Part 9
a greater stranger to him than before ! Or is this the way to thycureandcomfort in affliction, to refrain prayer, and turn thy back upon God ?
Or if thou dareftnotwhollyneglect thy duty, yet thy af flictionspoils the success and comfort of it; thy heart iswandring,dead, distracted in prayer and meditation, so that thou haftno relief or comfort from it.
Rouze up thyself, Christian, andconfiderthis is not right. Surely the rod works not kindly now. What, did thy love to God expire when thy friend expired? Is thy heart as cold in duty, as his body is in the grave ?
Hathnaturaldeath seized him,and spiritualdeadness seized thee? Sure then thouhaft more reason to lament thy dead heart, than thy dead friend. Divert the stream of thy troubles
Speedily, andlabourtorecoverthyselfoutofthis temper quickly; left fadexperience shortly tell thee, that what thou now mournest for, is but at rifle to what thou shalt mourn for here after. To lose the heavenly warmth and spiritual liveliness ofthyaffections, is undoubtedly a far more considerable loss, than to lose the wife of thybosom, or the sweetest child that ever a tender parent laid in the grave.
Reader, if this be thy case, thou hast reason to challenge the first place among the mourners. It is better for thee to burytenfons,than to remitonedegree of love or delight in God. The end of God in smiting, was towinthy heart nearertohimby removing that which estranged it; howthendoft thou cross the very design of God inthisdifpenfation? Mult
240 A Token for Mourners. God then lose his delight in thy fellowship,because thouhaft loftthine in the creature ? Surely, when thy troubles thus ac company thee to thy closet, they are sinful and extravagant troubles.
Fourthly, Then you may also conclude your sorrows to he excessive and sinful, When they so overload and oppressyourbodies, as to endanger your lives, or render them useless and unfit for service.
Worldly sorrow works death, 2 Cor. vii. 10. that is, for row after the manner of worldly men * ; sorrow in a mere carnal, natural way, which is not relieved by any spiritual reasonings and considerations. This falls so heavy sometimes upon the body, that it finks under the weight, and is cast into such diseases as are never more wrought off, orhealedinthisworld. " Heaviness in the heart of a man makes it stoop," saith So lomon, Prov. xii. 25. The stoutest body must stoop under heart-pressures.
It is with the mind of man, faith one, as with the stone tyrhenus ; as long as it is whole it swimmeth ; but, oncebro ken, it finks presently. Grief is a moth, which, getting into the mind, will, ina short time, make the body, be it never for ftrongandwell-wrought apiece, like an old feary garment.
Philosophers and physicians generally reckon sorrow among the chief causes of shortning life. Christ was a man offorrows, and acquainted with grief, and this some think was the reason that he appeared as am an of fifty, when he was little more than thirty years old, John viii. 57. But his sorrows were of another kind †.
Many am an's foul is to hisbody, as as harp knifetoathin sheath,which easily cuts it through ; and what do we by poring and pondering upon our troubles, butwhetthe knife that itmaycutthe deeper and quicker ? Of all the creatures that ever God made (devils onlyexcepted) man is the most able andapttobehisown tormentor. Howunmercifully do we loadourbodies in times of afflictions?How do we not only waste their strengthbyforrow,but
sorrow is after the manner of the world, arifingfrom the love of it. Eftius on the place. † These things write 1unto you, whohaveweptso immoderately, that I am become an example (which I always abhorred) of those whom grief hath overcome. Yet this unreasonable conduct I now condemn myself for. Senes.
A Token for Mourners. 1 241 deny relief and necessary refreshment ? They must carry the load, but be allowed no refreshment : If they can eat the bread of affliction, and drink tears, they may feed to the full; but no pleasant bread, no quiet sleep is permitted them. Surely you would not burden a beast as you do your own bodies: You would pity and relieve abrutebeast, groaning and finking under an heavy burden, but you will not pity nor relieve your own bodies.
Somemens fouls have given such deep wounds to their bodies, that they are never like to enjoy many easy or comfortable days morewhilft they dwell in them.
Now,this is very sinful anddifpleasing to God;for if he have such a tender care for our bodies, that he would not have us
up of over much grief, no, though it be for fin, 2Cor. ii. 7. but even to that sorrow sets bounds ; how much less with outward sorrow for temporal loss ? May not your stock of natural strength be employed to better purposes, think you, than these ? Time may come, that you may earnestly with youhadthathealthand strength again to spend for God, which younowso lavishlywaste, and prodigallycaftawayupon your troubles, to no purpose or advantage.
It was therefore an high point of wisdom in David, and recordednodoubt for our imitation, who, when the child was dead, ceased to mourn, bat arose, washed himself, and eat bread, 2 Sam. xii. 20.
Fifthly, When affliction sowrs the spirit with discontent, and makes it inwardly grudge against the hand of God, then our trouble is full of fin, and we ought to be humbled for it before the Lord.
WhateverGoddothwith us, or ours, still we should maintain good thoughts of him. A gracious heart cleaves nearer and nearer to God in affliction, and can justify God in his severest strokes, acknowledging them to be all just and holy, Psal. cxix. 75. " I know also that thy judgments are right, "andthatthouin faithfulness haft afflicted me." And hereby thefoulmay comfortablyevidenceto itself its own uprightness and sincere love to God; yea, it hath been of singular use to some fouls, to take right measures of their love to God in such trials: to have lovely and well-pleased thoughts of God, even when he smites us in our nearest anddearestcomforts, argues plainly that we love him for himself,and not for his gifts only. And thus his interest in the heart is deeper than any creature interest is. And such is the comfort that hath resulted to some
VOL. VII. Hh
242 A Token for Mourners. from fuchdifcoveries of their own heartsbyclose smartingafflictions, that they would not part with it, to have their coinforts (whose removal occasioned them) given back in lieu of it.
But to swell with secret discontent, and have hard thoughts of God, as if he had done us wrong, or dealt more severely with us than any ; O this is a vile temper, cursed fruit springing from an evil root; a very carnal, ignorant, proud heart; or at least from averydistempered, if renewed,heart. So it was with JonahwhenGodfmotehis gourd: "Yea, (faith he) Ido " well to be angry, even unto death," Jonah iv. 9. Poor man, he was highlydistempered at this time, and out of frame ; this was not his true temper, or ordinary frame, but a fur prize; the effect of a paroxism of temptation, in which his passions had been over-heated.
: Few dare to vent it in such language: But how many have their hearts imbitteredby discontent, and secret rifings against the Lord? Which, i fever the Lord open their eyes to fee, will cost them more trouble than ever that affliction did, which gave the occafionof it.
I deny not but the bestheartmaybe tempted to think and speak frowardly concerning these works of the Lord ; that envious adversary, the devil, will blow the coals, and labour to blow up our spirits at such time into high discontents : The temptation was strong even upon Davidhimself, to take up hard thoughts of God, and to conclude,"Verily I have cleans- "edmyheart in vain ;" q. d. How little privilege from the worst ofevils hath a man by his godliness ? But he soon suppressed such motions : " IfI should say thus, I should offend " against the generation of thy children :" Meaning, that he
condemn the whole race of godly nen through the whole world ; for who isthereamong them all,but is, or hath, or maybe, afflicted as severely as myself? "Surely,it is meet to be faidunto God, I have born chastise- "ment, I will not offend any more," Job xxxiv. 31. Whatever God doth with you, speak well, and thinkwellofhim, and his works.
Sixthly, Ourforrows exceed due boundswhenwe continually excite and provoke them hy willing irritations.
Grief, like a lion,loves to play with us before it destroy'us. And strange it is that we should find some kind of pleasure in rouzing our sorrows . It is * Seneca's observation, and expe-
Sorrow itself hasacertainkindofpleasure attending it, when the
A.Token for Mourners. 243 rimentally true, that even sorrow itself hath acertainkind of delight attending it.
The Jews, that were with Mary in the house to comfort her, " When they saw that the went out hastily, followed her, fay " ing, the goeth to the grave to weep there," John xi. 32. as they do, faith †Calvin, that seek to provoke their troubles, by going to the grave, or often looking upon the dead bo dy.
