Part 15
yet none candoubt but it may be diſcovered to usby revelation
fromGod ; and that one way or other it will be diſcovered, is highly probable, becauſe nothing willbedenied to that perfect
ſtate which maycontribute to, or complete the joy and happineſs thereof, as we cannot but think this knowledge willdo If Adam knew Eve to be eſh of his fleth, and bone of his bone, in the ſtate of innocence ; and if the apostles knew Moſes and Elias upon the mount, yea, if Dives in hell knew Abraham
and Lazarus inheaven; ſurewe may well allow that knowledge
to the glorified ſaints inheaven, which we find in the ſtate of innocence, or inthe ſinful ſtate on earth, or in the ſtate of the
damned inhell.
And if fo, then the covenanted parents ſhall be able tofay in thatday, this was our child for whom we prayedand travelled again, till Chriſt was formed in him; this is he whom we educated forGod, and trainedup in the nurture and admoni-
tion of the Lord ; and now we fee the fruit of our prayers, counſels, catechiſings ; a child of fo many prayers periſhed not. And the covenanted child ſhall ſay, this was my pious Father, who took ſuch care for my foul; and this my tender mother, who, like another Monica, was zealouſly concerned for my eter-
nal happiness. These are they that ſowed ſo manyprayers, whichGod gavethem nottime to reap the fruits of on earth,
but now they ſhall reap the fruit and comfort of them for ever. O joyful meeting inthe kingdom ofGod ! The joy of ſuch a meeting abundantly recompenfes for allthe tears andgroans of
adolorous parting. Now, put all this together, and value the arguments producedtomake good the first thing propounded, namely, the fuffi-
ciency of the covenant torelieve and remedy all the forrows and loſſes of believers, be they never ſo many, or ſo great ; this cannot bedoubted, ſince it hath been proved, that it difarms
all their afflictions of the only ſting bywhich theywound; alters the very nature and property of their afflictions, turning them from curſes into bleſſings ; ranks and disposes them into their proper claſs and place of ſervice, ſo as the counſel ofmen and angels could never laythembetter to our advantage; engages thegracious and ſpecial preſence ofGod with you in all
your troubles ; fecures all your eſſential and ſubſtantial mercies
from allhazards andcontingencies; diſcovers a confiftency, yea, Ggg 2
420 The Balm of the Covenant aconnectionbetwixt therodandthe loveofGod; andaffuret you, that whatever temporal mercy you ever enjoyed, in and by virtue of the covenant, ſhall be reſtored toyou again with
an admirable improvement, and fingular advantage. It is by all this, I say, abundantly proved, that the covenant is a fove
reign and effectual remedy to all the ſorrows of God's people; andthat itwas no hyperbole in David's encomium, whenhe cal
led it hisfalvation, and allhis defire. But then, as hinted before.
II. It must be able todo theſe things at all times, andinall ages, or elfe it willbe but a temporary relief to fomeonly, and not to all. Now, that the covenant hath this ability in allages, and is as able to relieve us now, as itwas to relieve David in hisday, fully appears by the epithetgiven itin the text, itis
an EVERLASTING COVENANT . " Yet hath " he made with me an everlasting covenant."
Time is the meaſure of other things; but everlastingneſs is the meaſure of the covenant. When the Lord eſpouſeth a people tohimself in covenant, "he betrothes them to himself for
" ever," Hof. ii. 19. And from that day forward they may fay ongoodgrounds, "ThisGod is our God for ever and ever; " hewill be ourguide even untodeath," as it is in Pfai. xlvii.
14. Nothingin nature is ſo firmlyeſtabliſhed as the covenant is. Hills andmountains ſhall ſooner ſtart from their baſis and
centre, and by like wandering atoms up anddown in the air, than this covenant ſhall Hart from its fure and ſtedfaft foundation, Iſa. liv. ιο,
The caufes and reaſons of the immutability of the newco venant, are,
1. The unchangeable purpoſe of God, which isa fure and ſtedfaſt foundation, 2 Tim. ii. 29. " Nevertheless, the founda " tion of God ſtandeth fure, having this ſeal, theLord knoweth " them that are bis." The firſt act of God's love to the crea ture, is thatbywhich he chuſeth ſuchaone to be his, andis therefore calledthe foundation ofGod, as being that on which helays the ſuperſtructure of all other mercies. And this ſtands
fure, there canbe vacillancy or flipperineſs inſuch afoundation; for he knows whoare his ; he knows them ashis creatures, and ashis new-creatures in covenant with him; as his by election, andhis by covenant-trapfaction and compact. The purpoſe of hisgracebefore time, gave being to the covenant of gracein
time, and is the foundation of it.
2. The free grace ofGod in Chriſt, is thatwhich gives immutability to this covenant. It is not builtuponworks, bat
applied to afflicted Saints. 42
grace: " Therefore it is offaith, that it mightbebygrace ; to " the end the promiſe might be ſure to all the feed," Rom. iv.
16. Thiscovenant is notfounded as the firſt was, uponthe variableand inconſtant obedience of man, but upon grace, which
is a ſteddy and firm foundation of it.
3. The furetiſhip of Chriſt gives everlasting ſtability to this covenant, Heb. vii. 22. " He was made * the ſurety of abet-
ter teftament," or covenant : For διαθηκη ſignifies both; he ſtruck hands, or engaged himself for the whole covenant, and every condition in it, andthat both onGod's part andours ; to undergo allour punishments, to pay all our debts, and towork
in us all that Godrequiredof us in the covenant ofgrace : Andallthis under the penalty that lay upon us to have under-
gone. Andthis not as other ſureties, who enter intooneand
the famebond with the principal, ſothat the creditor may come
uponwhich he will: buthe lays all upon Chriſt, and relies whollyupon him for fatisfaction, knowing he was able to per-
formit ; and ſo under the type of God'scovenantwithDavid, Chriſt is brought in, Pfal. lxxxix. 19. "Thou ſpakeſt inviſion " tothy holyOne, and ſaidſt, Ihave laid help on onewho is " mighty:" q.d. I know thy ability, mySon, thou art able to payme, and therefore I lay alluponthee.
Itfollows ſtrongly from whathath been faid, that the virtue of the covenant decays not by time, as other things do, but it
is at this day, and will be to the end of the world, as potent and efficacious a relief to allGod's people, as ever it was to David, or any of the believers of the firſt ages.
And if fo, certainlynothingcanbe more ſtrongly ſupporting, or ſweetly relieving in ſuch a changeable world than this, he hathmade withme aneverlasting covenant. WhatDavid ſpeaks of the natural heavens, will be found true, of things over-
ſpread and covered by them, Pfal. cii. 26, 27. They ſhall " periſh, but thou ſhalt endure and all of them ſhallwaxold " like a garment; and as aveſture ſhalt thou change them, " andthey ſhallbe changed. But thou art the fame, andthy "years ſhall have no end." The creature was, and is not; but my covenant God is the fame; his name is Iam, and his
covenant istheſamethat ever itwas , which isthe ſecondpropertyor ingredient of this complete remedy to the faints afflictions. The covenant hath not only all power, virtue, and efficacyin itſelf to relieve a diſtreſſed Chriſtian, but it hath it in
* Εγτυος, from εγraw which ſignifies to ſtrike hands, εν γυιούς
422 The Balm of the Covenant
allages, as well for one as for another. The third and laſt follows, namely,
III. That it is afure covenant : So David ſtiles it in my text. The certainty of the covenant is the glory of the covenant, and the comfort of all that are in it. The certainty of it in itſelf is paſt alldoubt, by what hath been ſaid before. It iscertainGoddid make ſuch an everlasting covenant with his people in Chriſt, and itmust remain an eternal truth, that ſuch
acovenant there is betwixtGod and them. It is as impoſſible that this everlasting covenant ſhould notbe made with them, as it is impoſſible forGod to lie, Heb. vi. 18. If he might make himſelf not to have covenanted everlastingly with them when oncehehadfo covenanted, ſuch a ſuppoſition would destroy the foundation of all faith and certainty, and overthrow the apoſtle's conſequence on which the faith and comfort of be,
lievers is built. Nor is itany infringementof the Almighty power, to ſay,Godhimself cannot do that which implies a plain contradiction, as factum infectum reddere, to make that which wasdone, not tobedone.
But of this there is nodoubt ; it is a fure covenant in itſelf. Thatwhich makes to my purpoſe here, is to prove it capable of perſonal ſecurity and certainty to us. David had, and all the
federates, as well as he, may have aſubjective or perfonal certaintyalfo. He speaks categorically and poſitively in the text, " Yet hath he made [with me] an everlasting covenant."
