Containing divers practical inſtructive inferences from this

Containing divers practical inſtructive inferences from this

ParticularInferencesfrom theTrialofGrace.

CHAP.

XI.

Containing divers practical instructive inferences from this doctrine ; with a serious exhortation to self-trial and thorough examination.

SECT.

RE there ſuch variety oftrials appointed to Infer. 1.A examine the fincerityof mens graces ; how great a vanitythen is hypocrify, andto how little purpoſedo men endeavour to conceal andhide it ? We ſay, Murder will out; and wemay as confidently affirm, Hypocrify will out.

WhenRebeccahad laidtheplot todiſguiſeherfon Jacob, and byperſonating his brother, to get the bleſſing, Jacob thus objects against it, " My father, peradventure, will feel me,

" andI shall feemto him as a deceiver; and I shall bring a "curſeupon me, and notableſſing," Gen. xxvii. 12. as if heſhouldſay,but what ifmy father detectthe cheat,howthen ſhall I look him inthe face? How ſhall I eſcape a curſe ? Afterthe fame manner every upright foul ſcares itſelf from the wayofhypocrify.

If I diſſemble, and pretend to be what I amnot, my Father will find meout. Ah 1 there is nodarkneſs nor ſhadow ofdeath that can conceal thehypocrite, but outitwillcome at last,lethim uſe all the arthecan to hide it.

OftentimesGoddiſcovers him bythe trials he appoints inthis world; andmen inthat dayſhall" return anddifcern betwixt

"the righteous and the wicked, between kim that ferveth "God, and him that ſerveth him not," Mal. iii. 18. Butif hemakeanhard ſhift togetby a private wayto hell, carrying this comfort with him tothe laſt ſtep, That nobody knows or thinks he is gone thither; yet there will be a daywhenGod will ſtrip him nakedbefore the great aſſembly of angels and men, and all ſhall pointat him, andſay, Lo! this is theman thatmadenotGodhishope.

This is he thatwore agarmentofprofeſſion todeceive, but God hath now ſtript him outofit, and allmen ſeewhathe is: For, " There is nothing covered, that ſhall notbe revealed, and hid, thatthall notbe known," Matth.x. 26. And the apostle affures us, 1 Tim. v. 24, 25. "Thattheythat are

"otherwise, cannot be hid."

If mensworks benotgood, it is impoffiblethey ſhouldbehidlong: Agilded piece ofbrais

CC2

Particular Inferences from theTrialofGrace. maypaſs fromhand to hand a little while, butthe touchſtone willdiſcover the baſe metal : Ifthatdo not, the fire will.

O finners ! away with your hypocrify, be honest, fincere, plainandhearty inreligion : If not, contufionofface ſhallbe yourrecompence from the Lord ; that is whatyou shallgetby it.

Infer. 2. Secondly, Arethere ſuch trialsappointedand permittedby the Lord for thediſcovery of his people's fincerity inthisworld ? Then letnone ofGod'speopleexpectaquietſtation inthisworld : Certainlyyou ſhallmeet with noreſthere, you muſtout of one fire into another; and it isa merciful condeſcenſion ofthe Lord topoorcreatures, thus toconcernhimself for their ſafety and benefit: "What is inan, thatthou ſhouldſt

" magnify him ? and that thou ſhouldſt ſet thine heart up- " onhim? that thou ſhouldſt viſit him every morning, and " tryhim every moment ?" Job vii. 17, 18.

O it is agreat deal ofhonour put upon a poor worm, when Godwillevery moment try him and viſit him ; itargues the great eſteem the gold-ſmith hath ofhis gold, whenhe will fit bythe furnace himself, and order the fire with his own hand; whenhe pries ſooften, and ſo curiously into the fining-pot, to ſee that none ofhis precious metal, upon which he fets his heart, be loft.

Think it not then adebaſing to you tobe ſo oftenexpoſed totrials. IfGoddid not value you highly, he would nottry you ſo frequently ; What would become of you, ifyourconditionhere ſhouldbe more fettled and quietthan now it is? I believeyou finddroſs enough inyour hearts after allthe fires intowhichGodhath caſtyou: Surely there is filth enough in thebest ofGod's people to take allthis, itmaybe a greatdeal moretroublethantheyhaveyet metwith. We fancy it abrave life to live ateaſe; and if we meetwith longer refpites and intervals of trial than uſual, we are apt to ſay, We shall never be moved, as David did, Pfal, xxx. 6. orwe shalldie in ourneft, as it is Job xxix. 18. Our hard anddifficultdays are over; but woe to us ifGod ſhould give us the defire ofour hearts in this.

See whatthetemper ofthoſe mens ſpirits is, thatmeetwith no changes, Pfal. lv. 19. "Because theyhave

" nochanges, therefore they fear notGod." O it is better tobe preſerved ſweet inbrine, than torot inhoney !

Infer. 3. Thirdly, Let none boast ina carnalconfidence oftheir ownstrength and stability.

You are yet in a ſtate of trial:

HithertoGod hath kept you upright in all your trials ; bleſs God, but boast not ; you are but feathers in the wind of

Particular Inferences from the Trial ofGrace.

temptation, ifGodleaveyou to yourſelves. PetertoldChriſt, (anddoubtless he ſpoke no more than he honestly meant)

" Though all menforſake thee, yet will notI:" Andyou know whathe didwhen the hour of his trial came, Matth. xxvi. 35. Angels left tothemſelves have fallen: It is better tobeanhumble worm, than a proud angel.

Ah! how many Pendletons willthis profeffing age ſhew, if onceGodbringus tothe fierytrial ? " Lethim that thinks he

" ſtands, take heed leſt he fall."

You have not yet refifted unto blood, ftriving againſt ſin. None ſtand upon firmer groundthan thoſe that fee nothing in themselves to ſtand upon; hethatleans uponhisownarm, uſuallybenumbs it, and makes it uſeleſs .

Infer. 4. Fourthly, DothGod kindle ſomanyfires in Sion, andſet his furnaces inJerufalem, todiscover and feparatethe droſs from the gold? How contrary are thoſe men to God, thatallow, yea, and prizethe droſs ofhypocrify, which God hates, and ſtick not to make the holyGod a patronifer, and countenancer of it in the hearts and livesofmen ?

It is amazing to read what popish pens have impudently writtenaboutthis matter : * Sylveſter puts the queſtion, Whether itbea finto make a falſe ſhew of ſanctity ? And anſwers itthus: Ifit be for the honour ofGod, and profit ofothers, it isno fin. Nay, they have a reverence for hypocrify, as an holyart. Vincentius ſpends awhole chapterin commendation ofthe hypocrify of St. Dominic, and entitles it, Defancta ejushypocrifi; i. e. Ofthe holy hypocrify ofthat ſaint ; reckoning it amonghis commendations, that he hadthe artofdifſembling. Andyet,one peg higher, a religious perſon (faith † another) that feigns himself to have more holiness than he hath, thatothers maybe edified, fins not, butrathermerits.

Blush, O heavens ! that ever ſuch factors for hell ſhould openandvendfuch ware as this in the public market, and invitetheworld to hypocriſy, as thatwhich makes for theglory ofGod, the edification ofmen, andawork meritorious in the hypocritehimſelf: This is the doctrine ofdevils indeed !

Infer. 5. Fifthly, Ifitbe ſo, that allgracemust come tothe teſt, andbetried as gold in the fire, eveninthisworld ; how areallmenconcerned to lay a folid foundation at firſt, and thoroughly deliberate the terms uponwhich they cloſe with Chrift,andengage in the profeſſionofhis name ? " Which of "you,(faithChriſt)intendingtobuildatower, ſittethnotdown

* Afum advfimulatio, n. 4. ↑Rosella in v. hypacrisis,n.1.

AJeribus Exhortation to Self-examination.

"first, and counteth the coſt?" Luke xiv. 28. Ifſome mert hadſetdown at first, andponderedthe conditions and termsof

Chriſt, they had not fatdown nowdiſcouraged, and tired in theway.

The apostle Paulwent to work at another rate; he accounted allbutdung and droſs for Chriſt, Phil. iii. 8. and was ofthe ſame mindwhen the actual trialcame; for thenhe tells us, " He counted not his life dear unto him," Acts xx.

24. Andthe apostle Peteradmonishes believers " not to think "it ſtrangeconcerningthe fiery trial which was totry them,"

1 Pet. iv. 12. q.d. Letnone of theſe things be ſurpriſals to you; youare toldbefore-hand whatyoumust truſtto ; every

Chriſtian must bea martyr, at least inthediſpoſitionand reſolution of his heart.

Othat menwouldbalance the advantages and diſfadvantages of religion, and thoroughly ponder the matter in their deepest thoughts ! To the test you mustcome; the rain will fall, andthe ſtorm beat upon your buildings; look carefully therefore to the foundations.

Infer. 6. Sixthly, and lastly, Learn fromthis pointtheunavoidableness of ſcandals and offences intheway of religion ; for ifthere be aneceſſity of trial, there is alſo a neceffity of fcandal. " Itmustneeds be that offences come," Luke xvii.

1. Why, muſt it needs be ? The reaſon is evident ; all muſt cometo the trial, and all are not able to bear it.

Our Lord tells us, Matth. xxiv. 8, 9, 10. of a day of great ſtraits and perplexitycoming: " And then (faith he) ſhallmanybe of- " fended."

The dayoftrial is the day of ſcandal : By theſe offences ſome areput a ſearching themselves, and ſome fall a cenfuring all others; but the holyGod brings about his end bothways in them thatare faved, andinthemthat periſh.

W SECT.

II.

ELL then, ifitbeſo that all muſt intothe furnace, leteverymantry his ownwork ; examine yourſelves, profeffors, ſearch your hearts, commune with your reins, nothingmoreconcerns you in allthe world than this doth. O thatyou wouldbemore in your cloſets, and oftner upon your knees ! O that youwouldlook into the Bible, then intoyour hearts, andthen to God, ſaying, with David, " Search me,

" OGod, andknow my heart; prove me, and trymy reins, " and ſee ifthere be anyway ofiniquityin me !" Neverdid religion thrive in the world ſincemens heads havebeen ſooverheated with notions and controverfies, and their hearts to

Aferious Exhortation to Self-examination.

fenfiblycooledintheircloſet-work. I have elfewhere ‡ more largelypreſſed thisduty upon the profeffors ofthis generation, and thither ſhall referthe readerfor the prefent, to feethe neceflityand importance of this work.

Here Iſhallonlyurge the dutyoffelf-trial byſomepreffing motives, and awakening confiderations.

Motive 1. And the firſt ſhall be, the exceeding difficultyof this work; difficulty inſomecaſes maybe adiſcouragement ; butwhere the matter is ofabſolute neceſſlity, as it ishere, nothing provokes more to diligence;" Strive (faith our Lord) to " enter in at the ſtrait gate, for many will feek to enter in,

" and ſhall not be able," Luke xiii. 24. Adouble difficulty ' isfound attending this work offelf-trial: Difficulty inbringingthe heartto it ; and difficulty in the rightand fucceſsful management of it. Who finds itnothard to perfuade his heart to fuch work as this ? Nature declines it, flesh and blood reliſh it not: It isone of the great feverities inreligion : It isnoeaſy thingtobring aman andhis ownheart together.

Itisinthis cafe, as intheſtudyof geography ; we are more inquifitive to know, anddelightedwhenwe discover, the rarities offoreign countries, and ſtrange things in the remote parts ofthe world, thanthoſe of ourown native country.

I fearthere bemanyprofeffors ofreligionthat can ſpenddayafter day inhearing, and lovetobe diſputing fruitless controverfies, that never ſpentoneday infearching what influence allthoſe fermons theyhave heard have had upon their hearts, orinrightlyftating anddeterminingthatgreat controverfy, in whoſeright and poffeſſion their foulsare, andwhichwaythey ſhall goas foon asdeath hathdividedthem from thoſe mortal bodies ; yea, I doubt, many finful hours are ſpent inprying into, reporting andcenſuring the failings ofothers, and not onehour faithfully employedinjudging their own hearts beforethe Lord: Oh ! menhad rather be about anyotherwork than this , there is nopleaſurein it tothe fleſh.

Andyet howdifficult ſoever it be to bring our hearts tothe work, it is certainlymuch moredifficultto manage it fuccefsfully, and bringthe great queſtionofour fincerity to a clear reſult and iſſue. O how many upright hearts have fat cloſe tothisworkmanyayear, and lifted up many a cry toheaven, andſhedmanyfecret undiſſembledtears aboutit; and yet ſti'l are inthedark, andtheir minds greatly perplexed, and filled with fear about it! What would they not do ? What would

‡ See before, mySaint Indeed, .

Aferious Exhortation to Self-examination. theynot fuffer?Whatpleaſant enjoymentwouldtheynotgladly part with, to arrive at the defire oftheir fouls, thefullafſurance oftheir fincerity? It was the ſaying ofa pious woman, I have born faidſhe, ſeven children,and they have coſt me as dear as ever children coſt a mother, yet Iwouldbe content to endure allthat forrow over again, to be affured of the loveofGodtomy foul.

Motive 2. Secondly, Andas the work is fullofdifficulty, fo thediſcovery ofyour fincerity will be full of ſweetneſs and joyunſpeakable: Itwillneverrepentyou, thatyouhave prayedandmourned, that youhave trembled and feared, thatyou have ſearched andtried :1: Nay, it will never repentyou, that Godhath tried you by thousands of ſharp afflictions and deep ſufferings, if, after all, your finceritymaybe fully clearedup tothe fatisfaction ofyour souls ; for in the same day your fincerity ſhall be cleared, your title to Chriſt will be made as clear to your fouls as your fincerity is; you may then go to thepromiſes boldly, and take your own Chriſt into the arms ofyour faith, and ſay, " My Belovedis mine, andI am his!"

Yea, you may be confident, it ſhall be well with you inthe judgment of thegreatday, for"Godwillnot caft awaythe

"uprightman," Job viii. 20. Ifthe word clearyou now, it cannotcondemn youthen.

Owhat an eaſe is itto the ſoul, when the fears anddoubts that hang about it aregone !When a man ſees what he is, and whathehath in Chriſt andthe promiſes, and what he hath to do; even to ſpendthe time betwixt this and heaven, in admiringthe grace ofGodthat hath delivered him from the ruining miſtakes and miſcarriages by which ſogreat a part of theprofeffing world toalleternity.

Motive 3. Thirdly, The deep concernment ofyour fouls in themattertobe tried, ſhould awaken you to the utmoſt diligenceabout it. Thetrials ofmen fortheir life, athuman bars,

: is but a trifle to this : It is your eternalhappineſs that ſtands or fallswith your fincerity.

Itis faid inthe trial ofopinions, that ifaman ſuperſtruct hay or ſtubble upon the foundation, he ſhall ſuffer loſs ; yet hehimſelfmaybe ſaved, 1 Cor. iii. 12. But ifhypocriſybe in the foundation, thereis no ſuch relief,there is nopoſſibility of falvation in that cafe.

Ah,reader, thou mustbe caſt for ever according to the integrityorhypocrify ofthy heart withGod. Summonin then all thepowers of thyfoul: bringthythoughts as cloſe as it is poffibletobringthemtothis matter: Iftherebe anyfubject ofcon

Aferious Exhortation to Self-examination.

fideration abletodrinkupthefpirits ofaman,hereit is : Never was time put to anhigher improvement; never were thoughts ſpentuponamore importantbuſineſs, than this is : Happy is themanthat reſcues the years, months, days, yea, the very momentsofhis life from otheremployments toconfecratethem unto this folemn, awful, and most important buſineſs !

Motive 4. Fourthly, How evidential will it be ofyour fin cerity, when you are willing to come to the trial ofyour own hearts?

Suppoſeyour doubtsandfears ſhould infomedegree remain with you , yet in this you may take ſome comfort, that ifhypocrifybe inyour heart, it is not therebyconſent: You are not loth torife and come to trial, becauſe, like Rachel, you fitupon your idols: Certainly it is a good fign thy heart is right,when it is filledwith fomuch fear leſt itſhouldbe falſe.

You know all the diſciples ſaid, " Maſter, is it I ?" before Judas,whowas the traitor, ſpake aword. " Laſt ofall(faiththe

**text) Judas faid, Is it I ?" Our willingness to be tried, is a good fign thatthe defire ofour foul is to be rightwithGod.

Motive 5. Fifthly, Conclude itto be your great advantage tobe thoroughly tried, whatever you be found to be in the trial: Ifyou be found fincere, you are richly rewarded for all yourpains and labour: Neverdidthat man repentofdigging andtoiling,thatafterallhit upontherichvein that hedigged for: What is avein ofgoldto a veinoffincerity!

Ifupon fearchyou find the contrary, afalfe,hypocritical, unfoundheart, yet in that very fad diſcovery you meet with thegreatest advantage that everyou had inyourlives for falvation.

This diſcovery is yourgreat advantge: Fornow your vain confidence being over-turned, and your ungrounded hopes destroyed ; you lie open to the ſtroke of a deep and effectual conviction ofyour fin andmiſery,which istheintroductive mercy to all other mercies toyour fouls; and furely tillyou come tothat, to give up your falſe hopes, and quit your vain pretenſions, there is no hope ofyou.

Chrifttold the Pharifees, Matth. xxi. 31. Publicans and harlots enter intothekingdom ofheaven before you : Publicans were the worſt ſortofmen, and harlotsthe worst fort ofwomen, and yet they ſtood in a fairer way for heaven than the hypocritical

Pharifees, becauſe conviction had easier acceſs to their confeiences :Theyhadnot thoſedefences andpleas ofdutyand ſtrictneſs towardoffthe word, that the felf-cozening Pharifees had.

Imayſay ofyour vain and groundleſs hopes, as Chrift, in

VOL. VII.

Rules to be observed in the Trials ofGrace, another ſenſe, ſaid to the officers that came to ſeize him in the garden, If you seek me, let thesego theirway.

So it is here, if you expect Chriſt, and ſalvation byhim, let your vain confi. dences go their way; away with your maſques and vizards, if ever you expect to ſee Chriſt. O it is your happineſs tohave all theſe things ſtript off, andyour nakedneſs and povertydiſcovered, thatyou may be rich, as the textſpeaks.

Motive 6. Sixthly, Confider how near the day of death and judgment approach you. O theſe are ſearching days wherein you cannot be hid: Willyour confciences, think you, be put off in a dying day as easily as they are now ? No, no, you know they will not.

I have heard of agood man that conſumed notonlythegreateſt part of the day, but a very confiderable part of the night alfo in prayer, to the great weakening of his body; and being asked by a relation whyhedid ſo, and prayed to favour himfelf, he returnedthis anſwer, O I must die, Imust die ; plainly intimating, that ſo great is the concernment of dying in a clear aſſured condition, that itisrichly worth the expence of all our time and ſtrength to ſecure it.

You know alſo that after death the judgment, Heb. ix. 27. you are haſtening to thejudgment of the greatand terribleGod,

Death will putyou intohis balance tobeweighed exactly ; and what gives the foul a louder call to ſearch itſelf with alldiligence, whilſt it ſtands at the door of eternity, and its turn is not yet come to go before that awful tribunal : O that theſe confiderations might have place upon our hearts !

CHAP.

XII .

Containing divers helps for the clearing offincerity, and discovery of hypocrify.

Y SECT .

OU fee of what importancethe duty of self-examination is, and how many things put aneceſſity and a folemnity upon that work. Now, in the clofe of all, I would offer you fome helps for the due management thereof, that is as far as I cancarry it; the Lord perfuade your hearts to thediligent and faithful application and uſe of them.

The general rules to clear fincerity are theſe that follow :

Rule 1. We maynot presently conclude we are in theftate of

Rules to be observed in the Trials ofGrace.

hypocrify, because wefindsome workings ofit, and tendencies to 't in ourfpirits : The beſt goldhath ſome droſs and alloy in it.'

Hypocrifyis aweed naturally ſpringing in allground, the best heart is not perfectly clear or free of it: It may be we are ftumbled, when we feel fome workings or grudgings of this diſeaſe inourſelves, and looking into ſuch ſcriptures as theſe,

John i. 47. " Behold an Ifraelite indeed, inwhom there isno " guile:" andPfal. xxxii. 1. " Bleſſed is the man untowhom

" the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whoſe ſpirit there is no guile."

« This I ſaymayſtumbleſome upright foul,notunderſtanding inwhat an allayed and qualified ſenſe thoſe ſcriptures are to be understood : For by afpirit without guile, is not underftood aperfon abſolutely free from all deceitfulness, and falfeneſs ofheart ; this was the fole prerogative ofthe Lord Jeſus, whowas ſeparated from finners, in whoſe mouth was no guile found: Inwhom the prince ofthis world, in all his trials and attempts uponhim, found nothing: Butwe must understand it of reigning and allowed hypocriſy; there is noſuchguile in anyof the faints : diftinguiſh the preſence from the predominance ofhypocrify,and the doubt is reſolved.

Rule2. Every trueground ofhumiliationforfin, isnot afufficient groundfordoubting andquestioning our estate andcondition.

Therebe manymorethings to humble us upon the account ofour infirmity, than there are toſtumble us upon the account ofour integrity: It isthe fin and affliction offomegood fouls tocalltheircondition in queſtion, upon every flip and failing inthe courſeoftheir obedience. This is the waytodebarourſelves from all the peace and comfort of the Chriftian life :

Wefindthat Joſeph was once minded to put away Mary his eſpouſedwife, not knowing that the holy thing which was conceivedinherwasby the holyGhoſt.

It is the fin ofhypocrites to takebrafs for gold, and the folly offaints to calltheir. gold braſs: Be as ſevere to yourſelves as you will, always provided you be juſt: " There is that maketh himſelfrich, and " yethath nothing; and there is that maketh himselfpoor,

" and yet hath great riches," Prov. xiii. 7. Hiram called the cities Solomon gave him, Cabul, Dirty, for they pleaſed him not, I Kingsix. 13. It is but an ill requital, anungrateful return toGod for thebest ofmercies, to undervalue them in our hearts, and be ready upon alloccafions to putthem away as worth nothing Dd2

Rules to be observed in the Trials ofGrace.

Rule 3. Aftronger propenfion in ournature, andmore fre quent incidence in ourpractice to onefin than another, dothnot presently infer ourhypocrify, and the unfoundness ofourhearts in religion.

It istrue,every hypocrite hathſomewayofwickedneſs: Somepeccatum in deliciis, iniquitythat he delights in androlls as aſweet morfel underhis tongue, ſome luftthathe is not willing topart with, nor canendure that the knife of mortification ſhould touch it; and this undoubtedly argues the infincerityand rottenneſs ofhis heart : And it is true, alfo,that thenature and conftitution ofthe moſt ſanctified man inclines him rather to one fin, than to another, though he allow himselfin none; yea, though he fet himself more watchfully against that ſinthan another, yet he may ſtill havemore trouble and vexation, more temptation and defilement from it,thananyother.

As every manhath his proper gift, one after this manner, and another afterthat, as the apostle ſpeaks, 1 Cor. vii. 7. ſo everymanhath his proper fin alſo,one after this manner, and another after that ? For it is with original fin, as it is with the juice or fap ofthe earth, which though it be the common matter ofall kinds offruits, yet it is ſpecificated according to the different forts ofplants andfeeds which it nourishes ; in one itbecomes an apple, in another a cherry, &c.

Juſtſo it is in original corruption, which is turnedinto this or that temptati on, or fin, according to this or that conſtitution, or employment it finds us in; in oneit is paſſion, in another luft, ina third covetouſneſs, in a fourth levity, and so on. Now I fay the frequent affaults ofthis fin, providedwe indulgeit not, but, by ſettingdouble guards, labour to keep ourſelves from our own iniquity, as as Daviddid, Pfalm xviii. 23. will not infer the he hypocrily ofourhearts, Rule4.Agreater backwardness and indiſpoſedness to onedu ty rather thananother, dath not conchide the heart to be unfound, andfalfe with God, provided we do not inwardly diflike and disapprove any duty of religion, or except against it inour agreement with Christ, but that it riseth merelyfrom theprefent weakness anddistemper we labour under.

