Sermon V (continued, part 11)
Ansiccr 1. There is no man so thoroughly sanctified, as not to f and come short in many things pertaining to his relative duties : i to speak, as the thing is, the corruptions of the holiest persons as much discovered in this, as any other thing whatsoever ; an( is a very common thing for conscience, not only to charge th failures upon us, but to aggravate them to the utmost when G hath made the separation. So that this is no more than what usual, and very common with persons in your case.
Jnszcer 2. Admit that which the objection supposes, that C had afflicted vou for your sin, and removed that comfort from y which you idolized, and too much doted on ; yet there is no rea you should be so cast down under your affliction : For all this n be, and probably is the fruit of his love to, and care of your sc
Rev. iii. 19. He tells the afflicted, for their comfort, " Whoi " love, I rebuke and chasten." How much better is it to have idolized enjoyment taken from you, in mercy, than if God sho
say concerning you, as he did of Ephraim, Hos. iv. IT. " H< " joined to idols, let him alone." O it is better for you that your Father now reckons with you your follies with the rod in his hand, than to say as he doth to so let them go on, 1 will not hinder them in, or rebuke them for tl sinful courses ; but will reckon >vith them for all together in hel last.
Answer 3. And as to what you now charge upon yourself, that neglect of duty did spring from the want of love to your relati your sorrow at parting may evidence that your relation was roc deep in your affection ; but iY your love was not so spiritual pure, to love and enjoy them in God; that was undoubtedly y sm, and is the sin of most Christians, for which both you, and others, ought to be humbled.
Pha 10. God hath blessed me with an estate, and outward c
forts in the world, which I reckoned to have left to my poster!
and now I have none to leave it with, nor have I any comfort to tl of it ; the purposes of my heart are broken off, and the comfor all my other enjoyments blasted by this stroke in an hour. I are the pains and cares of many years perished.
Ansxver 1. How many are there in the world, yea, of our owr
662 A TOKEN FOR MOL'RlNERS.
children left in the world, whose bowels you may refresh
he hath bestowed upon you ; and your charity to them less turn to a more considerable account, than if you had
estate to your own posterity.
Surely we are not sent into this world to heap up g for our children : and if you have been too eager in this c
may now read God's j ust rebuke of your folly. Bless Gc yet an opportunity, to serve him eminently by your cl
God deny you other executors, let your own hands be youi
to distribute to tlie necessity of the saints, that the blessir
that are ready to perish may come upon you.
Plea 11. O but the remembrance of its witty words actions, is wounding.
Anszoer 1. Let it rather lift up your hearts to God in gave you so desirable a child, than fill your heart with d his hand in removing it. How many parents are there i whose children God hath deprived of reason and unders that they only differ from the beasts in external shape t And how many shew betimes so perverse a temper, thai fort can be expected from them.
Anszoer 2. These are but small circumstances, and tr in tliemselves; but by these little things Satan manag design against your soul, to deject or exasperate it : And is not your business at this time ; you have greater thin;
words and actions of children to mind ; to search out G< the affliction, to mortify the corruption it is sent to rebu] your hearts in the will of God ; this is your work.
Pica 12. Lastly^ It is objected, O but God hides his fe in my affliction ; it is dark within, as well as without, anc my case more deplorable, greatly afflicted, and sadly des
Anszver 1. Though you want at present sensible comf have reason to be thankful for gracious supports. Thou
of God's countenance shine not upon you, yet you find 1 ing arms arc underneath you ; the care of God worke when the consolations of God are withdrawn from you.
A7i8zver 2. To have God hide his face in the time of ti
new or unusual thing; God's dearest saints, yea, his owi experienced it, who in the deeps of inward and outwa when wave called unto wave, felt not those sweet, sensib]
of comfort from God, which had always filled his soul fo
Christ cry in extremity, " My God, my God, why hast tli " me !" Then sure we need not wonder, as if some st
A TOKEN FOR MOURNERS.