Objection. If itbe ſaid, he might haveaperſonal certainty of it, becauſe it was revealed to him in an extraordinary way by the prophet Nathan, 2 Sam. vii. 12, 13, 14. and extraordinaria non currunt in exemplum, this was a peculiar favour, whichwe may not expect.
Solution. I reply, andwhymaynot weknow it with as foll acertainty towhomGod is pleaſed tomake it known in his ordinaryway ? Think you his word and Spirit cannot ratify it as
fullyand firmly toour souls, as Nathan's diſcovery of itdid to David'sfoul ? Godgive me butſuch aſeal of it in his ordinary
method and wayof confirmation, and I will defire no more of him in this world for my relief and comfort, whatever afflic tions it thall pleaſe him to lay upon me.
Andthus you fee all the properties of acomplete remedy in thecovenant, and of it every believer may ſay, " This is all 66 my falvation, andall mydefire, though he makenotmyhouſe " togrow." And nowwhathinders, but thatallGod's afflic ted ſhouldfay from henceforth, "Return unto thy reſt, O my " foul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee," Pfal.
applied to afflicted Saints. 423 cxvi. 7. I have allthe deſires of myheart in the covenantof God, though he take away the defire of mine eyes upon earth
with his ſtroke. In this covenant my foul is at reſt, and my very heart is centred. No affliction can be great enough to
make the conſolations of the Almighty ſem ſmall in mineeyes, Worldly forrows may ſwallow up worldly comforts, but no
forrows upon earth can ſwallow up the confolations of the covenant.
I know many Chriſtians droop and are dejected under the rod, notwithstanding ſuch ſovereign cordials are prepared for them in the covenant; but this is not for want of efficacy in the covenant, but for want of faith to clear their intereſt, and draw forth the virtue of it to their relief. Some are ignorant of their privileges, and others diffident about their intereſt. It is with many ofGod's children, as it iswith our children in their infancy, they know not their father, nor the inheritance they arebornunto.
That which remains, isthe improvementof this truth toour actual comfort and relief in the day of trouble. And this I ſhall aſſiſt you in, asGod ſhall aſſiſt me, byway of,
1. Information. 2. Exhortation. 3. Examination, and 4. Confolation.
USE 1. For information, in three corollaries.
Corollary 1. By what hath been diſcourſed from this text, it appears, That God governs the spiritual part of the world by faith, andnot byfense. Hewill have them live upon his cove-
nantandpromises, and fetch their relief andcomfort thence, underalltheirforrows anddiſtreſſes in this life.
God never intended temporal things for his people's portion, therefore from them they must not expect their relief in times of trouble. He will have us read his love tous by things with-
inus, not by things without us. He hath other ways of expreffinghis love tohis people, than by the ſmiles of his providenceupon them. How would earthly things be overvalued and
idolized, if beſides their conveniency toour bodies, they ſhould be the marks and evidences of God's love to our fouls ! A Chriſtian is to value himſelf as the merchant, or the husband-
mandoth. The merchant values himself by his bills and goods abroad, not by the ready caſh that lies by him. Andthe hufbandman by his deeds and leaſes, and ſo many acres of corn he hath in theground, and knows he hath a good eftate, though ſometimes he be not able to command twenty ſhillings. Chri-
424 The Balm of the Covenant
ſtian, thyeſtate alſo lies ingood promiſes, andnew-covenant ſecurities, whether thou haft more or leſs of earthly comforts in thyhands.
Every creature feeds according toits nature; the fame plant affords food to ſeveral forts of creatures : Thebee feeds upon
the flower, the sheep upon the branch, the bird uponthe feed, and the ſwine upon the root. One cannot live upon what the other doth . So it is here : A Chriſtian can feedupon the pro miſes, and make a ſweet meal upon the covenant, which the
carnal mind cannot relim. " The life that I now live, I live " by the faith of the Son ofGod;" faith the apostle, Gal. ii. 21. This is that mysterious and excellent life of faith, and the teſt of true Chriſtianity, to relieve ourſelves by our hopes of things to come, againſt preſent evils; to balance the forrows and loſſesof this life, with the promises and expectations of the
next. Thus did the renowned believers of the firſt age ; whenever they felt a pang or qualm upon their hearts, under their trialsandforrows from the world, they would preſently run to
their cordial, the promises, and, by faith, from thence would
refresh and invigorate their ſouls with new life and power. " We faint not, whilft we look not at the things which are " ſeen, for they are temporal ; but at the things which are not " ſeen, for they are eternal," 2 Cor. iv. 16, 17, 18. And tru ly ſo muſt we alſo, whenour hearts are faint within us in days of affliction, or our ſpirits will fail, and we shall go away in a faintfit of deſpondency.
Corol. 2. Learn hence thefovereign efficacy of the word, and whata choice privilege it is tohave theje lively oracles of God in ourhands, inaday of distress andtrouble.
It is no ordinary mercy tobe born in aland of Bibles and miniſters; tohave theſe choice ſupports and reliefs at hand, in all ourfainting hours. " This is my comfort in myaffliction, for " thy word hath quickened me," Pfal. cxix 50. It was no ſmall mercy gained by the reformation, that itputthe oraclesof God into our hands. It affords us many cordials for the fupport of our fouls. For this, among other great and excellent uſes, the ſcriptures werewritten, " Thatwe, through patience, " and comfort of the ſcriptures, might have hope," Rom xv. 4. Inother parts of the world, it is a ſealedbook ; bleſsGod it isnotſo toyou. Allcreature-comforts have adouble detect, they are neither ſuitable nor durable ; but the word is ſo. Compare the arguments that have been urged from the covenant, with fuch as theſe. Itis invain to trouble ourſelves about
applied to afflicted Saints. 425 what we cannot help : We are not alone introuble, othershave
their loff's and afflictions as well as we. Alas ! what dryand ineffectual comforts are theſe ! they penetrate not the heart, as pardon of fin, peace withGod, and ſanctification of troubles to our ſalvation do.
And no leſs is the mercyof an able New-teſtament miniſtry, to open, apply, and inculcate the confolations of the ſcriptures, to be eſteemed. It is no common favour to the afflicted foul, tohave with ornearhim an " Interpreter, oue among a thou- " ſand, to ſhew untohim his uprightness," Job xxxiii. 23. O England, prize and improvetheſe mercies, andprovoke not thy God to bereave thee of them.
Ican find no ſuch ſettlement made of the gospel and miniſtry upon any place or people, but that Godmay remove both upon their abuſe of them and it hedo, ſad will the case of ſucha people be, eſpecially when aday of diſtreſs and trouble ſhall be upon them. It is ſad to be in a ſtorm at ſea, without a compaſs or pilot to direct and advise the diſtreſſedpaſſengers. Much ſo is the case of the afflicted, whendeprived of the word
and miniſtry.
Let it therefore be your care tohide theword inyourhearts, and get the teachings of the Spirit; that whatever changes of providence be upon the world, you may have the light and
comfort of the ſcriptures to direct and cheer your fouls. Sanc- -tification isthewriting of God's law in your hearts ; and what
iswrittenthere is ſecureand ſafe. The word within you is more ſecure, ſweet, and effectual, thanthe word withoutyou.
Jerom faithof Nepotianus, that by long and affiduous meditation of the ſcriptures, hisbreaſtwas at laſtbecome the library of Chriſt. Othat the breast of every Chriſtianwere ſo too. Corol. 3. How fadand deplorably miferable is their condition, who haveno title to, nor comfort from the covenant ofGod, when aday of affliction andgreat diſtreſs is upon them!
Unrelieved miſeries are the moſt intolerable miſeries . Tobe over-weighed with troubles on earth, and want ſupport and comfort fromheaven, is adiſmal ſtate indeed; yet this is the
caſe of multitudes in the world. If a believer be in trouble, hisGod bears his burden for him, yea, he bears up him and his burden too ; buthe that hath nocovenant-intereſt inGod, muſt ſay as it is, Jer.x. 19. " This is myaffliction, and I alone " muſt bear it."
