A SERMON preached for the Funeral of JOHN
[ 393 ] THE
BALM OF THE COVENANT
Applied to the
BLEEDING WOUNDS
AFFLICTED SAINTS.
To which is added,aSermonpreachedfor the Funeral of that excellent and religious Gentleman JOHN UPTON ofLUPTON, Esq; To the Virtuous and Much HonouredMadam, URSULA
UPTON of LUPTON in DEVON.
MADAM, F I find it an hard task to write on such adoleful subject, it cannot be imagined but your part must be abundantly harder, who feel over and over what is here written.
Could I tell how to administer counsels, and comforts to you, without exasperatingyour sorrows, I would certainly take that way ; but seeing the one (in this case) cannot be done without the other, it is our duty to submit to the method Providence hath prescribed to us.
Thedesignofthe ensuing discourse, is toevince the truth of what seems averygreatparadoxto most men, namely,that the afflictions of the saints can do them no hurt, and that the wisdom of men and angels cannot lay one circumstance of their condition(how uneasy soever it seems to be) better, or more to their advantage than God hath laid it. I attempt not bya flourish of rhetoric to persuade you against the demonstrations you can fetch from sense and feeling to the con trary,but to overthrow the false reasonings of flesh and sense, by the allowed rules of Scripture, and sure principles of religion.
Andmethinksyou, and every Christian, shouldgladlyenter.
The Balm of the Covenant tainthat comfortable conclusion,when you shall find the foun dation of it as strong, as the influences thereof are sweet and comfortable.
Certainly, Madam,the intent of the Redeemer's undertaking was not to purchase for his people riches, ease, and pleasures on earth; but to mortify their lusts, heal their natures, and spiritualize their affections ; and thereby to fit them for the eternal fruition of God. Upon this supposition the truth of this conclusion (how strange soever it seems) is firmly built.
It was notwithoutDivine direction, that the subject of the enfuingdiscourse was as pertinently, as feasonably, recommended tome by your dear husband, in the day of your sorrows for your only son. He took, I hope, his portion of comfort outofitbeforehe died, and it is now left as a spring of comfort to you,who then mourned with him, and now for him.
Heavy pressures call for strong support,and fainting seasons for rich cordials. Your burden is indeed heavy: yet Imuft say it is much our own fault our burdens are so heavy as we feel them to be; for according to the measure of our delight in, and expectation from the creature, is our sorrow and dis appointment when we part from it.
The highest tides are al ways followed with the lowest ebbs. We find temperance and patienceknit together in the fame precept, and intemperance and impatience as inseparably connected in our own experience.
It maybe we did not suspect ourselves of any sinful excess in the time of their enjoyment; but it now appears the creature was gottendeeperinto our hearts than we imagined by the pain we feel at parting : Did we not lean too hard upon it, there wouldnotbefuch fhakings as we feel when it is flipt from us.
But, Madam, it is high time to recal your thoughts, and bound your sorrows, which the following considerations would greatlyassistyou in.
1. What is the very ground and reason of our excessive sorrows for the loss of earthly comforts? Is it not this, That they areperishing and transitory ? That is, that you find them to be asGodmadethem. And can we expect that God should alter the laws of nature to please andhumour us ? It is as na tural to our relations to die, as it is for flowers to wither, or the mion to wane.
2. That there is no such necessary connexion betwixt these things and our comfort, thatwheneverGod removes the one,
The Epistle Dedicatory.
Hemustneeds remove the other with it.
Christ and comfort are indeed so united,but nothing beside him is or can be so.
I hope you will shortly experience the truth of this conclusion,by the comfort Godwillgive you in the absence of those comforts you have loft. Can you not now have as free access to God as before ? Yea, do not these very afflictions send you oftenerintohis presence?AndifGodmeetyou inthoseduties,
(as in days of distress he uses to meet his people),then it will be evident to you that your joy and comfort lives,though your husbandandchildren be laid in their graves.
3. That the removing of your earthly comforts hinders not but that you may still pursue the great end and business of your life, and carry on all yout designs for heaven as futcefsfully as ever.
Indeed, Madam, had we been sent into this world to raise estates, contract relations, and then sit down in the midst of them as our portion, then our design had been utterly dashed and disappointed ; but you know this is not your main end, or great business upon earth, but to honourGod by an holy fruitful life here,and make ready for the full enjoyment of him hereafter. And what hinders but you may as profperously manage and carry on this your design as ever? You do not think the traveller is disabled for his journey, because he hath fewer clogs andhindrances than before. I think few Christians find much furtheranceheavenward by their multiplicity of engagements or enjoyments in this world.
Your cares and fears about these things, will now lie in a narrower compass than they did before,andtherebyyou may have your thoughts more about you, to attend the greatconcernsofGod'sglory, and your own salvation.
4. But above all, you will certainly find your relief and confolationto lie in the everlasting covenantofGod. Thence it was, that David fetched his support under a much heavier burden and smarter rod than yours : For your relations were such as gave you comfort in their lives,and left you many grounds of hope in their deaths: but his were taken away in their fins. But though the grounds of his sorrow (bleffedbe
God) are not yours, yet I hope thegroundsofhis comfort in the text arefullyyours.
I confess,I have prepared these things intoomuchhaste and distraction of thoughts, which in this juncture was unavoidable ; nor have I bestowed much of art or language upon them: And if I had, they would have been never the more effectual to your relief for that.
But such as they are, I
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