Thus we delight to look upon the relics of our deceased friends, and often to mention their actions, and sayings, not so much for any matter of holy, and weighty instruction, or imitation, for that would warrant, and commend the action ; but rather to rub the wound, andfetchfresh blood from it, by piercing ourselves with fomelittle, trivial, yet wounding cir cumstances. I have known many that will fit and talk of the features, actions and sayings, of their children, for hours together, and weep at the rehearsal of them, and that for many months after they are gone ; so keeping thewoundcontinuallyopen, and excruciating their own hearts, without any benefit at all by them : A lock of hair, or some such trifles, must ⚫be kept for this purpose, to renew their forrowdaily, by look. ing on it. On this account, Jacob would not have his son called Benoni, left it should renew his sorrow, but Benjamin. I am far from commending a brutish oblivion of our dear relations, and condemn it as much as Ido this childish, and unprofitable remembrance. O friends ! we have other things to do under the rod, than these: Were it not better to be searching our hearts, and houses, when God's rod is upon us, andstudyinghow to answer the end of it, bymortifying those corruptions which provoke it ? Surely the rod works not kindly till it comes to this.
Seventhly, Lastly, Our sorrows may then be pronounced sinful,whentheydeafen our ears to all the wholesome, and seafonable words of counsel, and comfort, offered us for our relief, and support.
Jer. xxxi. 15. "A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation " and bitter weeping ; Rachel weeping for her children,would " not be comforted for her children, because they were not." Hh2: the parents call to mind the pleasant sayings, the chearful conversation, and the filial affection of their children, then their eyes are refreshed as it were with a kind of joy.
Ex eorum more qui luctusfui irritamenta quaerunt. Calvin.
-244 A Token for Mourners. Shewilladmitno comfort, her disease is curable by no other means but the restoration of her children; give her them again, and the will be quiet; else you speak into air, the regards not whatever you say.
Thus Israel, in the cruel bondage in Egypt, Moses brings them the glad tidings of deliverance; " But they hearkened " not to him, be cause of the anguish of spirit, and their cruel "bondage," Exod. vi. 9.
Thus obstinately fixed are many, in their trouble, that no words of advice, or comfort, find anyplace with them ; yea, I have known some exceeding quick and ingenuous, even above the rate of their common parts and abilities, in invent ing shifts, and framing objections to turn off comfort from themselves, as iftheyhadbeen hired to plead against their own interest ; and if they be driven from those pleas, yet they are settled in their troubles, too fast to be moved ; fay what you will, they mind it not, or, at most, itabides not upon them. Let proper, seasonable advice, or comfort, be tendered, they refuse it ; your counsel is good, but they have no heart to it now. Thus, Psal. lxxvii. 10. "My foul(faith he) refused to be " comforted."
To want comfort in time of affliction, is an aggravation of our affliction ; but to refuse it when offered us, wants not fin. Time may come when we would be glad to receive comfort, or hear a word of support, and shall be denied it.
Oit is a mercy to the afflicted to have Barnabas with them, an interpreter, one among a thousand; and it will be the great fin, and folly of the afflicted, to spill, like water upon the ground, those excellent cordials, prepared and offered to them, out of a froward, or dead spirit, under trouble. Say not with them, Lam. iii. 18, 19. " My hope is perished from " the Lord, remembring mine affliction and my misery, the " wormwood and the gall." It isa thousand pities the wormwoodandgall of affliction should fodisgusta Christian, as that he should not at any time be able to relish the sweetness that is in Christ, and in the promises. And thus I have dispatched the first part of my design, in shewing you wherein the finof mourners doth not lie, and in what it doth. : Secondly, Having cleared this, and shewn you wherein the finanddanger lies ; my way is now prepared to the second thing proposed, namely, to dissuade mourners from these sin. fulexcesses offorrows, and keep the golden bridle of moderation upon their paflions in times of affliction. And O that my words may be as successful upon those pensive fouls that
A Token for Mourners. 245 shall read them, as Abigail's were to David, 1 Sam. xxv. 32. who,when he perceived how proper and seasonabletheywere,
" Bleffedbe the Lord God of Israel, who sent thee this " day to meet me, and blessed be thy advice."
I am sensible how hard a task it is I here undertake, to charm down, and allaymutinous, raging, and tumultuous passions ; to give a check to the torrent of passion, is ordinarily but to provoke it, and make it rage and swell the more.
The work is the Lord's, it wholly depends upon his power, and blessing. He that faith to the sea,when the waves thereofroar, be still ; can also quiet, and compose the stormy, and tumultuous sea, that rages in the breasts of the afflicted, and caftsup nothing but the froth of vain and useless complaints of our misery, or the dirt of sinful and wicked complaints of the dealings of the Lord with us.
The rod of affliction goes round, and visits all forts of persons,without difference: it is upon the tabernacles of the just and the unjust, the righteous and the wicked; both aremourningundertherod.
The godly are not so to be minded,as that the other be wholly neglected; they have as strong and tender, though not as regular affections to their relations, and must not be wholly suffered to fink undertheirunrelievedburdens.
Here, therefore, I must have respect to two forts of persons, whom I find intearsupon the fame account ; I mean, the loss oftheirdearrelations, the regenerate, and the unregenerate. I am a debt or to both, and shall endeavour their support and -assistance, for even theunregenerate callforourhelp and pity, and must not be neglected, and wholly flighted, in their afflictions. We must pity them that cannot pity themselves *, The law of God commands us to help a beast, if fallen under its burden ; how much more a man sinking under a load offorrows ?
of comfort to the unregenerate are not (ordinarily) in use among us, and it may seem strange whence anything of support should be drawn for them, that have no special interest in Christ, or promises.
I confess, also, I find myself under great disadvantages for this work ; I cannot offer them those reviving cordials that are contained in Christ and the covenant, for God's afflicted people; but yet, such is the goodness of God even to his ene-
miferiusmiferonon miserantefeipfum, i.e. None is more to be pitiedthanapoor sinner that does notpityhimself.
246 A Token for Mourners. mies, that they are not left wholly without supports, or means to allay their sorrow.
If this, therefore, be thy case, who readest these lines ; af flicted and unfanctified,mourning bitterlyforthydead friends, and more cause to mourn for thydeadfoul, christless andgraceless, as well as childless, or friendless: nocomfortinhand,nor yet in hope; full of trouble, and no vent by prayer, or faith, to ease thy heart.
Poor creature, thy case is fad, but yet do not wholly sink, and suffer thyself to be swallowed up of grief: thou hast laid thy dear one in the grave, yet throw not thyself,headlong in, to the grave after him; thatwillnotbethe way to remedy thy misery: but fit down a while, and ponder these three things..
That of all persons in the world, thou hast most reason to be tender over thy life, and health, and careful to preferveit: for if thy troubles destroy thee, thou art eternally loft, undone for ever. "Worldly sorrow (faith the apostle) works death." And if it works thy death, it works thy damnation also ; for hell follows that pale horse, Rev. vi. 8. If a believer dies, there is no danger of hell to him, the second death hath no power over him ; but woe to thee, if it overtake thee in thy fin: beware, therefore, what thou dost against thy health, and life; do not put the candle of sorrow too near that thread by which thou hangestover the mouth of hell. O it is far better to be childless, or friendless on earth, than hopeless, and remediless, in hell .
Secondly, Own and admire the bounty and goodness of God, manifested to thee in this affliction ; that when death came into thy family to smite, and carry off one, it had not fallen to thy lot to be the person ; thy husband, wife, or child is taken, and thou art left: had thynamebeeninthe commission, thouhadst been now past hope. O the sparing mercy of God! the wonderful long-suffering of God towards thee ! Possibly that poor creature that is gone, never provoked God as thou hast done; thy poor child never abused mercies, neglected calls, treasuredupthetenthousandth part of that guilt that thou haftdone: so that thou mightest well imagine it should rather have cut thee down, that had it so provoked God, than thy poor little one.
But,O the admirable patience of God ! Othe riches of his long-suffering ! Thou art only warned, not smitten by it: is there nothing in this, worth thankful acknowledgment ? Is it not better to be in black for another on earth, than in the blackness of darkness for ever ? Is it not easier to go to the
A Token for Mourners . 247 gravewiththydeadfriend, and weep there, than togo to hell among the damned, where there is weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth?