There arebut two ways theycan take for relief, either to divert their troubles by that which will inflame them, or reft
VOL. VII. Hhh
426 The Balm of the Covenant their burdened ſpiritsupon that which will fail them. To run to the tavern or ale-houſe, insteadof the clofet, is to quench the fire by pouring on oil ; and to run from one creature which is ſmitten and withered, to another which ſtill continues with us, is to lean upon a broken reed, which not only deceives us, but wounds and pierceth us What a miferable plight was Saul
in, and how doleful was his cryand complaint to Samuel,
I Sam. xxviii. 15. " I am fore diſtreſſed, for the Philistines " make war against me, andGod is departed from me, and an " ſwereth me no more." Heaven and earth forfook him at Reader, if this be thy cafe, I advise thee to reſt no longer in fo miferable a condition. Thy very diſtreſs ſeems by an happy neceffity to put thee uponGod, and drive thee to him forte
fuge; and it seems to be the very aim and deſign of God in blafting allthy earthly comforts, to neceffitate thee to cometo
him, which thou wouldst never be perfuaded to do, whillt thou hadſt any creature-prop to ſtay and reſt upon. And think not that thou shalt be rejected, becauſe thou art brought bya plainneceffity to him ; come ſincerely, and thou shalt not be
upbraided, becauſe a neceffity threw thee upon him. USE II. Seeing then thatthecovenant of God is the great relief and ſupport of allhis afflicted people, let the afflicted toul goto this bleſſed covenant; ſtudy and apply it in all diſtreffes.
It is in itſelf a ſovereign cordial, able to revivea gracious ſpirit atthe loweſt ebb; but then it must be ſtudied and applied, or
itwill never give forth its confolations toourrefreshment. Ex treme forrows are apt todeafen our ears to allvoicesofcomfort. The loud cries ofaffliction too oftendrown the ſweet ſtill voice
of ſpiritual confolation ; but either here orno where our redreſs is to be found. Why ſeek we the living among the dead! Comfort fromthings thatcannot yield it ? The covenant can diſcover two things which are able to pacify the moſtdiſcom poſed heart, viz.
2. The end } of affliction .
1. It willdiſcover to us the good of affliction, and ſo rectify ourmistaken judgments about it. God is not undoing but con
ſulting our intereſt and happiness in all theſe difpenfations, It will fatisfy us, that in all theſe things he doth no more
than what we ourſelves allow and approve in other cafes. It is not merely from his pleaſure, but for our profit, that thefe breaches are made upon our families and comforts, Heb. xii. 10. Who blames the mariner for cafting the goods over-boardto
lave ſhipand life in a ſtorm ? or the furgeon forlancing, yea,
applied to afflicted Saints. 427 orcuttingoff a leg or arm to preſerve the life of his patient ?
or foldiers for burning or beating down the fuburbs, to save the city ina ſiege? Andwhy muſt God only be cenſured, for cut-
ting off thoſe things from us which he knows will hazard us in
theday of temptation ? He sees the leſswe have of entanglement, the more promptneſs and fitneſs we shall have to go
through the trials that are coming upon us ; and that all the comforts he cuts off from our bodies, are for the profit and advantae of our fouls.
2. Here you gain a fight not only of the good of affliction, but alſo of the comfortable end and iſſue of affliction. This cloudy and ſtormy morning willwind up in a ſerene and pleaſant
evening. There is a vaſt difference betwixt our meeting with afflictions, and our parting from them, " You have heard of " the patience of Job, and have ſeen the endof the Lord." O get but Job's ſpirit under affliction, andyou may fee as happy
an end of them as he did.
HadNaomi ſeen the end of the Lord in taking away herhufband, and ſtarving her out of Moab, ſhe would not have
changed her name, or ſaid the Lord had dealt bitterly with her,
in grafting her daughter by that providence into the noble line, out of which the Saviour of the world was to rife; and could you but ſee that good inorder to which all this train of trou- -bles is laid, you would not murmur ordeſpond as you do.
Objection 1. O but this is a grievous ſtroke; God hath ſmitten me in theapple of mine eye, and written bitter things a-
gainſt me. No forrow is like my forrow ; it is a mourning for an only fon ; I have lost all inone.
Solution 1. You can never lose all in one, except that onebe Chriſt ; andhe being your's incovenant, cannever be loſt. But
your meaning is, you have lost all of thatkind in one, no more ſons to build up your houſe, and continue your name.
2. But yet religion will not allow you to say that your dead childrenare a loſt generation. Praemittuntur, non amittuntur : They are fent before, but not loſt. For they are a covenantſeed, by you dedicated to the Lord: They were children of
many prayers ; a great ſtock of prayers was laid up for them ; in them alſo you, and all thatknew them, difcerned a teachable ſpirit, pious inclinations, and confcience of ſecret duties, ſome good things towards the LordGod of Ifrael, as was faid of
young Abijah, 1 Kings xiv. 13. So that you parted from them upon far eaſier terms than good David parted from his Amnon, Abfalom, orAdonijah, who died in their fins and open rebel Hhh2
428 The Balm of the Covenant
lions. There wasa ſting inhis troubles which you feel not and if he comforted himself, notwithstanding, in the covenant
of hisGod, in this reſpect you may much more.
Object. 2. Obut my fonwas cut offin the verybud,juſtwhen the fruits of education were ready todiſcloſe andopen.
Sol. Let not that confideration ſoincenſeyour forrows ; God knows the fittest time both togive and to take our comforts; and ſeeing you havegoodgrounds to hope your childdied inte
reſted inthe covenant of God, you have the leſs reaſon to in filt upon that afflicting circumstance of animmature death. He thatdies in Chriſt,hath lived longenoughboth for himselfand us. That mariner hath failedlong enough that hath gained his port; and that foldier fought long enough that hath won
the victory; andthat childlived long enough, that hath won heaven, how early ſoever he died.
Beſide, the fooner he died, the leſs ſin he hath committed, and the leſs mifery he ſaw and felt inthiswretchedworld, which weare left tobehold and feel. And it is but avanity to imagine that theparting pull with himwouldhave been eafier, if
the enjoymentof him had been longer : For the long enjoy-
ment of defireable comforts doth not use toweaken, but abundantly to ſtrengthen andfaftenthe ties of affection.
Submit your reaſon therefore, as is meet, to the wisdom of God, who certainly choſe the fitteſt ſeaſon for this affliction. Obut, No more buts and objections, I beſeech you. Enough hath been offered from the covenant of your God, to Silence allyour objections, and togive you the eaſeand pleafure of a reſigned will. And what are all our buts and objections, but a ſpurning at divine ſovereignty, and the thrusting
in the afflictiondeeper intoyour own hearts, which arewoundedbut toodeep already ?
Iperfuadeyou nottoputoff, but to regulate natural affec tions : To be without them, would deſervedly rank us among theworstof heathens; but rightlytobound and managethem, would ſet you among the beſt of Chriſtians.
I cannot imaginewhat eaſe or advantage holy * Bafil gained byſuch a particular and heart-piercing account, as he gave ofa like affliction with this ; nor towhat purpoſe itcan beto you, to recal and recount thoſethingswhich only incenſe and aggra-
vate your troubles : Doubtless, your better way were to tura your thoughts from ſuch ſubjects as theſe; toyourGod in co
* I oncehada ſon (ſaidhe), who was a young man, my only fucceſſor, the ſolace of my age, the glory of his kind, the prop ofmy
family, arrived to the endearing age, &c.
applied to afflicted Saints. 429 venant, asDavid in the text did, and to recount the manygreat and inestimable mercies that are ſecured to you therein, which death ſhall never ſmite, or cut off fromyou, as it doth your
other enjoyments.
Quest. But yet unleſs we can in ſome meaſure clear ourcovenant-intereſt, all theſe excellent cordials prepared, will fignify no more toour relief, than water ſpiltupon the ground : Help us thereforetodo that, or elſe allthat hath been ſaid is in vain? Howmay a perſon diſcern his covenant-right and intereſt ?
Anfw. This indeed is worthy of all confideration, and deferves a ſerious anſwer, foraimuch as it isfundamental toyour
comfort, and all actual refreshment in times of trouble; and will bring us to the nextuſe, which is for trial of our covenant
intereſt.
