he had preach'd, and of whom he had ſaid, Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the Sin of the World: And This is he, of whom I ſaid, after me cometh one that is preferred before me; and whom he ſaw, and bare Record that this is the Son of God. And probably they knew that Chriſt was one that had put great Honour upon John their Teacher in his Life-time. For he, though he was the Son of God, and John's Maker and Saviour, yet came to him to be baptized of him, and had ſaid of him, that among thoſe that were born of Women, there had not riſen a greater than John the Baptiſt.
It was now a ſorrowful Time with John's Diſciples; when they were thus bereaved of him whoſe Teachings they had ſat under. And the Manner of his Death was doubtleſs very grievous to them. They were like a Company of ſorrowful, diſtreſſed, bereaved Children; and what do they do in their Sorrows, but go to Jeſus with their Complaint. The firſt Thing that they do, after paying proper Regards to the Remains of their dear Maſter, is to go to Chriſt, to ſpread their Caſe before him ſeeking Comfort and Help from him. Thus they ſought their own Benefit.
And probably one End of their immediately going and telling Jeſus was, that he being informed of it, might conduct himſelf accordingly, as his Wiſdom ſhould direct, for the Intereſt of his own Kingdom. When ſo great a Perſon as John the Baptiſt the Forerunner of Chriſt was thus martyr'd, it was a great Event, in which the common Cauſe, in which both Chriſt and he were engaged, was greatly concern'd: It was therefore fit that he that was at the Head of the whole Affair ſhould be informed of it, for his future Conduct in the Affairs of his Kingdom. And accordingly we find that Jeſus ſeems immediately to be influenced in his Conduct by theſe Tidings; as you may ſee in the next Verſe, When Jeſus heard of it he departed thence by Ship into a deſart Place apart. Thus John's Diſciples ſought God's Glory.
The Obſervation from the Words that I would make the Subject of my Diſcourſe at this Time is this,
When any one is taken away by Death, that has been eminent in the Work of the Goſpel-Miniſtry, ſuch as are thereby bereaved, ſhould go and ſpread their Calamity before Jeſus.
Though in handling this Subject I might particularly ſpeak to ſeveral Propoſitions that are contained in this Obſervation, and many Things might profitably be inſiſted on under it, if there were Room for it within the Compaſs of a Sermon; yet I ſhall only give the Reaſons of the Doctrine, and then haſten to the Application.
The following Reaſons may be given why, in Caſe of ſuch an awful Diſpenſation of Providence, thoſe that are concerned in it, and bereaved by it, ſhould go and ſpread their Sorrows before Jeſus.
1. Chriſt is one that is ready to pity the afflicted. 'Tis natural for Perſons that are bereaved of any that are dear to 'em, and for all under deep Sorrow, to ſeek ſome that they may declare and lay open their Griefs to, that they have good Reaſon to think will pity 'em, and have a Fellow-feeling with them of their Diſtreſs. The Heart that is full of Grief wants Vent, and deſires to pour out its Complaint; but it ſeeks a compaſſionate Friend to pour it out before.
Chriſt is ſuch an one, above all others. He of old, before his Incarnation manifeſted himſelf full of Compaſſion towards his People; for that is Jeſus that is ſpoken of Iſa. 63.9. In all their Affliction he was afflicted; and and the Angel of his Preſence ſaved them; in his Love and in his Pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the Days of old. And when he was upon Earth in his State of Humiliation. He was the moſt wonderful Inſtance of a tender, pitiful, compaſſionate Spirit that ever appeared in the World. How often are we told of his having Compaſſion on one and another? So Matth. 15.32. Then Jeſus called his Diſciples, and ſaid unto them, I have Compaſſion on the Multitude. So he had Compaſſion on the Man poſſeſſed with Devils, Mark 5.19. Go home to thy Friends, and tell them how great Things the Lord hath done to thee, and hath had Compaſſion on thee. So we read of his pitying the Mother, that was bereaved of her Son, Luke 7.13. There we have an Account, when Chriſt went into the City of Nain, and met the People carrying out a dead Man, the only Son of his Mother, that was a Widow, that when he ſaw her he had Compaſſion on her. So when the two blind Men that ſat by the Way-ſide, cried to Jeſus, as he paſſed by, ſaying, Have Mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David. We read that Jeſus had Compaſſion on them, Matth▪ 20.39. So we read of his being moved with Compaſſion, Matth. 14.14. And Jeſus went forth, and ſaw a great Multitude, and when he ſaw them he was moved with Compaſſion. His Speeches to his Diſciples were full of Compaſſion; eſpecially thoſe that he utter'd a little before his Death, of which we have an Account in the 13, 14, 15, & 16. Chapters of John. His Miracles were almoſt univerſally Deeds of Pity to Perſons under Affliction.