Thirdly, This affliction, for which thou mournest,may be the greatest mercy to thee, that ever yet befel thee in this world. God hath now made thy heart soft by trouble, thewedthee the vanity of this world, and what a poor trifle it is which thou madeft thy happiness: there is now a dark cloud
over all thy wordly comforts. Now, O now! if the Lord would but strike in with this affliction, and by it open thine eyes to fee thy deplorable state, and take off thy heart forever from the vain world, which thou now feest hath no thing in it; and cause thee to chuse Christ, the only abiding good, for thy portion. Ifnowthy affliction may but bring thy finto remembrance, and thy dead friend may but bring thee toa sense of thy dead foul, which is as cold to God, and spiritual things, as his body is to thee; and more lothfome in his eyes than that corpse is, or shortly will be to the eyes of men : then this day is certainly a day of the greatest mercy that ever yet thou fawest. Ohappydeath, that shall prove lifetothyfoul. Why this is sometimes the way of the Lord withmen, Job xxxvi . 8, 9. " If they be bound in fetters, and holden in cords " of affliction, then he sheweth them their work, and their " transgression, that they have exceeded: he openeth, also, " their ear to discipline, and commandeth them that they re- "turn from iniquity."
Oconfider, poor pensive creature, that which stole away thy heart from God, is now gone ; that which eat up thy time, and thoughts, that there was no room for God, foul, or eternity, in them, is gone: all the vain expectations that thou raifedstupunto thyself, from that poor creature which now lies in the dust, are inonedayquiteperished. O what an advantage haftthounow for heaven,beyond whatever thou yet hadst! if Godwillbutbless this rod, thou wilthave cause to keep mahy a thanksgiving day for this day.
I pray, let these three things beponderedbyyou. I canbestowno more comforts upon you, your condition bars the best comforts from you, theybelongto the people of God, and you haveyetnothing todowiththem.
therefore turn from you to them, and present some choicercomfortstothem, towhomtheyproperlybelong, which maybe of great use to you in reading, if it be but to convince you of the blessed privilege and state of the people of God in thegreatestplunges of troubles in this world,and what advan-
248 A Token for Mourners. tages their interest in Christ gives them for peace and settlement,beyond that state you are in. And here Ido with much more freedom, and hope of success, apply myself to the work ofcounfelling, and comforting the afflicted. You are the fearers of the Lord, and tremble at his word; the least sin is more formidable to you, than the greatest affliction: doubtless you would rather chuse to bury all your children, than provoke and grieve your heavenly Father. Your relations are dear, but Christ is dearer to you by far.
Well then, let me perfuadeyou to retire a while into your closets, redeem a little time from your unprofitable sorrows, ease and empty your hearts before the Lord, and beg his bleffingupon the relieving, quieting, and heart-composing considerations that follow; some of which are more general and common, some more particular and special ; but all of them such as, through the blessing of God,may be very useful, at this time, to your souls.
Consideration 1. Confider, in this day of for row, who is the framer, and author of this rod, by which you now smart ; is it not the Lord ? And if the Lord hath done it, it becomes you meekly to submit. Psal. xlvi. 10. " Be still, and know that I " am God."
upon even ground; if your fellow-creature does anything that displeases you, you may not only enquire who did it, but why he did it ? You may demand his grounds and reasons, for what he hath done ; but you may not do fo here : It is expected, that this one thing, The Lord hath done it, should, without any farther disputes,or contests, silence and quiet you, whatever it be that he hath done. Job xxxiii. 13. " Whydost thou strive against him ? For he giveth " not an account ofanyofhis matters." The Supreme Being must needs be an unaccountable and uncontroulable beirg.
It is a shame for a child to strive with his father ; a shame for a servant to contend with his master; but for a creature to quarrel and strive with the God that made him, O how shameful is it! Surely it is highly reasonable that you be subject to thatwillwhenceyou proceeded,and that he who formed you, and yours, shoulddifpofeofboth as seemethhim good. It is said, 2 Sam. iii. 36. "That whatsoever the king did,pleased " all the people:" And shall any thing the Lord doth difpleaseyou ? He candonowrong: If we pluck a rose in the bud,as we walk in our gardens,who shall blame us for it ?It is our own, and we may crop it off when we please: Is not.
A Token for Mourners. 249 this the case ? Thy sweet bud, which was cropt off before it was fully blown, was cropt offbyhim that owned it, yea, by him that formed it. If his dominion be absolute, sure his disposal should be acceptable.
It was so to good Eli, 1 Sam. iii. 18. " It is the Lord, let " him do what seemethhim good:" And it was so to David, Psal.xxxix. 9. " I was dumb, I opened not my mouth ; be- " cause thou didst it." O let it be for ever remembered, " That he whose name alone is Jehovah, is the most High o- " ver all the earth," Psalm lxxxiii. 18 .
The glorious sovereignty of God, is illustriously displayed in two things, his decrees and his providences: With respect to the first, he faith, Rom. ix. 15. " I will have mercy on whom " I will have mercy." Here is no ground ofdifputing with him ; for so it is said, ver. 20. "Who art thou,Ởman, that " repliest against God ? Shall thethingformedsay to him that " formed it, whyhaft thou made me thus ?" Hath not the potter power over the clay ? And as to his providences, wherein his sovereignty is also manifested; it is said, Zech. ii. 14. "Be silent, O all flesh, " before the Lord, for he is raised up out of his habitation." It is spokenofhisprovidentialworking in the changes of kingdoms, and defolations that attend them.
Now, seeing the case stands thus, that the Lord hath done it; it is his pleasure to have it so, and that if it had not been his will, it could never have been as it is ; he that gave thee (rather lent thee) thy relation, hath also taken him : O how quiet should this consideration leave thee ? If your landlord, who has many years fufferedyou to dwell in his house, does at last warn you out of it, though he tells you not why; you will not contendwithhim, or say he has done you wrong : Much less if he tells you it will be more for his profit,and accommodation, to take it into his own hand, than let it to you any longer.
will tell you, you ought quietly to pack up, and quit it. It is your great landlord, from whom you hold(at pleasure) your own, and your relations lives, that hath nowwarnedyou out from one of them, it being mose for his glory, it may be, to take it in his own hands, by death ; and must youdisputethe case with him ? Come, Christian, this no way becomes thee, but rather, " The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be " thenameofthe Lord." Look off from a dead creature, lift VOL. VII.
250 A Token for Mourners. up thine eyes tothefovereign,wife,andholypleasure that ot dered this affliction : Confiderwho he is, and what thou art; yea, pursue this consideration till thou canst say, I am now filled with the will of God.
Consideration 2. Ponder well the quality of the comfort you are deprived of, and remember, that when you had it, it flood but in the rank and order of common and inferior comforts.
Children, and all other relations, arebutcommonblessings, which God indifferently bestows upon his friends, and enemies: and by the having or losing of them, no man knows either love or hatred. It is said of the wicked, Psal. Ixxvii. 14. that they are fullofchildren ; yea, and of children that do survive them too ; for, they leave their substance to their babes. Full of fin,yet fullofchildren, and these children live to inherit their parents fins andeftates together.
It is the mistaking of the quality, and nature of our enjoy. ments, that foplunges us intotroublewhenwe lose them.We think there is so neceflarya connection betwixt these creatures, and our happiness,that we are utterly undone when they fail us.
But this is our mistake; there is no such neceffaryconnec tion, ordependance; we may be happy without these things: It is not father, mother, wife, or child, in which our chiet good and felicity lies ; we have higher, better, and more en during things than these; all these may perish, and yet our foul be secure and safe ; yea, and our comfort in the way, as well as end, maybe safe enough, though these are gone: Godhathbetterthingstocomfort his people with, than these, and worse rods to afflict you with, than the removal of theft. HadGodlet your children live, and flourish; and given you ease and rest inyourtabernacle, butinthemeantime inflicted
how much more fadhad your case been?
But as long as our best mercies are all safe, the things that have salvation in them remain, and only the things that have vanity in them are removed ;you are not prejudiced, or much hindered as to the attainment of your last end, by the loss of these things.
Alas! it was not Christ's intent to purchase for you a fensualcontent in the enjoyment of these earthly comforts ; but to redeem you from all iniquity, purge your corruptions, fanctifyyournatures, we an your hearts from this vain world, and so to dispose and order your present condition, that, finding no rest and content here, you might, the moreardently pants
A.Token for Mourners. 251 and sigh after the rest which remains for the people of God. And are you not in as probable away to attain this end now, as you were before ? Do you think you are not as likely, by these methods of providence, to be weaned from the world, as by more pleasant and prosperous ones ? Every wife man reckons that station and condition to be best for him, which most promotes, and secures his last end, and great design.
Well then, reckon you are as well without these things as with them; yea, and better too, if they were but clogs and snares upon your affections ; you have really loft nothing, if thethingswhereinyour eternal happiness consistethbeyet safe. ManyofGod'sdearest childrenhavebeendenied such comforts as these, and manyhavebeendeprivedofthem, and yet never the farther from Christ, and heaven, for that.