USE III. The greatqueſtion tobedecided, is, whetherGod beourcovenant God, and we his people ? A queſtion of the
moſt tolemn nature, and ſuch as requires awful attention. We cannot expect fatisfaction in this matter by ſuch anextraordinary way asDavid had it, butwe mayknowitby,
First, Our covenant-engagements. Secondly, Our covenant-impreſſions,
Thirdly, Our covenant-converſations. First, By our covenant-engagements, or dedications of ourſelves to God ; ſometimes called ourjoining ourselves to the Lord, Zech. ii. 11. our yielding ourſelves tohim, Rom. vi. 19.
ourgiving ourſelves to him, 2 Cor. viii. 5. The foul that freely and deliberately conſentstotakeorchuſethe Lord tobe hisGod, may warrantably conclude the Lord hath taken or choſenhim:
for our choice ofGod is but the reſultof his choice of us, John xv. 16. " You have not choſen me, but I have choſen " you ; " (i. e.) you could never have choſen me, but inconſequence to, andby virtue of my first choice of you .
Well then, let itbe ſeriouſly confidered, whether you have duly conſented to take the Lord for your God, and Chriftfor your Redeemer. This includes twothings in it. 1. Your relinquiſhing of all things inconſiſtent with him. 2. Youracceptation of all that promotes the glory and enjoyment of him.
1. Your relinquiſhing of all things thatare inconſiſtent with an intereſt inhim. Except we let theſe go, Godcannot be our God, nor Chriſt our Redeemer. The things to be relinquished for Chriſt are, in ſhort, both ourfinful, and our righteous Jelf. Sinful-felf must be diſclaimed and renounced : For we cannotbe the ſervants of fin, and the ſervants of Chrift too,
430 The Balm of the Covenant Rom. vi. 14, 18. Andrighteous-felf mult be renounced alſo,
or we can have no part or intereſt in his righteouineſs, Rom. x. 3. Theſe are two difficult points of ſelf-denial, to part with every beloved luſt, and to give up our own righteouineſs. Thousands chuſe rather to be damned for ever, than to do eitherof theſe.
2. Your acceptance and embracing of allthings that promote his glory, and further the enjoyment of him. As all the pain-
fulways of duty, hearing, praying, meditating, and all this with the intention of the inner-man, and offering up of the
foul toGod in theſe duties; and the more painful ways of fuffering for God, and enduring all loſſes, reproaches, torments, and death for him, if his glory requires it, and you maybe thereunto called. All this is included in your chulingGod to beyourGod. And upon our understanding and free confent, and fealing to theſe articles, we have right to callhim ourGod. Matth. xxi. 24. " If any man will come after me, let him de-
nyhimself, and take up his croſs and follow me." Now, have you confidered the terms of the covenant, weighed and balanced allthe conveniencies and inconveniencies of godliness,
and then determined for Chriſt and holiness, letthe coſtbe what itwill ; then you havechoſen him aright for yourGod. Many think they have choſenGod for theirGod, that never under-
ſtood or deliberated theſe terms. But non confentit, quinon fentit: He that neither knows nor ponders them, is not capable
ofgiving adueconſent.
Secondly, We maydiſcern our covenant-intereſt, in the covenant-impreffions that are made upon our fouls. All God's covenant-people have adouble mark or impreſſion made upon them, viz.
J. Upon their minds. 2. Upon their hearts. 1. Upon their minds, in a more ſpiritual and efficacious knowledge of God, Jer. xxxi. 33. "They ſhall all know me, " from the greatest of them, even to the leaſt of them." This knowledge is faid to be given, not acquiredby mere ſtrength of
natural abilities and human aids ; and given as in the faceof Chrift, notby the footsteps of the creatures only, as he ſpeaks, 2Cor. iv. 6. It is the choice teaching of the anointing, 1 John ii. 27. A knowledge ſpringing from inward experience and ſpiritual ſenſe ; as we know the ſweetness of honeyby tafting, better thanbyallthe deſcriptions andreports that can be made of it.
2. Upon their hearts, inthat gracious tenderness and melt-
applied to afflicted Saints. 431 ingsof itfor fin, orthediſcoveries of free-grace in the pardon of it. So you read in Ezek. xxxvi . 26. " A new heart alſo " will I give you, and a new ſpirit will I put within you, and " I will take away the ſtonyheart out of your fleſh, and I will " giveyou an heart of flesh."
It is as eaſy tomelt the obdurate rocks into ſweet ſyrup, as it is to meltthe natural heart into apenitential and tender melting
for fin ; but now there is a principle or habit of tenderneſs implanted inthe foul, whereby it isdiſpoſed and inclined to relent
and thaw ingenuously upon any juſt occafion.
Thirdly, Our covenant-intereſt may be evinced in andby our covenant-conversations. All the knowledge which is communicated to our minds, and all the tenderness given to our hearts, do reſpectand tend tothis : Ezek. xxxvi. 27. " I will " put my Spirit within you, and cauſe you to walk in my ſta-- " tutes." Habits and principles are for action and practice : Grace in the heart is for obedience and holiness of life.
It is true, that as ourgraces are imperfect, ſo is ourobedience alfo. Perfect working is not to be expected from imperfect creatures. God's own covenanted people do often grieve him, and provoke him tobring them under therod of affliction ; but thoſe their infirmities break not the bond of the covenant, Pfal.
Ixxxix. 30, 31, 32. Care and watchfulness ordinarilygo before them, conflicts and reſiſtance accompany them, and ſhame, grief, and renewed care, uſually follow them, 2 Cor. vii. 11 . By theſe things (which deſerves a more copious diſcourſe than
mypreſentdeſign canallow) we may be helped to clear our inte-
reſt inthe covenant of grace : Andthatbeingdone, it ſhouldbe out of the power of all the afflictions intheworld to fink your
ſpirits. Let me therefore in the laſt place add, USE IV. A wordof confolation to your dejected and droopinghearts, upon this fad andmournful occafion. Why are you ſo troubled ? And why do thoughts ariſe in your hearts ? Methinks there hath been so much of ſupport and comfortalready discovered toyou in this bleſſed covenant, that could your faith
butonce fix upon it, and realize and apply it, I might laydown
my pen at this period, and ſay, The work is done, there needs
nomore ; butknowing how obſtinate deep forrows are, andhow difficult a task the comforting of an afflicted mind is, I will, for acloſe, ſuperadd a few confiderations more, to all that hath beenurged andargued before .
Confideration 1. Confider how ſmall and trivial the comforts, whoſe loſs you bewail, are in comparison with Jetus Chrift, who is ſtill yourown, under the bond of a fure covenant. A
432 The Balm of the Covenant
fon, an only and a promiſing ſon, is a great thing, when he ſtands in comparison with other creature-comforts, but furely he will feem a fmall thing, and next to nothing, when fet by, or compared with Jeſus Chriſt. Behold the Father, Son, and Spirit ! Pardon and eternal ſalvation are this day presented in the covenant of grace before your ſouls, as your own. " even our own God, ſhall bleſs us," Pfal. lxvii. 6. you feel your hearts wounded with fuch athought as
"God,
When
this, I
cannot embrace my children in my arms, they are now out of my reach ; thenbleſs and admireGod, that the arms of your faithcanembrace ſogreat, ſo glorious aSaviour, and that you can ſay, "My beloved is mine, and Iam his."
Confid. II. Conſider what evil days are comingon, andwhata mercy it is toyourdead, thatGodhath taken them away from theevil to come, Ifa. lvii. 1, 2. There are two forts of evils to come, viz. Evils offin, and evils ofsufferings ; and it is no ſmall favour tobe ſet out of thewayof both. The grave is the hiding-placewhereGodſecuresſome fromthedangersofboth. We are apt to promife ourſelves times of tranquillity, and then it cuts us to think that ourdear ones ſhallnot partake with us in that felicity: But if we wisely confider the fins or the ſignsof the times, wehave more cauſe to rejoice thatGod hath ſet them out of harm's way.
Allthings ſeem toconſpire andwork towards a day of great temptation and tribulation. Now as Chriſt told his diſciples, whowere ſodejected, becauſe he was toleave them, John xiv.