And ſeeing ſuch a pitiful Heart appeared in him on all Occaſions, no Wonder that John's Diſciples when bereaved of their dear Guide and Teacher, and their Hearts were full of Sorrow, came to him for Pity: Which likewiſe induc'd Mary and Martha to come and fall down pouring out their Tears at Jeſus Feet, when their dear Brother Lazarus was dead: Other Jews came to comfort them, before Jeſus came, whom they little regarded, but when they heard that Jeſus was come, they ſoon go and ſpread their Sorrows before him; they were aſſured that he would pity 'em; and their Expectation was not fruſtrated; for he was moſt tenderly affected and moved at their Tears: We are told that on that Occaſion he groaned in Spirit and was troubled, John 11.33. And when he came to the Grave, 'tis obſerved, and a ſpecial Note ſeems to be ſet upon it, that he wept, Ver. 35.
He was one that wept with thoſe that wept. And indeed it was meer Pity that brought him into the World, and induced him not only to ſhed Tears but to ſhed his Blood: He poured out his Blood as Water on the Earth, out of Compaſſion to the poor miſerable Children of Men. And when do we ever read of any one Perſon coming to him when on Earth, with an heavy Heart, or under … Kind of Sorrow or Diſtreſs for Pity or Help, but what met with a Kind and compaſſionate Reception?
And he has the ſame Compaſſion now he is aſcended into Glory: There is ſtill the ſame Encouragement for bereaved Ones to go and ſpread their Sorrows before him.
Afflicted Perſons love to ſpeak of their Sorrows to them that have had Experience of Affliction, and know what Sorrow is: But there is none on Earth or in Heaven that ever had ſo much Experience of Sorrow as Chriſt: Therefore he knows how to pity the ſorrowful, and eſpecially may we be confident that he is ready to pity thoſe that are bereaved of a faithful Miniſter, becauſe ſuch a Bereavement is a Calamity that concerns the Souls of Men; and Chriſt hath eſpecially ſhewn his Pity to Men's Souls; for it was chiefly for them that he died: To relieve the Miſeries of the Soul eſpecially, is it that he hath provided; and it was from Pity to the Souls of Men that he made that Proviſion for them that he hath done, in appointing ſuch an Order of Men as Goſpel-Miniſters, and in ſending them forth to preach the Goſpel: It was becauſe he had Compaſſion on Men's Souls, that he hath appointed Miniſters to watch for Souls.