There are ſomeduties in religion, as fuffering for Chrift, bearing ſharp reproofs for fin, &c. that even an upright heart underapreſent diſtemper, may find a great deal ofbackwardneſs and lothness to ; yet ſtill he conſents to thelaw, thatit is good, is troubled that he cannot comply more chearfullywith hisduty, anddefûres to ſtand complete in allthe will ofGod:

Perfection is his aim,and imperfections are his ſorrows.

Rules tobe observedin theTrials ofGrace.

Some Chriſtians have much ado to bring their hearts to fixed, folemn meditation ; their hearts fly off from it, but this is their burden, that it ſhould be ſo with them.

True, it is a very dangerous ſign of hypocrify, when a man's zeal runs out inonechannel of obedience only, and he hathnotrefpect toall

God's commandments ; as phyſicians obſerves, the ſweating of onepart of thebody, whenall the reſt is cold, is ſymptomatical, andargues an ill habit : But whilst the soul heartily approves allthewill of God, and ſincerelydefires tocome up to it, and mourns for its backwardneſs, anddeadneſs, tothis or thatduty, and this is not fixed, but occaſional, under ſome preſent indiſpoſition, out of which the foul riſeth by the ſame degrees as fanctification riſeth inhim, and the Lord comes in with renewed ſtrength upon him ; this, I ſay, may confift, and is very ordinarilyfound tobe the case of upright-hearted ones.

Rule 5. The glances of the eye at felf-ends in duties, whilst felf isnot theweight that moves thewheels, theprincipalendand defign we drive at, and whilft thaſe glances are corrected, and mournedfor, do notconclude theheart to be unfound, and bypecritical in religion : For even among the moſtdeeply fanctified, few can keep their eye ſo ſteady and fixed, with pure, and unmixed reſpects, to theglory ofGod, but that there will be

(alas! too frequently) ſome bye-ends, infinuating andcreeping intotheheart.

Theſe, like the fowls, ſeize upon the facrifice, let the foul take what pains itcan todrive them away : It is well that our

High-prieſt bears the iniquities of ourholythings for us. Peter hadtoo much regard to the pleaſing of men, anddid not walk with that uprightness towards the Gentile Chriftians, and the believing Jews, in the matter of liberty, as became him, Gal. ii. 13, 14. for which, as Paul faith, he ought tobe blamed, andhedid blame him: But yetfuchafailing as that inthe endof his duty, didnot condemn him.

Inpublic performan ees there may be too much vanity, in works of charity too much oftentation; theſe are all workings of hypocrify in us, and matters of humiliation tous; but whilst they arediſallowed, corrected, and mournedover, are confiftentwithintegrity.

Rule 6. Thedoubts andfears that hang upon, and perplex our spirits about the hypocrisy of ourhearts, do not concludethat thereforewe arewhat we fear ourselves to be. God will not condemneveryone for a hypocrite that ſuſpects, yea, or chargeshimself with hypocrify.

Holy David thoughthisheartwas not right withGod, after thatgreat flip of his in the matter of Uriah; and therefore begs ofGod to renewaright ſpirit in

Heart-founding Questions. him, Pfal. li. 10, 11, 12. his integrity was indeed wounded, andhe thoughtdeſtroyed by that fall.

Holy Mr. Bradford fo vehementlydoubted the fincerity of his heart, that he ſubſcribed ſome of his letters, as Mr. Fox tells us, John Bradfordthehypocrite ; a very paintedfepulchre:

Andyet in ſo ſaying, he utterly misjudged the ſtate and temper of his own foul.

W SECT.

II.

TELL ELL then, let not the upright be unjust to themſelves, incenfuring theirown hearts; theyare bad enough, but let us notmakethem worse than they are, but thankfully own, andacknowledge the leaſtdegrees of graceand integrityin them; and poſſiblyour uprightness might be fooner diſcovered to us, if, inadue compoſure of ſpirit, we would fit down, and attend the true anſwers of our own hearts to fuch queſtions as theſe are.

Quest. 1. Do I make the approbation ofGod, orthe applauſe of men, the very end and main deſign ofmyreligious performances, according to Theff. ii. 4. Col. iii. 23. will the acceptationof myduties with men fatisfyme, whetherGod accept my duties and períon, or not ?

Quest. 2. Is it the reproach and ſhamethatattends fin atprefent, and the danger and miſery that will follow it hereafter, that reſtrains me from the commiſſion of it ? Or is it the fear of God inmy foul, and the hatred I bear to fin as it is fin ? ac cording to Pfal. xix. 12. and Pfal. cxix. 113.

Quest. 3. Can I truly and heartily rejoice to ſee God's work carriedon in the world, and his glory promoted by other hands, though I haveno ſhare in the credit and honour of it, as Paul did? Phil. i. 18 .

Quest. 4. Is there nodutyin religion ſofull of difficulty and ſelf-denial, but Idefire to comply with it ? And is all the holy andgoodwill of God acceptable to my foul, though I cannot riſe up with like readiness tothe performance of all duties; according to that pattern ? Pfal. cxix . 6.

Quest. 5. Am I fincerelyrefolvedto follow Chriſtandholiness atall feafons, however the aſpects ofthe times maybeuponreligion ? Or do I carry myself ſo warily and covertly as to ſhun allhazards for religion ; having a fecret referve in my heart to launch out no farther than I may return with ſafety; contrary to the practice and reſolution of upright fouls ? Pfalm cxvi. 3.

Pfal. xliv. 18, 19. Rev. xxii. 11.

Rules tobeobserved in the Trials ofGrace.

Quest. 6. Do I make no confcience ofcommitting ſecret fins, or neglecting ſecret duties ? Or am I confcientious both in the one andother, according to the rules and patterns of integrity ?

Matth. vi. 5, 6. Píal. xix. 12.

Afewſuchqueſtions ſolemnlypropounded to ourown hearts, in acalm and ſerious hour, would found them, and diſcover

much of their fincerity towards the Lord.

SECT.

III .

ND as upright hearts are too apt toapply to themſelves the A : threats and miſeries of hypocrites, ſo hypocrites, on the contrary, are as apttocatch hold of the promiſes and privileges pertaining to believers.

To detect therefore the foul-damning mistakes of ſuch deceived fouls, O that theſe following rules might be ſtudied, and faithfully applied to their conviction and recovery.

Rule 1. It is not enough to clear a man from hypocrify, that heknows not himself to be an hypocrite.

Allhypocrites are not deſigning hypocrites; theydeceive themſelves as well as others :

66 Many will tay tome in thatday, Lord, have wenot prophe- " fied in thyname," &c. Matth. vii. 22.

Hell will be a mere furprizal to multitudes of profeſſors : aman may live and die in a blind, ungrounded confidence of his ſafe condition, and not fear his ruin, till he begins to feel it.

X Rule 2.

Zeal and forwardness in the cause ofGod, andfor the reformation of his worship, will not clear a man from the danger of hypocrify.

Jehu was a zealous reformer, andyet but a painted ſepulchre.

In the year 1549, reformation grew fo much in reputation, even among the nobles and gentry inGer. many, thatmanyof them cauſed theſe five letters, V. D. M. I.

Ae. being the initial letters of theſe words, Verbum Domini manet in aeternum : i. e The wordofthe Lord abideth for ever, tobe wrought, or embroidered, or ſet in plates, ſome upon their clokes, and others upon the ſleevesof their garments ; tothew to all the world, faith * my author, that forſaking all

Popiſh traditions, theywould now cleave to the pure doctrine and diſcipline of the eternal Word.

And no doubt they would havebeen as goodas their word, if what was embroideredontheirclokes,had beenengraven on their hearts ; but, Come, see my zeal, mars all.

Rule 3. It is nofufficient evidence ofa man'sown integrity, that * JohnWolfe, Left. Memor. Tom. 2. ad Anno 1549.

Heart-founding Questions. hehates hypocrifyinanother : for, as oneproudmanmayhatea nother, and he that is covetoushimself, will be apt tocenfure another for being ſo; lufts maybecontrary toone another, as well asall of them contrarytograce; ſomay anhypocrite loath that inanother, which yet he alloweth in himself : Nay, it is the policyof ſome todeclaim against the hypocrifyof others, thereby tohidetheirown.

Hypocrites are none of the moft modeſt cenfurers of others, Pfal. xxxv. 16. Afalt jeſt ſeaſoned their meat.

Rule 4. Themereperformance ofprivatedutieswillnot cleara manfrom hypocrify. The influenceof education, or fupport of reputation, or the impulſe ofaconvincedconfciencemayinduce aman to it; and yet all this while his heart may not be carried thither with hungryand thirstydefires afterGod : it is not the matter of anyduty that diftinguishes the found and unfound profeſſors; but the motives, deſigns, and endsof the foul in them.

Rule 5. Thevogueand opinionsyouhavegotamong Chriftians, ofyourfincerity, willnot be fufficient to clearyoufrom thedanger of hypocrify.

Chriſt tells the angel of Sardis, Rev. iii. r.

"Thou hast a name that thou liveſt, andartdead." The fall of Hymeneus andPhiletus,couldneverhave fhakenthe faith ofthe faintsas itdid,had they nothadgreat credit inthe church, and beenmen of renown for piety among them.

Rule 6. Your respects and love to them thatare thefincere anduprightfervants ofGod, willnot clearyou fromthedanger of being hypocritesyourselves : for thebareloving ofaChriftian is not characteriſticalandevidential ofaman'sownChriftianity, except he love him, qua talis, as he is aChriſtian, or ashe belongs to Chrift ; andſo his finceritybecomes the attractive of thy affection.

There are athousandby-confiderations, and reſpects, that may kindlea man's love to the faints, befides their integrity.

SECT.

IV.

WELL, then, if thouwouldst indeedſeetheunfoundness of thy own heart, propound ſuch heart-founding queſtions as thefe, tothytelf.

Quest. 1. Do I engage myheart toapproachuntoGod in the courſe of myduties ?

Or do I go inthe roundof duties, taking noheed to myheart in them ?

If fo, compare this ſymptom of thy hypocrisy with that in 2 Kings x. 3. and that in Ezek. xxxiii. 31, 32.

Neceſſary Counſels to all Profeſſors.

1 Quest. 2. Am I not ſwayed and moved by felf-intereſt and Carnalreſpects in the ways of religion, the accommodation of ſomewordly intereſt, orgetting a name and reputation of godlineſs ?

If ſo, how apparentlydo the ſame ſymptoms of hypocrify appear upon my soul, which diduponJudas, John xii.

6. and on Jehu, 2Kings ix. 13, 14.

Quest. 3. Have I not ſome ſecret referves in my heart, notwithstanding that face and appearance of zeal which I put on ?

Certainly if therebe any ſin that I cannot part with, any fuffering for Chriſt which I reſolve against inmy heart; I am none of his diſciples, my heart is not right withGod, the ſearcher ofhearts himself beingJudge, Luke xiv. 26, 27.

Quest. 4. What conſcience do I make of fecret fins ? Do I mourn for a vain heart, wandering thoughts, ſpiritual deadneſs ?

Anddo I confcientioufly abſtain fromthe practice of fecret fins, whenthere is nodanger of diſcovery, no fear of forfeiting my reputation by it ? Is itGod's eye, or man's, that awes me from commiffion of fin ?

Certainly, if I allow myself in fecret fins, Iam not of the number of God's upright people, whoſe ſpirits are of a contrary temper to mine, Pfal. cxix. 113. and Plal. xii. 12.

SECT.

IWill shutupallwith fiveor fix concluding counſels, (which the Lord impreſs upontheheartofhim thatwrites, andthoſe that ſhall readthem) to preſerve and antidote the foul against thedangerous infinuation and leavenof hypocrify.

Counſel. 1. Intreat the Lordnightandday, for a renewedand right ſpirit.

Allthe helps and directions in theworldwill not antidote andpreſerve you from hypocrify, nothing will be found able tokeepyou right, till fanctification hath firſt ſet youright.

Ezek. xxxvi. 27. " Iwill put my Spirit within you ; and cauſe " you to walk in my ſtatutes."

A bowl may keep bya ſtrait line, ſolong as the impreſſed forceof thehandthatdelivered it remains ſtrongupon it; but as thatwears off, ſo its motions fail, and its own biaſs ſways andturns it. A fright of confcience, a pang of warm affection, orthe influence of ſomegreat example, or a good education, may influence anunrenewed foul, and push it on in the wayof religionfor a feaſon ; but the heart ſo influenced, muſt, andwill return to its own natural courſe again. And I think therewants nothingbut time, or a ſuitable temptation, todifcaverthetrue temper of many aprofeſſor's ſpirit : pray, therefore,

VOL. VII.

Neceffary Counſels to all Profeſſors. asthatholyman did, Pfal. cxix. 80. " Let myheart be found

" in thy ſtatutes, that Ibe not ashamed."

Counſel 2. Alwayssuspect and examineyour ends inwhatyou do.

Sincerity andhypocrisy liemuch in yourends anddeſigns ; as they are, ſo areyou. The intentionsofthe heart liedeep; amanmaydothe ſame action to an holyend, and his perfon and ſervice be accepted with God; which another doing for a corrupt end, it maybe reckoned his fin, andboth his perfon and ſervice beabhorredbythe Lord. We find twomenriding in one chariot, andboth of them concerned inthe fame expedition, Jehu, the fon of Nimſhi, and Jonadab, the fon of Rechab, 2 Kings x. 15, 23.

But though the work they engaged in was one, and the fame, yet the different ends they aimed at, made the fame action anexcellent duty inJonadab, and an act of vile hypocrify in Jehu: Idem quodduo faciunt, non eft idem : Itwas theſaying of agoodfoul, commended for a good action : the work indeed is good, but I fear the ends of it.

Selfends are creeping, andinfinuatingthings into thebelt actions.

Counſel 3. Scare yourselves with the daily fears of the fin that is in, and the misery that willfollow hypocrify. Look up. on it as the moſt odious fin in the eyes of God and men : to want holiness, is bad enough, but to diffimulate and pretend it, when wehave it not, isdouble impiety: tomake religion, themoſt gloriousthing in the world, amere ſtirrup to preferment, andacovert to wickedness : O how vile a thing is it!

Godmade Chriſt a facrifice for fin, andthe hypocrite willmake him a cloak for fin.

And as tothe punishmentsthat follow it, they are ſuitable to thenature ofthe fin; for as hypocrify isout ofmeaſure finful, ſo the rewardandpunishment of it will be out of meaſuredreadful. Matth. xxiv. 51. " He shall cut him afunder, and appoint

" him his portionwith hypocrites; there fhallbeweeping and gnaſhing of teeth."

Counſel 4. Bedaily at work in the mortification of those lufts that breed bypocrify.

It is plain, without much fifting, that pride, vain-glory, felf-love, and awordly heart, are the feeds outof which this curſedplant ſpringsup in the fouls of men.

Digbut to the root, and you ſhall certainly find theſe things there; and till the Lord help you to kill and mortify theſe, hypocrify will ſpring up in all yourduties toGod, and in all your converfes withmen.

Counſel 5. Attendthe native voice ofyour own confciences in theday offickness, fearor trouble, andtake special notice ofits

Neceffary Counſels to allProfeffors.

21.9

-checks, or upbraidings, which, like a Aitch in yourfide, will gird you at fuch times : Commonlyin that lies your greatest danger : Beware of that evilwhich conſcience brands and marks atſuch times, whether it be your living in the practice of ſome fecret fin, or in the neglects of ſome known duty : Theſe frights of confcience mark out the corruption, wherein your danger mostly lies.

Counſel 6. Let us all that profeſs religionhe uniform andfleadyin the profeſſion and practice of it, without politic referves, andbye-ends.

O take heed of this Laodicean neutrality and indifferency which Chrift hates: Be sure yourground be good, and then be ſure you ſtand your ground.

The religion of time-ſervers isbuthypocrify: Theyhave ſluices intheir confciences which theycanopenor ſhut as occafion requires : Every fox will have at least two holes to hisden, that if one be ſtopt, he may eſcapeat theother. The hypocrite poſeth himself ſoevenly in amediocrity, that, as it is faid of Baldwin, Let Anthony win, letAuguſtus win, all is one : So let Chrift win, or let Antichrift win, hehopes to make every wind that canblow ſerviceable towaft him to the port of hisown intereſt.

Thehypocritehath always more of themoonthanofthe ſun; little light, many ſpots, and frequentchanges: It is easier to him to bow to the croſs, than tobear the croſs , to fin, than to fuffer.

Ourown ftorytells us of apoor fimple woman that lived both in the reigns of queen Mary and queen Elizabeth, and would conſtantly lay her prayers both in Latin and English, that the might be fure topleaſe one fide or other ; and letGod, faid ſhe, take which likes him beſt.

What is noted as an act ofridiculous ſimplicity in her, the time-ferving hypocrite accounts apoint of deep policy inhimself.

1 The times under Diocleſian were Pagan; underConſtantine, Chriſtian; under Conftantius, Arian; under Julian, Apoſtate ; and under Jovian, Chriſtian again : And all thiswithin the ſpace of ſeventyyears, the age of one man.

O what shifting and huffling was there among the menof that generation ! The changes of weather ſhew the unfoundness of men's bodies, and the changesof times, the unfoundness of their ſouls,

Chriſtian, if everthou wilt manifest and maintain thine integrity, beaman butof one defign, and be fure thatbe anhoneft and good deſign, toſecure heaven, whatever becomes of Ee2

Neceffary Counſels to all Profeſſors. earth: Tohold faſt integrity, whatever thou art forced tolet gofor its fake.

Take heed of pious frauds: Certainly itwas the devil that firſt married theſe two words together, for theynever did, nor canagree betwixt themselves, nor was ever ſuch amarriagemade inheaven.

Never ſtudy to model religion, and the exerciſes thereof, in a conſiſtency with, or ſubſerviency to your fleſhly intereſts : If your religion be but a mock religion, your reward ſhall be but amockheaven, that is a real hell.

Othevanityand inutilityoftheſeprojects anddeſigns ! Men ſtrive to caſt themselves into fuch modes, and ſtint themſelves to ſuch meaſures of religion, as they think will beſt promote, or ſecure their earthly intereſts : but itoftenfalls out, contrary to their expectation, that their deep policies are ridiculous follies ; theybecome the grief and ſhame of their friends, andthe ſcorn andfong of their enemies. And often it fares with them, as with him that placed himself in the middle of the table, wherehe could neither reach the diſh above him, nor thatbelowhim, Efuriunt medii, &c. and, which is the verybeſt ofit, if earthly intereſt be accommodatedby finful neutrality, and a Laodicean indifferency in religion, yet no good man ſhould once feel a temptation to embrace it, except he think what is wanting in the fſweetneſs of his fleep, may be fullyrecompenfed to himby the ſtatelineſs of his bed, and richer furniture of his chamber ; I mean, that a fuller and higher condition in the world, canmake him amends for the loss of his inward peace, and the quiet repoſe ofagood conſcience: Theſe bye-ends and ſelf-intereſts are the little paſſages through which hypocrify creeps inupon the profeſſorsof religion.

"Oletthisbe beyour rejoicing, which was Paul's, " The teſtimony of yourconfcience, thatin all fincerityand godly fim- " plicity, not in fleſhly wisdom, butby the grace of God, you

" have hadyour converſations in this world," 2 Cor. i. 12.

Let thatbe your daily prayer and crytoheaven, which was David's, Pfal . xxv. 21. " Let integrity and uprightneſs preſerve

" me, for I wait on thee."

Counſel 7. Keep your hearts day and night under theawe of God's all-feeingeye : Remember he beholds all your ways, and ponders all your thoughts; how covertly foever hypocrifymay becarried for atime, all muſt and will out at last, Luke xii. 3.

Secrefy is the maininducement to hypocrisy, but it will fall out with thehypocrite, as itdid withOttocarthe king ofBohemia, whorefuſed todohomage toRodolphus the emperor, tillat laſt

AToken for Mourners.

chaſtiſedwith war, he wascontent todohim homage privately in a tent : But the tent was ſocontrived by the emperor's ſervants, that, bydrawing one cord, it was taken all away; and fo Ottocar preſentedon his knees doing homage in view of three armies.

Reader, Awe thy heart with God's eye, know that he will bring every fecret thing intojudgment.

Thus did Job, and it preſerved him, Job xxxi. 1, 4.

Thus did David, and itpreſervedhim, Pfal. xviii. 21, 22, 23.

Thusdothou alſo, and it will preſerve thee blameless, and without guile to the day of Chrift.

A TOKEN FOR

MOURNERS.

OR, The Advice of CHRIST to a diſtreſſed Mother, bewailing theDeath of herdearand onlySon: Wherein the Boundaries of Sorrow are duly fixed, Exceſſes reſtrained, the common Pleas anſwered, and divers

Rules for the ſupport of God's afflicted Ones prefcribed.

The EPISTLE DEDICATOR Y.

To his dearlybeloved brother andfifter, Mr. J. C. andMrs. E. C. theAuthorwishethgrace, mercy, andpeace.

DEAR FRIENDS,

THE double tye of nature and grace, beſide themany endearing paſſages that for ſomany yearshave linked and glewed our affections ſo intimately, cannot but beget a tender ſympathy inme with you, under all yourtroubles, and make

The Epistle Dedicatory... me ſay of every affliction which befals you, Half'smine..Ifind it is with our affections, as with the ſtrings of muſical inſtru ments exactly ſet atthe fame height, if one be touched, the other trembles, though itbe at ſomediſtance.

Our affections are one, and ſo in a great meaſure havebeen our afflictions alſo. You cannot forget that in the years lately paſt, theAlmighty viſited my tabernaclewith the rod, and in one year, cut off from it the root, and the branch, the tender mother, and the only fon.

What the effects of thoſe ſtrokes, or rather of my own unmortified paſſions were, I have felt, and you and others have heard.

Surely I was as abullock unaccustomed to the yoke.

Yea, I may ſay with them, Lam. iii. 19, 20. " Remembering mine affliction and my mifery, the worm.

" wood and the gall, my soul hath them tillin remembrance, " and is humbled in me."

Idarenot ſay that ever I felt my heartdiſcontentedly riſing and ſwelling againstGod ; no, I could still justifyhim, when I moſt ſenſibly ſmarted byhishand: If hehadplunged me into a ſea of forrow, yetI could say, inall that ſea of forrow, there is not a drop of injustice: But it was the over-heating, and over-acting of my fondandunmortified affections and paſſions thatmade ſo ſad impreſſions upon mybody, andcaftme under thoſediſtempers which ſoon embittered allmyremaining comforts to me.

Itwas my earnest defire, ſoſoonas I had ſtrength and opportunity for ſogreat a journey, toviſityou, that ſo, if the Lord. hadpleaſed, Imight both refresh, and be refreshed by you, afterallmy fadand diſconſolate days. And you cannot imaginewhatcontent and pleaſure I projectedin that viſit; butit proved to us, as all other comforts of the ſame kind ordinarily do,more in expectation than in fruition: Forhow foon after our joyful meeting and embraces did the Lord overcaſt anddarken our day, by ſending death into your tabernacle, to take away thedefireof your eyes with a ſtroke! To crop offthat ſweet and only bud from which we promiſed ourſelves ſo much comfort.

But no more of that, I fear Iam gone too far already.

Itis not mydeſign to exasperate your troubles, but to heal them; and for that purpoſe have I ſent you theſe papers, which Ihope may be of uſe both to you and many others in your condition, ſince they are the after-fruits of myown troubles ; things that I have notcommended to you from another hand, but which Ihave, infome meaſure, provedand taſted in my owntrials.