Consideration 3. Always remember, that bowfoon andunexpectedfoeveryour parting with your relations was, yet your lease was expired before you lost them, and you enjoyed them every moment of the time that God intended themforyou.
Before this relation, whose loss you lament, was born, the time of your enjoyment, and separation, was unalterably fixed and limited in heaven, by the God of the spirits of all flesh; And although it was afecretto you, whilst your friend was with you; yet now it is a plain and evident thing, that this was the time of separationbeforeappointed; and that the life of your friendcouldbynomeans be protracted, orabbreviated, but must keep you company just so far, and then part with you.
This position wants no full and clear scripture authority for its foundation: How pregnant and full is that text, Job xxiv. 5,6. " Seeing his days are determined, the number of his "months are with thee: thou hast appointedhimhis bounds, "which he cannot pass."
The time of our life, as well as the place of our habitation, was prefixed, before we were born.
Itwillgreatlyconduce to your settlement, and peace, to be well established in this truth ; that the appointed time was fully come,when you and your dear relation parted; for it will preventandfave a great deal oftroublewhichcomes from our after-reflections . O it this had been done, or that omitted ; had it not been for fuchmiscarriages, and oversights, my dear husband, wife, or child,hadbeenalive, at this day ! No, no, the Lord's time
Jia
252 A Token for Mourners. was fully come, and all things concurred, and fell in together to bring about the pleasure of his will; let that satisfy you: Had the ablest physicians in the world been there, or had they that were there prescribed another course, as it is now, fo it would have been when theyhaddone all. Only it must be precautioned, that the decree of God no way excuses any voluntary, or sinful neglects, or miscarriages. God over-rules these things to serve his own ends, but nowayapproves them; but it greatly relieves, against all our involuntary, and una voidable over fights and mistakes about the use of means, or the timing of them; for it could not be otherwise than now it is.
Objection. Butmanythings arealledgedagainst this positi on, and that with much seeming countenance from such scrip tures as these; Psal. liv. 25. "Blood-thirstymen shall not live " outhalftheirdays." Ecclef. vii. 18. "Why shouldst thou " diebeforethytime." Psal.cii. 24. " O, my God, take me not away in the midst of my days." Ifa. xxvii. 10. " I am " deprived of the residue of my years." And,Prov. x. 27. " The fear of the Lordprolongeth days, but the years of the " wicked shall be shortened." It is demanded, what tolera ble sensewecangive these scriptures, whilst we assert an unal terable fixation of the term of death.
Solution. The sense of all these scriptures will be cleared up to full satisfaction, bydiftinguishing death, and the terms of it. . First, We must distinguish death into Natural, and Violent. The wicked, and blood-thirsty man, shall not live out half his days ; (i. e. ) half so long as he might live, according to the courseofnature, or the vigour, and foundness of his natural constitution ; for his wickedness either drowns nature in an excessofriotand luxury, or exposes him to the hand of ju
which cuts him off for his wickedness before he hathac compliihedhalfhisdays.
Again, we must distinguish of the term, or limit for death, which is either General, or
Special,
The general limits are now seventy, or eighty years, Plal. xc. 19. " The days of our years are threescore years and ten, and if by reason offtrength they are fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow." To this short limit the
A Token for Mourners. 253 lifeofmanis generally reduced, since the flood; and though there are some few exceptions, yet the general rule is not thereby destroyed.
limit is that proportion of time,which God, by hisowncounsel and will, hath allotted to every individualperfon ; and it is only known to us by the event : This we affirm to be a fixed, and immoveable term; withitallthings shall fall in, and observe the will of God in our dissolution at that time. But because the general limit is known, and this special limit is afecrethid in God's own breast; therefore man reckons by the former account, and maybe said, when he dies at thirty, or forty years old, to be cut off in the midst of his days : For it is so, reckoning by the general account, though he be not cut off tilltheendofhis days, reckoning by the special li mit.
Thus he that is wicked, dies before his time ; (i. e.) the time he might attain to in an ordinary way;but not before the time God hath appointed: And so in all other objected scriptures. : It is not proper at all, in a subject of this nature, to digress into a controversy: Alas ! the poor mourner, overwhelmed with grief, hath no pleasure in that ; it is not proper for him at this time, and therefore I shall, for the present, wave the controversy, and wind up this consideration with an humble, and serious motion to the afflicted, that they willwiselyconfiderthe matter. The Lord's time was come, your relations lived with you everymomentthat God intended them for you before you had them . Oparents ! mind this, Ibeseechyou ; the time of your child's continuanceinthewomb, was fixed to aminutebythe Lord; and when theparturient fulness of that time was come, were you not willing it should be delivered thence into the world ?
The tender mother would not have it abide one minute longer inthewomb, how well soever she loved it; and is is there not the same reason we should be willing, when God's appointed time is come to have it delivered by death out of this state, which, in respect of the life of heaven, is but as the life ofa child inthewomb,to its life in the open world.
And let none say the death ofchildrenisa premature death. Godhathways toripenthem for heaven,whom he intends to gatherthitherbetimes,the which we know not: in respect of fitness, they die ina full age, thoughtheybe cutoff in the bud of their time.
of the year, appointed the sea
254 A Token for Mourners. sons ofourcomfortinourrelations: And as those seasons cannot be altered,nomorecan these. All the course of providence is guided by anunalterable decree; what falls out casually to our apprehension, yet falls out necessarily in respect of God's appointment. O therefore be quieted in it,this must needs be as it is. Consider. 4. HathGodfmittenyourdarling, and taken away the delight of your eyes with this stroke ? Bear this stroke with patienceandquietfubmiffion : For how know you but your trouble might have beengreaterfrom the life, than it isnowfromthe death of your children?
Sad experience made a holy man once to say, It is better to weep for ten dead children, than for one living child: A living child may prove a continual dropping, yea, a continual dying to the parent's heart. What afadword was that of DavidtoAbishai, 2 Sam. xvi. 11. " Behold, (faith he) my son, "which came out of my bowels,seekoth my life." I remember Seneca, in his consolatory epistle to his friend Marullus, brings in his friend thus aggravating the death of his child. O, (faith Marullus) had my child lived with me, to how great modesty, gravity, and prudence, might my discipline ⚫have formed and mouldedhim ? But, faith Seneca, (which ⚫is more to be feared) he might have been as others mostly 4are; for look,(faith he) what children come even out of the ⚫worthiest families ; such who exercise both their own,and others lusts ; in all whose life there is notadaywithoutthe markoffomenotorious wickedness upon it.'
I know your tender love to your children will scarce admit fuchjealoufies of them; they are, for the present, sweet, lovely, innocent companions, and you doubt not but by your care of their education,and prayer for them, they might have been the joy of your hearts. Why doubtless Efau,when he was little,and in his tender age, promised as much comfort to his parents as Jacobdid; and Iquestionnotbut Isaac and Rebecca(a glorious pair) spent as many prayers, and bestowed as many holy counsels upon him, astheydiduponhisbrother: Butwhenthechild grew up toriper years, then he became a sharp affliction to his parents; for it is said,Gen. xxvi. 34. " That when Efauwas forty years "old,hetooktowife Judith the daughter of Berith the Hittite, "which was a grief of mind to Isaac and Rebecca." The word in the original comes from a root that signifies to im
Seneca's Epilles. p.84.4
A Token for Mourners
bitter : This child imbittered the minds ofhisparentsbyhis rebellion against them,and despising their counsels.
And I cannot doubt but Abraham disciplined his family as strictly as any of you ; never man received a higher encomium from God, upon that account. Gen. xviii. 19. " I know him, " that he will command his children, and his houshold, after " him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord." Nor can I think but he bestowed as many, and as frequent prayers for his children, and particularly for his son Ishmael, as any of you : We find one, and that a very pathetical one, recorded, Gen. xvii. 18. " O that Ishmael might live before thee:" And yet, you know how he proved, a fonthat yielded him no more comfort than Efau did to Jacob and Rebeeca. Ohow much more common is it for parents to see the vices an devils of their children,than their virtues and graces ? And where one parent livestorejoice in be holding the grace of God
forth in the life of his child,there are twenty, it maybe an hundred, that live to behold, to their vexation and grief, theworkingsofcorruption in them.