28. " If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, becauſe I faid, I go " to the Father :" So trulyyou would much better expreſs and manifeſt your love to your children, in your fatisfaction inthe will and appointment ofGod, intaking them into reſt and ſafe-
ty, than in your dejections and forrows fortheir removal Surely they are better where they are, than where theywere, whom Godhath houſed in heaven out of the ſtorinand tempeſt. And
couldyour dead friends that are with Chriſt, have anymore in-
tercourſe with this world, and fee your tears, and hear your fighs for them, they would say to you, as Chriſt did to thoſe that followed himwailing and mourning, Weep not for us, but for yourſelves, and ſuch as remain in theworld with you, to fee and feel the calamities that are coming on it. Confid. III. Confider how near you are to that bleſſed ſtate yourſelves, where Godshallbe all in all, and you ſhall feel no want of any creature-comfort, I Cor XV 28. Creature-comforts are only accommodated comforts to this animal life we now live, but ſhortly there will be no need of
applied to afflicted Saints. 433 them; forGod will be all in all; That is, all the faints ſhall be abundantly fatisfied in and withGod alone. As there is water
enough in one fea to fill all the rivers, lakes, and ſprings in the world: And light enough in one fun to enlighten all the inhabitants of the world : So there is enough in oneGod eternally
to fill and fatisfy all the bleſſed ſouls in heaven, without the addition of anycreature-comfort. God is complete fatisfaction to
all the faints in the abſence (I cannot ſaywant) of wives and children, meats and drinks, eſtates and ſenſitive pleaſures :
There will be no more need of theſe things, than of candles at noon-day. You shall be as the angels ofGod, who haveno concernment for relations.
Your fulness of years, infirmities of body, and, I hope, I may add, your improvements in grace, ſpeak you not far ſhort of this bleſſed ſtate: And though you mayfeem to need theſe comforts in theway, yourGod thall fupply all yourwants.
Confid. IV. To conclude, Whatfoeveryour troubles, wants, fears, or dangers are, ormay be inyour paffage to thisbleſſed
flate, the covenant of grace is your ſecurity, and by virtue thereof your troubles ſhall open and divide, as Jordan did, to giveyou a fafe paſſage into your eternal reft.
Look, as when the fraelites camenear the land of promiſe, there was a ſwelling Jordan betwixt it andthem, which seemed
to forbid their farther paſſage and progreſs ; but it is faid, Joſh. iii. 17. " The priests that bore the arkof the covenant of the " Lord, ſtood firm on the groundinthe midst of Jordan ; and " all the Ifraelites paſſedover ondry ground, until allthe peo- "plewere paffedclean over Jordan " Juſt ſo it is here: The
covenantof grace ſtands on firmground, inthemidst ofall the deep waters of tribulation you are to paſs through, to ſecure unto you a ſafe paſſage through them all. Rejoice, therefore, and triumph in the fulneſs and firmneſs of thisbleſſedcovenant, andwhatsoever affliction yourGod ſhallpleaſe to lay uponyou,
orwhatsoever comforthe ſhall pleaſe to remove from you, ſtill
" Yet
comfort and encourage yourſelves, as Davidheredoth, " hath he madewith me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all " things, and ſure : For this is all myfalvation, and all myde " fire; althoughhe make itnot to grow."
VOL. VII.
[ 434 ]
A E R M 0 N
Preached for the FUNERAL of that Excellent and Religious
GENTLEMAN, JOHN UPTON OF LUPTON, Eſq;
2 CHRON.XXXV. 24, 25.
Hisfervants therefore took him out of that chariot, andput him
in thefecond chariot that he had ; and they brought him toJerufalem, and he died, andwas buried in one of the fepulchres of his fathers : and all Judah and Jerusalem mournedfor Jofiah. And Jeremiah lamentedfor Fofiah, andallthefing. ing-men, andthesinging-women spake of fofiah in their la mentations to this day, andmade them an ordinance in Ifrael: and beholdthey are written in the lamentations.
INN this context we have the hiſtoryofthepious life, and tra
gical death, of goodking Jofiah. The history of his life gives us an account of both what he was, and what he did. As to his perſonal endowments and qualifications, they were
fingular and eximious, as appears by the fourfold character by which he is deſcribed in the context : For,
First, He eſpouſed the intereſt of religion betimes, even in
hisyouth ; chap. xxxiv. ver. 3. " For in the eighth year of his " reign, while he was yet young, he began to ſeek after the
" God of David his father:" Andthatunder the great difad-
vantage of an ill education, ſuch amorning promifeda glorious day.
Secondly, He hated all corrupt mixtures in the worship of God, andwas anſwerably zealous for reformation ; "Andin
" the twelfth yearhebegan topurge Judah and Jerufalem from " the high places, and the groves," &c. as knowing well he
and his people might expectno more ofGod'sbleſſing on the
ordinances, thantherewasof his preſence inthem ; andno more of his prefence can rationallybe expected, than there is of his
ownorder and inſtitution.
ASermon preached, &c. 435 Thirdly, Hewasofa very tender andimpreſſive heart, mourningforpublicfins anddangers ; chap. xxxiv. 26, 27. "Becauſe
" thyheartwas tender, andthoudidſthumblethyſelfbeforeGod, " when thou heardeft his words against this place, and against " the inhabitants thereof; and humbledſt thyself before me, and " didſt rend thy cloaths and weep before me," &c. Hewas not
ſointentuponhisown pleaſures, (though in the ſprightly vigour of youth) nor on the weighty concerns of the kingdom, as to
forget the intereſt ofGod,andthe greater concerns of his glory.
Fourthly, He was exceeding careful to propagate the intereſt of religion, and ſpread it far and wide among his people. Though he could not infuſe the inward principle, (that was
the work of God) yet he did enjoin the external practice of it upon all his ſubjects ; which was his part andduty: chap.xxxiv. ver. 33. " He made all that were preſent in Ifrael to ſerve, even
not from the Lord theirGod. And all his days theydeparted
06 "
to ſerve following theGod of their fathers."
But yet good Joſiah had his mistakes and failings. The beſt ofmenarebut men at beſt: Hewas tooraſh and haſtyin re-
folving, and too ſtiff and obſtinate when reſolved ; and this was the occaſion of his ruin. The cafe was thus : Pharaoh Necho king of Egypt, was at thattime makingwar upon Charchemiſh, a place that belonged to him, but was taken
from him by the king of Affyria , ſo the war of Necho was a juſt war ; and Judah lying between him and Charchemiſh, and
being at peace with Judah, he requests leave of Jofiah tomarch
his army peaceably through his country to the feat of war : Joſiah takes an alarm fromthis meſſage, and arms againsthim. - Hereupon Necho fent ambaſſadors to Joſiah, chap. xxxv. ver.
21. ſaying, " What have I todo with thee, thou king of Ju- " dah? I come not against thee thisday, but against the houſe " wherewith I have war : For God commanded me to make " haſte; forbear thee from meddling withGod, who is with " me, that he destroy thee not."
Expoſitors conceive Necho had this diſcoveryof the mind of God, from the prophet Jeremiah, Per oraculum non fcriptum, fedviva voce editum * : even byword of mouth. If ſo, no doubtJeremiah alſodiffuadedJoſiahfrom going out against him :
however, this is clear, Jofiah did not confult the mind ofGod aboutthat expedition, as he ought, and was too haſtyand refolute therein; chap. xxxv. 22. " Nevertheleſs Joſiah would notturn
* Jerom. a Lapide, Juſt. Mart. liiz
436 A.Sermon preached at the "his facefrom him," &c. By this means this excellentmancame to a tragical end, and that inthe very flower of his days. He diesinthatunhappy expedition, from which he would not be diverted; is brought home toJerufalem in the fecond chariot; dies, and is buried in the fepulchre of his fathers, totheuni vertal forrow of allgoodmen in Ifrael, as you read inthe text; wherein we have theſe two parts toconfider;
1. The nature and quality of the lamentation. II. The cauſe andground of it. 1. For the lamentation here made, it was extraordinary; ne ver tuchcries heardbefore in Ifraelat anyfuneral, whether we
conſider it either,
1. Extenſively, 2. Intenſively, or, 3. Protenſively. 1. Extensively, All Judah and Jerufalem, that is, cityand country mourned that day ; not every individual, but all that had any fenfeof the worth of the man, the good that hedid, or the evils that followed upon his removal. No doubtthe priests of Baal, their abettors and aſſociates, ſecretly rejoiced
at his fall ; but allgood men mourned. But among all the mourners, one is only ſpecifiedbyname, and that is Jeremiahthe prophet, inwhom allthe faithful ministers of God were includ ed. To them he was a true and faithful friend; and in him
they loſt a father, and a famous inſtrument of reformation.
2. Confider it Intensively, as tothedegree ofthe forrow, itwas a bitter lamentation; ſo pungent, intenſe, anddeep, that the mourning of the Jews for Chriſt, at the time of their conver
ſiontohim, is compared to this mourning for Jofiah, Zech. xii. 11. " In thatday there ſhall be a greatmourning inJeru "falem, as the mourning ofHadadrimmon in the valley of " Megiddon." This Hadadrimmon was a little town in theval leyof Megiddon near the place of this fatal battle, whoſe inha bitants receiving the firſt tidings of the fallof Jofiah, made the town ring with doleful cries and lamentations.