2. Chriſt has purchaſed all that Perſons need under ſuch a Bereavement. He has purchas'd all that miſerable Men ſtand in Need of under all their Calamities, and comfort under every Sort of Affliction: And therefore his Invitation to thoſe that Labour and are heavy laden, to come to him for Reſt, may be underſtood in the moſt extenſive Senſe, to extend to thoſe that labour under any Kind of Burden of Sin or Sorrow, and to all that are heavy laden with either natural or moral Evil: He has purchaſed divine Cordials and Supports for thoſe Hearts that are ready to ſink: He has purchaſed all needed Comfort and Help for the Widow and the Fatherleſs: He has purchaſed a ſanctified Improvement and Fruit of Affliction, for all ſuch as come to him, and ſpread their Sorrows before him: He has purchaſed thoſe Things that are ſufficient to make up their Loſs, that are bereaved of a great Bleſſing in an eminent Miniſter of the Goſpel: 'Tis he that has purchaſed thoſe divine Bleſſings, thoſe Influences and Fruits of the Spirit of God, that the Work of the Miniſtry is appointed to be the Means of: Faithful Miniſters themſelves are the Fruits of his Purchaſe; and he has purchaſed all thoſe Gifts and Graces whereby Miniſters do become faithful, eminent and ſucceſsful; and therefore when he aſcended up on high, he received ſuch Gifts for Men; Eph. 4.8. &c. — So that he has purchaſed all that is needful to make up for the Loſs that is ſuſtained by the Death of an eminent Miniſter.
3. Chriſt is able to afford all that Help that is needed in ſuch a Caſe. His Power and his Wiſdom are as ſufficient as his Purchaſe, and anſwerable to his Compaſſions. By the Bowels of his Mercies, the Love and Tenderneſs of his Heart, he is diſpoſed to help thoſe that are in Affliction; and his Ability is anſwerable to his Diſpoſition. He is able to ſupport the Heart under the heavieſt Sorrows, and to give Light in the greateſt Darkneſs: He can divide the thickeſt Cloud with Beams of heavenly Light and Comfort: He is one that gives Songs in the Night, and turns the Shadow of Death into the Morning: He has Power to make up the Loſs of thoſe that are bereaved by the Death of the moſt eminent Miniſter. His own Preſence with the bereaved is ſufficient; if the great Shepherd and Biſhop of Souls be preſent, how much more is this than enough to ſupply the Want of any under Shepherd? And then he is able to furniſh others with like Gifts and Graces for that Work.
Perſons under ſorrowful Bereavements are ready to go and lay open their Sorrows to them that they think will be ready to pity them, though they know they can but pity them, and cant help them. How much more is here in ſuch a Caſe to induce us to go to Jeſus, who is not only ſo ready to pity, but ſo able to help, able abundantly more than to fill up the Breach, and able to turn all our Sorrows into Joy?
4. The Conſideration of the ſpecial Office of Chriſt, and the Work that he has undertaken for his People, ſhould engage them to go and ſpread ſuch a Calamity, as the Bereavement of a faithful and eminent Miniſter, before him: For he is the Head of the Body, the great Shepherd of the Sheep, and Lord of the Harveſt; that has undertaken the Care of the whole Church, and has the abſolute Government of it in his Hands, and the ſupream Diſpoſal and Management of all eccleſiaſtical Affairs, to whom belongs the Care of the univerſal Church, and every Part of it, with Reſpect to its Supply with ſuch Guides, Officers and Ordinances, as it ſtands in Need of. In Caſe of Bereavement of an eminent Miniſter, it was he that ſent forth ſuch a Miniſter, appointed him his Charge and furniſhed him for his Work, continued and aſſiſted him in it, and in his own Time removed him; and 'tis he that, in ſuch a Caſe, by his Office has the Care of filling up the Vacancy, and furniſhing, eſtabliſhing and aſſiſting Succeſſors, and ſupplying all the Wants of bereaved Churches. 'Tis ſurely therefore ſuitable and natural to go to him in ſuch a Caſe, and ſpread ſuch a Calamity before him▪
APPLICATION.
I come now to apply what has been ſaid to the ſorrowful Occaſion of our being thus aſſembled at this Time, even the Death of that aged Servant of God, who has long been eminent in the Work of the Goſpel-Miniſtry in this Place.
There are many that may well look on themſelves as nearly concerned in this awful Providence, and Sharers in the Bereavement; all of whom ſhould be directed by this Doctrine, to go and ſpread their Affliction before Jeſus, that compaſſionate, all-ſufficient Head of the Church, and Saviour of the Body, that merciful and faithful High Prieſt, that knows how to pity the afflicted.