The Epistle Dedicatory.

ButIwill not hold you longer here, Ihave onlyafewthings todefire for, and from you, and I have done.

The things 1defire, are, First, That you will not be too haſty toget off the yoke whichGod hath put uponyour neck. Remember when your childwas in the womb, neither of you defired it ſhouldbe deliveredthence tillGod's appointed time was fully come; and nowthatyou travail again with forrow for its death : O defire not to be delivered from your forrows one moment before God'stime for your deliverance be fully come alfo. Let patience have its perfect work ; that comfort which comes in God'sway and ſeaſon, will ſtick byyou, anddoyou good indeed.

Secondly, I defire, that though you and your afflictionshad afad meeting, yetyou and they may haveacomfortable parting.

If they effect that uponyourhearts whichGod fentthem for, I doubt not butyouwillgive them a fair teſtimonywhen theygooff.

If they obtain God's bleſſinguponthem in their operation, furely they will haveyourbleſſing too at their valediction. And what you entertained with fear, you will diſmits with praiſe.

How ſweet is it to hear the afflicted foul ſay, whenGod is loofinghishands, " Itisgood for me thatIhave been afflicted."

Thirdly, Iheartilywith that theſe ſearching afflictions may make the more fatisfying diſcoveries; that you may now fee moreof the evil of fin, the vanityof the creature, and the fulneſs of Chrift, than everyou yet ſaw. Afflictions are ſearchers, and put the foul upon ſearching and trying itsways, Lam. iii.

14.

When our fin find us out by affliction, happy are we, if, by the light of affliction, we findout fin.

Bleffed is the manwhomGodchaſteneth, and teacheth out of his law, Pfal. xciv. 12.

There are unfeen cauſes, manytimes, of our troubles; you have an advantage now to fift out the feeds, and principle from which they ſpring.

Fourthly, I wish that all the love and delightyou beſtowed on yourlittle one, maynowbe placed, toyour greater advantage, upon Jeſus Chriſt ; and that the ſtream of your affection tohim maybe ſo much the ſtronger, as there are now fewer channels for it tobe divided into.

IfGod will nothave any part ofyour happiness to lie in children, then let it wholly lie in himself.

If the jealouſy of the Lord hath removed that which drew away too much of your heart from him, and hath ſpoken by this rod, faying, Stand aſide, child, thou art in my way, and filleftmore room in thy parents hearts than belongs tothe

The Epistle Dedicatory.

O then deliver up all to him, and ſay, Lord, takethewhole heart entirely, and undividedly, to thyself.

Henceforth let therebenoparting, ſharing, or dividing of the affectionsbetwixtGod andthe creature, let allthe ſtreams meet, and centre inthee, only.

Fifthly, That you may be ſtrengthened with all might in the inner man; to all patience, that the peace of God may keep your hearts and minds. Labour to bringyour hearts to a meek fubmiffion totherod of your Father. We had fathers of the flesh, who corrected us, and we gave them reverence; ſhall we not much morebe inſubjection to the Father of ſpirits, and live ?

Is it comely for children toconteſt, and ſtrive with their father ?

Or is it the way tobe freed from the yoke, by ſtruggling under it ? O that your hearts might be in a like framewith his that ſaid, Lord, thou shalt beat, and Iwillbear.

Itwas agoodobſervation that one made, Animafedendo etquiescendofitfapiens : The foul grows wiſeby fitting ſtill and quiet under the rod. And the apostle calls thoſe excellent fruitswhich the faints gather from their ſanctified afflictions, " The peace- " able fruits of righteouſneſs," Heb. xii. 11.

Lastly, My heart's defire, and prayer to God for you, is, that you maydie daily toall viſible enjoyments, andbytheſe frequent converſes withdeath inyour family, you maybeprepared for your own change and diſſolution, when it ſhall come.

Ofriends ! how many graves haveyou and Iſeen opened for our dear relations ? How oft hath deathcome up intoyourwindows, and ſummoned the delight of your eyes ?

It is but a little while, andwe shall go to them; we and they are diftinguiſhedbutby ſhort intervals.

Tranfiverepatres, fimulhinc tranfibimus omnes.

Our dear parents are gone, our lovelyand defirable childrenaregone, ourboſom relations, thatwere as our own fouls, are gone ; and do not all theſe warning-knocks at our doors acquaint us, that we must prepare to follow ſhortly after them?

Othat by theſe things our owndeath might be both more eafy, and familiar to us ; the oftner it viſits us, the betterwe ſhould be acquainted with it; and the more of our beloved relations it removes before us, the leſs of either ſnare or intanglement remains for us when our turn comes.

My dear friends, my fleſh, and myblood, Ibeſeechyou, for religion's fake, for your own fake, andfor myfake, whofecom

AToken for Mourners.

fort is, in greatpart, boundup inyour profperity, and welfare, that you read frequently, ponder ſeriously, and apply believingly theſe ſcripture confolations and directions, which, inſome hafte, I havegathered for your uſe; and theGod of allconſolationbe with you.

Iam, Yourmost endeared brother,

JOHN FLAVEL.

A TOKEN FOR MOURN ERS.

LUKEVii 13. Andwhen theLordsaw her, he hadcompaffion onher, andfaidto her, Weep not.

TO be above the ſtroke ofpaſſion, is acondition equal to angels: tobe in a ſtate of forrow, without the ſenſe of forrow, is a difpofition beneath beasts : but duly to regulate our forrows, and bound our paffions under the rod, is the wisdom, duty, and excellency of a Chriſtian. He that is without natural affections, is deſervedly ranked amongst the worst of heathens;andhe that is able rightlyto manage them, deſerves tobe numbered withthe beſt ofChriſtians. Though, whenwe are fanctified we put onthe divine nature, yet, tillwe are glorified, we putnot offthe infirmities ofour human nature.

Whilst we are withinthe reach of troubles, we cannot be without the danger, nor ought notto be without the fear of fin; and it is as hardfor us to eſcape ſin, being in adverſity, as becalming in proſperity.

VOL . VII.

ATokenfor Mourners.

Howapt arewe totranſgreſs the bounds, both of reafon and religion, under a sharp affliction, appears, as inmoſt mens experience, ſo in this woman's example, to whoſe exceffive forrow Chrift puts a ſtop inthe text: " He saw her, and had

" compaffion on her, and faid toher, Weep not."

The lamentations andwailings of this diftreffed mother, movedthe tender compaffions of the Lord in beholding them, and ftirred up more pityinhisheartforher, than could be in herheart forherdear, and only fon.

In the words we are to confider, both the condition ofthe woman, andthe counſel ofChrift, with refpect unto it.

First, The condition of this woman, which appears to be very dolorous and diſtreſſed; her groans and tears moved and melted the very heart of Chrift to hear and behold them:

" When he sawher,hehad compaſſion on her."

How fad an hour itwas withherwhen Chriſt met her, ap pearsbywhat isſo diftinctly remarked bythe evangelift, in ver. 12. where it isfaid, "Now, whentheycame nigh tothe

" gate ofthe city, behold, therewas adeadman carried out, " the only fonofhis mother, and thewas awidow, andmuch

" peopleofthe citywas with her."

Inthis oneverſe, divers heartpiercing circumstances ofthis affliction are noted.

First, It was the death of afon *.

To bury a child, any 'child, muft needs rendthe heart ofa tenderparent; for what are children but the parent multiplied ? A child is a part of the parent made up in another ſkin: Dutto laya fon in the grave, a fonwho continues the name, and ſupports the fami ly; this was ever accountedavery great affliction.

Secondly, This fonwas not carried fromthe craddle to the coilin, nor stripped out of its ſwathing, to bewrapped in its winding-cloth. Hadhe died inhis infancy,beforehe had engagedaffection, or raiſed expectation, the affliction had not beenſo pungent, andcutting as now itwas death ſmore the foninthe flower, and primeofhis time. He was a man, (faith the evangelift) ver. 12. ayoung man, (as Chrift calls him) ver. 14. he was now arrived + at that agewhichmadehim caΦιλίας μεγίσος δισμος ει τεκνων γονal. i. e. To be parents tochildren, is the firmes tye ofaffection, Graec.Com.

† Hedied in his youth, and was therefore the more to be lamented, becauſe he was cut offin the flower of hisage, unto which hewas conducted from a child, by the great care and labour of his

Darents. Dion. Cat, on theplace.

AToken for Mourners.

pable ofyielding his mother allthat comfortwhich had been the expectation, and hope ofmanyyears, andthe reward and fruit ofmany cares, and labours : yet then, when the endearmentsweregreatest, andherhopes higheft, even inthe flower ofhis age, he is cutoff.

Thus Bafil bewailed the death ofhis fon : * I once had a ſon, who was ayoung man, myonlyfucceſſor, the folace of • my age, the glory of his kind, the prop of my family, arrived to the endearing age ; thenwashe fnatched away from • meby death, whoſe lovely voice but a littlebefore 1Iheard,

•who latelywas a pleaſant ſpectacle tohis parent.'

Reader, if this hath been thine own condition, as it hath beenhis that writes it, I need ſay no more toconvincethee that it was a forrowful ſtate indeed, Chrift met this tendermother in.

Thirdly, Andwhich isyetmore, hewas not only a fon, but an only fon : ſo you find, inver. 12. " He was the only fon

" ofhis mother †;" onein whom all herhopes and comforts, ofthat kind, werebound up. For, Omnis in Ascanioftat chari cura parentis, Virgil.

All her affections were contracted into this one object. Ifwehave never fo many children, we know not whichofthem to ſpare; ifthey ſtand, like olive-plants, about our tables, itwould grieve us to fee the least twig amongst them brokendown.

But furely the death ofone out ofmany, is much more tolerable than all in one †.

Hence it is notedinſcripture as the greatest of earthly forrows, Jer. vi. 26. " O daughter ofmypeople, gird theewith

" fackcloth, andwallow thyselfin aſhes. Make thee mourn- " ingas for anonlyfon, moſt bitter lamentation."

Yea, fo deep andpenetrating isthis grief, that the Holy Ghoftborrows ittoexpreſs the deepeſt ſpiritual troubles by it, Zech.

Ff2 * Filius mihi erat, adolefcens, folus vitaefucceſſor, folatium Senectae,gloria generis, flos aequalium,fulcrumdomus, aetatem gratiofiffimam agebat ; hicraptus periit, qui paulo antejucundam vocem edebat, et jucundiffimum spectaculum parentis oculis crat.

† Shewouldhaveborne his death more patiently, had he no been anonlyfon; or if the hadhadbut another left behind him

, to mitigateher forrow.

Ambrofe.

As there is nothingdearer than anonly fon, fo that grief uponthe accountofhisdeath, muſtbe the greatest of all.

Carth. on theplace,

ATokenfor Mourners. xii. 10. " They ſhall mourn for him, (namely Chriſt, whom " theypierced) as one mourneth for anonly fon."

Fourthly, Andyet, to heighten the affliction, it is ſuperaded, ver. 12. "And she was a widow."

So that the ſtaff of her age, on which ſhe leaned, was broken * : ſhe had now none left tocomfort or aſſiſt her, inher helpless, comfortleſs ſtate ofwidowhood; which is a condition not only voidof comfort, but expoſed to oppreffion, and contempt.

Yea, and beinga widow, the whole burthen layupon her alone; the had notanhusbandto comforther, as Elkanah did

Hannah, in 1 Sam. i. 8. "Why weepest thou, andwhy is " thy heartgrieved ? Am not I better totheethanten fons?"

This would have been a great relief; but her husband was dead, as well as her fon, bothgone, and the onlyfurviving, to lament the loss ofthoſe comforts that once she had.

Her calamities came not fingle,but one after another, and this reviving, and aggravating the former.

This was her cafe, and condition, when the Lord met her.

Secondly,Let us confiderthe counſel which Chriſt gives her, with reſpect to thisher fad, and forrowful cafe : " Andwhen

" the Lordfawher, hehad compaſſion on her, and ſaidunto " her, Weepnot." Relieving and ſupporting words ; whereinwe shall confider,

1. The occafion.

2. The motive.

3. Thecounſel itſelf.

1. The occafion ofit, and thatwas his feeing ofher.

This meeting at the gate ofthe city,how accidental, andoccafional foever it ſeems, yet, without doubt, it was providentially ſuited tothe work intended to be wrought: The eye of his omniſcience foreſawher, and this meetingwasbyhimdeſigned as an occafion of that famous miracle which he wrought upon theyoungman.

Chriſt hath a quickeye todifcern poor, mourning, anddiſconſolate creatures:Andthough hebenow in heaven, and ſtands out ofour fight, ſo thatweſee him not; yet he fees us, and his eye (which is upon all our troubles) ſtill affects his heart, and moves his bowels for us.

2. The motive stirring him up to give this relieving, and comfortablecounſeltoher, was his own compaſſion : She neiHewas moſt dear to her on atwofold account, both becauſe hewas heronly fon, andthat he was thecomfort and ſupportofher widowhood.

Pifcator on theplace.

AToken for Mourners.

ther expected, nordefired it from him ; but fo full oftender pitywas the Lord towards her, that he prevents her with unexpected confolation : Her heart was nothing fo full ofcompaffion for her fon, asChriſt was forher; he bore our infirmities,evennatural, as well as moral ones, inthe days of his flesh ; andthough hebe now exalted to the highest glory, yet ſtillhe continues as merciful as ever, and as apt tobe touched with theſenſeofour iniferies, Heb. iv. 15.

Lastly, The counſel itſelf, Weep not ; herein fulfillingthe officeofa comforter to them that mourn, whereunto he was anointed, Ifa. xvi. 1, 2, 3. Yetthe words arenot anabſolute prohibition of tears, and forrow; he doth not condemn all mourning as inful, or all expreffions ofgrieffor dead relations, asuncomely; no,Chriſtwould not have his people ſtus pid, andinſenſate ; heonly prohibits the exceffes, and extravagancies ofour forrows for the dead, that it should not be ſuch a mourning for the dead as is found among the heathen, who forrow without meaſure, becauſe without hope, beingignorantofthat grand reliefby the refurrection, which thegoſpel reveals.

The refurrection of her fon from thedead, is the ground upon which Chriſt builds her confolation, and relief; well might he ſay,Weep not, when he intended quickly to remove the cauſe ofher tears, by restoring him again to life.

Now,though there be ſomewhat inthis caſe extraordinary, and peculiar, for few or none that carry theirdead childrento the grave, may expect to receive them again from the dead immediately, by aſpecial refurrection, as the did: I ſay, this is not tobe expectedby any that now loſe their relations; the occaſion and reaſon of ſuch miraculous, ſpecial refurrections, being removed, by a fufficient and full evidence, and confirmation ofChriſt'sdivine power and Godhead ; yet thoſe that nowbury their relations, ifthey be ſuch as die in Chriſt, have as good and fufficient reaſon to moderate their paffions, as thismournerhad, and doas trulycome withinthe reach and compaſs of this Chriſt's comfortable, and ſupporting counſel,

Weepnot, as shedid : Fordobut confider, what offupport or comfort can aparticular and preſent refurrection from the deadgiveus,more thanthat it is,and as itis,a ſpecimen,handſel, or pledge of the general refurrection ? It is not the returningofthe foul toits body, to live an animal life again, in this worldof finand forrow, and ſhortly after to undergo the agonies, andpains ofdeath again, thatis in itſelfanyſuchprivilege asmay afford much comfort to the perfon raiſed, or his

ATokenfor Mourners. relations: It isno privilege tothe perſon raiſed, for itreturns him from reſt to trouble, from the harbour back again into the ocean.

It is matter oftrouble to manydying ſaints, to hear of the likelihood of their returning again,when they are gotfo nigh toheaven.

Itwas once thecaſeofagodly minifter ofthis nation,who wasmuch troubled at his return, and faid, I am like a fheep driven out of the ſtorm almoſt to the fold, and then driven backinto the ſtorm again ; or a weary traveller that is come hearhis home, andthen muſtgo back to fetch ſomewhat he had forgotten ; or anapprentice,whoſetime isalmoſt expired, and then muſtbegina new term .

But todie, and then return again from thedead, hath leſs ofprivilege, than to return only from the brinkofthegrave; for the fickhath not yet felt the agonies and laſt ſtruggles, or pangs of death;but fuch have feltthem once, andmuſt feel them again ; they muſt die twice, beforethey can behappy once;and, befides,during the little timethey ſpend on earth betwixt,the firſt and ſecond diſſolution, there is a perfect αμησια, forgetfulness, and inſenſibleneſs, ofallthatwhich they faw, or enjoyed, in their eftate of feparation : It being neceffary, both for them and others, that it ſhouldbe.

Forthem ſelves it is neceffary, that theymaybe contentto live, andendure the time of feparation from that bleſſed and ineffable ſtate, quietly and patiently * ; and for others, that they may live by faith, andnot by ſenſe; and buildupon divine, and nothuman authority and report.

Sothat here you fee, their agonies,andpangs are doubled, and yet their lives not ſweetenedby anyſenſe oftheir happineſs, which returns and remains with them; and therefore it canbe no fuch privilege tothem.

Andfor their relations : Though itbe ſome comfort to receive them again from the dead; yet the confideration that theyare returnedtothem into the ſtormy ſea,topartake ofnew forrows and troubles, from whichtheywere lately free: And ina short timethey must part with them again, and feel the double forrows ofa parting pull,which others feel but once; furelyfuch a particular refurrection, confidered in itſelf, is no fuchgroundofcomfort as at firſt wemight imagine it tobe.

It remains, then, that the groundof allfolidcomfort and *Victuroſque diicelant, ut viveredurent.

Howlongorshortmen live iskept a mystery, Tomake usboth live well and leſs afraid todie.

A Token for Mourners.

relief, against the death of our relations, lies inthe general and laft refurrection, and what is ina particular one, is but, as it were, a fpecimen * and evidence ofthe general ; and there the apoftle places our relief, I Thef. iv. 17. that we ſhallfee, and enjoythem again, at the Lord's coming. And furelythis is more than if(with this mother in thetext) we fhould preſently receive them from the dead, as shedidher fon: And if wejudge not fo, itis becauſeour hearts are carnal, and meafure things ratherbytime andſenſe, than by faithandetenity.

Th Thus you see the counſel,with its ground, which, for the moſtpart, is common to other Chriftianmourners with her'; f thedifference beingbut inconfiderable, and oflittle advantage.

Here, then, you find many aggravations offorrow meeting together ; a fon, an only fon, is carrying to the grave; yet Chrift commands the penfive mother, not tomourn.

Hence we note, Doct. That Christians ought to moderate theirforrowsfor

theirdeadrelations, how many afflicting circumstances,and aggravationsfoever meet together in theirdeath.

Itisascommonwithmen,yea, withgood men,to exceed intheir forrows fordead relations †, as itis to exceed intheir loveand delights to livingrelations; andboth ofthe one, and theother, we mayſay, as they ſay ofwaters,It ishardtoconfinethemwithintheir bounds.

It is therefore grave advice which the apoftle delivers inthis cafe, 1 Cor. vii. 29, 30.

" But thisI fay,brethren,the time is ſhort; itremaineth that "boththeythathavewives, beas though theyhadnone; and " theythatweep, as though they wept not ; and thosethat re- "joice, asthoughthey rejoiced not." As ifhe had faid, the floatingworld is near its port ; Godhath contractedthe fails ofman's life; it is but a point of time we have to live, and ſhortly it will not be apointto chuſe whetherwe had wives or not, children or not.

All theſe are time-eaten things, and beforethe expectedfruitoftheſecomfortsbe ripe,we ourſelves maybe rotten.

It is therefore an high point of wisdom to lookupon things which ſhortlywillnot be, as if alreadythey werenot, andto behave ourſelves,in the lofs oftheſe carnal

* Therein we haveanoble ſpecimen ofthe future refurrection.

Calvin on theplace.

† Whatever we love ardentlywhile wehaveit, we lamentbitterly when we loſe it.

Greg mor.

+ Καιρος συνεςαλέθνος, 1. c. thetimeis contracted.

A Token for Mourners. enjoyments, as the natural man hehaves himself intheuseof fpiritualordinances ; he hears as ifheheardnot,andwe ſhould weep as if we wept not; their affections are a little moved, ſometimesby ſpiritual things, but they never lay them ſoto heart, as tobebroken-hearted for the fintheyhearof, or deeply affected with theglory revealed. We alſo ought to be ſenſible ofthe ftrokeofGod upon our dear relations; but yet ſtillwe muſt weep, as if we wept not ; this is, we must keep due bounds, and moderation in our forrows, and not tobe too deeply concerned fortheſe dying, ſhort-lived things.

Tothis purpoſe the apostle exhorts,Heb. xii. 5. " My fon, "deſpiſe not the chaftening ofthe Lord, neither faint when

" thou art rebuked ofhim."

Theſe are two extremes, deſpiſing, and fainting : whenGod is correcting, to ſay, Idonot regard it, let God take all, if he will; ifmy eftate muſt go, let it go , ifmychildren die, let them die: this is to deſpiſe the Lord's chaſtening; andGodcannotbear it, that we should bear it thus lightly.

There is alſoanotherextreme, andthat is fainting: if, when goods are taken away, the heart be taken away, and when childrendie, then the fpiritofthe parent dies alſo ; this is faintingunderthe rod.

Thou lamenteſt, ſaith Seneca, thy deceafedfriend; but I wouldnot have thee grieve beyondwhat is meet: that thou ſhouldſt notgrieve at all, Idare not require thee; tears may be excused, ifthey do not exceed.

Let thine eyes, therefore, be neither wholly dry, nor let them overflow : weepthou mayeſt, but wal thou mustnot.

Happyman, that ſtillkeeps the golden bridle ofmoderation upon his paffions, and affections, and ſtill keeps the poffeffion ofhimself, whatsoever he loſe the poffeffion of.

Now the method in which I propoſe to proceed, ſhallbe, 1. To discoverthe figns.

2. To diffuade from the fin..

3. To remove the pleas.

4. To propoſe the cure ofimmoderate forrow.

First, I shall giveyou the figns ofimmoderate ſorrow, and ſhew youwhen it exceeds its bounds, and becomes ſinful, even a forrowto be forrowed for ; and, for clearness fake, I will firſt allowwhat maybe allowed to the Chriſtian mourner, and then youwillthebetter difcernwherein the exceſs and finfulneſs of yourforrow lies.

And, First, How much ſoever we cenſure, and condemn immoderate forrow; yet the afflicted must be allowed an awa kened, and tendersense of the Lord's afflicting hand upon them.

ATokenfor Mourners.

It is no virtue to bear what we do not feel; yea, itis a moſt unbecomingtemper, not to tremblewhen God is ſmiting.The Lord faith to Moſes, in the cafe ofMiriam, Numb. xii. 24. " Ifher father had ſpit inher face, ſhould ſhenot be

" ashamed ſeven days ?" The face is the table, and feat of beauty andhonour; but when it is ſpit upon, it is made the fink ofshame.

Hadher own father ſpit upon her face when thehaddifpleaſed him, would the not have gone afide, as one aſhamed by ſuch a rebuke, andnot have ſhewed her face to him again,in ſeven days ? How much more ſhouldthe take it toheart, andbeſenſible ofthis rebuke ofmine, who have filled her facewith leprous ſpots, the ſigns of mydiſpleaſure againſt her? SurelyGodwillbe ashamedofthoſethat are notashamed whenhe rebukes them.

It is notmagnanimity,butſtupidity, tomake lightofGod's corrections ; and for this the afflicted are ſmartly taxed, Jer. v. 3. " I have ſmitten them, but they have not grieved."