\uui" Father hath given you to drink; accept the punishment of j iniquities ; say, Good is the word of the Lord, It is the Lord. Iiim do what he will : You would soon find the case altered with y
but the comfortuig spirit finds no delight, or rest, in a turbu and tumultuous breast
And thus I have satisfied the most considerable pleas urged
justification of our excesses.
4. I come now to the last thing proposed, namely, the mean curing and preventing these sinful excesses of sorrow for the d( of our dear relations.
And, although much hath been said already to dissuade from evil, and I have enlarged already much beyond my first intenti
vet I shall cast in some firthcr help and assistance to'.vards the 1: ing of this distemper, by prescribing the following rules :
Rule 1. If you icould not mourn excessively Jhr the loss qfc ture-coniforts, then bercare that you set not your delight and love cessively, or inordinately upon them, zihilst you do enjoy them.
Strong affections make strong afflictions ; the higher the tide lower the ebb. According to the measure of our delight in the joyment, is our grief in the loss of these things. The apostle k
these two graces, temperance and patience, together in the prec 2 Pet. i. 16. and it is very observable how intemperance and in tience are inseparably linked in experience, yea, the experi< of the best men. You read. Gen. xxxvii. 3. " Now Israel Ic
" Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of
*' old age ; and made him a coat of many colours."' This was the darhng ; Jacob's heart was so exceedinglv set u liim, his verv life was bound up in the life of the lad. Now \< the supposed death of the child was brought to him, how did he c;
it ! See ver. 34, 35. " And Jacob rent his clothes, and put s " cloth upon his loins ; and mourned for his son many days : j " all his sons, and all his daughters, rose up to comfort him, bu " refused to be comforted. And he said, for I will go down into
" grave to my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him.'' Here, as in a glass, are the effects of excessive love to a c represented : Here you may see what work immoderate love make, even in a sanctified heart.
O therefore let your moderation be known to all men, in -^ delight and sorrows about earthly things ; for ordinarily the pro tion of the one is answerable to the other.
Rule 2. If you xcould not he overwhelmed icith grief Jbr the nfumir rplnt'innM. hr p.rnrt nnA rnrcfnl. in iliarlinrtrinfr iimn- /Ji
i I »
664 A TOKEN FOR MOUUNERS.
affliction, as the guilt charge^ upon us in times of affli( makes our load so heavy.
O what a terrible thing is it to look upon our dead friei conscience is accusing and upbraiding us for our duties and such or such sins committed ? O you little think ho^
a spectacle this will make the dead body of thy friend to
Conscience, if not quite stupid or dead, will speak at si O therefore, as ever you would provide for a comfortable death, or meet again at judgment ; be exact, punctual, ai spect, in all your relative duties.
Rule 3. If you would not be overwhelmed hy trouble^ J of dear relations, then turn to God under your troubk,
out your sorrows, by "prvyer^ into his bosom.
This will ease and allay your troubles. Blessed be God dinance of prayer ; how much arc all the saints beholden 1 times, but especially in heart-sinking and distressful tin some relief, when in distress, we can pour out our troub] bosom of a wife, or faithful friend ; how much more whei our complaint before the gracious, wise, and faithful Gc you before of that holy man, who having lost his dear anc got to his closet, there poured out his soul freely to the ] when he came down to his friends that were waiting below him, and fearing how he would bear that stroke, he cam* duty with a cheerful countenance, telling them he would to bury a son, if it were possible every day, provided he ra such comfort as his soul had found in that private hour.
