A SERMON preached for the Funeral of JOHN
[ 393 ] THE
BALM OF THE COVENANT
Applied to the
BLEEDING WOUNDS
AFFLICTED SAINTS.
Towhich is added,aSermonpreachedfor the Funeral of thatexcellent and religiousGentleman 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 fuch adoleful ſubject, itcannotbe imagined but your part must be abundantly harder, who feel over and over what is here written.
Could I tellhow to adminiſter counſels, and comforts to you, without exaſperatingyour forrows, I would certainly take that way ; butſeeingthe one (in this cafe) cannot be done without the other, it is our duty toſubmit tothe method Providence hath preſcribedtous.
Thedeſignofthe enſuing diſcourſe, is toevince the truth of whatſeems averygreatparadoxto moſt men, namely,that the afflictions ofthe faints cando themno hurt, andthat the wifdom ofmen and angels cannot lay one circumſtance of their condition(how uneaſy ſoever it ſeems tobe) better, or more totheir advantage than God hath laid it. Iattempt not bya flourish of rhetoric to perfuade 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 ofScripture, and ſure principles of religion.
Andmethinksyou, and every Chriſtian, ſhouldgladlyenter.
The Balm of the Covenant tainthat comfortable concluſion,whenyou shallfindthe foun dation of it asstrong, as the influences thereof aresweet and comfortable.
Certainly, Madam,the intent ofthe Redeemer's undertakingwas not to purchaſe for his people riches, eaſe, andpleafures on earth; but to mortify their lufts, heal their natures, and ſpiritualize their affections ; and thereby to fitthem for the eternal fruition ofGod. Upon this ſuppoſition the truth of this concluſion (how ſtrange foever it ſeems) is firmly built.
Itwas notwithoutDivine direction, that the ſubject ofthe enfuingdiſcourſe was as pertinently, as feaſonably, recommended tome byyour dearhusband, inthe day ofyour forrows for your only fon. He took, I hope, his portion of comfort outofitbeforehe died, and it is now left as a ſpring ofcomfort toyou,who then mourned with him, andnow for him.
Heavy preſſures callfor ſtrongſupport,and fainting ſeaſons forrich cordials. Your burden is indeedheavy: yet Imuft ſay it is muchour own fault ourburdens are ſo heavy aswe feel them to be; for according tothe meaſure of our delight in, and expectation from the creature, is our forrow and dif appointmentwhen we partfrom it.
The highest tides are al ways followedwiththe lowest ebbs. We findtemperance and patienceknit together inthe fameprecept, and intemperance and impatience as inſeparably connected in ourown experience.
Itmaybe we did not ſuſpect ourſelves ofany finful exceſs in the time oftheir enjoyment; but it now appears the creaturewas gottendeeperinto our hearts than we imagined by the pain we feel at parting : Did we not lean too hard uponit, there wouldnotbefuch fhakings as we feel when itis flipt from us.
But, Madam, itis high time to recal your thoughts, and boundyour forrows, which the following confiderations would greatlyaſſiſtyou in.
1. What is the very ground and reaſon of our exceffive forrows for the loss ofearthly comforts? Is it not this, That they areperishing and transitory ? That is, thatyou find them to be asGodmadethem. Andcanwe expect thatGod ſhould alter the laws ofnature to pleaſe andhumour us ? It isas na tural to our relations todie, as itis forflowers to wither, or the mion to wane.
2. That there is no ſuch neceſſary connexion betwixt theſe things and ourcomfort, thatwheneverGod removes the one,
The Epistle Dedicatory.
Hemustneeds remove the other with it.
Chrift andcomfort are indeedſo united,but nothingbeſide him is or canbe ſo.
I hope you will shortly experience the truth ofthis conclufion,by the comfort Godwillgive you inthe abſence ofthoſe comforts you have loft. Canyou notnow have as free acceſs to God as before ? Yea, do not theſe very afflictions ſendyou oftenerintohis preſence?AndifGodmeetyou inthoſeduties,
(as indays ofdiſtreſs he uses tomeethis people),then it will be evident to you that yourjoy and comfort lives,though your husbandandchildren be laid in their graves.
3. That the removing of your earthly comforts hinders notbut thatyou may ſtillpursue the great end and bufinefs ofyour life, andcarry on all yout deſigns for heavenas futcefsfully as ever.
Indeed, Madam, hadwe been fent into thisworld to raiſe eſtates, contract relations, and then ſit down in the midst of them as ourportion, 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 lifehere,andmake ready for the fullenjoyment of him hereafter. And what hinders butyou may as profperouſly manage and carry on this your deſignas ever? You do not thinkthe traveller is diſabled for hisjourney, becauſe he hath fewer clogs andhindrances than before. Ithink few Chriftians findmuch furtheranceheavenward by their multiplicity of engagements or enjoyments inthis world.
Your cares and fears about theſethings, will now lie in anarrower compaſs than they didbefore,andtherebyyou may have your thoughts more aboutyou, to attendthe greatconcernsofGod'sglory, andyourown falvation.
4. But above all, you will certainly find your relief and confolationto lie intheeverlasting covenantofGod. Thence itwas, that David fetched his ſupport under a muchheavier burden and ſmarter rodthan yours : For your relationswere ſuch as gave you comfort in their lives,and leftyou many grounds of hope intheirdeaths: but his were taken away in their fins. Butthough the groundsofhis forrow (bleffedbe
God) are not yours, yet Ihope thegroundsofhis comfort in thetext arefullyyours.
Iconfeſs,I have prepared theſe things intoomuchhaſte and diſtraction ofthoughts, which inthisjuncture wasunavoidable ; nor have I bestowed much of art or languageupon 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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