WhenGod ſmoteJob inhis perſon, children, and estate,he arofe,and rent his mantle, and putduſt upon hishead, to ſhew hewasnot fenfeleſs, andunaffected, andyet bleſſed the afflictingGod; which,as plainlyfhewed,hewasnot contumacious, andunfubmiflive.

Secondly, We must allow the mourning, afflicted foul, a due, andcomely expreſſion ofhis grief,andforrow, in his complaints, bothtoGodand men.

It ismuchmorebecoming a Chriſtian, ingenuoufly to open his troubles,than fullenly to ſmother them.

There is no fin in complaining toGod, but much wickedneſs incomplaining ofhim.

Griefs are eaſed bygroans, and heart-preffures relieved by utterance.

This wasDavid's courſe, and conftant way, who was a man of afflictions, Pfalm cxlii. 2, 3. " I " poured outmy complaintbefore him, I ſhewed before him

" mytrouble; whenmy ſpiritwas overwhelmed within me, " then thou knoweſt mypath,"

Towhom ſhould children go, but to their father, to make.. theirmoan ? Whence may they expect relief, and comfort, butfrom him ? The 102d Pfalm is intituled, " APfalm for " the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, andpoureth outhis

" complaint before the Lord."

Andhappy were it, ifevery afflicted foulwouldchuſethis waytoexpreſshis ſorrows. Didwe complain more toGod, hewouldcomplain leſs ofus, andquickly abate the matters of

VOL. VII.

A Token for Mourners. ourcomplaint. Oyou cannot think how moving, howmeite ing, how prevailing itiswithGod, whenhis poor, burdened, and afflictedpeople, in a dayofdiſtreſs,anddeſpondency,when deep calleth untodeep, and one wavedrives onanother, then for the opprefied foul, with humility, filial confidence, and faith, toturn itſelf to the Lord, andthusbetpeakhim :

Father,what ſhall I do ? My foul is greatly boweddown bytrouble; I am full to the brim, myvainhearthath looked

*for reliefthisway, andthatway,butnone comes; every door ofcomfort is ſhut up against me: Thou hast multiplied my forrows, and renewed mywitneſſes againft me : Comfort is

* removed from my outward,andpeace from my inner man; •ſharp afflictions without, andbitter reflections within. O

Lord, I am opprefied, undertake for me.

Fathers of the • fleſh pity their diſtreſſed children, when they complain to them; andwilt not thou,O Lord, whoſe compaffions as far exceed creature-compaffions, as the fea exceeds a drop, O my Father! pity me, ſupport me, deliver me. "

Ohow acceptable is this toGod! how advantageons tothe Foul!

We mayalfo make our complaint to men. Sodid Job, chap. xix. ver. 21. " Have pity, have pity on me, Oye my

" friends, for the hand ofGod hath touched me."

And it is amercyifwehave any friends that arewife, faithful, and experienced; they areborn for fuch a time asthis, Prov. xvii. 17 but be they what they will, they cannot pity as God, relieve, and fuccone as he; and oftentimes we may ſay, with Job, chap. xxi. ver. 4- "As for me,, is my complaint tomen?

" And ifitwere,why ſhould not myfpirit be troubled?" q.d.

Whatgreat advantage can Iget by theſe complaints ? I may burden the heart ofmy friend,but how little doth that eaſe my own? Yet thevery opening of the heart toan experienced, tender Chriſtian, is ſome relief, and the engaging his prayers is more. Thus faryou moan fafely; inall this there is no danger.

Thirdly, The afflictedperfon may (ordinarily) accufe, judge, and condemn himself,for being the cause, andprocurer ofhis own troubles.

He may lawfullybe difcontented, and vexed with himfelf for his own folly, when the iniquity ofhis heels com paſſeth himabout.

And truly it is butfeldom that any great affliction befals agraciousperſon, but he fawthe needoffuch arod,before he felt it.

Hath God ſmitten thy child, orfriend, and didſtthou not foreſce ſome harp trial coming? Did not thy fond, fecurs

A Token for Mourners. carnal temper, need ſuch a ſcourge, to awaken, quicken, and purge thee ? Or, ifyou did not foreſee it, it is now your duty to fearch, and examine yourſelves.

So the church, in heraffliction, refolved, Lam. iii. 40. " Let us ſearch and try our

" ways."

WhenGod isſmiting, we should be a ſearching :

Surely our iniquities will enquire after us, ifwewill notenquire after them : Yea, in thedayof affliction, agracious foul is inquifitive about nothing more than the procuring, and provoking cauſeofhis troubles.

Job x. 2. " Shew mewhere- " forethou contendeſt with me ;" q. d. Lord, what ſpecial corruption is it that this rod is ſent to rebuke? What finful neglect doth it come to humble me for ? O diſcover it now to me, and recover menow from it.

And having found the root, andcauſe oftheirtroubles, ingenuous foulswill shame themselves for it, and give glory to God, by anhumble fubmiffion, and vindication ofthe equity ofhis proceedings.

Job vii. 20. " I have finned, what ſhall I " do unto thee, thou preferver of men?" He thinks it no ſhame freely todiscover unto God,and deeply to abaſehimself

-beforehim for this folly.

Irememberachoice notethat * Mr. Brightmanhath,inhis commentaryupon the Canticles.

Holymen, faith he, after their hearts are renewedby repentance, are not ashamed to remember, and confefs their flips, and ſhameful falls tothe glory ofGod, forthey account that glorywhich ſuch confeffions takefromthem, is not loft, whilft it goes to the glory ofGod.

Ifhisglory may rife out ofour ſhame,howwilling ſhouldwebe to take ſuch ſhame to us? Holy David was not ashamed to acknowledge, Pfal. xxxviii. 5. "Mywounds stink, and are corrupted, because of my foolishness." He is the wifeft man that thus befools

Mimselfbefore God.

It is true, God may afflict from prerogative, or for trial; butwe may always fee cauſe enough in ourſelves, and it is fafeſt tocharge it upon ourown folly.

Lastly, The afflicted Christianmay, in an humble, fubmiſſive manner, plead withGod, andbe earnest for the removal ofthe affliction.

*Nec enim pudet fanctos viros,postquam renovata cordafuerint perrefipifcentiam, lapſusfui &dedecoris ad Deigloriam meminiſſe.

Nihilnobis decedit, quod cedit in illius bonorem.

Brightmanin Cant, c. 1. V. 4. P. 11.

Gg2

AToken for Mourners.

When affliction preſſeth usabove ſtrength, when itdiſables us for duty, orwhen it gives advantage to temptation ; then we may fay, with David,"Remove thy ſtroke from me, Iam

"confumedby theblow ofthine hand," Pfal. xxxix. 10. Even our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, in thedayofhis troubles, poured outhis foul withstrong cries,andmanytears,faying, " Father,

" ifthou bewilling, let this cup paſs from me," Luke xxii.

42. Oppreſſednaturedefires eaſe,andevenourrenewed.nature defires freedom from thoſe clogs, and temptations, which hinder us induty, orexpoſe us to ſnares.

Thus farwe may fafely go.

But forrow then becomes finful,and exceſſive,when, First, It caufethus toflight, and deſpiſe allour other mercies, andenjoyments, assmallthings, in comparison ofwhatwe have lost.

It often falls out, that the ſetting ofone comfort,clouds, ⚫and benights allthe reſt.

Our tears for our loft enjoyments, fo blind our eyes, that we cannot fee the many other mercies which yet remain: Wetake ſo much noticeofwhat isgone,. thatwe take little or no notice ofwhat is left.

But this is very finful, for it involves initboth ignorance, ingratitude, and great provocation.

It is a fin ſpringing from ignorance. Didweknow thedefertofour fins, we should rather wonder to fee one mercy left, thanthat twenty are cut off.

They thatknow they have forefeitedevery mercy, ſhould be thankful that they enjoy any, andpatientwhen they loſe any oftheir comforts.

DidweknowGod, even thatſovereign Lordatwhoſediſpoſe ourcomforts come and go, who can the next moment blaft all that remain, and turnyou into hell afterwards, you would prizethemercies heyet indulges to you, at an higher value.

Did you underſtand the fickle, vanithing, nature of the creature, what a flower, what a bubble it is; O how thankful would you be, to find ſo many yet leſt in your poffeffion!

Did you know the case ofthousands, as good, yea, better thanyou, whoſewholeharvestofcomfortinthis world is but a handful, to the gleanings ofthe comforts you ſtill enjoy,whe in all their lives neverwere owners ofſuch comfortable enjoy- : ments asyou nowoverlook; furelyyou would not act as you

Beſides, what vile ingratitude is in this? What, are all your remaining mercies worth nothing ? You have burieda child, a friend; well, but ftill you have ahusband,a wife,

A Tokenfor Mourners.

other children; or, ifnot,you have comfortable accommodationsfor yourſelves, with health to enjoy them ; or, if not, yet have you the ordinances ofGod, it may be, an intereſt in Chriftand in the covenant, pardon of fin, and hopes of glory.

What,andyetfink at this rate, as if allyour mercies, comforts, andhopes, even in both worlds, were buried in one grave.

MuſtIchabodbe written uponyour bestmercies, becauſe mortality iswritten upon one ? Fy, fy, what ſhameful ingratitude ishere?

And really, friend,ſuch a carriage as this underthe rod, is no ſmall provocation tothe Lord togo on injudgment, and makea full end ofall that remains, ſo that affliction ſhallnot rifeup the ſecond time.

What if God, taking noticehow little thou regardest the manyundeſerved favours thou yet poſleſſeſt, ſhould ſay, well, ifthou thinkeſt them notworththe owning, neither do I think themworththe continuing ? Go, death, there is ahusband,a wife, other children yet left, ſmitethem all. Go, ſickneſs, and remove the health of his body yet left ; go, loſſes, and impoverish his eſtate yet left ; go, reproach, and blaſt his reputation,which is yet ſweet ; what would you think of this ?

And yet, ifthoube out of Chrift,you are in danger of a far fadder ſtroke than any, or all yet mentioned ; what if God ſhould ſay, Prizeſt thou notmy mercy? Haſt thou no value for mygoodneſs, and forbearance towards thee ? Is itnothing that Ihave ſparedthee thus long in thy fins, and rebellions ?

Well, then, I will ſtretch out myhanduponthy life, cut off that threadwhichhath kept thee ſo many years fromdropping intohell.

O think, then, whatyouhave done,by provoking theLord, through your vile ingratitude! It is a dangerous thing toprovokeGod, whenhe is alreadyin away ofjudgment. And if you be his own people,and ſo out ofthe danger ofthis laft and worſt ſtroke ; yet know, youhave better mercies to lofe than any you have yet loft.

ShouldGod cloud your fouls with doubts, let loose Satan to buffet you, remove joy and peace from your innerman,how foon would you be convinced that the funeral of your dearest friend is but a trifle to this?

Wellthen,whatever God takes, be ſtill thankful for what he leaves.

It was thegreat fin ofIfraelinthe wilderneſs, that thoughGodhad delivered them from their cruel fervitude in Egypt, miraculouſly fedthem inthe deſart, and was leading them ontoaland flowing withmilk andhoney; yet as foor

• 238 ATokenfor Mourners . as any wantdidbut begin to pinch them,preſentlyall these mercieswere forgotten and flighted,Numb. xiv. 12. "Would

" to God(faythey) wehaddied in Egypt." And,Numb. xi.

6. " There is nothing at all beſide this manna." Beware of this,O ye mourning and afflicted ones. You feeboth the fin that is in it, and the danger that attends it.

Secondly, And no leſs ſinful areour forrows,When theyfo wholly ingulphour hearts, that weeithermindnot at all, orare littleor nothingsensibleofthe public evils and calamities, which lieupon the churchandpeople ofGod.

Some Chriſtians have fuch public ſpirits,that the church's troubles ſwallow up their perſonal troubles.

Melancthon feemed to take little notice ofthe death ofhis childwhich he dearlyloved,being almoſt overwhelmedwith the miſeries lyingon the church.

And itwas agood evidence ofthegraciouſneſs andpublicneſs ofEli's ſpirit,who ſitting inthe gate, anxioufly waiting for tidings from the army,whenthe tidingscame that Ifrael fled before the Philistines, that his two fons Hophui and Phinehas were dead, and that the ark ofGod was taken,juft at the mention of that word, * The ark of God, beforehe heardout the whole narration, his mind quickly preſaged the ifſſue, he funkdown and died, 1 Sam. iv, 17. 18, O thatwas the finking, the killingword; hadthe meſſenger ſtopt at the death ofhis two fons, like enough he hadſupported that burden; but the loss of the ark was more to him than ſons of daughters.

But how few fuch public ſpirits appear even among profeffors in this ſelfiſh generation ? Maywe notwith the apostle complain, Phil. ii. 21. "Allfeektheirown,andnotthe things

" that are of Chrift:" Fewmen have any greatcares orde ſigns, lying beyond the bounds oftheirownprivate intereſt.

Andwhatwe ſay ofcares,is astrue offorrows: Ifa childdie, we are ready to die too, but public calamities pierce us not.

How few fuffer either their domeſtic comforts tobe ſwallowed up in the church's troubles, or their domeſtic trou bles tobe ſwallowed upbythe church's mercies ! Now when it is thus with us,whenwe littleregardwhat mercies ormiſeries

* Cumque ille nominaſſet arcam Dei. q. d. nondum integram, fed inchoatam audiens narrationem, mentepraevolanset exitum praefagiens ruebat.

Merecz. inloc.

AToken for Mourners.

fieupon others, but are wholly intent upon our own afflictions, this isa finful forrow, andought to be forrowed for.

Thirdly, Our forrows then become finful and exorbitant, When they divert us from, or distract us in, our duties, fo that our intercourse with heaven isftopt and interrupted by them.

How longcanwe fitalone muſing uponadead creature?

Here our thoughts easily flow; but how hard to fix themup. on the living God! when our hearts ſhould be in heaven withour Chrift, they are inthe gravewith ourdead. Maynot many afflicted foulsjuſtly complain, that their troubleshad takenaway their Chrift from them, (I mean as to ſweet ſenſible communion) andlaid the deadchild in his room ?

Poor creature, ceafe to weep any longer for thydead relation, and weep rather for thydead heart.

Is this thy compliancewithGod's deſign in afflicting thee? What, to grow agreater ſtranger to him than before ! Or is this the wayto thycureandcomfort in affliction, to refrain prayer, andturn thy back uponGod ?

Or ifthou dareftnotwhollyneglect thy duty, yet thy af flictionſpoils thefucceſs and comfort of it; thy heart iswandring,dead, distracted in prayer and meditation, ſo that thou haftno reliefor comfortfrom it.

Rouze up thyſelf, Chriſtian, andconfiderthis is notright.

Surelythe rod works not kindly now.

What, did thy love toGod expirewhen thy friend expired? Is thy heartas cold induty, as his body is in the grave ?

Hathnaturaldeath ſeizedhim,and ſpiritualdeadneſs ſeized thee? Sure then thouhaft more reason to lament thydead heart, than thydead friend. Divert the ſtream ofthy troubles

Speedily, andlabourtorecoverthyselfoutofthis temper quickly; left fadexperience ſhortly tellthee, thatwhat thou now mourneſt for, is but atrifle to what thou shaltmourn forhere after. To loſe the heavenly warmth and ſpiritual liveliness ofthyaffections, is undoubtedly a far more confiderable lofs, than to loſethe wife of thyboſom, orthe sweetest child that ever a tenderparent laid inthe grave.

Reader, if this be thy cafe, thou hast reaſon to challenge the firſt place among the mourners. It is better for thee to burytenfons,than to remitonedegree of love ordelight in God. The endofGodin ſmiting, was towinthy heart nearertohimby removing thatwhich estranged it; howthendoft thoucroſs the verydeſign ofGod inthisdifpenfation? Mult

A Token for Mourners.

Godthen loſe his delight in thy fellowship,becauſe thouhaft loftthine in the creature ? Surely, when thy troubles thus ac companythee to thy cloſet, they are finful and extravagant troubles.

Fourthly, Then you may alſo conclude your forrows tohe exceffive andfinful, When theyso overloadand oppressyourbodies, as to endangeryour lives, or render them useless and unfit forfervice.

Worldly forrow works death, 2 Cor. vii. 10. that is, for rowafter themanner ofworldly men * ; forrow in a merecarnal, natural way, which is notrelievedby any ſpiritual reaſonings and confiderations.

This falls ſoheavy fometimes upon thebody, that it finks underthe weight, and is caſt into fuch diſeaſes as are never morewrought off, orhealedinthisworld.

" Heavineſs in the heartof a manmakes it ſtoop," ſaith So lomon, Prov. xii. 25. The ſtouteſt bodymuſt ſtoop under heart-preſſures.

It is with the mind of man, faith one, as with the ftone tyrhenus ; as long as it is whole it ſwimmeth ; but, oncebro ken, it finks preſently. Grief is a moth, which, getting into themind, will, ina short time, make the body, be itnever for ftrongandwell-wrought apiece, like anold feary garment.

Philofophers and phyficians generally reckon forrow among the chiefcauſes of ſhortning life. Chriſt was a man offorrows, andacquainted with grief, andthis ſome thinkwas the reaſon that he appeared as aman of fifty, when he was little more than thirty years old, John viii. 57. But his ſorrows were of anotherkind †.

Many aman's foul is to hisbody, as aſharp knifetoathin ſheath,which easily cuts itthrough ; and whatdo we by poringand ponderingupon 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?Howdowe not only waſtetheir ſtrengthbyforrow,but } *Worldly forrow is after the manner oftheworld, arifingfrom thelove ofit.

Eftius on the place.

† Theſe things write 1untoyou, whohaveweptſo immoderately, that Iam become an example (which Ialways abhorred) of thoſe whom grief hath overcome. Yet this unreasonable conduct Inow condemn myſelffor. Senes.

AToken for Mourners.

denyrelief and neceſſary refreshment ? They must carrythe load, butbe allowed no refreshment : Ifthey can eatthe bread ofaffliction, and drink tears, theymay feed to the full; but nopleaſant bread, no quiet ſleep is permitted them.

Surely you would notburden a beaſt as you do your ownbodies: You wouldpity andrelieve abrutebeast, groaning and finking under an heavyburden, butyou will not pity nor relieve your own bodies.

Somemens fouls havegiven ſuch deepwounds to theirbodies, that they are never liketo enjoymany eafy or comfortabledays morewhilft theydwell in them.

Now,this is very finful anddifpleaſing toGod;for ifhehave fuch atender care for our bodies, that he would not have us ſwallowed up ofover much grief, no, though it be for fin,

2Cor. ii. 7. but even to that forrow ſets bounds ; how much leſs with outward forrow for temporal loſs ? May not your ſtock ofnatural ſtrength be employed to betterpurpoſes, think you, thantheſe ? Time maycome, thatyou may earnestlywith youhadthathealthand ſtrength again to ſpend forGod, which younowſo lavishlywaſte, and prodigallycaftawayupon your troubles, to no purpoſe or advantage.

Itwas therefore anhigh point ofwisdom inDavid, 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, andmakes it inwardly grudge against the hand ofGod, then our trouble is fullof fin, and we ought to be humbled for it beforethe Lord.

WhateverGoddothwith us, or ours, ſtillwe should maintaingood thoughts ofhim. A gracious heart cleaves nearer andnearertoGod in affliction, and canjustifyGod in his fevereſt ſtrokes, acknowledging them to be all just and holy,

Pfal. cxix. 75. " I know alſo that thy judgments are right, "andthatthouin faithfulneſs haft afflictedme." Andhereby thefoulmay comfortablyevidenceto itſelfits own uprightneſs and fincere lovetoGod; yea, ithath beenof ſingularuſe to fome fouls, totake right meaſures oftheir love toGod infuch trials: to have lovelyand well-pleaſed thoughts ofGod, even whenhe ſmites us inour nearest anddearestcomforts, argues plainly that we love him for himſelf,andnot forhis gifts only.

And thushis intereſt inthe heart is deeper than any creatureintereſt is. Andſuch is the comfort that hath reſulted to ſome

VOL. VII.

ATokenfor Mourners. from fuchdifcoveries oftheir own heartsbycloſe ſmartingafflictions, that they would notpart with it, tohave their coinforts (whoſe removal occafioned them) givenback in lieu of it.

But to ſwellwith fecret diſcontent, and have hard thoughts ofGod, as ifhe had done us wrong, or dealt more ſeverely with us than any ; O this is a vile temper, curſedfruit ſpringing from an evil root; a very carnal, ignorant, proud heart; orat leastfrom averydiſtempered, ifrenewed,heart. So itwas 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 offrame ; this was not his true temper, or ordinary frame, but a furprize; the effect of a paroxiſm oftemptation, inwhich his paffions hadbeen over-heated.

: Fewdare to vent itin ſuch language: Buthow many have theirhearts imbitteredby diſcontent, and fecret rifings againft theLord? Which, ifever the Lordopen their eyes to fee, will coft them more trouble than ever that affliction did, which gave the occafionof it.

I denynotbut the bestheartmaybe temptedto think and ſpeak frowardly concerning theſe works ofthe Lord ; that envious adverfary, the devil, will blow the coals, and labour to blow up our ſpirits at fuch time into high diſcontents : The temptation was strong even upon Davidhimself, to take up hardthoughts ofGod, and to conclude,"VerilyIhave cleanf- "edmyheart in vain ;" q. d. How little privilege from the worſt ofevils hath a manby his godliness ? But he foon fuppreſſed ſuch motions : " IfI should ſay thus, I fhould offend

" against thegeneration of thy children :" Meaning, thathe ſhould condemn the whole race of godly nen through the wholeworld ; forwho isthereamong them all,but is, orhath, or maybe, afflicted as feverely as myſelf?

"Surely,it is meet to be faiduntoGod, Ihave born chaſtiſe- "ment, I will not offend any more," Job xxxiv. 31. Whatever

Goddoth with you, ſpeakwell, and thinkwellofhim, andhis works.

* Sixthly, Ourforrows exceeddue boundswhenwe continually excite andprovoke them hy willing irritations.

Grief, like a lion,loves toplay with usbeforeit deftroy'us.

And ſtrange itis that we should find ſomekind ofpleaſure in rouzing our forrows .

It is * Seneca's obſervation, and expe- ** Sorrow itſelf hasacertainkindofpleaſure attending it, when the

A.Tokenfor Mourners.

rimentally true, that even forrow itſelfhath acertainkind of delightattending it. t TheJews, that werewith Mary inthe houſe to comforther,

" When they saw that the went out hastily, followed her, fay " ing, the goeth tothegrave to weep there," John xi. 32. as theydo, faith †Calvin, that feek to provoke their troubles, by going to the grave, or often looking uponthe 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, andcommend the action ; butrather to rub the wound, andfetchfreſh blood from it, by piercing ourſelves with fomelittle, trivial, yetwounding cir cumſtances.

I have known manythat will fit and talkofthe features, actions and ſayings, oftheir children, for hours together, and weep atthe rehearsal ofthem, and that formany months afterthey are gone ; ſo keeping thewoundcontinuallyopen, and excruciating theirown hearts, without any benefit at all by them : Alock of hair, or ſome ſuch trifles, must

⚫bekept for this purpoſe, to renew their forrowdaily, by look. ing on it. On this account, Jacob would nothave his fon calledBenoni, left it should renew his ſorrow, but Benjamin.

I am far from commending abrutiſh oblivion ofour dear relations, and condemn it as much asIdo this childish, and : unprofitable remembrance.

O friends ! we have other things to do under the rod, than theſe: Were it not better to be ſearchingour hearts, and houſes, whenGod's rod is upon us, andſtudyinghow to answerthe endof it, bymortifying thoſe corruptions which provoke it ? Surely the rodworks notkindly till it comes tothis.