It is a note of†Plutarch, in his morals, Nicoles (faith he) lived not to fee the noble victory obtained by Themistocles, his son ; nor Miltiades, to fee the battle his son Cimonwonin the field; nor Zantippus, to hear his son Pericles preach, and make orations. Arifton never heard his son Plato's lecturés anddisputations; but men (faith he) commonly live to fee their children falla gaming, revelling, drinking, and whoring : Multitudes live to fee such things to their sorrow. And if thou be a gracious soul,O what a cut would this betothyvery heart! to fee those(as David spake of his Abfalom)that came outofthybowels,to be sinning against God, that God,whom thou lovest, and whose honour is dearer to thee than thy very life!
But,admit they should prove civil, and hopeful children, yetmightest thou not live tofeemore miferycome upon them than thou couldest endure to fee ? O think what a fad and doleful fight was that to Zedekiah, Jer. 1. 10. " The king of " Babylonbroughthischildren,andflewthembeforehiseyes." Horrid spectacle ! and that leads to Confider. 5. How know you, but by this stroke which you So lament,God hath taken them away from the evil to come ?
Is is God's usual way, when some extraordinary calamities arecominguponthe world,to hide someofhisweak and ten-
*Erant amaritudo animi. Plutarch'sMorals,p. 222.
236% • A Token for Mourners. derones out of the way by death, Ifa. lvii. 1, 2. heleavés some,and removes others, but taketh care for the security of all. He provided a grave for Methuselah before the flood. 'The grave is an hiding-place to some, and God fees it better for them to be under ground,than above ground,in such evil days..
asa careful and tender father,who hath a son abroad at school, hearing the plague is broken out in, or near the place, sendshishorse presently to fetch home hisfon,before the danger and difficulty be greater. Death is our Father's pale horse, which he fendstofetch home his tender children, and carry them out of harm's way.
Surelywhennationalcalamities are drawing on,itisfarbetter for our friends to be in the grave in peace, than exposed to the miseries and distresses that are here,which is the meaning of Jer. xxii. 10. "Weep not for the dead, neither bemoan " him; but weep for him that goeth away, for he shall return " no more, nor see his native country."
And is there not a dreadful found of troubles, now in our ears ? Do not the clouds gather blackness ? Surely all things round about us seem to be preparing and disposing themselves for affliction. The days maybe nigh in which you shall say, " Blessed is the womb that never bare,and the paps that never " gave suck."
It was inthedaywhereinthefaith and patience of the saints were exercised, that John heard a voice from heaven, saying to him, " Write, blessed are the dead which die in the Lord " from henceforth ."
Thy friend by an act offavour is disbandedbydeath, whilst thou thyself art left to endure a great fight of affliction. And nowiftroubles come,thy cares and fears will be so much the less,andthyown death so much the easier to thee ; when fo much of thee is in heaven already. In this case the Lord, by a merciful dispensation,is providing both for their safety, and thy own easier paslage to them.
Inremovingthyfriends before-hand,he seems to saytothee, ashe did to Peter, John xiii. 7. " What I do thou know- " est not now, but thou shalt know hereafter." The eye of providencehathaprospect farbeyondthine ; probably it would be a harder task for thee to leave them behind,than to follow them. A tree that is deeply rooted in the earth, requires many strokes to fell it ; but when its roots are loosed before-hand, thenaneasy stroke lays itdownupon the earth.
A Token for Mourners. 257 Confider. 6. A parting time must needs come, and why is not this as good as another ? You knew before-hand your child or friend was mortal,and that the thread that linked you together must be cut. If anyone, faith Basil, had asked you,when your childwasborn, What is that which is born ? What would you have answered? Would you not have said, It is am an? And if a man, then a mortal, vanishing thing. And why then are you fur prized with wonder to fee a dying thing dead?
He, faith * Seneca,who complains thatone is dead,complains that he was a man. Allmen are under the fame condition, to whose share it falls to be born, to him it remains to die.
We are indeeddiftinguishedbythe intervals, butequalized in the issue: " It is appointedtoallmenoncetodie," Heb. ix. 27. There is a statute law of heaven inthecafe. Possibly you think this is the worst time for parting that could be; had you enjoyed it longer, you could have parted easier ; but how are you deceived in that? The longer you had enjoyed it, the more loth still you would have been to leave it ; the deeper it would have rooted itself in your affection.
Had God given you such a privilege as was once granted to the English parliament ; that the union betwixt you and your friend should not be dissolved till you yourselfwerewilling it should be dissolved; when,think you,would you have been * willing it should be dissolved? It is well for us and ours,that our times are in God's hand, and not in our own. And how immature soever it seemed to be when it was cut down ;yet it "came to the grave in a " full age, as a shock of corn in its season," Jobv. 26. hey that are in Christ, and in the covenant, neverdieunseasonably, whensoever they die (faith †one upon the the text), 'They die ina goodoldage; yea,though they die in the spring and flower of youth; they die in a good old age ; i. e. they are • ripe for death whenevertheydie. Whenever the godly die, it is harvest-time with him ; though in a natural capacity he ' be cutdownwhilehe is green, and crop tin the budorblof- ' som; yet in his spiritual capacity,he never dies before he is Bear the law of neceflity with an even mind, How many befidesyou must sorrow ? Seneca, Epifile 99.
+Caryl. on the place. VOL . VII. Kk
258 A Token for Mourners.
ripe;God canripen his speedily, he can let out such warm rays and beams of his Spirit upon them, as shall soon matu- ⚫⚫rate the feeds of grace into a preparedness for glory.' .
It was doubtless the most fit and seasonable time for them that ever they could die in, and as it isa fit time for them, fo for you also. Had it lived longer, itmighteither have engaged you more, and fo your parting would have been harder.; or else have puzzled and stumbled you more by discovering its natural corruption : and then what a stinging aggravation of your forrowwouldthathavebeen ?
Surely the Lord of time is the best judge of time; and in nothing do we more discover our folly and rashness, than in presuming to fix the times either of our comforts or troubles ; as for our comforts,we never think they can come too soon; we would have them presently, whether the season be fit or not, as Numb. xii. 13. " Heal her now, Lord." O let it be done speedily; we are in post-haste for our comforts, and for our afflictions, we never think they come late enough ; not at this time, Lord, rather at any other time than now.
But it is good to leave the timing both of the one and the other to him, whose works are all beautiful in their seasons, and never doth anything in an improper time.
Confider. 7. Call to mind in this day of trouble, the covenant you have with God, and what you solemnly promised him in the day you took bimfor your God.
Itwillbevery seasonable and useful for thee, Christian, at this time to reflect upon these transactions, and the frame of thy heart in those days, when an heavier loadofforrow preftthy heart, now than thou feelest.'
In those your spiritual distresses, when the burden of fin lay heavy, the curse of the law, the fear of hell, the dread of death andeternitybeset thee on every side,andshuttheeupto Christ, the only door of hope ; ah ! what good news wouldst thou then have accounted it, to escape that danger with the loss of all earthly comforts !
Was not this thy cry inthosedays ? Lord,give me Christ, and deny me whatever else thou pleasest. Pardon my fin, fave my foul, and, in order to both, unite me with Christ, and I will never repine or open my mouth. Do what thouwilt •with me; let me be friendless, let me be childless, let me be 6 poor, let me be any thing rather than achriftless, graceless, hopelcfs foul."
And when the Lord hearkened to thy cry, and shewed thee mercy; when he drew thee off from the world into thy closet,
A Token for Mourners.. 259 and there treated with thee in secret,when he was working up thy heart to the terms of his covenant, and made thee willing to accept Christ upon his own terms ; O then, how heartily did it thou fubmitto hisyoke, as most reasonable and easy, as at that time it seemed to thee?
Call to mind these days, the secret places where Christ and you made the bargain ; have not these words, or words to this
by thee into his ear with a dropping eye, andmeltingheart ?
Lord Jesus, here amJ,a poor guilty sinner, deeply laden with fin; fear and trouble uponone hand, and there is a just God, a severe law, and everlasting burnings, on the other hand: but blessed be God, Oblessedbe God for Jesus theMe. ' diator, who interposethbetwixtme and it. Thou art the only door of hope at which I can escape, thy blood the only ' means of my pardon and salvation. Thou hast said, " Come ' unto me allye that labour, and are heavy laden." Thou hast promised, that he thatcometh to thee, shall in no wife be • cast out. Blessed Jesus, thy poor creature cometh to thee upon these encouragements : I come,Obut it is with many staggerings, withmanydoubts and fears of the issue ; yet I am willing to ⚫comeandmake a covenant with thee this day.