Go thy way. Christian, to thy God, get thee to thy ki cloudy and dark day ; retire from all creatures, that th have thy full liberty with thy God, and there pour out thj fore him, in free, full, and broken-hearted confessions of si thyself worthy of hell, as well as of this trouble ; justify his smartest strokes ; beg him, in this distress, to put unde lasting arms ; intreat one smile, one gracious look, to enli darkness, and cheer thy drooping spirit. Say with the pn xvii. 17. " Be thou not a terror to me ; thou art my hope
*' of evil." And try what relief such a course will afford thi ly, if thy heart be sincere in this course, thou shalt be able 1
that holy man, Psalm xciv. 29. " In the multitude of m^ •' which I had within me, thy comforts have delighted m Rule 4. If you would bear the loss of your dear relaiim deration, eye God in the whole jjrocess qftfie affliction mo rnndnni ciiiinpn and. rimimatmircs of the matter less.
A TOKEN FOR MOURNERS.
Secondly, As a father's hand correcting thee in love and faith ness. Prov. iii. 11. "Whom the Lord loveth he correcteth,
*' father the son in whom he delighteth.'^ O if once you could see aflSiction as a rod iu a father's hand, proceeding from his love, intended for your eternal good ; how quiet would you then be i
And surely if it draws your heart nearer to God, and mortifi more to this vain world, it is a rod in the hand of special love: If it
in vour love to God, doubt not but it comes from God's love to _ Thirdly^ As a just and righteous hand. Hast not thou proci
this to thyself by thy own folly .'' Yea, the Lord is just in all th come upon thee ; whatever he hath done, yet he hath done the vvrong.
Fourthly, Lastly, as a moderate and merciful hand that ] punished thee less than thine iniquities deserve : He that hath thee into affliction, might justly have cast thee into hell. It i
the Lord's mercy that thou art not consumed. Why doth the li man torapiain .'*
Rule 5. If ycnc Kill hear your affliction xvith moderation, < pare it zcith the afflictions of other men, and that xvill greatly 5
your spirits.
You have no cause to say God hath dealt bitterly with you, that there is no sorrow like your sorrow : Look round about and impartially consider the condition that others are in ; and nothing inferior to you in any respect. You had one dear ch Aaron had two at a stroke. Job all at one stroke ; and both thes an immediate stroke from the hand of God. Some godly par have lived to see their children die in their sin by the hand of jus others have seen them live to the dishonour of God, and breakin
their own spirits, and would have esteemed it a mercy if they had from the womb, and given up the ghost when they came out oi belly, as Job speaks.
In what misery have some parents seen their children die ! holding them as so many terrible spectacles of misery before 1 eyes ; so that they begged the Lord, with importunity, to let 1 his hands, and cut them off; death being in their esteem, nothii
those continual agonies in which they have seen them lie welte from day to day. O you little know what a bitter cup others 1 given them to drink ? Surely, if you compare, you must say,
Lord hath dealt gently and graciously with me.
Rule 6. Carefully shun and avoid whatsoever may renew ;
sorro'ic, or provoke you to impatience.
I I I
6C6 A TOKEN FOfi MOURNERS.
his trouble for the loss of his dear wife ; but he calL Benjamin.
Your impatience is like tinder, or gunpowder, so louj prevent the sparks from falling on it, there is no great you that carry such dangerous prepared matter in your cannot be too careful to prevent them. Do by murmu do by blasphemous thoughts ; think quite another way, occasion.
Rule 7. In the day of your murmuring for the dt Jriends^ seriously consider your oxvn death as approacM
you and your deadji'iend are distinguished by a small point of time. 2 Sam. xi. 13. 1 shall go to him. Surely
of your own death, as approaching also, will greatly all rows for the dead that are gone before you.
We are apt to fancy a long life in the world, and the those comforts which we promised ourselves so much oft and comforts of our lives from, seems an intolerable th
But would you realize your own deaths more, you v so deeply concerned for their deaths as you are. Co look into your own graves more seriously, you would be
into your friend's grave more composedly. And thus I have finished what I designed from this scr Father of mercies, and God of all comforts, whose sole it is to comfort them that are cast down, write all his your hearts, that they may abide there, and reduce you affections to that frame which best suits the will of God,
fession you make of subjection and I'esignation thereun
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