Seventhly, Lastly, Our forrows may then bepronounced finful,whentheydeafen ourears to all thewholesome, and ſeafonable words ofcounſel, and comfort, offeredus for our relief, and fupport.

Jer. xxxi. 15. "Avoice was heard in Ramah, lamentation " andbitter weeping ; Rachel weeping forher children,would

" notbe comforted for her children, becauſe they were not."

Hh2 : the parents call tomindthe 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.

AToken for Mourners.

Shewilladmitno comfort, herdiſeaſe is curable byno other means but the restoration of her children; give her them again, and the willbe quiet; elſeyou ſpeak into air, the regards not whatever you ſay.

Thus Ifrael, in the cruel bondage in Egypt, Moſes brings them theglad tidings of deliverance; " But they hearkened

" not to him, be cauſe ofthe anguish ofſpirit, andtheir cruel "bondage," Exod. vi. 9.

Thus obſtinately fixed are many, in their trouble, thatno words of advice, or comfort, find anyplace with them ; yea,

Ihaveknown ſome exceeding quick and ingenuous, even above the rate oftheircommon parts and abilities, in invent ing ſhifts, and framing objections to turn off comfort from themselves, as iftheyhadbeen hired toplead againsttheir own intereſt ; and iftheybe driven from thoſe pleas, yet theyare fettled in their troubles, too faſt to be moved ; fay what you will, they mindit not, or, at moſt, itabides not uponthem.

Letproper, ſeaſonable advice, or comfort, be tendered, they refuſe it ; yourcounſel is good, butthey have noheart to it now. Thus, Pfal. lxxvii. 10. "Myfoul(faithhe) refuſedtobe

" comforted."

To want comfort in time ofaffliction, is an aggravation of our affliction ; but to refuſe itwhen offered us, wants not fin.

Time may come whenwe would be glad to receive comfort, or hear a word ofſupport, 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 theground, thoſe excellent cordials, prepared and offeredto 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 andthe gall."

It isa thousand pities the wormwoodandgall ofaffliction should fodiſguſta Chriſtian, as that he ſhouldnot at any time be able to relish the ſweetneſs that is in Chriſt, and in thepromises. And thus I have diſpatched the firſtpart ofmy deſign, in ſhewing you wherein the finof mourners doth not lie, and inwhat it doth.

Secondly, Having clearedthis, and ſhewn youwherein the finanddanger lies ; myway is now prepared to the ſecond thing propoſed, namely, to diſſuade mourners from theſe ſin. fulexceſſes offorrows, and keep the golden bridle ofmoderation upontheir paflions intimes ofaffliction. And O that my words may be as ſucceſsful upon thoſe penſive fouls that

AToken for Mourners.

ſhall readthem, as Abigail's were to David, 1 Sam. xxv. 32. who,when he perceived how proper and ſeaſonabletheywere, ſaid, " Bleffedbe the LordGod of Ifrael, who fent thee this

" day tomeet me, and bleſſed bethy advice."

Iam ſenſiblehow hard a taſk it is I here undertake, to charm down, and allaymutinous, raging, and tumultuous paſſions ; togive acheck to the torrent of paffion, is ordinarily but to provoke it, and makeit rage and ſwellthe more.

Thework is the Lord's, it whollydepends upon hispower, and bleffing.

He that faith tothe ſea,when the waves thereofroar, be ſtill ; can alſo quiet, andcompoſethe ſtormy, and tumultuous ſea, that rages in the breasts of the afflicted, and caftsup nothing but the froth ofvain and uſeleſs complaintsof our misery, or the dirt of finful andwicked complaints ofthe dealings ofthe Lord with us.

The rod of afflictiongoes round, and vifits all forts ofperfons,withoutdifference: itis uponthe tabernacles ofthejuſt andtheunjust, therighteous andthewicked; both aremourningundertherod.

The godly are not ſo to be minded,as that theother be wholly neglected; they have as strong and tender, though not as regular affections to their relations, and muſt not be whollyſuffered to fink undertheirunrelievedburdens.

Here, therefore, I must have reſpect to two forts ofperſons, whom I find intearsupon the fame account ; Imean, the lofs oftheirdearrelations, the regenerate, and the unregenerate. I am adebtor to both, and ſhall endeavour their ſupport and -aſſiſtance, foreven theunregenerate callforourhelp and pity, andmustnot beneglected, andwholly flighted, in their afflictions. We mustpity them thatcannot pity themselves *, The law ofGod commands usto help abeast, iffallen under its burden ; how much more a man ſinking under a load offorrows ?

Iconfeſs, uſes of comfort to the unregenerate are not (ordinarily) in uſe among us, and it may ſeem ſtrange whence anything of ſupport ſhould bedrawn for them, thathave no ſpecial intereſt in Chriſt, or promiſes.

I confefs, alfo, I find myself under great diſadvantages for this work ; I cannot offer them thoſe reviving cordials that arecontained in Chriſt and the covenant, for God's afflicted people; but yet, ſuch is the goodness ofGod evento his ene- *Nil miferiusmiferonon miserantefeipfum, i.e. None is more tobe pitiedthanapoor finner thatdoes notpityhimself.

A Token for Mourners. mies, that they are not leftwholly without ſupports, ormeans to allay their forrow.

Ifthis, therefore, bethy cafe, who readeſt theſe lines ; af flicted and unfanctified,mourning bitterlyforthydead friends, and more cauſe to mourn for thydeadfoul, chriſtleſs andgraceleſs, aswellas childleſs, or friendleſs: nocomfortinhand,nor yet inhope; full oftrouble, and no vent by prayer, or faith, toeaſe thy heart.

Poor creature, thy caſe is fad, but yet do notwholly ſink, and ſuffer thyſelfto be ſwallowed up of grief: thou hast laid thydear one in the grave, yetthrow not thyself,headlong in, to the grave after him; thatwillnotbethe way to remedythy mifery: but fit down a while, and ponder theſe three things..

Firſt, That of all perfons 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 forrow (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 ſeconddeath hath no power over him ; but woe to thee, if it overtake thee in thy fin: beware, therefore, what thou doſt againstthy health, and life; donot put the candle of forrow too near that threadby which thou hangeſtover the mouth ofhell.

O it is far betterto be childleſs, or friendleſs on earth, than hopeleſs, and remedileſs, in hell .

Secondly, Own and admire the bounty and goodneſs of God, manifefted to thee in this affliction ; that when death came intothy familyto ſmite, andcarry 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 commiffion, thouhadſt beennow paſt hope.

O the ſparing mercy ofGod! the wonderful long-fuffering ofGod towards thee ! Poſſibly that poor creature that is gone, never provokedGod as thou hastdone; 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, thathadit ſo provokedGod, than thy poor little one.

But,O the admirable patience ofGod ! Othe riches ofhis long-fuffering ! 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 :

ATokenfor Mourners .

gravewiththydeadfriend, and weep there, than togo to hell among the damned, where there is weeping, andwailing, and gnaſhing ofteeth?

Thirdly, This affliction, for which thou mourneſt,may be the greatest mercy to thee, that ever yet befel thee in this world. Godhath now made thy heart ſoftby 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 ſpread over all thy wordly comforts.

Now, O now! if the Lordwould but ſtrike in with this affliction, and by it open thine eyes to fee thy deplorable ſtate, and take offthy 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 thyportion.

Ifnowthy affliction maybut bring thy finto remembrance, and thy dead friend maybut bring thee toa ſenſe ofthy dead foul, which is as cold to God, and ſpiritual things, as his body is tothee; andmore lothfome in his eyes than that corpſe is, or ſhortly will be to the eyes ofmen : then thisday is certainlya day ofthe greatest mercythat ever yet thou faweſt. Ohappydeath, that ſhallprove lifetothyfoul.

Why this is fometimes the way ofthe Lord withmen, Job xxxvi . 8, 9. " Ifthey be bound in fetters, and holden in cords

" of affliction, then he ſheweth them their work, and their " tranfgreffion, that they have exceeded: he openeth, alfo,

" their ear to difcipline, and commandeth them that they re- "turnfrom iniquity."

Oconfider, poor penfive creature, thatwhich ſtole awaythy heart from God, is now gone ; that which eat up thy time, andthoughts, that there was no room forGod, foul, or eternity, inthem, isgone: allthe vain expectations that thou raifedſtupunto thyself, from that poor creature which now lies in thedust, are inonedayquiteperiſhed. O what an advantage haftthounow for heaven,beyondwhatever thou yet hadſt! if Godwillbutbleſs this rod, thou wilthave cauſe to keep ma- : hy a thanksgivingday for this day.

Ipray, let theſe three things beponderedbyyou. I canbeſtowno more comforts uponyou, your condition bars thebest comforts fromyou, theybelongto the people ofGod, and you haveyetnothing todowiththem.

Iſhall thereforeturn from you to them, and preſent fome choicercomfortstothem, towhomtheyproperlybelong, which maybe ofgreat uſe toyou inreading, ifitbe but toconvince you of the bleſſed privilege and ſtate ofthe people ofGod in thegreatestplunges oftroubles inthisworld,andwhat advan-

AToken for Mourners. tages their intereſt in Chriſt gives them for peace and fettlement,beyondthat ſtate you are in.

Andhere Ido with much more freedom, andhope of fucceſs, apply myſelf to the work ofcounfelling, and comforting the afflicted.

You are the fearers ofthe Lord, andtremble 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 toyou by far.

Well then, let me perfuadeyou to retire a whileinto your cloſets, redeem a little time from your unprofitable forrows, eaſe andemptyyour hearts before the Lord, and beg his bleffingupon the relieving, quieting, and heart-compofing confiderations that follow; some of which are more general and common, fome more particular and ſpecial ; but all of them fuch as, through the bleffing ofGod,may be very useful, at this time, toyour fouls.

Confideration 1. Confider, in this day offorrow, who is the framer, andauthor of this rod, by which you now smart ; is itnot the Lord ? And if the Lordhath done it, it becomes you meekly to submit.

Pfal. xlvi. 10. " Be still, and know that I " am God."

Manandmanſtand upon evenground; ifyour fellow-creaturedoes anything thatdiſpleaſes you, you may not only enquire whodid it, but why hedid it ? You maydemand his grounds and reasons, for what he hath done ; but you may notdo fo here : It is expected, that this one thing, The Lord hathdone it, ſhould, without any farther difputes,or contefts, filence and quiet you, whatever it be that he hath done.

Job xxxiii. 13. " Whydoſt thou ſtrive against him ? For he giveth " notan 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 fervant to contendwith his master; but for a creature to quarrel and ſtrive with theGodthat made him, O how shameful is it! Surely it is highly reasonable thatyoube ſubject to thatwillwhenceyou proceeded,and thathewho formedyou, andyours, ſhoulddifpofeofboth as ſeemethhim good.

It is faid, 2 Sam. iii. 36. "That whatsoever the king did,pleaſed " allthe people:" And ſhall any thing the Lord doth difpleaſeyou ? He candonowrong: Ifwe plucka roſe in the bud,as wewalkin ourgardens,who ſhallblame us for it ?It isour own, and we may crop it off when we pleaſe: Is not.

A Token for Mourners.

this the cafe ? Thy ſweet bud, which was cropt offbefore it was fully blown, was cropt offbyhim that owned it, yea, by him that formed it.

Ifhis dominionbe abſolute, ſure his diſpoſal shouldbe acceptable.

Itwas ſo to good Eli, 1 Sam. iii. 18. " It is the Lord, let " him do what ſeemethhim good:" And itwas ſo toDavid,

Pfal.xxxix. 9. " I was dumb, I opened not mymouth ; be- " cauſe thou didst it." O let it be for ever remembered,

" Thathewhoſe name alone is Jehovah, is the moſt High o- " ver all the earth," Pfalm lxxxiii. 18 .

Theglorious fovereignty ofGod, is illuſtriouſly diſplayed in twothings, his decrees and his providences: With refpect to the firſt, he faith, Rom. ix. 15. " I will have mercy onwhom

" I willhave mercy."

Here is no ground ofdifputing with him ; for ſo it is faid, ver. 20. "Who art thou,Ởman, that " replieſt againſtGod ? Shall thethingformedſay tohim that " formed it, whyhaft thou made me thus ?" Hath not the potter power over the clay ?

Andas tohis providences, wherein his fovereignty is alſo manifeſted; it isſaid, Zech. ii. 14. "Be filent, O all fleſh,

" before the Lord, for he is raiſed up out of hishabitation."

Itis ſpokenofhisprovidentialworking inthechanges ofkingdoms, and defolations that attendthem.

Now, ſeeingthe caſe ſtands thus, that the Lord hath done it; it ishispleaſure tohave it ſo, and that if ithad notbeen hiswill, it could never have been as it is ; he that gave thee

(rather lent thee) thy relation, hath alſo takenhim : O how quiet ſhould this confideration leave thee ? If your landlord, who has many years fufferedyou todwell in his houſe, does at laſtwarn you out of it, though he tells you notwhy; you willnot contendwithhim, or ſay he has done you wrong :

Much leſs ifhe tells you it willbe more forhis profit,andaccommodation, totake it into his ownhand, thanlet it toyou anylonger.

Doubtleſs, reaſon will tell you, you ought quietly to pack up, and quit it.

It is your great landlord, from whom you hold(atpleaſure) your own, and your relations lives, that hath nowwarnedyou out from one ofthem, it being mose for his glory, it may be, to take it inhis ownhands, by death ; andmuſt youdiſputethe caſewith him ?

Come, Chriftian, this no way becomes thee, but rather, " The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, bleſſedbe

" thenameofthe Lord."

Look offfrom adead creature, lift

VOL. VII.

A Token for Mourners. upthine eyes tothefovereign,wife,andholypleaſure that ot dered this affliction : Confiderwho he is, and what thou art; yea, purfue this confideration till thou canst ſay, I am now filled with the will ofGod.

Confideration 2. Ponder well the quality of the comfortyou aredeprivedof, andremember, that when you had it, itflood but intherank andorder ofcommon and inferior comforts.

Children, andall other relations, arebutcommonbleſſings, whichGod indifferently beftows upon his friends, and enemies: andby the having or lofing ofthem, no man knows either love or hatred.

It is faid ofthe wicked, Pfal. Ixxvii.

14. thatthey are fullofchildren ; yea, and of childrenthat do ſurvive them too ; for, they leave their substance to their babes. Fullof fin,yet fullofchildren, and theſe children liveto inherit their parents fins andeftates together.

It isthe miſtaking ofthe quality, and nature of our enjoy. ments, that foplunges us intotroublewhenwe loſethem.We think there is ſo neceflarya connectionbetwixt theſe creatures, and our happiness,that we are utterly undonewhen they fail us.

Butthis isour mistake; there is no fuch neceffaryconnec tion, ordependance; we may be happy withouttheſe things:

It is not father, mother, wife, or child, in which our chiet goodand felicity lies ; we have higher, better, and more en during things than theſe; alltheſe may perish, and yet our foulbe ſecure and ſafe ; yea, and our comfort in the way, as well as end, maybe fafe enough, though theſe are gone:

Godhathbetterthingstocomfort his people with, thantheſe, andworſe rods to afflict you with, than the removal of theft.

HadGodlet your children live, and flourish; andgiven you eaſeand reſt inyourtabernacle, butinthemeantime inflicted ſpiritualjudgments uponyourſouls; how muchmore fadhad your cafe been?

Butas longas our best mercies are all fafe, the things that have falvation inthem remain, andonlythe things that have vanity inthem are removed ;you are not prejudiced, ormuch hindered as to the attainment ofyour laft end, bythe lofs of theſethings.

Alas! itwas notChriſt's intent to purchafe for you a fenſualcontent inthe enjoyment of thefe earthly comforts ; but to redeemyou from all iniquity, purge your corruptions, fanctifyyournatures, weanyour hearts from this vainworld, and ſo todifpofe andorderyour preſent condition, that, finding noreſt andcontent here, youmight, the moreardently pants

A.Token for Mourners.

and figh after the reſt which remains for the people ofGod.

And areyou notin as probable away to attain this end now, asyou werebefore ? Do you think you are notas likely, by theſe methods of providence, to be weaned from theworld, asby more pleaſant and profperous ones ? Every wife man reckons that ſtation and condition to be beſt for him, which moſt promotes, and fecures his last end, and great defign.

Well then, reckon you are as well without theſe things as with them; yea, and better too, ifthey were but clogs and fnares upon your affections ; you have really loft nothing, if thethingswhereinyour eternalhappineſs conſiſtethbeyet fafe.

ManyofGod'sdearest childrenhavebeendenied ſuch comforts as theſe, and manyhavebeendeprivedofthem, and yet never the farther from Chriſt, andheaven, for that.

Confideration 3. Always remember, that bowfoon andunexpectedfoeveryour parting withyour relations was, yetyour lease was expired before you lost them, andyou enjoyed them everymoment of the timethatGod intended themforyou.

Before this relation, whoſe loſs you lament, was born, the timeofyour enjoyment, and ſeparation, was unalterably fixed and limited inheaven, by the God ofthe ſpirits of all fleſh;

Andalthough itwas afecretto you, whilstyour friend was with you; yet nowitis aplain andevident thing, that this wasthe timeof ſeparationbeforeappointed; andthat the life ofyour friendcouldbynomeans be protracted, orabbreviated, butmust keep you company juſt ſo far, and then part

with you.

This poſitionwants no fulland clear ſcripture authorityfor itsfoundation: Howpregnant andfull is thattext, Job xxiv.

5,6. " Seeing his days are determined, the number ofhis "months are withthee: thouhast appointedhimhis bounds,

"which he cannot paſs."

Thetime ofour life, as well as the place ofour habitation, was prefixed, before wewere born.

Itwillgreatlyconduce toyour fettlement, andpeace, to be well eſtabliſhedinthis truth ; that the appointed time was fully come,whenyou and your dearrelation parted; for itwill preventandfave a great deal oftroublewhichcomes from our after-reflections .

O it this hadbeen done, orthatomitted ; had it not been for fuchmiscarriages, and overſights, my dearhusband, wife, or child,hadbeenalive, atthis day ! No, no, the Lord's time

Jia

ATokenfor Mourners. was fullycome, and allthings concurred, and fell in together tobring aboutthe pleaſure of his will; letthat fatisfy you:

Had the ableſt phyſicians inthe world beenthere, orhad they thatwere there preſcribed another courſe, as it is now, fo it would have beenwhen theyhaddone all.

Only it must be precautioned, that the decree ofGod no way excuſes any voluntary, or finful neglects, or miſcarriages. God over-rules theſe things to ſerve his ownends, but nowayapproves them; but itgreatly relieves, against all our involuntary, and una voidable overfights and mistakes about the use of means, or thetiming ofthem; for it could notbe otherwiſe than now itis.

Objection.

Butmanythings arealledgedagainst this poſiti on, and thatwith muchſeeming countenance from fuch ſcrip tures as theſe; Pfal. liv. 25. "Blood-thirstymen ſhall not live

" outhalftheirdays." Ecclef. vii. 18. "Why ſhouldſt thou " diebeforethytime." Pfal.cii. 24. " O, myGod, takeme

: not away in the midst ofmydays."

Ifa. xxvii. 10. " Iam " deprived ofthe refidue of my years." And,Prov. x. 27.

" The fear of the Lordprolongeth days, but the years ofthe " wicked shallbe ſhortened."

It is demanded, what tolera ble ſenſewecangive theſe ſcriptures, whilstwe affert an unal terable fixation oftheterm ofdeath.

Solution. The ſenſe of all theſe ſcriptures will be cleared up to full fatisfaction, bydiftinguiſhing death, and the terms ofit.

First, We muſt diſtinguiſh death into Natural, and Violent.

The wicked, andblood-thirsty man, ſhallnot live out half hisdays ; (i. e. ) halfſo longas he might live, according tothe 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 ſtice, which cuts him offfor his wickedneſs beforehe hathac compliihedhalfhisdays.

Again, wemuſt diſtinguiſh ofthe term, or limit for death, which is either General, or

Special, The general limits arenow ſeventy, or eightyyears, Plal. xc. 19. " Thedays of ouryears are threeſcore years and ten, and ifby reaſon offtrength theyare fourſcore years, yet is their ſtrength labour and forrow." To this ſhort limitthe

AToken for Mourners.

lifeofmanis generallyreduced, ſince the flood; andthough there are fome few exceptions, yet the general rule is not thereby deftroyed.

Theſpecial limit is that proportion oftime,which God, by hisowncounſel and will, hath allotted to every individualperfon ; and it is only knownto us bythe event : This we affirm tobe afixed, and immoveable term; withitallthings ſhall fall in, andobſerve the will ofGod in our diſſolution atthat time.

Butbecauſethe general limit is known, andthis ſpecial limit is afecrethid inGod's own breast; therefore man reckons by the former account, andmaybe faid, whenhe dies at thirty, or fortyyears old, to be cut off in the midstofhis days : For it is ſo, reckoning by the general account, though he be not cut off tilltheendofhis days, reckoning bythe ſpecial li mit.

Thus he that is wicked, diesbefore his time ; (i. e.) the timehe might attain toin an ordinaryway;but not before the timeGodhath appointed: Andſo in all other objected ſcriptures.

It is not proper at all, in a fubject of this nature, to digreſs intoa controversy: Alas ! the poor mourner, overwhelmed withgrief, hath no pleaſure inthat ; it is notproper for him at this time, and therefore I ſhall, for the preſent, wave the controverfy, and wind upthis conſideration with an humble, and ſeriousmotion to the afflicted, that they willwiſelyconfiderthe matter.

The Lord's time was come, your relations lived with you everymomentthatGod intendedthem for you beforeyou hadthem .

Oparents ! mindthis, Ibeſeechyou ; the time ofyourchild's continuanceinthewomb, was fixed to aminutebythe Lord; andwhen theparturient fulness ofthat time was come, were you notwilling it ſhould be delivered thence into the world ?

The tendermother would nothave it abide one minute longer inthewomb, how well foever ſhe loved it; andis istherenot the ſame reaſon we ſhouldbe willing, whenGod's appointed time is come tohave it deliveredby death out of this ftate, which, in reſpect of the life ofheaven, isbutas the life ofa child inthewomb,to its life inthe openworld.

And letnone ſay thedeath ofchildrenisa prematuredeath.

Godhathways toripenthem forheaven,whom he intends to gatherthitherbetimes,thewhich we know not: in reſpect of fitneſs, theydie ina fullage, thoughtheybe cutoffin thebud oftheir time.

Hethatappointedtheſeaſons ofthe year, appointedthe fea

ATokenfor Mourners. fons ofourcomfortinourrelations: And as thoſeſeaſons cannotbe altered,nomorecan theſe. Allthe course ofprovidence is guided by anunalterable decree; what falls out cafually to our apprehenfion, yet falls out neceffarily inreſpectofGod'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 thisstroke ? Bear thisstrokewith patienceandquietfubmiffion : For how know you but your troublemight have beengreaterfrom thelife, than it isnowfromthe death ofyour children?

Sad experiencemade aholy manonce to ſay, Itisbetter to weep for tendead 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 ofDavidtoAbiſhai, 2 Sam. xvi. 11. " Behold, (faith he) my fon,

"which came out ofmybowels,ſeekoth my life."

Iremember Seneca, in his conſolatory epiſtle tohis friend Marullus, brings inhis friend thus aggravating thedeath ofhis child.

O, (faith Marullus) had mychild lived withme, to how great modesty, gravity, and prudence, might my diſcipline

⚫have formedand mouldedhim ? But, faith Seneca, (which ⚫ismore to befeared) he might have been as others mostly

4are; for look,(faithhe) what childrencome evenout ofthe ⚫worthieſt families ; ſuch who exerciſeboth their own,and others lufts ; inallwhoſe life there is notadaywithoutthe markoffomenotorious wickedneſs upon it.'