I take thee this day to be my Lord, and submit heartily to all thydisposals ; do what thou wilt with me, or mine, let •me be rich or poor, anything or nothing in this world : I am ⚫willing to be as thou wouldst have me, and I do likewise give • myself to theethisday, to be thine ; all I am, all I have shall ' be thine, thine to serve thee, and thine to be disposed of at thy pleasure. Thou shalt henceforth be my highest Lord, my chiefest good, my last end." 6 Now, Christian,make good to Christ whatthouso solemnly promised him: He,I say,he hathdisposedofthis thy dear relation,as pleased him,and is thereby trying thy uprightness in the covenant which thou madest with him: Now where is the satisfaction and content thou promisedst to take in all his difposals ? Where is that covenanted submission to his will ? Didst thou except this affliction that is come upon thee ?
tell him, Lord, I will be content thou shalt,when thou pleasest, take any thing I have, save only this husband, this wife, or this dear child; I reserve this out of the bargain ? I shall never endure that thou shouldst kill this comfort. Iffo, thou didst in all this but prove thyself an hypocrite ; if thou Kk2 :
160 A Token for Mourners. wast sincere in thy covenant, as Christ hadnoreferves on his part, fo thouhadstnone on thine.
It was allwithoutanyexception thouthenrefignedsttohim, andnowwilt thougobackfrom thy word, as one thathadoutpromisedhimself, and repents the bargain ? Or, at least, as one that hath forgottenthesesolemntranfactions in the days of thy distress ? WhereinhathChrift failed in onetitlethathepromif edthee? Charge him, if thoucanst, with the leastunfaithfulness; he hath been faithful toa title on his part, O be thou fouponthine; this day it isputtotheproof,remeniberwhat thou hast promised him.
Confider. 8. But if thy covenant with God will not quiet thee, yet methinks God'scovenantwiththeemight beprefumedto doit.
Is thy family, which was lately hopeful, and flourishing, a peaceful tabernacle, now broken up and scattered ? Thy pof terity, from which thou raifeditup to thyself great expect at i ons of comfort in old age, cut off? So that thou art now like neither to have a name, or memorial left thee in the earth.
Doftthoufitalone,and mourntothinkwhitherto thy hopes and comforts are now come ?
words of Job,chap.xxix. ver. 1,2; 3,4, 5. andcommentuponthemwith many tears ; "O that I "wereasinmonthspaft,asinthedaywhen Godpreservedme! "when his candle shined upon my head, and when by his " light I walked through darkness ! as I was in the days of my " youth,whenthefecretof God was uponmytabernacle,when " the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were " about me."
Yet let the covenant Godhathmadewith thee, comfort thee in this thydesolatecondition.
You know what domestic troubles holy Davidmet with in a fad succession, not only from the death of children, but, which was much worse, from the wicked lives of his children.
There was incest, murder, and rebellion in his family ; a far forertrial than death in their infancy couldhavebeen: And yet feehowsweetly he relieves himself from the covenant of grace, in2Sam. xxiii. 5." Althoughmyhousebenot fowith "God, yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, "ordered in all things,and sure; for this is all my salvation, "andallmydefire,althoughhemake it not to grow."
I know this place principally refers to Christ, who was to spring out of David's family, according to God's covenant madewithhim in that behalf; and yet I doubt not but it hath
A Token for Mourners. 261 another, though less principal aspect upon hisownfamily,o verall the afflictions and troubles whereof the covenant of God withhimdid abundantly comfort him.
Andasitcomfortedhim,although hishousedid not increase, and those that were left were not such as he desired; so it mayabundantlycomfortyou also,whatever troubles,or deaths, are upon your families,who have an interest in the covenant. For, First, If you are God'scovenant people, the he may afflict, yethewillnever forget you, Psalm iii. 5. he is ever mindful of his covenant : You are as much upon his heart in your deepest afflictions, as in the greatest flourish of your prosperity.
You find it hard to forget your child, though it be now tur. - nedtoaheap of corruption,andloathsomerottenness : Ohow doth your mind run upon it night and day ! your thoughts tire not upon that object : Why surely it is much more easy fot -you to forget your dear child, whilst living,and most endearing,(much more when dead and undesirable)than it is for your God to forget you. Ifa. xlix. 15. " Can a woman forget "her fucking child,that she should not have compaffionon "the son ofherwomb ? Yea,they may forget, yet will not I " forget thee." : Canawoman, the more affectionate sex,forgetherfucking child,her own child, and not a nursing child? Her own child, whilst ithangsonthe breast, and,together with the milk from the breast,draws love from its mother's heart; can such athing asthisbeinnature? possibly it may,for creature-love is fickle, and variable : But,Iwillnotforget thee; it is an everlasting covenant.
Secondly, As he will never forget you in your troubles, so he will order all your troubles for your good: It is a well ordered-covenant, ora covenantorderlydisposed; so that every thing shall work together for your good.
The covenant foorders all your trials, ranks and disposes your various troubles so, as that they shall, in their orders and places, sweetly co-operate, and join their united influences to make you happy.
you cannot feehowthepresent affliction should be for your good; you are ready to fay,with Jacob, Gen. xlii. 36." Joseph is not,and Simeon is not ;an dye will take Ben- " jaminaway ; all these things are against me." But could youoncefeehow fwestly,andorderlyallthese afflictions work
262 A Token for Mourner's. under the blessing and influence of the covenant, to your eternal good, youwouldnot only be quiet, but thankful for that whichnowfomuch afflicts and troubles you.
Thirdly, This covenant isnotonlywellorderedinallthings, butfure; the mercies contained in it are called, " the sure " mercies of David," Ha. lv. 3. Now how sweet,how feafonablea fupportdoth this consideration give to God's afflicted under the rod! you lately made yourselves sure of that creaturecomfortwhich hath forsaken you. It maybe, youfaid of your child, which is now gone, as Lamech said of his son Noah, Gen. v. 29. " This same shall comfort us concerning our "work, and toilofour hands." Meaning, that his son should notonlycomfort them, by assisting them in the work of their hands, but also, in enjoying the fruitoftheirtoil and pains for him.
Probably such thoughts you have had, and raised up to yourfelves great expectations of comfort in your old age from it; but now you feeyoubuiltuponthe sand,and where were you now, if you had not a firinerbottom to build upon ? But blessed be God, the covenant-mercies are more sure, and solid! God, Christ, and heaven, never start, or fade,asthesethingsdo.
The sweetest creature-enjoyments you ever had or have in this world, cannot say to you, as your God doth, " I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." You must part with your dear husbands,how well foeveryou love them; you must bid adieu to the wife of yourbosom,how nearly soever your affections be linked, and heart delighted in her. Your children and you must be separated, though they are to you as your own soul. : But though these vanish away, blessed be God there issomethingthatabides. "Though all flesh be as grass, and the "goodliness of it as the flower of the grass, though the grass "withereth, and the flower thereof fadeth, because the Spirit " of the Lord bloweth upon it; yet the word of our God shall " stand for ever," Ifa. xl. 6, 7, 8. There is so much of fupportcontained in this one consideration, that could but your faith fix here, to realize and apply it, I might laydownmypen at this period, and say, the work is done, there needs no more. : Consideration 9. The hope of the resurrection should powerfully restrain all excesses of for row in those that do profess it.
Let them only mourn without measure, who mourn without hope. The husbandman doth not mourn when he casts his feed-corn into the earth, because he sows in hope ; com mits it to the ground with an expectation to receive it again
A Token for Mourners. 263 with improvement. Why thus stands the case here, and just
apostle states it, 1 Theff. iv. 13, 14. " But I would not "have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which " are asleep, that ye sorrow not even as others which have no "hope; for ifwebelievethat Jesus died, and rose again, even " so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bringwithhim."
2.d. Look not upon the dead as a loft generation ; think not that death hath annihilated, and utterly destroyed them : Ono, they are not dead, but only asleep; and if they sleep, they shall awake again. You do not use to make outcries and lamentations for your children, and friends, when you find themafleep upontheirbeds. Why, death is but a longer sleep, out of which they shall as surely awake, as evertheydid in the morning in this world.
I have often wondered at thatgoldensentence in Seneca *, "My thoughts of the dead(faith he)are not as others are ; I "have fair and pleasant apprehenfions of them ; for I enjoy- " edthem as one that reckoned I must part with them ; and I "partwiththem as one that makes account to have them."