And particularly it now becomes and concerns you, that belong to this Church and Congregation, that are bereaved of your aged and eminent Paſtor and Father, that has ſo long been a great Bleſſing to you, now to go and tell Jeſus.
The Diſciples of John, ſpoken of in the Text, were thoſe that were ordinarily under his Inſtruction, and were his conſtant Hearers, as it has been with you with Reſpect to your aged Paſtor, that is now taken from you. Therefore be exhorted to do as they did. Don't think that you have finiſhed your Duty, when you have taken up his Body and buried it, and have ſhewn Reſpect to his Memory and Remains at his Funeral: This is the leaſt Part of your Duty: That which mainly concerns you under this awful Providence, is between Chriſt and your own Souls.
God has now taken away from you an able and faithful Miniſter of the New-Teſtament, one that has long been a Father to you, and a Father in our Iſrael, a Perſon of uncommon natural Abilities, and diſtinguiſhed Learning, a great Divine, of very comprehenſive Knowledge, and of a ſolid accurate Judgment.—Judiciouſneſs and Wiſdom were eminently his Character. He was one of eminent Gifts, qualifying him for all Parts of the Work of the Miniſtry; and there appeared a Savour of Holineſs, in his Exerciſe of thoſe Gifts in publick and private: So that he improved 'em as a Servant of Chriſt, and a Man of God. He was not negligent of the Talents which his Lord had committed to him; you need not be told with what conſtant Diligence he improved them, how ſtudious at home, and how laborious in his publick Work: He ever devoted himſelf to the Work to which he was called: The Miniſtry which he had received of the Lord he took Heed to fulfil it, and purſued it with a conſtant and ſtedfaſt, even Mind through all it's Difficulties.
You know his Manner of addreſſing Heaven in his publick Prayers with you and for you, with what Sanctity, Humility, Faith and Fervency, he ſeemed to apply himſelf to the Father of Lights, from Time to Time, when he ſtood in this Deſk as your Mouth to God, and interceeding for you, pleading with God through the Grace and Merits of a glorious Mediator. And you know his Manner of applying himſelf to you when he came to you, from Time to Time, in the Name of the Lord.
In his publick Miniſtry, he mainly inſiſted on the moſt weighty and important Things of Religion; he was eminently an evangelical Preacher; evangelical Subjects ſeemed to be his Delight: CHRIST was the great Subject of his Preaching; and he much inſiſted on thoſe Things that did nearly concern the Eſſence and Power of Religion; and had a peculiar Faculty of judiciouſly and clearly handling the Doctrines he inſiſted on, and treating properly whatever Subject he took in Hand; and of ſelecting the moſt weighty Arguments and Motives to enforce and ſet home thoſe Things that concern Chriſtian Experience and Practice. His Subjects were always weighty, and his Manner of treating them peculiarly happy, ſhewing the Strength and Accuracy of his Judgment, and ever breathing forth the Spirit of Piety, and a deep Senſe of the Things he deliver'd, on his Heart. His Sermons were none of them mean, but were all ſolid, wiſe Compoſures. His Words were none of them vain, but all were weighty.
And you need not be told with what Weight the Welfare of your Souls ſeemed to lie on his Heart, and how he inſtructed, and reproved, and warned, and exhorted you, with all Authority, and with a fatherly tender Concern for your eternal Good. — And with what Wiſdom he preſided in the Houſe of God, and guided its Affairs; and alſo counſel'd and directed you in private, under you particular Soul Exerciſes and Difficulties. You know how he has brought you up, (for moſt of you have been train'd up from your Childhood under his Miniſtry,) with what Authority, and with what Judgment, Prudence and Steadineſs, he has conducted you as well as Meekneſs and Gentleneſs. You know his Manner of going in and out among you, how exemplary his Walk and Converſation has been, with what Gravity, Judgment and Savour of Holineſs, he has walked before you, as a Man of God.