I know your tender love toyour children willſcarce admit fuchjealoufies ofthem; theyare, for the preſent, ſweet, lovely, innocent companions, and you doubt not but by your care oftheireducation,and prayer for them, they might have been the joy ofyour hearts.

Whydoubtless Efau,whenhe was little,and inhis tender age, promiſed asmuch comfort to his parents as Jacobdid; and Iqueſtionnotbut Ifaac and Rebecca(aglorious pair) ſpent as many prayers, and bestowed as manyholy counſels upon him, astheydiduponhisbrother: Butwhenthechild grew up toriper years, then he became a ſharp affliction to hisparents; for it is faid,Gen. xxvi. 34. " That when Efauwas forty years

"old,hetooktowife Judith thedaughter ofBerith theHittite, "whichwas agrief ofmind to Ifaac and Rebecca."

The word in the original comes from a root that fignifies to im Seneca's Epilles. p.84.4

AToken for Mourners.

bitter : This child imbittered the minds ofhisparentsbyhis rebellion againstthem,anddeſpiſing theircounſels.

AndI cannotdoubt butAbraham difciplined his familyas ſtrictlyas any ofyou ; never man received ahigher encomium fromGod, upon thataccount. Gen. xviii. 19. " I know him,

" that he will command his children, and his houshold, after " him, and they ſhall keep the way ofthe Lord."

Nor can I think but he bestowed as many, and as frequent prayers forhis children, and particularlyforhis ſon Ishmael, as any ofyou :

We find one, and that a very pathetical one, recorded, Gen. xvii. 18. " O that Ishmael might live before thee:" Andyet, you know how he proved, a fonthat yieldedhim nomore comfort thanEfau did toJacob andRebeeca.

Ohow much morecommon is it for parents to ſee the vices andevils oftheir children,than their virtues andgraces ? And where one parent livestorejoice inbeholding the grace ofGod ſhining forth in the lifeofhis child,there are twenty, itmaybe anhundred, that live to behold, to their vexation andgrief, theworkingsofcorruption inthem.

It is a note of†Plutarch, in his morals, Nicoles (faith he) lived not to fee the noble victory obtained by Themistocles, his fon ; nor Miltiades, tofee the battlehis ſon Cimonwonin the field; nor Zantippus, to hearhis fon Pericles preach, and make orations.

Arifton never heard his fon Plato's lecturés anddiſputations; but men (faith he) commonly live to fee their children falla gaming, revelling, drinking, andwhoring :

Multitudes live to fee fuch things to their forrow. Andif * thou be agracious ſoul,O what acut would this betothyvery heart! to feethoſe(as David ſpake ofhis Abfalom)thatcame outofthybowels,to be ſinning againstGod, that God,whom thou loveſt, andwhoſe 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 strokewhich you

Solament,Godhath taken them awayfrom the evil to come ?

Is is God's usual way, when ſome extraordinary calamities arecominguponthe world,to hide ſomeofhisweak andten- *Erant amaritudo animi.

Plutarch'sMorals,p. 222.

236% • A Token for Mourners. derones out of theway by death, Ifa. lvii. 1, 2. heleavés fome,and removes others, but taketh care for the ſecurity of all. He provided a grave for Methuselah before the flood.

'The grave is anhiding-place tofome, andGod fees itbetter forthem tobe under ground,than above ground,inſuch evil days..

Juſt asa careful andtender father,whohath a ſon abroad at ſchool, hearing the plague is broken out in, ornear theplace, ſendshishorſe preſently to fetch home hisfon,beforethe danger and difficultybe greater. Death is our Father's palehorſe, whichhe fendstofetch home his tender children, and carry them out of harm's way.

Surelywhennationalcalamities aredrawingon,itisfarbetter for our friends tobe inthe grave in peace, than expofed tothe miſeries and diſtreſſes that are here,which is the meaning ofJer. xxii. 10. "Weep not for thedead, neither bemoan

" him; butweep forhim that goeth away, forhe ſhall return " nomore, nor ſeehis native country."

And is there not adreadful 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.

Thedays maybe nigh in which you ſhall ſay, " Blefſed is thewomb that neverbare,andthe paps thatnever

" gave ſuck."

Itwas inthedaywhereinthefaith andpatience ofthe faints wereexerciſed, that John heard a voice from heaven, ſaying to him, " Write, bleſſed are the dead whichdiein theLord

" from henceforth ."

Thy friendby an act offavour is diſbandedbydeath, whilft thou thyselfart left to endure agreat fight ofaffliction. And nowiftroubles come,thycares and fears will be ſo much the leſs,andthyown death ſomuch the easier to thee ; when fo much ofthee is inheaven already.

In this cafe the Lord, by amerciful diſpenſation,isproviding 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 itwould be aharder taſk for thee to leave them behind,than to follow them.

Atree that isdeeply rooted inthe earth, requires many ſtrokes to fell it ; but when its roots are loofed before-hand, thenaneaſy ſtroke lays itdownupon the earth.

A Token for Mourners.

Confider. 6. Aparting time must needs come, andwhy is not this asgoodas another ? Youknew before-handyour child orfriendwas mortal,andthat thethreadthat linkedyou together must be cut. Ifanyone, faith Bafil, had askedyou,whenyour childwasborn, What is that which is born ? What would youhave anfwered? Wouldyou not have faid, It is aman?

And if a man, then a mortal, vanishing thing. And why then are you furprized with wonder to fee adying thing dead?

He, faith * Seneca,whocomplains thatone is dead,complains that he wasa man.

Allmen are under the fame condition, towhoſe ſhare itfalls 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 ofheaven inthecafe.

Poffibly you thinkthis is the worsttime for parting that couldbe; hadyou enjoyed itlonger, youcould have parted eafier ; buthow areyou deceivedin that? The longeryou had enjoyed it, the more loth ſtill you would have been to leave it ; the deeper it would have rooted itſelf in your affection.

HadGod givenyou ſucha privilege aswas once granted to theEngliſh parliament ; that the union betwixt you and your friend ſhould notbe diſſolved tillyou yourſelfwerewilling it should be diffolved; when,think you,wouldyou have been

* willing it ſhouldbe diſſolved?

Itiswell forus and ours,that ourtimes are inGod's hand, andnot in our own. And how immature ſoever it ſeemed tobewhen itwas cutdown ;yet it "came to thegrave in a " full age, as a shock ofcorn in its ſeaſon," Jobv. 26. hey thatare inChriſt, and inthe covenant, neverdieunſeaſonably, whenſoever they die (faith †one upon the the text), 'They die ina goodoldage; yea,though theydie inthe ſpring and flower ofyouth; they die in a good old age ; i. e. they are

• ripe fordeath whenevertheydie.

Whenever the godly die, it is harvest-time with him ; though in anatural capacity he

' be cutdownwhilehe isgreen, and croptin the budorblof- ' fom; yet inhis ſpiritual capacity,he never dies before he is

Bearthe law of neceflity with an even mind, How many befidesyou must forrow ? Seneca, Epifile 99.

+Caryl. on the place.

VOL . VII.

A Tokenfor Mourners.

، ripe;God canripen his ſpeedily, he can let out ſuch warm rays and beams ofhisSpiritupon them, as ſhall foon 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 foryou alfo. Hadit livedlonger, itmighteither have engagedyou more, and fo your partingwould have been harder.; or elſehave puzzled and ſtumbled you more by difcovering its natural corruption : andthen whata ſtinging aggravation of your forrowwouldthathavebeen ?

Surely the Lord of time is the beſtjudge of time; and in nothing do we more diſcover our folly and raſhneſs, than in prefuming to fix the times either of our comforts or troubles ; as for our comforts,we neverthink they cancome too foon; wewouldhave thempreſently, whether the ſeaſon be fit or not, as Numb. xii. 13. " Heal her now, Lord." O let it be done ſpeedily; we are inpoft-hafte for our comforts, andfor our afflictions, we neverthink theycome late enough ; not at this time, Lord, rather at anyother time than now.

But it isgood to leave the timingboth ofthe one andtheother to him, whoſe works are allbeautiful in their ſeaſons, and : never doth anything in an improper time.

Confider. 7. Callto mind in this day oftrouble, the covenant youhave with God, and what you folemnly promised him in the day you took bimfor yourGod.

Itwillbevery ſeaſonable anduseful for thee, Chriftian, at this time to reflect upon theſe tranſactions, and the frame of thyheart in those days, when an heavier loadofforrow preftthy heart, now than thou feeleſt.'

In thoſe your ſpiritual diſtreſſes, whenthe burdenof fin lay heavy, the curse ofthe law, the fear ofhell, the dread ofdeath andeternitybeſet thee onevery fide,andſhuttheeuptoChrift, the only door ofhope ; ah ! what good news wouldſt thou thenhave accounted it, to eſcape that danger with the lofs of all earthly comforts !

Was not this thycry inthoſedays ?

Lord,give me Chrift, anddenyme whatever elſe thou pleaſeſt. Pardonmy fin, fave myfoul, and, in order to both, unite me with Chrift, and I will never repine or open my mouth. Do what thouwilt

•with me; let me be friendless, let me be childless, letme be 6 poor, let me be any thing ratherthan achriftleſs, graceleſs, hopelcfs foul."

، Andwhenthe Lord hearkened tothy cry, and ſhewed thee mercy; when he drew thee offfrom theworld into thy clofet,

ATokenfor Mourners..

and theretreated with thee in fecret,when he was working up thy heart to the terms ofhis covenant, and made thee willing to accept Chriſt uponhis own terms ; O then, how heartily didit thou fubmitto hisyoke, as moſt reasonable and eaſy, as at that time it seemed to thee?

Callto mindtheſe days, the ſecret places where Chriſt and youmade thebargain ; have not theſe words, or words tothis ſenſe,beenwhifpered by thee intohis earwith a dropping eye, andmeltingheart ?

Lord Jeſus, here amJ,a poorguilty ſinner, deeply laden with fin; fear and trouble uponone hand, andthere is ajuſt

God, a ſevere law, and everlasting burnings, on the other hand: butbleſſedbe God, ObleſſedbeGod forJeſus theMe.

' diator, who interpoſethbetwixtme and it.

Thou art the only door ofhope atwhich I can eſcape, thy blood the only ' means ofmypardon 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 • caft out.

Bleſſed Jeſus, thy poor creature cometh to thee upontheſe encouragements : I come,Obut itis with many ſtaggerings, withmanydoubts and fears ofthe iſſue ; yet I am willing to ⚫comeandmake a covenant with thee this day.

I take thee this day to bemy Lord, and ſubmit heartily to all thydiſpoſals ; do what thou wilt with me, or mine, let

•me berich orpoor, anythingor nothing inthisworld : I am ⚫willing tobe as thou wouldst have me, and I do likewiſe give

• myself to theethisday, to bethine ; all Iam, all Ihave ſhall ' be thine, thine to ſerve thee, and thine tobe diſpoſed of at thy pleaſure.

Thou shalt henceforth bemyhighest Lord, my chiefest good, my laſt end."

Now, Chriſtian,makegood to Chriſt whatthouſo ſolemnly promiſed him: He,I ſay,he hathdiſpoſedofthis thy dear relation,as pleaſedhim,and is thereby tryingthy uprightneſs in the covenant which thou madeſt with him: Now where is the fatisfaction and content thou promiſedſt to take in all his difpoſals ? Where is that covenanted ſubmiſſion to his will ?

Didft thou exceptthis affliction that is come upon thee ?

Didſtthou tellhim, Lord, I willbe content thou ſhalt,when thou pleaſeſt, take any thing I have, ſave only this husband, this wife, or this dear child; I reſerve this outof the bargain ?

I shall never endure that thou ſhouldſt killthis comfort.

Iffo, thou didst in all this but prove thyself an hypocrite ; if thou Kk2 :

AToken for Mourners. waſt fincere inthy covenant, as Chrift hadnoreferves onhis part, fo thouhadſtnone onthine.

Itwas allwithoutanyexception thouthenrefignedſttohim, andnowwilt thougobackfrom thyword, as one thathadoutpromiſedhimſelf, and repents the bargain ? Or, at least, asone thathath forgottentheſeſolemntranfactions inthedays ofthy diſtreſs ? WhereinhathChrift failedin onetitlethathepromif edthee? Chargehim, if thoucanst, withthe leaſtunfaithfulneſs; he hath been faithful toa title on his part, O be thou fouponthine; thisday it isputtotheproof,remeniberwhat thouhast promiſed him.

Confider. 8. But if thy covenant with Godwill 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 thyselfgreat expectati ons of comfort in old age, cut off? So that thou art now like neithertohave a name, ormemorial leftthee in the earth.

Doftthoufitalone,and mourntothinkwhitherto thyhopes and comforts arenow come ?

Doſtthoureadover thoſe wordsofJob,chap.xxix. ver. 1,2; 3,4, 5. andcommentuponthemwith manytears ; "O that I "wereasinmonthspaft,asinthedaywhenGodpreſervedme!

"whenhis candle ſhined upon myhead, and when by his " light Iwalked through darkness ! as Iwas in thedays ofmy

" youth,whenthefecretofGodwas uponmytabernacle,when " theAlmightywas yetwith me, when my children were

" aboutme."

Yet let the covenantGodhathmadewith thee, comfortthee inthis thydeſolatecondition.

You knowwhat domeftic troublesholyDavidmet with in a fad fucceffion, not only from the death of children, but, which was much worse, from the wicked lives ofhis children.

Therewas incest, murder, andrebellion in his family ; a far forertrial thandeath intheirinfancy couldhavebeen: And yet feehowſweetly he relieves himself from the covenantof grace, in2Sam. xxiii. 5." Althoughmyhousebenot fowith

"God, yet hehath madewith me aneverlasting covenant, "ordered in allthings,and ſure; forthis isall my falvation,

"andallmydefire,althoughhemake itnot to grow."

Iknow this place principally refers to Chrift, who was to fpring out ofDavid's family, according to God's covenant madewithhim inthat behalf; andyet Idoubt notbut ithath

ATokenfor Mourners.

another, though leſs principal aſpectupon hisownfamily,o verall the afflictions and troubles whereofthe covenant ofGod withhimdid abundantly comforthim.

Andasitcomfortedhim,although hishouſedid notincreaſe, and thoſe that were left were not ſuch as he defired; ſo it mayabundantlycomfortyou alſo,whatever troubles,ordeaths, areuponyour families,whohavean intereſtinthe covenant.

For, First, Ifyou areGod'scovenant people, the he may afflict, yethewillnever forgetyou, Pfalm iii. 5. heis ever mindful ofhis covenant : You are as much upon his heart in your deepest afflictions, as in the greatest flourish of your profperity.

You find it hard toforgetyour child, though itbe now tur.

- nedtoaheap ofcorruption,andloathſomerottenneſs : Ohow dothyour mind run upon it nightand day ! your thoughts tire not uponthat object : Why ſurely it is much more eaſy fot

-you to forget your dear child, whilft living,and moſt endearing,(much morewhen dead and undefirable)than it is for yourGodto forget you. Ifa. xlix. 15. " Can awoman forget

"her fucking child,that ſhe ſhouldnot have compaffionon "the fon ofherwomb ? Yea,they may forget, yet will not I " forget thee."

Canawoman, the more affectionate ſex,forgetherfucking child,herown child, and not a nursing child? Her ownchild, whilft ithangsonthe breaft, and,together with the milk from thebreaſt,draws lovefrom its mother's heart; canſuch athing asthisbeinnature? poſſibly itmay,for creature-love isfickle, and variable : But,Iwillnotforget thee; it is an everlasting covenant.

Secondly, As he will neverforget you in your troubles, ſo hewillorder allyour troubles for your good: Itis a well ordered-covenant, ora covenantorderlydiſpoſed; ſothat every thing ſhall work together for your good.

The covenant foorders all your trials, ranks and diſpoſes your varioustroubles ſo, as that theyſhall, intheir orders and places, ſweetly co-operate, andjoin their united influences to makeyou happy.

Poſſibly you cannot feehowthepreſent afflictionſhould be foryour good; you are readyto fay,with Jacob, Gen. xlii.

36." Joſeph is not,andSimeon is not ;andye willtakeBen- " jaminaway ; alltheſe things are againſt me."

But could youoncefeehow fwestly,andorderlyalltheſe afflictions work

A Token for Mourner's. under the bleſſing and influence ofthe covenant, to your eternal good, youwouldnot onlybe quiet, but thankful for that whichnowfomuch afflicts andtroubles you.

Thirdly, This covenant isnotonlywellorderedinallthings, butfure; the mercies contained in it are called, " the fure

" mercies ofDavid," Ha. lv. 3. Now howsweet,how feafonablea fupportdoth this confideration give toGod's afflicted under the rod! you lately made yourſelves fure of that creaturecomfortwhich hath forſaken you.

Itmaybe, youfaid ofyour child, which is nowgone, as Lamech faid of his fonNoah, Gen. v. 29. " This ſame ſhall comfort us concerning our

"work, and toilofour hands."

Meaning, thathis ſon ſhould notonlycomfort them, by aſſiſting them inthe work oftheir hands, but alſo, in enjoying the fruitoftheirtoil and pains forhim.

Probably ſuch thoughts youhave had, and raiſedup to yourfelves great expectations of comfort inyourold age from it; but now you feeyoubuiltuponthe fand,andwhere were you now, ifyou had not a firinerbottom to buildupon ? But blefſed be God, the covenant-mercies are more fure, andfolid!

God, Chrift, andheaven, never ſtart, or fade,astheſethingsdo.

The ſweetest creature-enjoyments you ever had orhave in this world, cannot ſay to you, as your God doth, " I willnever leave thee, nor forfake thee." You must part with your dearhusbands,how well foeveryou love them; you mustbid adieu to thewife of yourbosom,how nearly foever your affections be linked, and heart delighted inher.

Your children andyou must be ſeparated, though they are to you as your own foul.

But though theſe vaniſhaway, bleſſedbeGodthere isſomethingthatabides. "Though all fleſh be as graſs, and the "goodlineſs ofitas the flower ofthe graſs, though the grafs

"withereth, andthe flower thereof fadeth, becauſe the Spirit " ofthe Lord bloweth upon it; yetthe word ofourGodshall

" ſtand for ever," Ifa. xl. 6, 7, 8.

There is ſo much of fupportcontained inthis one confideration, that could but your faith fixhere, to realize and apply it, Imight laydownmypen at this period, and ſay, the work isdone, thereneeds no more.

: Confideration 9. The hope of the refurrection should powerfully restrain all exceffes offorrow in those that do profess it.

Letthem only mourn without meaſure, who mourn withouthope.

The husbandman doth not mournwhen he cafts his feed-corn into the earth, becauſe he ſows inhope ; com mits it to the groundwith an expectation to receive it again

A Tokenfor Mourners.

with improvement. Why thus ſtands the cafe here, andjust ſothe apostle ſtates it, 1 Theff. iv. 13, 14. " But I would not "have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which " are afleep, that ye forrow not even as others which have no "hope; for ifwebelievethat Jeſus died, androſe again, even

" ſothem alſowhich fleep in Jeſus willGod bringwithhim."

2.d. Look not uponthe dead as a loft generation ; think not that death hath annihilated, and utterly deſtroyed them :

Ono, they are notdead, but only afleep; and if they fleep, they ſhall awake again.

You donotuse tomake outcries and lamentations for your children, and friends, when you find themafleep upontheirbeds. Why, death is but alonger fleep, out ofwhich they ſhall as furely awake, as evertheydid in the morningin this world.

I have oftenwondered at thatgoldenſentence in Seneca *, "My thoughts ofthe dead(faith he)are not as others are ; I "have fair and pleasant apprehenfions ofthem ; for I enjoy- " edthem as one that reckoned I must partwith them ; and I "partwiththem as onethat makes account tohave them."

He ſpeaks, no doubt, of that enjoyment ofthem, whichhis pleaſant contemplations of their virtuous actions couldgive him; for he was wholly unacquaintedwith the comfortable, and heart-ſupporting doctrine of the refurrection. Had he knownthe advantageswhich reſult thence, atwhata ratemay wethinkhewouldhave ſpoken ofthedead, and oftheir ſtate?

But this you profeſs to believe, andyet fink at a ſtrange rate.

Ofuffer notGentiliſm to outvie Chriftianity ; let not Pagans challenge the greatest Believers, toout-dothem inaquiet, and chearful behaviour under afflictions .

I beſeech thee, reader, ifthy deceased friendhave left thee anyfolidground ofhope thathe died interested in Chrift, and the covenant; thatthouwilt diftinctlypondertheſe admirable ſupportswhich the doctrine ofthe refurrection affords.

First, That thefamebodywhich wasſo pleasant a fpectacle tothee, ſhall be restoredagain; yea, the fame numerically, as wellas the famespecifically ;; fo that it ſhall not onlybewhat itwas, but the who it was. "Theſe eyes ſmall beholdhim,

" andnot another," Job xix. 27.

The very famebodyyou laid, or are now aboutto layin thegrave, ſhallbe restored again: Thou ſhalt findthine own husband, wife, or child, or friend again; Iſay the ſelf-fame,andnot another.

* Habui enim illos tanquam amiffurus, amisi tanquam habeam.

Seneca, Ep. 63. i

ATokenfor Mourners.

Secondly, And farther, this is ſupporting, that asyou ſhall feethe fame perfon that was ſodear toyou; ſoyou fhallknow them tobethe fame thatwere once endeared toyou on earth inſonear a tie of relation.

Indeedyou ſhallknow them nomore in any carnal relation, deathdiffolyed thatbond: Butyou shallknowthem tobe fuch asonce were yourdear 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 perfon for whom Iwept, andmade ſupplication,whowas an inſtrument ofgood tome, or to whoſe ſalvationGod thenmade me inſtrumental.

For we may allow, inthat ſtate, all that knowledge which is cumulativeandperfective, whatſoevermayenlargeandheightenour felicity and fatisfaction, as this must needs be allowed todo.

Luther'sjudgment, inthis point,* being askedbyhis friends at fupper the evening before he died, replies thus,

What(faithhe) befilAdam ? He never faw Eve, but was in a deep fleepwhen God formedher ; yetwhen he awaked, and faw 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 knewhe that ?He being fullofthe holy Ghost, and enduedwiththeknowledge ofGod,ſpakethus: after the ſame manner we alſo ſhallbe in the other life renewed by Chriſt, and ſhall know our parents, our wives, and children.

Andthis,amongotherthings,was thatwith which †Auguſtine comfortedthe lady Italica,afterthedeathofherdearhufband, telling her that ſhe ſhould knowhim inthe world to come, among the glorified ſaints.

Yea, and a greater than eitheroftheſe, ImeanPaul, comfortedhimself,that the Theffalonians,whom hehad converted to Chriſt, ſhould be " his

" joyand crown ofrejoicing, intheprefenceoftheLordJefus " Chrift at his coming,"

I Theff. ii. 19, 20. which muft needs implyhisdiſtinct knowledgeofthem in thatday, which muſt bemany hundredyears after death hath ſeparated them from each other.

Whether this knowledge ſhall beby the glorified eyes difcerning any lineaments, or propertyofindividuation, remainingupon theglorified bodies ofour relations; orwhether it ſhallbe by immediate revelation, as Adam knew his wife,or as Peter,James, and John,knew Mofes and Elias inthe mount; as it is difficulttodetermine, ſo it is needlefs to puzzle ourſelves about it.

*Melchior Adam, inthe life ofLuther.

†Aug. Ep. 6.

AToken for Mourners.

Itis the concurrentjudgment offound divines, and it wants notcountenance from fcripture and reaſon, that ſuch a knowledge ofthem ſhall be inheaven; andthen theſadneſs ofthis parting will be abundantly recompenſed by the joy of that meeting.

Eſpecially confidering, Thirdly, That at our next meeting,they ſhallbeunſpeakably more deſirable, ſweet, and excellent, than ever theywere in this world.