He speaks, no doubt, of that enjoyment of them, which his pleasant contemplations of their virtuous actions could give him; for he was wholly unacquaintedwith the comfortable, and heart-supporting doctrine of the resurrection. Had he known the advantages which result thence, at what a rate may wethinkhewouldhave spoken of the dead, and of their state? But this you profess to believe, and yet fink at a strange rate. Ofuffer not Gentilism to outvie Christianity ; let not Pagans challenge the greatest Believers, to out-do them in a quiet, and chearful behaviour under afflictions . : I beseech thee, reader, if thy deceased friend have left thee anyfolidground of hope that he died interested in Christ, and the covenant; thatthouwilt diftinctlyponderthese admirable
supports which the doctrine of the resurrection affords.
First, That thefamebodywhich was so pleasant a spectacle to thee, shall be restored again; yea, the fame numerically, as well as the fame specifically ;; fo that it shall not onlybewhat it was, but the who it was. "These eyes small behold him, " and not another," Job xix. 27. The very famebodyyou laid, or are now about to lay in the grave, shall be restored again: Thou shalt find thine own husband, wife, or child, or friend again; I say the self-fame,and not another.
Habui enim illos tanquam amiffurus, am is i tanquam habeam.
Seneca, Ep. 63.
264 A Token for Mourners. Secondly, And farther, this is supporting, that as you shall seethe fame person that was so dear to you; so you fhallknow them to be the fame that were once endeared to you on earth in so near a tie of relation.
Indeed you shall know them no more in any carnal relation, deathdiffolyed that bond: But you shallknowthem to be such as once were your dear relations in this world,and be able to single them out among that great multitude,and say, this was my father, mother, husband, wife, or child; this was the person for whom Iwept, and made supplication,who was an instrument of good tome, or to whose salvation God then made me instrumental.
For we may allow, in that state, all that knowledge which is cumulativeandperfective, whatsoevermayenlargeandheightenour felicity and satisfaction, as this must needs be allowed to do. Luther'sjudgment, in this point,* being asked by his friends at supper the evening before he died, replies thus, What(faith he) befil Adam ? He never saw Eve, but was in a deep fleepwhen God formed her ; yet when he awaked, and saw her, he asked not what she was, nor whence the came? But faith, she was flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bone. Now, how knew he that ?He being full of the holy Ghost, and enduedwiththeknowledge of God,spakethus: after the same manner we also shall be in the other life renewed by Christ, and shall know our parents, our wives, and children. And this,amongotherthings,was that with which †Augustine comforted the lady Italica,afterthedeathofherdearhufband, telling her that she should know him in the world to come, among the glorified saints. Yea, and a greater than eitherofthese, ImeanPaul, comforted himself,that the Theffalonians,whom he had converted to Christ, should be " his " joy and crown of rejoicing, intheprefenceofthe LordJefus " Christ at his coming," I Theff. ii. 19, 20. which must needs implyhisdistinct knowledgeofthem in that day, which must be many hundred years after death hath separated them from each other. Whether this knowledge shall be by the glorified eyes discerning any lineaments, or propertyofindividuation, remaining upon the glorified bodies of our relations; or whether it shall be by immediate revelation, as Adam knew his wife,or as Peter,James, and John,knew Moses and Elias in the mount; as it is difficulttodetermine, so it is needless to puzzle ourselves about it.
1 *Melchior Adam, in the life of Luther. †Aug. Ep. 6.
A Token for Mourners. 265 It is the concurrent judgment of found divines, and it wants not countenance from scripture and reason, that such a knowledge of them shall be in heaven; and then the sadness of this parting will be abundantly recompensed by the joy of that meeting. Especially considering, Thirdly, That at our next meeting,they shall be unspeakably more desirable, sweet, and excellent, than ever they were in this world. They had a defirableness in them here, but they were not altogether lovely, and, in every respect, desirable ; they had their infirmities, both natural and moral ; but all these are removed in heaven, and for ever done away : No natural infirmities hang about glorified bodies, or sinful ones upon perfected spirits of the just. O what lovely creatures will they appear to you then,when that which is now sown in dish on our, shall be raisedinhonour ! 1 Cor. xv. 43. And then, to crown all, Fourthly, You shall have an everlasting enjoyment of them in heaven, never to part again. The children of the refurrectioncandie no more, Luke xx. 36. you shall kiss their pale lips, and cold cheeks, no more; you shall never fear another parting pull,but be together with the Lord for ever, I Theff. iv. 14. And this the apostle thought an effectual cordial in this case when he exhorted the Theffalonians to " comfort one " another with these words."
Confid. 10. Thepresentfelicity into which allthatdiein Christ arepresentlyadmitted,should abundantly comfort Christians over the death offuch as either carried a lively hope out of the world with them, or have left good grounds offuch an hopebehindthem.
Such there are,that carried a livelyhopeto heavenwiththem, who could evidence to themselves and friends, their interest in Christ, and in the covenant : Yea, though they had died in silence, yet their conversations would speak for them, and the tenor of their lives leave no groundofdoubting touching their death: Others dying in their infancy and youth,though they carried not such an actual hope with them, yet they have left good grounds of hope behind them.
Parents,now ponder these grounds; you have prayed for them, you have many times wrestled with the Lord on their behalf; you have taken hold of God's covenant for them, as well as for yourselves, and dedicated them to the Lord ; and they have not, by any actions of theirs, destroyed those grounds of your hope, but thatyoumaywith, much probability,conclude, they are with God.
VOL. VII. LI
266 A Token for Mourners. Why, if the case be so, what abundant reason have you to be quiet, and well satisfied with what God hath done? Can they bebetterthan where they are ? Had you better provisions and entertainment for them here,than their heavenly Father hath above?
There is no Christian parent in the world, but would rejoice to fee his child out-strip andgetbefore him in grace, that he maybemoreeminent in parts and service,thanever he was : Andwhatreason can be given,why we should not as much re joice to fee our children get before us in glory, as in grace? They are gotten to heaven a few years before you, and is that matter of mourning ? Would not your child (if he were not ignorant of you) say, as Christ did to his friends, a little before his death,when he saw them cast down at the thoughts of parting, John xiv. 28. " Ifye loved me,yewould rejoice, be- " cause I gounto the Father." 2. d. Do you value your own fensiblecomfort,from my bodily prefencewithyou,before my glory and advancement in heaven ? Is this love to me ? Or is it not rather self-love ?
So would your departed friend say to you : You have pro- • fefsed much love all along to me, my happiness seemed to be •very dear to you. How comes it to pass, then, that you •mourn so exceedingly now ? This is rather the effect ofa • fond and fleshly, than of a rational and spiritual love; if •you loved me with a pure spiritual love, ye would rejoice that I am gone to my Father. It is infinitely better forme to be here, than with you on earth, under fin and sorrow. •Weep not for me,but foryourselves .' Alas ! though you want your friend's company, he wants not yours ; your care was to provide for this child, but Jesus Christ hath provided infinitely better for it than you could ; you intended an estate,but he a kingdom for it ; you thought upon such or such a match, but Christ hath forbid all others, and married your child to himself. Would you imagine higher preferment for the fruit of your bodies ? AKingfromheaven hath,sent for your friend, and do you grudge at the journey ? O think, and think again, what an honour it is to you, that Christ hath taken them out of your bosom, and laid them in his own; stript them out of those garments you provided, and cloathed them in white robes, washed in the blood of the Lamb. Let not your hearts be troubled, rather rejoice exceedingly, that God made you in- struments to replenish heaven, and bring forth an heir for the kingdom of God.
Your child is now glorifying God, inanhigherwaythan you can, and what though you have lost its bodily presence for a time; yet, I hope, you do not reckon that to be your loss, which turus to God's greater glory. WhenJacob heard his Joseph was lord of Egypt, he rather wished himself with Joseph, than his Joseph with him in wants and straits ; so should it be with you : You are yet rolling, and tossing upon a tempestuous sea, but your friend is gone into the quiet harbour; desire rather to be there, than that he were at sea with you again.
Consideration 11. Confiderhow vainathing all your troubles, and self-vexation is ; it no way betters your case, noreafesyour burden.
As a bullock, by wresthng and sweating in the furrow, makes his yoke to be more heavy, and galls his neck,and spends his strength the sooner, and no ways helps himself by that : Why thus stands the case with thee; if thou be as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke, what Christ faith of caring,we may fay of grieving, (Matth. vi. 27.) " Which of you, by taking " thought, can add one cubit to his stature?"