You have enjoyed great Advantages for your Souls Good, under his Miniſtry: That you had ſuch a Miniſter was your Privilege and your Honour; he has been an Ornament to the Town of Hatfield; and his Preſence and Converſation amongſt you has been both profitable and pleaſant; for though it was ſuch as did peculiarly command Awe and Reſpect, yet it was at the ſame Time, humble and condeſcending: It tended both to inſtruct and entertain thoſe that he converſed with: As a wiſe Man, and endued with Knowledge, He ſhewed out of a good Converſation his Works with Meekneſs of Wiſdom.
But now it hath pleaſed an holy God to take him away from you: You'l ſee his Face and hear his Voice no more, in the Land of the Living: You'l no more have the Comfort and Benefits of his Preſence with you, and the Exerciſe of his Miniſtry among you.
Therefore now go to Jeſus, the ſupream Head of the Church, and Biſhop of Souls. Your Paſtor is dead, and will not live again till the laſt Day: But Chriſt the chief Shepherd, though he was dead, is now alive! and behold he lives for evermore. He ever lives to provide for his Church and to guide and feed his Flock. Go to that Jeſus whom your deceaſed Paſtor preached, and to whom he earneſtly invited you while he lived, and give Thanks for the many Bleſſings you enjoy'd in him. Remember how you have receiv'd and heard, & hold faſt, that no Man take your Crown ‡Particularly, Remember his late affectionate Farewell at the Table of the Lord, not expecting ſuch another Opportunity with you. Exhorting you to follow Peace and Holineſs, and to edify one another.; and go and humble your ſelves alſo before him, that you made no better Improvement of the Miniſtry of your Paſtor while he lived; and beg of him a ſanctified Improvement of his awful Hand in taking him away, and that he would help you to remember his Warnings and Counſels that you too much ſlighted whilſt you had them, leaſt thoſe Warnings and Counſels cry againſt you, and riſe up in Judgment againſt you another Day, leaſt you ſee your Paſtor that ſo affectionately and earneſtly, and ſo often, and for ſo long a Time continued to exhort you, and earneſtly prayed for you, while he lived, riſing up in Judgment, and bearing Teſtimony againſt you, declaring how conſtantly and laboriouſly he intreated and called upon you, and how obſtinately ſome of you ſlighted his Counſels; and leaſt you ſee him ſitting with Chriſt to judge and condemn you, and adoring his awful Juſtice on your aggravated Puniſhment.
All you that have an Intereſt in JESUS, now go to him on this Occaſion, and tell him of your Bereavement, and beg of him that he would not depart from you; but that he would make up his Loſs in his own immediate Preſence. Go to him for your ſurviving Paſtor, that he would be with him, and furniſh him more and more for, and aſſiſt him in that great Work, that is now wholly devolved upon him, and make him alſo a burning and ſhining Light amongſt you; and that you may have of the Preſence and Bleſſing of JESUS with you, and him.
And now, Since I am called to ſpeak in the Name of Chriſt on this ſolemn Occaſion, I would apply my ſelf to the near Relations of the Deceaſed, who are eſpecially to be looked upon, as the bereaved.
God in his holy Providence has taken from you one that has been a great Bleſſing, Comfort and Honour to you, and deſervedly very dear to you, and honoured of you. The Doctrine we are upon directs you what to do in your preſent Circumſtances, viz. To go to Jeſus, to go and ſpread your Affliction before an all-ſufficient Redeemer.