Theyhad a defirableneſs in them here, but they were not altogether lovely, and, in every reſpect, defirable ; 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 finful ones upon perfected ſpirits of the juſt. O what lovely creatures willthey appear to you then,whenthatwhich is now fown in dishonour, ſhallbe raiſedinhonour ! 1 Cor. xv. 43. And then, to crown all, Fourthly, You shall have an everlasting enjoyment ofthem inheaven, never to part again.

The children of the refurrectioncandie no more, Luke xx. 36. you ſhall kiſs their pale lips, andcold cheeks, no more; you shall never fear another partingpull,butbe togetherwith the Lord for ever, I Theff. iv. 14. And this the apostle thought an effectual cordial in this cafe whenhe exhorted the Theffalonians to " comfort one

" another with these words."

Confid. 10. Thepresentfelicity into which allthatdieinChrift arepresentlyadmitted,should abundantly comfort Christians over thedeath offuch as either carried a lively hope out oftheworld withthem, or have left goodgrounds offuch an hopebehindthem.

Such thereare,that carrieda livelyhopeto heavenwiththem, who could evidence to themselves and friends, their intereſt inChriſt, andinthe covenant : Yea, though theyhad died in filence, yet their converſations would ſpeak for them, and the tenor oftheir lives leave no groundofdoubting touching their death: Others dying intheir infancy andyouth,though they carriednot fuch an actual hope with them, yet they have left goodgrounds ofhope behind them.

Parents,nowponder 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 theyhave not, by anyactions oftheirs, destroyed thoſegrounds ofyour hope, but thatyoumaywith, muchprobability,conclude, they arewithGod.

VOL. VII.

ATokenfor Mourners.

Why, ifthe cafe be ſo, what abundant reaſonhave you tobe quiet, and well fatisfied with whatGod hath done? Can they bebetterthan where they are ? Hadyou better provifions and entertainment for themhere,than their heavenly Fatherhath above?

There is no Chriſtian parent in the world, butwould rejoice tofee his child out-ſtrip andgetbefore him ingrace, thathe maybemoreeminent inparts andſervice,thanever he was :

Andwhatreaſon canbe given,why we should not as much re joice to fee our children getbefore us inglory, as in grace?

They aregotten to heaven a few years before you, and is that matter of mourning ? Would not your child (ifhe were not ignorant ofyou) ſay, as Chriſt didto his friends, a little before his death,when he faw 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 mybodily prefencewithyou,before my glory and advancement inheaven ? Is this love to me ? Or is it not rather ſelf-love ?

Sowouldyour departed friend ſay to you :

You havepro- • fefſed much love all along to me, myhappineſs ſeemed tobe •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, thanwith you on earth, under fin and forrow.

•Weep not for me,but foryourſelves .'

Alas ! though youwant your friend's company, he wants not yours ; yourcare was to provide for this child, but Jeſus

Chrift hath provided infinitely better for it than you could ; you intendedan estate,but he akingdom for it ; you thought upon ſuch or ſuch a match, but Chrift hath forbid all others, andmarried your child to himself.

Would you imagine higher preferment for the fruit of your bodies ?

AKingfromheaven hath,fent for your friend, and do you grudge atthe journey ? O think, and think again, what an honour it is to you, that Chriſt hath taken them out ofyour bofom, and laid them in his own; ſtript them out of thoſe garments you provided, and cloathed them in white robes, waſhed in theblood ofthe Lamb.

Let not your hearts be troubled, rather rejoice exceedingly, that God made you inſtruments to repleniſh heaven, andbring forth anheir for the kingdomofGod.

ATokenfor Mourners.

Yourchild is now glorifyingGod, inanhigherwaythan you can, andwhat though you have lost its bodily preſence for a time; yet, I hope, you do not reckon that to be your lofs,

which turus to God's greater glory.

WhenJacob heard his Jofeph was lord ofEgypt, he rather wiſhedhimself withJofeph, thanhis Joſeph with him inwants and ſtraits ; ſo ſhould itbe with you : You are yet rolling, and toſſingupon atempestuous ſea, but your friend isgone intothe quiet harbour; defire rather to be there, thanthathe were at ſeawith you again.

Confideration 11. Confiderhow vainathing allyour troubles, andfelf-vexation is ; it no way bettersyour cafe, noreafesyour burden.

As a bullock, by wrestling and ſweating inthe furrow, makes his yoke tobemore heavy, and galls his neck,and ſpends his ſtrength the ſooner, and no ways helps himself by that :

Why thus ſtands the cafe with thee; ifthou be as a bullock unaccustomedtothe yoke, what Christ faith ofcaring,wemay fay of grieving, (Matth. vi. 27.) " Which of you, by taking

" thought, can add one cubit to his ſtature?"

Caresmaybreak our fleep, yea, break ourhearts, but they cannot add to our ſtature, either in a natural, or in a civil notion: So our forrowing may ſooner break our hearts, thanthe yokeGod hath laid onyou.

Alas! what is allthis,but as the fluttering ofabird in the net, which, instead of freeing, doth but the more entangle itſelf.

Itwas therefore a wife reſolutionofDavid, in this very cafe, when the willof God was fignified in the death ofhis child, 2 Sam. xii. 23. "Butnow heis dead, wherefore ſhould

" I faft ? Can I bringhim back again? I ſhall go to him, but " he shall not return to me."

F Can I bringhim back again ? No; I can nomore alter the purpoſe, andworkofGod, than I can change the ſeaſons of the year, or alterthe courſe ofthe fun, moon, and ſtars, or disturbtheorderofthe day and night; which are all unalterably eſtabliſhed by a firm conſtitution, and ordinance of heaven.

As theſeſeaſons cannotbe changed by man, ſo neither can this courſe andwayofhis providences be changed.

Jobxxiii.

13. "He is ofone mind,andwho can turn him ? And what " his foul defireth, even that he doth."

Indeed, while his pleaſureand purpoſe are unknownto us, there is room for faftingandprayer, to prevent the thingwe fear: But when the L12

ATokenfor Mourners. purpoſe ofGod 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 thoughthe woulddo, as foon as he ſhould hear the child was dead : But he was wiſer than fo, his tears and cries toGodbefore,had the nature and uſe of means to prevent the affliction ; but when it was come, and couldnotbe prevented,thentheywereof nouſe, tonopurpoſe in the world ; " Wherefore ſhould I fast?" 2. d. To what end, uſe, or purpoſe,willitbe now ?

Well, then, caſt not away your ſtrength and ſpirits, to no advantage ; referve them for future exerciſes and trials:Time may come, that you mayneed allthe ftrength youhave, and much more, to ſupport greater burdens than this.

Confideration 12. The Lord is able to restore allyour loft comforts in relations, double toyou, ifyou meeklysubmit tohim, andpatiently wait upon him underthe rod.

WhenEfauhadlost his bleſfing, he said, " Haft thoubut " one bleſſing, myFather?" Gen. xxvii. 38. But your Father hathmorebleffings foryou thanone ; his name is the" Father

" ofmercies," 2 Cor. xiii. 11. He can beget, and create, as manymercies for you as he pleaſeth ; relations, and the comforts of them, are athis command.

It isbutafew months, or years paſt, and theſe comforts, whoſe loſs you nowlament, 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, ifhe pleaſe, he canmake thedeathof theſebut like aſcythetothe meadow that ismowndown, or a razor to the head that is ſhaved bare; which,though itlayyou underthe preſent trouble and reproach ofbarrenneſs, yetdoth butmake way for adouble increaſe, a ſecond ſpring, with advantage.

So that even as it was with the captive church, in reſpect of her ſpecial children, intheday of her captivity and reproach, the Lord made up all with advantageto her, even to her own astonishment.

Ifa. xlii. 20. " The children which thou ſhalt " have, after thou hast loft theother, ſhall fay again in thine

" ears, the place is too ſtrait for me : Giveplace to me that I " may dwell."

1 .

Thus may hedeal with you, as to your natural children, and relations ; ſo that what the man ofGod faid toAmaziah,

1 Chron. xxv. 9. maybe applied tothe cafeinhand. "Ama- " ziah faid to the man ofGod, but what shallwe do forthe hundred talents ? Andthe man ofGod anſwered, the Lord

" is able to give theemuch more than this."

AToken for Mourners.

Ofay not,What ſhall I do for friends andrelations ?Death hath robbed me ofallcomfort in them. Why, the Lord is able to give you much more. But then, as ever you expect tofeeyour futurebleſſings multiplied, look to it, and be carefulthatyou neither dishonour 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, andthe ſtroke immediate and extraordinary, and that when they were grown up,andplanted (at least fome of them) in diſtinct families ; yea, whilft they were indearing each other by mutual expreffions ofaffection.

This must be yielded to bean extraordinary trial, yethe meekly receives, andpatiently bears it fromthe handof the Lord.

You have heard of the patience ofJob, (faith the apostle, James v. 11.) " and ſeen the end of the Lord."

Not only the gracious end, or intention ofthe Lord in all his afflictions, butthe happy end and iſſue the Lordgave to all his afflictions, ofwhichyou have the account, Job xlii. 10. " TheLordgave

" Job twice as much as he had before."

The number of his childrenwas not double towhat he had, as all his other comforts were: But though the Lord only restoredthe fame num. ber tohim againthat he took away, yet it is likely the comfort he had in theſe latter children wasdouble to what he had in the former.

There is nothing loft by waiting patiently, and ſubmittingwillingly to the Lord'sdiſpoſe.

Itis as eafywith the Lord to revive, as it is to removeyour comfortsinrelations.

There is a ſweet expreffionto thispurpoſe, in Pfal. lxxxi. 28. " Forthou, Lord, will lightmycandle,

" the LordmyGod will enlightenmydarkneſs."

Every comfortable enjoyment, whether it be inrelations, eſtate, health, or friends, isacandle lightedby providence for our comfort in this world, andthey are but candles, which willnotalways laſt ; andthoſe that last longest will be conſumed and wasted at last; but oftentimes it falls out with them aswith candles, they are blownout before they are halfconſumed; yea, almoſt as soon as lighted up, and thenwe are in darkness for the preſent.

Itis 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 upanother : "Thou,

" Lord, ſhalt lightmy candle,the Lord myGod ſhall enligh- " ten my darkness." That is, the Lord will renew my com . forts, alter the preſent ſad eſtate I am in, andchaſe away that trouble anddarkness which atpreſent liesuponme: Only be

Tokenfor Mourners. ware of offendinghim, atwhoſebeck yourlights and comforts come and go.

Michal diſpleaſedthe Lord, and thereforehad nochild untothe day ofher death, 2Sam. vi. 23.

Hannah waited humblyupon the Lordforthebleffingof children, and the Lord remembered her ; he enlightened her condition with that comfort,when she was as alamp deſpiſed.

There is no comfort you have lostbutGodcan reſtore it, yea, double it in kind, ifhe sees itconvenient for you.

Andif not, then, Confideration 13. Confider, though heshould deny you any more comforts ofthat kind, yet he hathfar betterto bestow upon you,fuch as theſedeserve not tobe namedwith.

You have an excellent Scripture to this purpoſe, in Iſa. lvi.

4,5 "For thus faith the Lord untothe eunuchs that keep my " fabbaths; and chuſe the things that pleaſeme, and take hold

" ofmy covenant; even tothemwill Igive inmy houſe, and " withinmywalls, a place, and aname betterthan of fons and " daughters; I will give them an everlasting name, that " fhallnot be cut off."

Mens names are to be continued intheir Englifb iffue, in their male iſſue eſpecially, and confe

See Annotationson quently to fail inſuch aswanted iſſue, Num. theplace. xvii. 4. andanumerous iſſueisdeemed noſmall honour, Pfal. cxxvii. 4, 5. Godtherefore promiſed hereto ſupply, and make good the want of iſſue, and whatsoever, eitherhonour here, or memorial hereafter, might from it have accruedto them, by bestowing uponthem matter offar greater honour, and more durable ; a name better, or before the names offons ordaughters.

It is a greater honour tobe the child ofGod,than to have the greatest honour, or comfort, that ever children afforded their parents inthisworld.

Poor heart, thou art now dejected by this affliction that lies upon thee, as if alljoy and comfort were now cut offfrom thee in this world.

2 Aclouddwells uponallothercomforts, this affliction hath ſo imbittered thy foul, thatthou taſteſt no more in any other earthly comforts, than inthe white of an egg. O that thou didftbut confider the confolations that are with God for fuch as anſwer his ends in affliction, and patientlywait on him for theircomfort ! he hath comforts for you far tranſcending the joyof children.

This ſome have foundwhen their children have been cut off from them, and that inſo eminent adegree, thatthey have

ATokenfor Mourners.

little valued theircomfortin children, incomparison with this comfort.

Iwilltherefore ſetdown a pregnant inſtance ofthepoint in hand, as I find it recorded by the grave and worthy author ofthatexcellent book, intituled,

The fulfilling of the fcripture.

Fulfilling of thefcripture, p. 491 .

Another notable inſtance ofgrace, with a very remarkable paſſage inhis condition, I shall here mention.

•One Patrick Mackewrath, who lived inthe weſt parts ' of Scotland, whoſe heart, in a remarkable way, the Lord touched, and afterhis converfion (as he ſhewed to many

• Chriſtian friends) was in ſuch a frame, ſo affectedwith a new ' world, whereinhe was entered, the diſcoveries ofGod, and ' ofa life to come ; that for fome months togetherhe did feldom fleep, butwas ſtilltakenupinwondering. His lifewas

' very remarkable for tenderneſs, and near converſe withGod ' 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 feveral hours, and when he

' came forth did look fo chearfully, that to those who asked 'himthe reafon thereof, and wondered at thefame infuch a ' time ; he toldthem, Hehad got that inhis retirement with ' the Lord, that to have it afterwards renewed, he would be

' content to loſe a ſon everyday.'

Owhat a ſweet exchange hadhe made! Surelyhe hadgold for braſs, a pearl for a pebble, a treaſure for a trifle ; for fo great, yea, and far greater is the diſproportion betwixt the fweet light ofGod's countenance, and the faint, dim light of the best creature-enjoyment.

Would itpleaſe theLord to make this fun arife and ſhine uponyou, now when the ſtars that ſhined with adim and bor.

- rowed light are gone down, you would fee ſuch gain bythe exchange, as would quickly makeyou caſt inyour votes with himwenowmentioned, andſay, Lord, let everydaybe fuch as this funeral day; let all myhours be as this, ſothat I may fee and taſte what I now do. Howgladly would I part with the dearest, and nearest creature-comfort I own in this world.

The gracious and tender Lord hath his divine cordials refervedon purpoſe for ſuch fad hours ; theſe are ſometimes given before ſome ſharp trial, toprepare for it, and fometimes after, toſupportunder it.

Ihave often heard it from the mouth, andfound it inthe diaryofafweet Chriſtian nowwithGod, that a little before the Lord removedherdearhusbandbydeath,therewas ſuch ana-

AToken for Mournets.. bundant outletofthe loveofGoduntoherfoul, forſeveraldays andnights following, thatwhenthe Lord took away ayherhus bandbydeath, though he was agracious and ſweet tempered

(and by hermoſt tenderlybeloved) husband ; ſhe was fcarce ſenſible ofthe ſtroke,butcarried quite above allearthly things, their comforts, and their troubles: fo that she had almoſt loft thethoughts ofher dear husband in God. And had notthe

Lord taken this courſe with her, the concluded that blow had notbeen poffibleto be borne by her, ſhe must have ſunkwithout fuch apreparative.

Ahusband, awife, a child, are great, verygreat things, as they ſtandby othercreatures; but furelythey willfeem little things, and next tonothing, when the Lord ſhall ſet himſelf bythem beforethefoul.

Andhowknowyou,butGodhathbidden theſe earthly comforts ſtand aſide this day, tomake way for heavenly ones ? It may be,God is coming tocommunicatehimſelfmore ſweetly, moreſenſiblythan ever to your fouls; and theſe are theprovidenceswhich mustcaſtup, and prepare the wayofthe Lord.

PoſſiblyGod's meaning intheirdeath is but this ; child, ſtand aſide, thou art in myway,and filleftmyplace in thy parent's heart.

Confideration 14. Becarefulyou exceed not in yourgrieffor theloss of earthly things, confidering that Satan takes theadvantage of all extremes.

You cannottouch any extreme, butyou will be touchedby that enemy, whoſe greatest advantages lie in affaulting you here.

Satan is called, The ruler of the darkness ofthis world, Eph . vi. 12. (i e.) his kingdom is ſupported by darkneſs.

Now, thereis a twofold darkneſs, which givesSatan great advantage; thedarkneſs ofthe mind, viz. ignorance ; and the darkness of the condition, viz. trouble and affliction.

Of the former the apostle ſpeaks chiefly in that text; butthe latter alſo is by himoften improved, tocarry onhis deſigns upon us. When it isadark hour oftrouble with us, then is his fitteſt ſeaſon to tempt.

Thatcowardly ſpirit falls uponthepeopleofGod,whenthey aredown and low in ſpirit, as well as ſtate. Satan would never have defired that the hand of God ſhould have been ſtretched outupon Job's perſon, estate, and children, but that hepromised himself a notable advantage therein, topoiſon his ſpirit with vile thoughts of God. " Dothis (faithhe) and "hewillcurſethee to thy face."

A Token for Mourners.

What the Pfalmiſt obſerves of natural, is as true ofmetaphoricaldarkness, Pfal. civ. 20. " Thou makeſt darkneſs, and " it is night, wherein all thebeasts of the foreftdo creep forth,

L " the young lions roar after theirprey."

When it is darknightwith men, itisnoon-daywith Satan ; i. e. our fuffering time is his buſieſt working-time; manyadifmal ſuggeſtion he thenplants, and grafts uponyour affliction, whicharemuch moredangerous to us than the affliction itſelf.

Sometimes he injects deſponding thoughts into the afflicted foul; "Then ſaid I, Iam cut offfrombefore thine eyes," Pfal. xxxi. 22. and Lam. iii. 18, 19. " My hope is periſhed from " the Lord, remembring my affliction, and my miſery, the "wormwood andthe gall."

Sometimes he ſuggeſts bardthoughts ofGod. Ruth i. 20.

" The Lord hath dealt very bitterly with me." Yea, that he hathdealt more ſeverely with us, than any other, Lam. i. 12.

"Seeandbehold, if there be any forrow like unto my forrow, "which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted

"me in thedayofhis fierce anger."

Andfometimes murmuring and repining thoughts againſt theLord; the foul is diſpleaſed at the hand ofGod upon it.

Jonahwas angry at the hand ofGod, and said, " Ido well to " be angry, even unto death," Jonah iv. 9. What diſmal thoughts are theſe ? and how much more afflictive to a gracious foul, than the lofs ofany outward enjoyment inthis world.

And ſometimes very irreligious, and atheistical thoughts, as if there were no privilege to be had by religion, and all our pains, zeal, andcare about duty, were littlebetter than loft labour, Pfal. lxxiii. 13, 14. " Verily I have cleanſed myheart

"invain, andwashed my hands in innocency ; for all theday "long Ihave been plagued, and chaſtened every morning."

Bytheſe things Satan gets no ſmalladvantage upon the afflictedChriſtian; for albeittheſe thoughts are his burden, and Godwill not imputethemtothe condemnation ofhis people ; yetthey rob the foul of peace, and hinder it from duty, and make it act uncomely under affliction, to the ſtumbling and hardening of others in their fin : bewaretherefore, leftby your exceſſes of forrow ye give place to the devil ; we are not ignorantof his devices.

Confideration 15. Give no way to exceſſive forrows upon the account of affliction, if ye have any regard tothehonour of God, and religion, which willhereby be exposed to reproach.

Ifyou flight yourownhonour, do not flight the honourof VOL. VIL Mm

A Token for Mourners.

God, and religion too; takeheedhowyou carry itin adayof trouble; many eyes areuponyou. It is a true obſervation that alateworthy * author hathmadeupon this cafe :

What will the Atheist, and what will the profane ſcoffer ſay, when • theyſhall ſee this ? So fottiſh and malicious they are, that if ⚫theydo but ſeeyou in affliction, they are ſtraightway ſcorn- • fullydemanding, Where is yourGod ?

•Butwhatwouldthey ſay, ifthey ſhouldhearyouyourſelves • unbelievingly cry out, Where is ourGod ? Will they not • beready to cry, this is the religiontheymake ſuch boast of,

• which you ſee how little itdoes forthem in adayofextremity : they talk ofpromiſes, rich and precious promiſes ; but ' where are they now ? Or to what purpoſe do they ſerve!

• They faid they had atreaſure in heaven; what ails them to mourn ſo, then, if their riches are there ?"

Obeware what you do beforethe world ; theyhave eyes to ſeewhat you can do, as well as ears tohear what you can fay : and as long as your carriage under trouble is ſo much like their own, they will never think your principles are better than theirs.

Carnal worldlings will bedrawnto think, that whatever fine talk you might have aboutGod, and heaven, your hearts were moſt upon the fame things that theirs were, finceyour grieffor their removal is as great as theirs.

They know by experience what a ſtay it is to the heart, to have an able, faithful friend todepend upon,or tohavehopesof a great eftate ſhortlytofall tothem; andthey willneverbeperfuaded you have anyfuch ground ofcomfort, if they feeyou as much caſt down as theythat pretendto no ſuchmatter.

Bythis means the precepts of Chrift to conſtancy and con. tentment inall eſtates, will cometobe lookedupon (likethoſe oftheſtoics) only as magnifica verba, brave words ; but fuch as are impoffible to be practifed ; andthe whole of the gofpel willbe taken for an airy notion, ſince theythat profeſs greateſt regard to it, are no morehelpedthereby.

O what a shameis it that religionſhould, inthis cafe,make no more difference betwixt man and man ! wherefore ſhew to theworld (whatever their common cenſuresare) that it is not ſomuch yourcare to differ fromthem inſome opinions, and a little ſtrictneſs, as in humility, meekneſs, contempt of the world, andheavenly-mindedness ; andnow lettheſe gracesdifplaythemſelves byyour chearful, patientdeportmentunderall your grievances .

* M. M. hisappendix toSolomon'sprescription,p. 122.

ATokenfor Mourners.

* Wherefore hathGod planted thoſe excellent graces in your fouls ? but that he mightbe glorified, andyoubenefitedby the exerciſes ofthem in tribulation : ſhouldtheſebe fuppreffed and hid, and nothingbutthepride, paſſion, andumortified earthlineſs ofyour hearts ſet on work, and discovered intime of trouble, what a ſlur, what a wound willyou give to the glorious name which is called upon byyou? And then if your hearts be truly gracious, that willpierce you deeper than ever your affliction, which occafioned it, did.

Ibeſeech you, therefore, betender ofthe name ofGod, if youwillnotbe ſo of your own peace and comfort.

Confid. 16. Bequiet, and hold your peace, you little know howmany mercies lie in thewomb of this affliction.

Great are thebenefits of a ſharp, rouzing affliction to the people ofGod at ſometimes, and all might have them at all times, were they more carefulto improve them. Holy David thankfullyacknowledgeth, Pfal. cxix. 71. " It isgood for me

" that I have been afflicted."

And furely there isas much good in them for you, as for him; ifthe Lordſanctifythem to ſuch ends, and uſes, as his were ſanctified unto.

Sucha ſmarting rod as this,came not before therewas need enough of it, and poſſibly you saw the need ofſome awakeningprovidence yourſelves ; butif not, the Lord did : he took notupthe rod to ſmite you, till his faithfulneſs, and tender love to your fouls, called uponhim to correct you.