Caresmaybreak our sleep, yea, break our hearts, but they cannot add to our stature, either in a natural, or in a civil notion: So our for rowing may sooner break our hearts, than the yoke God hath laid on you.
Alas! what is all this,but as the fluttering of a bird in the net, which, instead of freeing, doth but the more entangle itself. It was therefore a wife resolution of David, in this very case, when the will of God was signified in the death of his child, 2 Sam. xii. 23. "But now he is dead, wherefore should " I fast ? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but " he shall not return to me."
Can I bring him back again ? No; I can no more alter the purpose, and work of God, than I can change the seasons of the year, or alter the course of the fun, moon, and stars, or disturbtheorderofthe day and night; which are all unalterably established by a firm constitution, and ordinance of heaven.
As these seasons cannot be changed by man, so neither can this course andwayofhis providences be changed. Jobxxiii. 13. "He is of one mind,and who can turn him ? And what " his soul defireth, even that he doth." Indeed, while his pleasure and purpose are unknown to us, there is room for faftingandprayer, to prevent the thing we fear: But when the L12
268 A Token for Mourners. purpose of God is manifested in the issue, and the stroke is given, then it is the vainest thing in the world to fret, andvex ourselves, as David's servants thought he would do, as soon as he should hear the child was dead : But he was wiser than fo, his tears and cries to God before,had the nature and use of means to prevent the affliction ; but when it was come, and could not be prevented,thentheywereof no use, to no purpose in the world ; " Wherefore should I fast?" 2. d. To what end, use, or purpose,will it be now ?
Well, then, cast not away your strength and spirits, to no advantage ; reserve them for future exercises and trials:Time may come, that you may need all the strength you have, and much more, to support greater burdens than this.
Consideration 12. The Lord is able to restore all your loft comforts in relations, double to you, if you meeklysubmit to him, and patiently wait upon him under the rod.
WhenEfauhadlost his blessing, he said, " Haft thou but " one blessing, my Father?" Gen. xxvii. 38. But your Father hathmorebleffings for you thanone ; his name is the" Father " of mercies," 2 Cor. xiii. 11. He can beget, and create, as many mercies for you as he pleaseth ; relations, and the comforts of them, are at his command.
It isbutafew months, or years past, and these comforts, whose loss you now lament, were not in being ; nor did you know whence they should arise to you, yet the Lord gave the word, and commanded them for you; and, if he please, he can make the death of these but like ascythetothe meadow that ismowndown, or a razor to the head that is shaved bare; which,though itlayyou under the present trouble and reproach ofbarrenness, yet doth but make way for a double increase, a second spring, with advantage.
So that even as it was with the captive church, in respect of her special children, in the day of her captivity and reproach, the Lord made up all with advantage to her, even to her own astonishment. Ifa. xlii. 20. " The children which thou shalt " have, after thou hast loft the other, shall fay again in thine " ears, the place is too strait for me : Give place to me that I " may dwell." 1 . Thus may he deal with you, as to your natural children, and relations ; so that what the man of God said to Amaziah, 1 Chron. xxv. 9. maybe applied to the cafeinhand. "Ama- " ziah said to the man of God, but what shall we do for the hundred talents ? And the man of God answered, the Lord " is able to give thee much more than this."
Ofay not,What shall I do for friends and relations ?Death hath robbed me of all comfort in them. Why, the Lord is able to give you much more. But then, as ever you expect to fee your future blessings multiplied, look to it, and be carefulthatyou neither dish on our God, nor grieve him, by your unfubmiflive, and impatient carriage, under the present rod.
God took away all Job's children, and that at one stroke, and the stroke immediate and extraordinary, and that when they were grown up,and planted (at least some of them) in distinct families ; yea, whilst they were indearing each other by mutual expressions of affection. This must be yielded to bean extraordinary trial, yet he meekly receives, and patiently bears it from the hand of the Lord.
You have heard of the patience of Job, (faith the apostle, James v. 11.) " and seen the end of the Lord." Not only the gracious end, or intention of the Lord in all his afflictions, but the happy end and issue the Lord gave to all his afflictions, of which you have the account, Job xlii. 10. " TheLordgave " Job twice as much as he had before." The number of his children was not double to what he had, as all his other comforts were: But though the Lord only restored the fame num. ber to him again that he took away, yet it is likely the comfort he had in these latter children was double to what he had in the former. There is nothing loft by waiting patiently, and submitting willingly to the Lord'sdispose.
It is as eafywith the Lord to revive, as it is to remove your comfortsinrelations. There is a sweet expreffionto this purpose, in Psal. lxxxi. 28. " For thou, Lord, will lightmycandle, " the LordmyGod will enlightenmydarkness."
Every comfortable enjoyment, whether it be in relations, estate, health, or friends, is a candle lighted by providence for our comfort in this world, and they are but candles, which will not always last ; and those that last longest will be consumed and wasted at last; but oftentimes it falls out with them as with candles, they are blown out before they are half consumed; yea, almost as soon as lighted up, and then we are in darkness for the present.
It is adarkhour with us,when these comforts are put out; but David's faith did, and ours may comfort us with this, thathethatblewoutthe candle,can light up another : "Thou, " Lord, shalt light my candle,the Lord my God shall enligh- " ten my darkness." That is, the Lord will renew my com . forts, alter the present sad estate I am in, and chase away that trouble and darkness which at present liesuponme: Only be
270 Token for Mourners. ware of offending him, atwhosebeck your lights and comforts come and go. Michal displeased the Lord, and therefore had no child unto the day of her death, 2Sam. vi. 23.
Hannah waited humbly upon the Lordforthebleffingof children, and the Lord remembered her ; he enlightened her condition with that comfort,when she was as a lamp despised. ' There is no comfort you have lost but God can restore it, yea, double it in kind, if he sees it convenient for you. And if not, then, Consideration 13. Confider, though he should deny you any more comforts of that kind, yet he hath far better to bestow upon you,such as these deserve not to be named with.
You have an excellent Scripture to this purpose, in Isa. lvi. 4,5 "For thus faith the Lord unto the eunuchs that keep my " fabbaths; and chuse the things that please me, and take hold " of my covenant; even to them will I give in my house, and " withinmywalls, a place, and a name better than of sons and " daughters; I will give them an everlasting name, that " fhallnot be cut off."
Mens names are to be continued in their Englifb issue, in their male issue especially, and confe
Abigail's were to David,
See Annotationson quently to fail in such as wanted issue, Num. the place. xvii. 4. and a numerous issueisdeemed no small honour, Psal. cxxvii. 4, 5. God therefore promised hereto
and make good the want of issue, and whatsoever, eitherhonour here, or memorial hereafter, might from it have accrued to them, by bestowing upon them matter of far greater honour, and more durable ; a name better, or before the names offons or daughters.
It is a greater honour to be the child of God,than to have the greatest honour, or comfort, that ever children afforded their parents in this world.
Poor heart, thou art now dejected by this affliction that lies upon thee, as if all joy and comfort were now cut off from thee in this world.
2 Aclouddwells uponallothercomforts, this affliction hath so imbittered thy soul, that thou tastest no more in any other earthly comforts, than in the white of an egg. O that thou didftbut confider the confolations that are with God for such as answer his ends in affliction, and patiently wait on him for their comfort ! he hath comforts for you far transcending the joy of children.
This some have found when their children have been cut off from them, and that in so eminent a degree, that they have
little valued their comfort in children, in comparison with this comfort.
I will therefore set down a pregnant instance of the point in hand, as I find it recorded by the grave and worthy author of that excellent book, intituled, The fulfilling of the scripture.
Fulfilling of thefcripture, p. 491 . Another notable instance of grace, with a very remarkable passage in his condition, I shall here mention. •One Patrick Mackewrath, who lived in the west parts ' of Scotland, whose heart, in a remarkable way, the Lord touched, and after his conversion (as he shewed to many • Christian friends) was in such a frame, so affected with a new ' world, wherein he was entered, the discoveries of God, and ' ofa life to come ; that for some months together he did seldom sleep, but was stilltakenupinwondering. His life was ' very remarkable for tenderness, and near converse with God ' in his walk ; and, which was worthy to be noted, one day, after a sharp trial, having his onlysonsuddenly taken away by death, he retired alone for several hours, and when he ' came forth did look fo chearfully, that to those who asked 'him the reason thereof, and wondered at the fame in such a ' time ; he told them, He had got that in his retirement with ' the Lord, that to have it afterwards renewed, he would be