And particularly I would apply my ſelf to the honoured Relict, who ſtood in the neareſt Relation of any to the Deceaſed, whom God by this awful Providence has made a ſorrowful Widow. Suffer me, honoured Madam, in your great Affliction to exhibit to you a compaſſionate Redeemer. God has now taken from you that Servant of his, that was the neareſt and beſt Friend you had in this World, that was your wiſe and prudent Guide, your affectionate and pleaſant Companion, who was ſo great a Bleſſing while he lived, to you and your Family, and under Chriſt, was ſo much the Comfort and Support of your Life. You ſee, Madam, where your Reſort muſt be: Your earthly Friends can condole your Loſs, but can't make it up to you; we muſt all confeſs ourſelves to be but miſerable Comforters: But you may go and tell Jeſus, and there you may have both Support and Reparation: His Love and his Preſence is far beyond that of the neareſt and moſt affectionate earthly Friend. Now you are bereaved of your earthly Conſort, you may go to a ſpiritual Huſband, and ſeek his Compaſſion and his Company; He is the Fountain of all that Wiſdom and Prudence, that Piety, that tender Affection and faithful Care, that you enjoyed in your departed Conſort; in him is an infinite Fountain of all theſe Things, and of all good; in him you may have Light in your Darkneſs, Comfort in your Sorrow, and Fulneſs of Joy and Glory in another World, in an everlaſting Union with your dear deceaſed Relative, in the glorious Preſence of the ſame Redeemer, in whoſe Preſence is Fulneſs of Joy, and at whoſe right Hand are Pleaſures for evermore.
This Doctrine alſo directs the bereaved afflicted Children, that are with Hearts full of Grief, now mourning over a dear departed Father, where to go, and what to do. You will no longer have your Father's Wiſdom to guide you, his tender Love to comfort and delight you, and his affectionate Care to guard you and aſſiſt you, and his pious and judicious Counſels to direct you, and his holy Examples ſet before you, and his fervent, humble, believing Prayers with you and for you.
But in the bleſſed Jeſus, your Father's Lord and Redeemer, you may have much more, than all thoſe Things: Your Father's Vertues that made him ſo great a Bleſſing to you, were but the Image of what is in CHRIST.
Therefore go to him in your Mourning: Go and tell Jeſus; tell a compaſſionate Saviour what has befallen you. Heretofore you have had an earthly Father to go to, whoſe Heart was full of Tenderneſs to you; but the Heart of his Redeemer is much more tender; his Wiſdom and his Love is infinitely beyond that of any earthly Parent. Go to him, and then you will ſurely find Comfort. Go to him and you'l find that, though you are bereaved, yet you are not left in any Want, you'l find that all your Wants are ſupplied, and all your Loſs made up, and much more than ſo.
But here I would particularly, in Humility addreſs my ſelf, to my honoured Fathers, the Sons of the Deceaſed, that are improved in the ſame great Work of the Goſpel Miniſtry, or in other publick Buſineſs for the Service of their Generation. — Honoured Sirs, Though it might be more proper for me to come to you for Inſtruction and Counſel, than to take it upon me to exhort you, yet as I am one that ought to have a Fellow-feeling of your Affliction, and to look on my ſelf as a Sharer in it, and as you have deſired me to ſpeak in the Name of Chriſt, on this Occaſion, ſuffer me to mention to you that Source of Comfort, that infinite Fountain of Good, one of the larger Streams of which, has failed by the Death of an earthly Father, even the bleſſed JESUS. You will doubtleſs acknowledge it as an Inſtance of his great Goodneſs to you, that you have been the Sons of ſuch a Father; being ſenſible that your Reputation and Serviceableneſs in your Generation, has been, under Chriſt, very much owing to the great Advantages you have been under, by his Inſtructions, Counſels and Education. And it is not fit that Children that have learned of ſuch a faithful Servant of Chriſt and been brought up at his Feet now he is dead ſhould do as John the Baptiſt's Diſciples did, go and tell Jeſus? From whom you may receive Comfort under your Bereavement, and from whom you may receive more of that Spirit that dwelt in him, and greater Degrees of thoſe Vertues he derived from Chriſt, to cauſe you to ſhine brighter, and to make you ſtill greater Bleſſings in your Generation. Now Death has veiled and hid from Sight, a Star that ſhone with reflected Light, our Text and Doctrine leads you to the Sun that hath Light in himſelf, and ſhines with infinite unfailing Brightneſs. And while you go to Jeſus, honoured Sirs, on this Occaſion for your ſelves, I humbly deſire your Requeſts to him for us the ſurviving Miniſters of this County, that he would be with us, now he has taken from us him that was as a Father amongſt us.