3. Lastly, Confider it Protenfively, in its continuance and duration, it was " made an ordinance in Iſrael;" and accord ingly " the finging-menand finging-women ſpake of Jofiahin
their lamentations tothis day: " i. e. Whenever anyfolema funeral or publiccalamity was ſolemnized in Iſrael, thoſe perfons that were skilful in lamentations, brought in the ſtory ofJo fiah's death, as the burden of that doleful fong or fuperal elegy.
Funeral of John Upton, Efq; 437
1. Letus confider the cauſe and ground ofthislamentation, which certainly was great and weighty enough to juflify that
forrow, as great and bitter as it was : for in him they loſt a faithful, public, uſeful, zealous, and tender-hearted instrument, whoſe life had been eminently useful to the church ofGod, and whoſe death opened the gap to allthe following calamities upon
Judah.
Now, confidering Joſiah here, eſpecially in his religious capacity, as fo faithful, industrious, and useful an inftrument for
the church ofGod, ratherthan inhis political capacityas aking, thenote from it will be this,
Doct. That faithful, active, and public-spirited men in the
church of God, should not be laid in theirgraves without great lamentations. When Jacob was buried, aman famous for religion, a great and fore lamentation was made for him, Gen. 1. 10. Andwhen Aaron died, all the houſe of Ifrael mourned for him thirty days,
Numb. xx. 29. When Stephenthe proto-martyr died, devout mencarriedhim to his grave with great lamentations, Acts viii.
2. and indeed for any good man to be laid in his grave without lamentation, is lamentable. The living faints have ever paid this reſpect and honour todead ſaints, as men ſenſible of their worth, and how great a loſs the world ſuſtains bytheir removal.
I know the departed fouls of faints have no concernment in theſe things, yet reſpect is due to their verybodies, as the temples whereinGod hathbeen ſerved and honoured, as they are
related to Chrift, who will one day put great glory and honour
upon them.
In the explication and confirmation of this point, I will ſhew you,
1. Negatively, On what account thedeath ofgoodmen is not to be lamented. 2. Positively, On what account tears and lamentations are due tothem, with the grounds and reaſons thereof. 1. Negatively, There is not a tear or figh due to thedeath of any good man, upon the account of any real loſs or detriment
that he ſuſtains thereby. No, no, in this caſe all tears are re-
ftrained, all forrow prohibited, by the principles and rules of Chriftianity, I Theff. iv. 13, 14. Religion differences the forrows, as well as the joys of its profeffors, from the common joysand forrows of the world. Dead ſaints are better where they are, than where they were ; to be with Chrift is far bet-
ter; death to them is gain and infinite advantage, Phil. i. 21 , 23. Thisworld is the worst place thateverGod defigned h
438 ASermon preached at the peopleto live in; for if a ſtate of perfect holiness andpurity, bebetter thana ſtate of temptation and corruption ; if a ſtate of reſt and peace,be betterthan a ſtateof labour and forrow;
if itbe better tobe triumphingabove, than fighing andgroan-
ing beneath ; then it is better for departed Chriſtians to be where they are, than where they were. Andcould they now
communicate their minds to us by words, as they lately did, theywould ſay to us as Chriſt ſaid, Luke xxiii. 28. " Daughters " of Jerufalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourſelves, and
" for your children." Or, as he ſpake to his diſciples under their ſad reſentments of his departure, John xiv. 28. " If ye " loved me, ye would rejoice, becauſe I go to the Father." So then no tears or forrows aredue to them, orbecoming us, uponthe account of any real loſs or detriment they receive by death.
2. Poſitively. But the true grounds and cauſes of our lamentation, are upondivers other weighty accounts : as,
First, Becauſe ſo much ofthe SpiritofGodas dwelt inthem,
when amongſt us, isnow recalled and gatheredup 1. Reason. from this lower world. Thoſe precious graces which they exerciſed among us, in prayer, conference, andother beneficial duties, are nowgone with themto heaven.
The churchhad the benefitofthemduring their abodewith men, butnownomore, except onlywhatthe remembranceof their holywords and inſtructive examples (whereby they ſtill ſpeak to us, though dead) may afford untous.
There arechoice effuſionsof the Spirit, at the time of our fanctification, ofwhich the church reapeth the benefit whilft we live ; but all theſe are recalledatour diſſolution,andthence-
forthwe canbe no farther useful in this lower world : for as the foul is the ſubject in which theſe precious graces inhere, fo theyaccompanyandgo along with the foul intoglory.
Now, as it is a real lofstoacompany, whenany merchant withdraws a great ſtock he had running in trade, out ofthe bank; fo certainly it is a great loſs to the church ofGod, whenthe preciousgifts and gracesof the Spirit, dwellinginthe
faints, aredrawn out by death; ſoas the churchcanhave no farther benefit by them, their prayers for us, andwith us, are now ended; Abraham,knoweth us not, and Iſrael is ignorant
of us.
Secondly, The death of the faints deſerves a bitter lamenta-
tion, becauſe thereby abreach is made, agap open2. Reason. ed,toletinthejudgmentsofGodupontheremnant
Funeral of John Upton, Efq; 439
that is left. It is said of Mofes, Pfal. ovi. 23. " Therefore " he said, that he woulddeſtroythem, had notMoſes his cho- " ſen ſtood before him in the breach, leſt he ſhould destroy " them." Ametaphor from a beſieged city, whena breach is made in the walls, and an enemy ready to enter; but fome champion ſtands in the breach to defend the city. Such a championwas Moſes, who by his conſtant and fervent prayers, put a ſtop tothe inundation of God's judgments againſt Ifrael. And ſuch another was Lot, Gen. xix. 22. whoſe prayers for
thatwicked place he lived in, bound up the hand ofjudgment,
infomuch as the Lord told him, I can do nothing till thou art gone. But when the Lord by death removes fuch men, he
therebymakesa way to his anger, as the expreſſion is, Pfal.
Ixxviii. 50. Hence the death of eminent faints, eſpecially when many are taken away at or near the fame time, hath been ever looked upon as a direful omen, and dreadful preſage of enfuing judgments, and that notwithout good fcripture-authority, Iſa. lvii. 1. " The righteous periſh, and no man layeth it " to heart ; and merciful men are taken away, none conſider- " ing that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come."
Thus Methuselah, whoſe very name ſignified aflood cometh, died the year before the flood: Auguſtine, a little before the ſacking of Hyppo : Paraeus, a littlebefore the taking ofHydelberg: And Luther, before the wars broke out in Germany. Death, as a pioneer, clears the way to atroop of miſeries fol-
lowing after. This, therefore, isa juſt and weighty groundof our lamentations for the death of useful and godly men.
Thirdly, The beauty and ornaments of the places they lived in, are defaced and removed by their death ; they look not like themselves, whenthegodlyare removed out of them : for as wicked men are the ſpots and blemishes, ſogood men are the beauty and ornaments of their country. A good man was wont to ſay of Mr. Barrington of Barrington-hall, in Effex, Methinks the town is not at home, when Mr. Barrington is out of town. How defolate and diſmal doth a family look (whatever other ornaments be about
3. Reafon.
it) when the religious governor of it is gone ! Take away good men from their families and country; and what are they but like a vineyard when the vintage is paſt ? as the prophet ſpeaks , Micah vii . 1.
Fourthly, The death of good men deſerves a bitter lamentation, becauſe thereby the paſſage of the gospel, and
propagationof religion, is obftructed in the places 4. Reason. fromwhencetheyareremoved. Of howgreat ufe
440 ASermon preached at the ina countrymay one zealous public-ſpirited man be ? Hud dredsmay have cauſe to bleſsGodfor ſuch aman. Itwasthe apoſtle's defire to the Theffalonians, " to praythat the word of " the Lord may have its freecourſe, that it might run and be " glorified," 2 Theff. iii. 1. The removal of fuch a perfon as naturally took care for the fouls of thoſe thatwere about him, toprovide food for them, is no ſmall lofs, nor lightlytobepaſsedover.