I nextly would addreſs my ſelf to the ſurviving Paſtor of this Church. We may well look upon you, Reverend Sir, as one in an eſpecial Manner concerned in this awful Providence, and that has a large Share in the Bereavement. You doubtleſs, are ſenſible what Reaſon you have to bleſs God for the Advantage you have had, in ſerving in the Goſpel of Chriſt, ſo long as you have done, with the venerable Perſon deceaſed, as a Son with a Father, enjoying the Benefit of his Inſtructions, Counſels and Example †And particularly, you will often recollect the affectionate and fatherly Counſels he gave you, to Diligence and Faithfulneſs in your Lord's Work, with Encouragement, of his Protection and Aſſiſtance, to carry you thro' all Difficulties: The laſt Evening of his Life.And now, dear Sir, God has taken him from you, as he took Elijah from Eliſha, and as he took John the Baptiſt, the New-Teſtament Elijah, from his Diſciples: Therefore now you are directed what to do, viz. go and tell Jeſus; as thoſe Diſciples did. You have now a great Work devolved upon you; you have him no more who while he lived was as a Father to you, to guide and aſſiſt you, and take the Burthen of your great Work from you. Therefore you have no where elſe to go, but to your great Lord and Maſter, that has ſent you to labour in that Part of his Vineyard, where his aged, and now departed Servant was employed, to ſeek Strength and Wiſdom, and divine Influence and Aſſiſtance from him, and a double Portion of that Spirit, that dwelt in your Predeceſſor.
And laſtly, The Text I am upon may be of Direction to us the ſurviving Miniſters of this County, what to do on this ſorrowful Occaſion. God has now taken our Father and Maſter from our Head: He has removed him that has heretofore under Chriſt, been very much our Strength that we have been wont to Reſort to in difficult Caſes for Inſtruction and Direction, and that uſed to be amongſt us from Time to Time, in our Aſſociations, and that we were wont to behold as the Head and Ornament of thoſe Conventions *Very worthy of our Notice was that his farewel Meſſage ſent us by one of our beloved Brethren (the Rev. Mr. Williams of Springfield) after he returned from ſuch a Meeting, where he alſo preach'd. — 'I don't expect (ſaid he) to be with you another Aſſociation-Meeting: but I give you this Advice, Love your Maſter, love your Work, and love one another.' How very expreſſive of his own Spirit? like John the beloved Diſciple.. Where elſe can we now go but to Jeſus, the ever-living Head of the whole Church, and Lord of the whole Harveſt, the Fountain of Light, our great Lord and Maſter that ſends all Goſpel-Miniſters, and on whom they univerſally depend. Let this awful Providence bring us to look to Chriſt, to ſeek more of his Preſence with us; and that HE would preſide as Head in our Aſſociations: Let it bring us to a more immediate and entire Dopendance upon him, for Inſtruction and Direction, in all our Difficulties.
Let us on this Occaſion conſider what God has done in this County of late Years: It was not many Years ago that the County was filled with aged Miniſters, that were our Fathers, But our Fathers, where are they? — What a great Alteration is made in a little Time, in the Churches in this Part of the Land! †The Rev. Mr. Stoddard, Mr. Taylor, Mr. Williams of Deerfield, Mr. Brewer, and lately have died, Mr. Bull of Weſtfield, and Mr. Devotion of Suffield.How frequent of late have been the Warnings of this Kind that God has given us to prepare to give up our Account! Let us go to Jeſus, and ſeek Grace of him that we may be faithful while we live, and that he would aſſiſt us in our great Work, that when we alſo are called hence, we may give up our Account with Joy and not with Grief, and that hereafter we may meet thoſe our Fathers, that have gone before us in the faithful Labours of the Goſpel, and that we may ſhine forth with them, as the Brightneſs of the Firmament, and as the Stars forever and ever.
FINIS.
End of the text · Jonathan Edwards, The Resort and Remedy of those Bereaved by Death of William Williams (1741)