Fifthly, The confiderationof the time inwhich good men
die, aggravates the loſs, and juſtly incenfes the for5.Reafon. rowof them that remain, and that upon a threefold account. ( 1.) That it falls out inthedeclining ſtate of religion, when the ſpirit andpower of godliness is ſo much weakened and impoverished. This is like the lofs of good blood in a confumptive body, which muft bring itverylow. (2.) That it falls outalfo in a time whenthe numbers of the godlyare ſomuchthinned and leſſened, notwhen the church's children ſay in her ears, the place is too ſtrait, give place thatwemaydwell : but when they are every where lamenting the paucity of goodmen, as the pfalmiſt did, Pfal. xii. 1. Help, Lord, for the godly man ceaſeth, for the righ66
teous fail from amongthe children of men." At a time when they are bewailing themselves in the languageof the prophet, Micah vii. 1. " Woe is me, for I am as when they have ga.
" thered the ſummer fruits, as the grapegleanings of the vin-
tage: there is no cluſter to eat: my foul defired the first ripe fruit. " Alluding to ahungry manthat goesintoavine yard to refreſh his fpirits with the fruit thereof; but, alas! there is not one pleasant bunch tobe found, none but four grapes, to increaſe his hunger, and ſet his teeth on edge.
(3.) And that which more aggravates the lofs, is this ; when it falls ina timewherein the ſpring and fucceſſion of good men is obſtructed. In this caſe death, like aſtorm of wind, overturns the faireſt, pleaſanteſt, andmoſt fruitful trees in the orchard, whenthere is no nursery, from whence others maybe takento plant in their rooms.
Lastly, There is justcaufe to lament the removalof public
and pious men, when we conſider what incuence 6.Reafon. our finsandprovocations havehaduponthoſejudg-
ments and calamities ; our unworthiness of them, unthankfulneſs for them, and non-improvements of ſuch mercies, have bereavedus of them. I lookupon every goodman, as a goodbook, lentby its owner to another to read, andtran. ſcribetheexcellentnotionsandgoldenpaffages that are in
Funeral of John Upton, Efq; 441 forhis own benefit, that they mayremain with him, whenthe owner hall call for the book again : But in cafe this excellent book ſhallbethrown intoacorner,andno uſe madeofit, itjuſtly
provokes the owner to take itaway indiſpleaſure.
Thus you see uponwhat account our forrows forthedeath of goodmen are reſtrained, and upon what accounts and reaſons they are a due debt to the death of eminent and useful in-
ſtruments for God. What remains, is the application of this point. And, 1. Ufe. First, The point before us juſtlyreproves three forts of men.
1. The worſt of men, ſuch as ſecretly rejoice, and are inwardly glad at the removal of ſuch men ; they took nodelight
in them while they lived, and are glad they are rid of them when they aredead. Thoſe that perfecuted and hated them when alive, maybe preſumed to be pleaſed and gratifiedwith
their death. But, alas ! poor creatures, theyknow notwhat theydo! The innocent preſerve the iſland. Except the " Lordofhosts (faith the prophet) had left us aſmall remnant, R
wehad been as Sodom, we had been like unto Gomorrah," Ifa. i. 3. It is aproverb among the very Jews, Sine fupplicationibus non Aaret mundus : The world ſtandsby the prayers of thegodly Let the worldthinkwhat they willof them, I tell you theſe men are a ſcreen, a partition wall, betwixt them and deſtruction .
2. It reproves the inſenſibleness of good men, who art apt too flightly to paſs over ſuch tremendous ſtrokesof God : For this itwas that God reproved his own people, Ifa. Ivii. 1. No man layeth it toheart. Where the want of affection is charged upon the want of confideration, none conſidering their worth,
their uſe, or the confequencesof their fall. Such rebukes of God do certainly call for adeeper ſenſe and forrow, than is
found in moſt men.
3. It reproves theverybest of men, who though they do bewail and lament the loss of ſuch men, yet theydonot lament
it inthe dite manner. They lament it one to another, ſaying, Alas! alas, fuch a worthy is fallen, ſuch an eminent inftru-
mentin the church or ſtate is dead; but theydo not lament it in prayer to the Lord, they mourn not over the matter to him, as Daviddid, Pfal. xii. 1. "Crying, Help, Lord, for the god- " ly man ceaſeth." Help, Lord, the remnant that is left; help, Lord, to repair the breach made by their death; let
theGodof the ſpirits ofall fleſh raiſe up aman to fill the room, VOL . VII. Kkk
442 A Sermon preached at the and fupply the want. Alas, how inſignificant are the lamentations of moſt men upon this account.
Ufe 2. Secondly, This point invites us all this day to bewail the ſtroke of God that is upon us. I could with that he that looks upon this text, and then upon the countenance of this aſſembly, might be able todiſcern the agreeableness of the one to the other, on ſuch a fad and folemn occaſion. O let all that love Zion lament, thisday, the fall of one of her true friends and lovers. I know funeral panegyrics are apt to be ſuſpected of flattery; but as Iwant a rhetorical tongue
for ſuch a work, ſo if I had it, it should never be faleable for fobaſe auſe and purpoſe. I am fure, by ſending the generality thatdie toheaven, many are confirmed in the way to hell : Nor can I but think of that ferious line in Chryfoftom, • Whata
poor comfortis ittobe praiſed, where aman is not; andtobe • tormented, where he is :' " Butyet the righteous ſhall behad " in everlasting remembrance," Píal. cii. 6. Expect nothing from me on this occafion, but what may be ſpoken with the greatest aſſuranceoftruth, andthatintendedfor the benefitand
imitation of all that hear it. Some may think it a ſtrain too high, tocompare a private perfon with ſuch aglorious king as
Jofiah was ; but if Chriſt compared and preferredthevery grafs of the field to Solomon in all his glory, I knowno reason why wemaynot compare and parallelthe precious graces of a private perſonwith a royal faint; eſpeciallyfincethecompariſon ismade
in the religious, not in the civil capacity.
I am ſure the graces, and gracious performances of David, Hezekiah, and Joſiah, with all the other dignified faints, were
intended and propounded as patterns for our imitation ; and no doubt, but private Chriſtians may meaſure by their pattera. Beſide, it is abundantly more ſafe torelate the virtues of the faints whenthey are dead, than whilst theywere alive ; for now there is nodanger of provoking pride and vain-glory in them thatare praiſed, but much hope of provoking aholy emulation and imitation in them that hear them.
Well then, Abfit invidia verbis : Suffer me thisday to erect a pillar, to perpetuate the memoryof this deceased worthy ; to paythe tribute of my tearsdue tothat mournful hearse ; and
toengage you to imitate thoſe excellencies of his, which I ſhall, with equal truth and modeſty, diſplay this day; that we alſo
may be duly affected with the rebuke of God upon us, and mourn over it before him.
If, whenan eminent commanderin anyarmy falls, the whole army is affected with, and concerned at his death
Funeral of John Upton, Esq; 443 : Themourningdrum, the lance andenſigns trail'd, Therobes of honour allinfables vail'd.
Letitnotbe thoughtmuch, Chriſtians ſhould expreſstheirſenſe and forrow in ſighs and tears, for ſo uſeful and worthya man as God hath this day removed from among us ; whoſe character I
ſhall give you in the following imitable particulars.
1. That worthy man, whoſe fall we lament this day, was ſeaſoned with religion in his youth, by God's bleſſingupon his pious education: In thishe had the advantage of Joſiah . His progenitors were men of piety, and himself a child of many prayers : and, as Monica ſaid of her fon Auſtin, it was not likely that a child of ſo many prayers ſhould perish. How importunatelydid they requeſt the fervent prayers of their pious - friends for him, in the time of his education ? Nor was it in vain, for they were manifeſtly answered inhim : He toon difcoveredthat probity and piety in his youth, which, juſtly raiſed
great expectations from him inhis riper years.
2. Nor did he fruſtrate thoſe hopes; for as soon aseverGod had fixed him in a properſphere of activity (I mean, afamily
of his own) thoſe graces that were in him ſhone forth to the comfort and benefit of all that were abouthim: Joſaua's pious reſolution was his; " As for me, and myhouſe, we will ſerve " the Lord."
Hekept up the worship ofGod in his cloſet, as well as in his family : Andtruly, if religionlanguiſh inthe cloſet, itwill
quickly die in the family. His houſe was a temple confecrated = toGod ; there the morning and evening ſacrifices of prayers
and praiſes were offered up : Hecalled hischildren and ſervants to thoſe duties, not reckoning that time loſt to him which was
ſpent forGod. The Lord had endowed him with an excellent ſpirit of prayer himſelf. I have fometimes accidentallyheard him praying in his family, with ſuch ſolidity of judgment, pertinency of expreſſions, and holywarmth of affection, that hath at once edified, refreſhed, and reprovedme in hearing him.
He conſtantly read the ſcriptures in courſe before prayer, and oft-times with a commentary uponthem, for his own and his 'family's edification.
The Lord's day he ſanctified, not only in more public attendance on the ordinances, but in the duties of reading, repeat-
ing, finging, and catechiſing all his children and ſervants about him: And all this before he allowed himself or them any bodilyrefreshments, left the edgeoftheir affections ſhould beblunt-
Kkk2
444 A Sermon preached at the ed in duty, by the clogging of nature with creature-repafis. And thus did he, as Job, continually: to this courſe he was
fevereandconſtant; no incident occaſions, how great ormany
foever, coulddiverthim from it.
3. Neither was his holy zeal and Chriſtian care limited and circumfcribed within his own family, but was extended to the fouls of all in his neighbourhood, who defiredhelps and means in theway of falvation.
His houſe was ſeldom without a godly miniſter in it; and loth hewas toeat his pleaſant morſels alone. Itwas the joy ofhisheart tofee his houſe filled on this account : How many
witneſſs to the truth of this are here this day! Like another Jofeph, he provided food for your fouls ; he loved, honoured, received, and encouraged the ministers of the gospel in their deepest sufferings; gave them opportunities of ſervice, when
fomedurſt not own them, and others violentlyperfecutedthem.
4. WhenGod calledhim topublic employments inthecom mon-wealth, he neither purchased, nor abuſed that truſt ; but with atrue Engliſh, rather a Chriſtian, zeal and courage, he
dedicatedhimself to the ſervice ofGod and his country ; chear-
fullyquitting alldomeſtic concerns, ſpenthis eftate, time, and pains, toheal the breaches of England. I knownot a man, whoſe zeal for the commongoodwouldhave carried him near-
ertothe example of that noble Roman, who, when a chasm wasmadebyan earthquake, andthe oracle had declared, that
itcouldneverbe cloſed, except ſomething of valuewas thrown into it, caſt inhimself tocloſe it.
I could truly have faid, had therebeen conveniency and opportunity for it, whenhewas laid in his grave, 'Here liesa
man, that never betrayed nordeſerted the public, for anyprivate intereſt of his own."
5. Hewas aman that came as near Joſjah in tenderness of heart, as ever I hadthe happiness tobeacquainted with. The church's troubles were his troubles ; they all met in him as lines in a centre; hè even lived and died with the intereſt of religion : And of him I will say, as the apostle ſaid of Timothy, Phil. ii. 20, 21. " I have no man like-minded, who will " naturally care for your ſtate, for all ſeek their own, not the " things which are Jeſus Chriſt's." Naturally, in this place, is not oppoſed to ſpiritually, but to artificially. Many can artificially act the part of a zealot, when their own intereſt lies in it ; but he naturally, and therefore, freely, chearfully, and conftantly.
Funeral of John Upton, Efq; 449 6. But though theſe excellencies were in him, hehad his noevi, blemishes, and imperfections. Elias was a man of like paſſions and weakneſſes of ſpirit. All theſe, I doubtnot, butGodhath covered,andhe is now perfectlyfreedfromthem
all.
There is now no paffion left within him to be ſtirred by temptation ; nodeſpondencies and ſinkings of ſpirit underdif-
mal afpects of providence. His graces are perfected, and his corruptions finally eradicated.
7. To conclude; He was a man of great offlictions, as well as tender affections. And asthe Lordgreatly honoured him in
the course of active obedience, ſo he greatly proved and tried him inacourſe of paffive obedience. He not only gave the croſs in his coat, but bare it upon his shoulders : For beſides thoſe troubles, which were properly Jympathetical, hehad his idiopathetical fufferings alſo, and that both fromthe handsof men, and from the hand of God. His piety made and marked him for an object of perſecution; the archers ſhotat him, and
forely grieved him; he and his familywere hunted with anet:- The Lord lay it not totheir charge ; Et hinc illae lachrymae. The fad effects thereof, I choſe rather at this time to paſsover with a figh, than in this place tocommemorate.
And as the hand of man was upon him, ſo the hand of his Godalſo: firſt lopping off allthepleaſantbranches thatſprang
from him, and that one after another, when come to the endearingage, opening and diſclofing the bud; and, as the complement and iſſue of all, breaking his conftitutional ſtrength with along languiſhing diſeaſe, which at laſt extinguiſhed this
bright lamp. and hath left his family and neighbourhood in darkness and forrow. His poor heart was the anvil on which many hammers of affliction hadbeena long time beating; and no wonder it appeared relaxed and tumified, when it was inſpected, having endured ſo many fucceſſive ſtrokes of forrow.
Andnow what the Lord ſpake of Ifrael, in Jer. xi. 16. is fulfilled upon thisworthy perfon : " The Lord called thy name " agreen olive tree, fair, and of goodly fruit : with the noiſe " of agreat tumult he hath kindled a fire upon it, and the " branches of it arebroken."
Ufe 3. Thirdly, I thall wind up thewhole in ſeveral ſeaſonable and neceſſary counſels ; fome more general, others more parti-
cular, and ſome moſt particularly and eſpecially.
First, Counſel to all in general, to awaken themselves, and recover a due ſenſe of fuch fore rebukes ofGod as this is.
446 A Sermon preached at the When Saul fell, " David lamented it, ſaying, The beauty of
" Ifrael was flain on thy high places."
God hath this'day ſtript off an ornament from this country. Suchdiſpenſationsof Providence ſpeak indignations coming on: It requires almoſt an age tobreed and furnish a man with due qualifications for the ſervice of the churchandcommon-wealth. Englanddoth not ſo abound with pious, zealous, and faithful gentlemenat this time, but that itmayſenſibly feel the loſs of fuch aman.
Secondly, More particularly, let the ministers of Chriſt lament his fall, as Jeremiah did the fall of Joſiah in the text. He was a true friend to Chriſt's faithful miniſters, andhad them
in honour for their work's fake. It is true, hehath no more need of us, he is now wiſer than his teachers; but we greatly needhim, and men of hisſpirit, in ſuch adull degenerate age
aswe live in.
Thirdly, And moſt particularly, I hall apply and cloſe all with a few words of counſel to the dear and now defolate relict of this worthy perſon, whoſe ſad lot it is this day, to over-live
the mercies and comforts the once enjoyed in him.
Madam, God hath thisday covered you with ſables, written bitter things against you, broken you with breach upon breach. Your forrows need not be excited, but regulated. It is my trouble, that I cannot diſcharge myduty tothe memory ofyour dear husband, without exasperating your griefs, which, alas, were too acute before ; but rods have their voices ; "Bleſſedis " the man whomGod correcteth, and teacheth him out of his *" law." Hear you the rod, and who hath appointed it; and, oh! that your ſoul maythis day takein theſe neceſſary counſels andcautions, withoutwhichyour afflictions cannot be ſanctified tothe advantage of your foul ! And,
1. Learn from hence the vanity of the creature, the emptineſs, and nothingness of the best things here below. How hath Godmade yourbest comfortson earth to ſhrink up and vaniſh
into nothing ? How do our fancies varnish and gild over theſe emptybubbles ? What great expectations are we apt to raiſe from them ? How apt to fall aſleep intheboſoms or laps of earthly enjoyments, and ſay, with Job, " I shall die in my neſt, " and multiply mydays as the ſand ?" When lo, in a moment, the projects and expectations of many years are overturned. Owhat a difference will you find betwixt hope founded in Chrift, comforts drawn out of the promises, and the flattering comforts andvain hopes founded inthe creature, whole breath is in its noftrils ?
Funeral of John Upton, Efq; 447 It is time for you, and for us all, towean off from this vain world; mortify our fancies and affections toit, and place them where they ſhall not be capable of diſappointment.
2. Guard carefully, I beſeech you, against thoſe temptations which probably may accomplish this affliction. Itmay be Satanwill ſuggeſt toyour heart, whathe once putintotheir lips ; Mal. iii. 14. " What profit is itthatwe have kept his ordinan-
66 ces, and walked mournfully before him ?" Where is the fruit of prayer ? What good haveIſeen of fafting ? What hath religion availed ? Do not prayerleſs andungodly families thrive and profper ? Beware of this. Madam, Idoubt notbut you will acknowledge, there have been fins and provocations withinyour walls, yea, within your heart, for which Godmay
as juſtly and ſeverely judge your houſe as he did Eli's. Remember the rewards of religion are not in this world ; and