You now fit penſive under the rod,ſadlylamenting anddeploring the loſs of fome earthly comfort ; your heart is furchargedwith forrow, your eyes rundown upon every menti- - on, and remembrance ofyour dear friend : why, ifthere were nomore, thisalone maydiſcoverthe need youhad ofthis rod ; for dothnot all this ſorrow at parting plainlyſpeakhow much yourheart was ſetupon,howfaſt yourheartwas glewed to this earthlycomfort ?

Nowyou fee that your affections were funk manydegrees deeper into the creature, than you are aware of : and what ſhouldGoddo in this cafeby you ? Shouldhe ſuffer you to cleave to the creature, more and more ? Should he permit it topurloin, and exhaust your love and delight, and ſteal away your heart from himself? This he could notdo, andlove you.

Themore impatient you are, under this affliction, themore need youhad ofit.

Andwhatifbythis ſtrokethe Lordwillawaken your drowzy Mm2

ATokenfor Mourners. foul, andrecoveryou out ofthat pleaſant,butdangerous ſpi ritual ſlumberyou were fallen into, whilſt you had pillowed yourhead upon this pleaſant, ſenſible creature-enjoyment ? Is notthis reallybetter for you, than ifhe ſhould fay, Sleep on: he isjoined to idols,lethimalone; he is departing from me, the fountain, to a broken ciſtern ; lethim go.

Yea, what ifby this ſtrokeupon oneofthepleaſanteſtthings youhad in this world, God will diſcover toyou, more ſenſibly and effectuallythan ever,the vanityboth of that andall earthly comforts, ſo as that you shall from henceforth never let forth yourheart, your hope, your love, and delight to any ofthem, asyou didbefore ? You couldtalkbefore of the creatures va. nity, butIqueſtion whether ever you had to clear, and convin cing a fight of its vanity, as you have this day: and is notthis aconfiderable mercyinyour eyes ?

Now, if ever God is weaning you from all fond opinions, and vain expectations from this world; by this yourjudgment ofthe creatures is rectified, and your affections to all other enjoyments on earth moderated: and is this nothing ? O doubt leſs it is agreater mercy to you, than to haveyour friend alive again.

Andwhat ifby this rodyourwandering, gadding heart ſhall be whipped home to God? your neglected duties revived ? your decayed communion with God restored ? a ſpiritual, heavenly frame of heart recovered ? What will you ſay then?

•Surelyyou willbleſs that mercifulhandwhich removedthe obſtructions, and adore the Divine wisdom, and goodneſs,that byſuch a device as this recovered you to himself. Nowyou can pray more conſtantly, more ſpiritually, more affectionately thanbefore, O bleffed rod, which buds and bloſſoms with ſuch fruits as theſe ! Letthisbe written among your best mercies, for you ſhall have cauſe to adore andbleſs God eternally for this beneficial affliction.

Confideration 17. Suffer not yourselves to be transported by impatience, and swallowed up of grief, because God bath exercised you under a smart rod; for, as fmartingas it is, it is comparatively a gentle stroke to what others, as good as yourselves, have felt.

Your dear relation is dead ; be it fo, here is buta ſingle death before you, but others have ſeenmanydeaths contrived intooneupontheir relations, towhich yours is nothing.

Zedekiah faw his children murdered before his eyes, and thenhadthoſe eyes (alas ! too late) put out.

The fulfilling Theworthyauthor ofthatexcellent bookbe

A Token for Mourners.

fore-mentioned, tells us ofa choice, and godly of the Scripgentlewoman in the north of Ireland, who, tures. whenthe rebellion broke out there, fled with three children, one of them upon the breast; they hadnot gone far beforetheywere stripped naked by the Irish, who, to their admiration, ſparedtheirlives, (it is like,concluding that coldandhunger would kill them) afterwards goingon at the foot of a river which runs to Locheach, others met them, and wouldhave caftthem into the river; but this godly woman, notdiſmayed, aſked a little libertyto pray, and as the laynakedon the frozenground,got reſolution nottogoonher own feet, to ſo unjust adeath, uponwhich having called her, and therefuſing, was dragged by the heels along that ruggedway, tobe caſtin with her little ones, and company.

But ſhe then turned, and onher knees ſays, You ſhould, I am fure, be Chriſtians, and men I fee you are, intaking awayour miferable lives, youdo us a pleaſure ; butknow, that aswe neverwronged you nor yours, you must remember to die alſo yourſelves, and one day give an account ofthis cruelty, to theJudgeofheaven and earth. Hereupon they refolved notto murderthem with their own hands, but turned them all nakedupon a ſmallislandinthe river, without anyprovifion, theretoperiſh.

The next day, the two boys having crept aſide, found the hideof abeast which had been killed, at the root of a tree, which the mother caſt overthem lying uponthe ſnow.

The next dayalittle boat goes by, unto whom the calls for God's faketotake them in, but they being Irish,refuſed ; the defired a little bread, but they said theyhad none; then the begs a coal of fire, which ſhe obtained ; and thus, with fome fallen chips, made a little fire, and the children taking a piece of thehide laid it on the coals, and began to gnaw the leather ; butwithoutanextraordinaryDivine ſupport,what couldthis do?

Thus they livedtendays,withoutany viſible meansofhelp, having nobread, but ice and fnow, nor drink, exceptwater.

The twoboys being near ſtarved, ſhe preſſedthem to go out of herfight, notbeing able to fee theirdeath ; yetGoddelivered themas miraculouſly at last, ashe had fupportedthem allthat while.

Butjudge whether anaturaldeath, inanordinary way be comparable to fuch a trial as this ; and yet thus the Lorddid bythis choice and eminently graciouswoman.

AndMr. Wall, in his None-but-Chrift, relates as fad a paf-

ATokenfor Mourners. fage of a poor family inGermany, whowere drivenunto that extremityin the famine,that at lastthe parents made a motion one to the other to fell one of the children for bread to ſuſtain themselves, and the reft; but when they came to confider which child it ſhould be, their hearts ſo relented, and yerned upon every one, that they reſolved rather all todie together.

Yea, we read in Lam. iv. 10. " The hands of the pitiful wo- " men have fodden their own children."

But why ſpeak I of theſe extremities ? How many parents, yea,ſomegodlyones too,have lived toſeetheir childrendying inprophaneneſs, and ſome by the hand of justice, lamenting their rebellions with arope about their necks.

Ah! reader, little doſt thouknow what ſtings there are in the afflictions of others ! ſurelyyou have no reaſon to thinkthe

Lord hath dealt more bitterly with you than any.

It is a gentle ſtroke, a mercifuldiſpenſation,ifyou compare itwithwhat others have felt.

Confideration 18. IfGod be your God, you have really left nothing by the removal of any creature-comfort.

God is the fountain of all true comfort ; creatures, the very beſt and fweeteft, are but ciſterns to receive, and convey to us whatcomfortGod is pleaſed to communicate tothem ; and if the ciſtern be broken, or the pipe cut off,ſothat no morecomførtcanbe conveyed to us thatway, he hath other ways and mediums to do itby, which we think notof; and ifhepleaſe hecanconveyhis comforts to hispeople without anyofthem:

And it he do it more immediately, we shall be no loſers by that; for no comforts in the world are ſo delectable, and raviſhingly ſweet, as thoſe that flow immediately from the fountain.

And it is the ſenſuality ofourhearts that cauſes us to affect them ſo inordinately, and grieve for the loss of them ſo immoderately, as ifwe had notenough inGod,without theſe creature-fupplements.

Is the fulness ofthe fountainyours ? And yet do you caſt downyourſelves, becauſe the broken ciſtern is removed ? The best creatures are no better,Jer. ii. 13.

Cisterns have nothing but what they receive, and broken ones cannot hold what is put into them.

Why thendoyou mourn, as ifyour life were bound up in the creature ? You have as free an acceſs to the fountain as you had before.

It is the advice of anHeathen, (and letthemtakethecomfort of it) to repair, by a new earthlycomfort, whatwe have lost in the former.

AToken for Mourners.

"Thou hast carried forth him whom thou lovedſt, (faith * " Seneca) feek one whom thou mayeſt love in his ſtead: It is better to repair, than to bemoan thy lofs."

But ifGod never repair your loſs,in things ofthe ſame kind, youknow he can abundantly repair it in himself.

Ah ! Chriſtian, is not one kiſs ofhis month, one glimpse of his countenance, one ſeal ofhis Spirit, a more ſweet and fubF ſtantial comfort, than the ſweetest relation in this world can afford you ? Ifthe ſtream fail, repair to the fountain, there is enough ftill ; God is where he was, and what hewas, though the creature be not.

Confideration 19. Though you may want a little comfort in your life, yet furely itmay be recompensed to you by a more eafy death.

The removal ofyour friends beforeyou, may turn to your great advantage, whenyour hour iscomethatyou must follow them. O how have manygood fouls been clogged, and enſnared, in their dyinghour,by the loves, cares, and fears they havehad about thoſethey must leave behindthem in a finful, evilworld!

Your love to them might have proved a ſnare to you, and cauſed you to hang back, as loath to go hence ; for theſe are the things that make men loath to die. And thus it might have been with you, exceptGod had removed them beforehand, or ſhould giveyou in that day ſuch fights ofheaven, and taſtes ofdivine love, as ſhould master, and mortify all your earthly affections totheſe things.

I knew a gracious perſon, now in heaven, who for many weeks in her laſt fickness, complained that ſhe found it hard to part with a dear relation, andthatthere was nothing proved a greater clog to her foul, than this : It is much more eaſyto think of going to our friends, who are in heaven beforeus, thanofparting withthem, and leaving our defirable anddear ones behind us.

Andwho knows what cares, and distracting thoughts you maythen bepeſtered and diſtracted with, upon their account ?

Whatshallbecome oftheſe, when I am gone ? I am now to leavethem, God knows to what wants, miſeries, temptations, and afflictions in the midstofa deceitful, defiling, dangerous world.

I know it is ourduty to leave our fatherless children, and * Quem amabas extulifti, quære quem ames : Satius eftamicum repararequamfere.

Senec, Epift. p. 637 .

Token for Mourners. friendleſs relations, with God; to trust them with him that gavethem to us: And fome have been enabled chearfully to do ſo when theywere partingfromthem.

* Luther could fay, • Lord, thou haftgivenme awifeand children, I have little to ◄leave them ; nourish, teach,and keep them ; O thou Father

* ofthe fatherless, and Judge ofthe widow.' But every Chriſtianhath not a Luther's faith ; ſome find it a hard thing to diſentangle their affections at ſuch atime: But now, ifGod has fent all yours before you, you have ſomuchthe leſs todo; deathmaybe easier to you than others.

Confideration 20. But ifnothing that hathbeenyetfaid will Stick with you, then, lastly, remember that you are near that state, and place, which admits no forrows, norfad reflections, upon any fuch accounts as these.

Yet a little while, and you ſhall not miss them, you ſhall not needthem, but you ſhall live as the angels ofGod: We now live partlyby faith, partly by ſenſe, partly uponGod, and partlyuponthe creature ; our ſtate is mixed,therefore our comforts are ſo too.

But whenGod shallbe all in all, and we ſhall be as the angels ofGod in the way and manner of our living; how much willthe cafe be altered with us then, from what it is now ?

Angels neither marry, nor are given in marriage, neither ſhall the children of the refurrection ; when the days of our finning are ended, the days of our mourning ſhall be fo too.

Nograves were opened till fin entered, and no more ſhall be openedwhen fin is excluded.

Our glorified relations ſhall live with us for ever ; they ſhal complainnomore, die no more; yea, this is the happiness of that ſtate towhich you are paffing on, that your fouls being in thenearestconjunction withGod,the fountainofjoy, you ſhall haveno concernment out ofhim.

You shall not be put upon theſeexerciſes ofpatience, nor ſubjected to ſuch forrows as you now feel, any more.

It is but a little while, and the endof all theſe things will come. O therefore bear up, as perſons

that expect ſuch a day of jubilee at hand.

Andthus Ihave finiſhedthe ſecond general head ofthis difcourſe,which is a diſſuaſive from the finofimmoderate ſorrow.

3. I now proceed to the third thing propoſed, namely, to remove the pleas and excuſes for this immoderate grief.

It is natural to men, yea, to good men, to justify their exceffes, or at least to extenuate them, by pleading for their paffions,

*MelchiorAdam, inthe life ofLuther.

A Token for Mourners.

as iftheywantednotcaute, andreaſon enough toexcuſe them.

Iftheſe be fullyanſwered, and the foul once convinced, and left without apology for its fin, it is then inafairway for its cure, which is the last thing deſigned in this treatiſe.

Mypreſent buſineſs, therefore, is, to fatisfy thoſe objections, and anſwer thoſe reaſons which are commonly pleaded inthis cafe, to justify our exceſſive grief for loſt relations.

And thơ 1Chall carry it in that line of relationtowhich the text directs, yet itis equally applicable to all others.

Plea 1. You preſs me, bymanygreat confiderations tomeekneſs, andquiet fubmiffion under this heavy ſtroke of God ; but you little knowwhat ſtings my foul feelsnow in it.

This childwas achildof many prayers, itwas aSamuel begged of the Lord, and I concluded, when I had it, that it broughtwith it the returns, and anſwers of many prayers. But nowIfee itwas nothing lefs; Godhad no regard tomy prayer about it, nor was itgiven me inthatſpecialwayof mercy, as I - imagined ittobe : My child is not onlydead, butmyprayers

in the fame day ſhut out, and denied.

Anfwer 1. That you prayed for your children before you had them, was your duty ; and if you prayed not for them fubmiſſively, referring it to the pleaſure of God to give, or deny them, to continue, or remove them, as ſhould feem good to him, that was your fin : You oughtnot to limitthe HolyOne of Ifrael, not preſcribe to him, or capitulate with him, forwhat termyou ſhall enjoy your outward comforts :

If you did ſo, it was your evil, andGod hath juſtly rebuked it by this ſtroke.

Ifyou did prayconditionally, and fubmiffively referring both the mercyasked, andcontinuance of it to the willofGod, as you ought todo; then there is nothing in thedeath of your child, that croffes the true ſcope andintentinyour prayer.

Answer 2 Your prayers may be answered, though the thing prayed forbe with-held, yea, or though it ſhouldbe given for alittle while, and ſnatched away from you again.

There are four ways of God's anſwering prayers ; by giving the thing prayed for preſently, Dan ix 23. orby ſuſpending the answer / for a time, andgiving it afterwards, Luke xviii. 7 or by withholding from you that mercy which you ask. and giving you amuchbetter mercy inthe roomof it, Deut. iii. 24. comparedwith Deut. xxxiv. 4, 5. Or, laſtly, bygiving you patience to bear the lofs, or want of it, 2 Cor xii. 9.

Now, if the Lordhave takenawayyour child, or friend, and

VOL. VII.

A Token for Mourners. in lieu thereof givenyoua meek, quiet, fubmiſſive heart to his will, you need not ſayhe hath ſhut out your cry.

Plea 2. But I have lost a lovely, obliging, and moſt endearing child, one thatwas beautiful, and ſweet; it is a ſtony heart that would not diſſolve into tears for the loss ofone ſodefireable, ſo engaging as this was : Ah ! itisnocommon lofs.

Answer 1. The more lovely, and engaging, your relation was, the more excellent will your patience, and contentment with thewill of God, in its death, be; the more lovelineſs, the more ſelf-denial, the more grace. Had it been a thousand times more endearingly ſweet than it was, itwas not too good to deny for God.

If therefore obedience tothe will of Goddo indeed maſter natural affections, and that you look upon pa tience and contentment as much more beautiful than the ſweeteſt, and moſt deſireable enjoyment on earth, it may turn to you for a teſtimony of the truth and ſtrength of grace : that you can, like Abraham, part with a child whom you ſo dearly love, in obedience tothe will of your God, whom you love infinitelymore .

Anfwer 2. The loveliness andbeauty of our children, and relations, though it must be acknowledged a good gift from the hand of God ; yet it is but a common gift, and oftentimes becomes a ſnare, and is, in its own nature, but a tranſitory, vaniſhing thing, and therefore no ſuch great aggravation of the loſs as is pretended.

Iſay, it is but a common gift ; Eliab, Adonijah, andAbſalom, had as lovelypreſences as any in their generation.

Yea, itisnot only common to the wicked, with the godly, but to brute animals, as well as men, and to moſt that excel in it, it becomes a temptation; the ſouls of ſomehadbeen more beautiful and lovely, if their bodies hadbeen leſs ſo.

Besides, it is but a flower which nourishes in its month, and then fades.

This therefore ſhould not be reflected on as ſo great a circumſtance to aggravate your trouble .

Anfwer 3. But ifyour relation ſleep in Jeſus, he will appear tenthousand times more lovely inthe morning of the refurrection, than ever he was in the world.

What is the exacteſt, pureſt beauty of mortals, to the incomparable beauty of the faintsin the refurrection ? "Then ſhall the righteous ſhine forth

" as the fun, in thekingdom of their Father," Matth xiii. 43.

'In this hope you part with them, therefore act fuitably to your hopes.

Plea 3.Oh! but mychild was nipped offbydeath in the verybud ; I didbut fee, andlove, and part: Had I enjoyedit

AToken for Mourners.

longer, and had time to fuck out the ſweetneſs of ſuch an enjoyment, I could have borne it eaſier ; but its months or years with me were ſo few, that they only ſerved to raiſe an expectation which was quickly, and therefore the more ſadlydiſappointed.

Answer 1. Did your friend die young, or was the bond of _ any other relation diſſolved almoſt as foon as made ?

Let not this ſeem ſo intolerable a Vide Mr. Baxter's Epistle to the Life of Mr. load to you ; for if you have ground to hope theydied in Chriſt, then they lived

John Faneway. longenough in this world.

It is truly faid, he hath failed long enough, that hath won the harbour ; he hath fought long enough that hath obtained the victory ; he hath runlong enough that hath touched the goal; and he hath lived long enough uponearth, thathathwon heaven, be hisdays here never ſo few.

Answer 2. The fooner your relation died, the leſs ſinhath beencommitted, and the leſs ſorrow felt :

What can you fee in this worldbut fin, or forrow ? A quick paſſage through itto glory, is a ſpecial privilege.

Surely the world is not ſo defireable a place, that Chriſtians ſhould defire an hour's time longer in it for themſelves, or theirs, than ferves to fit them for a better.

Answer 3. Andwhereas you imagine thepartingwould have been eafier, iftheenjoymenthadbeen longer, it is a fond, and groundleſs ſuſpicion: The longer you had enjoyed them, the ſtronger would the endearments have been. A young, and tender plant, maybe easilydrawn up by a ſingle hand; but when ithath ſpread, and fixed its root many years in the earth, it will require many a ſtrong blow, and hard tug to root it up.

Affections, like thoſe under-ground roots, are fixed and ſtrengthenedbynothing morethan confuetude, and long poffefſion; it is much eafier partingnow, than itwould be hereafter, whatever you think.

However, this ſhould fatisfy you, that God's time isthe beſt time.

Plea 4. O but I have loſt all in one, it ismyonlyone, I have none left in its room to repair the breach, and make up the lofs: IfGod hadgiven me other children to take comfort in, the lofs had not been ſo great; but to loſe all at one ſtroke, is inſupportable.

Answer 1. Religion allows not unto Chriſtians a liberty of expreffing thedeath of theirdear relations by ſo hard a word as Nn2

AToken for Mourners. the loss of them is; they are not loft, but ſent before you

And it is a shameful thing for a Chriſtian to be reproved for fuch an uncomely expreſſion by a heathen ; it isenough tomake us blush to read what an heathen ſaid in this cafe †,

' Never • ſay thou hast loſt any thing (faith Epictetus) but that it isre *turned Is thy fon dead ? He is only reſtored. Is thy inheritance taken from thee ? It is alſo returned '

Let every ⚫thingbe as the gods would have it.'

Answer 2. It is no fit expreſſion to ſayyou have lostall in one, except that one be Chriſt; and he being once yours, can never be loft.

Doubtless, your meaning is, you have lost all your comfort of that kind ; andwhat though you have ? Are there not multitudes of comforts yet remaining, of a higher kind, and more precious anddurable nature?

If youhaveno more of that fort, yet ſo long as you havebetter, what cauſe haveyou to rejoice !

Answer 3. You too much imitate the way of the world in this complaint ; they know not how to repair the lofs of one comfort, but by another of the ſame nature, which must be putin its room to fillup the vacancy : Buthave you no other way to fupply your loſs ?

Have you not aGod to fill the place of any creature that leaves you ? Surely thiswouldbetter become a manwhoſe portion is in this life, than one that pro feſſesGod is his all in all.

Plea 5. Obutmy only one isnot onlytaken away, but there remains no expectation, or probability of any more : Imust now look upon myself as a dry tree, never to take comfort in children any more, which is a cutting thought.

Answer : Suppoſe what you ſay, that you have no hope, nor expectation of another child remaining toyou ; yet if you have ahopeof better thingsthan children, you have no reaſon tobe caſtdown:

BleſsGod for higher and better hopes than theſe.

In Ifa. Ivi. 4, 5. the Lord comforts themthathaveno expectations of ſons or daughters, with this ; " That hewill

" give unto them in his houſe, and within his walls, a place, "andanamebetter than ofſons and daughters; evenanever- " laſting name that ſhall not be cut off"

There are better mercies, and higher hopes than theſe ; though your hopes of children, or from children, ſhouldbe cutoff, yet if your eter pal hopes are ſecure, and ſuch as ſhall not make you ashamed, you ſhould notbe ſo caſtdown.

*Nonamittunturfedpraemittuntur. †Epift.Enchirid. cap. 15.

AToken for Mourners.

Answer2. IfGod will not have your comforts to lie any more in children then reſolve to place them in himself, and you thall never find cauſe to complain of lofs by ſuch an exchange: You will find that inGod which is not to be had in the creature ; one hour's communion with him, ſhall give you thatwhich the happiest parent never yet had from his children ; you will exchange braſs for gold, periſhing vanity, for folid and * abiding excellency.

Plea6. But the ſuddenneſs of the ſtroke is amazing, God gave little or no warning to prepare for this trial : Death executedits commiffionas foon as it opened it. Mydearhusband, wife, or child, was ſnatched unexpectedly out of my arms, by a furprizing ſtroke; and this makes my ſtroke heavierthanmy complaint.

Answer 1. That the death of your relation was ſo ſudden andſurprizing, was much your own fault, who ought tohave lived inthe daily ſenſe of its vanity, and expectation of your ſeparation from it ; you knew it to be adying comfort in its beſt eſtate, and it is no ſuch wonderful thing toſee thatdead, which you knew before to be dying: Besides, you heard the changes ringing about you inother families ; you frequently ſawother parents, huſbands, and wives, carrying forth their dead; and what were all theſe but warnings given you toprepare for the like trials ?

Surely, then, it was your own ſecurityand regardleſsneſs that made this affliction ſo ſurprizing toyou ; andwhois tobe blamed for that, you know.

Answer 2. Thereis muchdifferencebetwixtthe ſuddendeath of infants, and that of grown perſons ; the latter may have much work todo; many fins actually to repent of, and many evidences of their intereſt in Chriſt to examine and clear, inorder totheir more comfortabledeath; and ſoſuddendeath may

ン be deprecatedby them.

Butthe cafe of infants, who exerciſe not their reaſon, is far different ; they have no ſuchwork todo, but are purely paſſive :

Allthat isdone in order to their ſalvation, isdone byGod immediately upon them, ſo it comes all to one, whether their deathbemore quick, or more flow.

Answer 3 You complain of the ſuddenneſs of the ſtroke: but another will be ready to ſay, had my friend died in that manner, my affliction hadbeennothing to what now it is ;

I haveſeenmany deaths contrived into one; Isawthe gradual approaches of itupon mydear relation, who felt every thread of deathas itcameon towardhim,whooftencriedwithJob, chap.

A Token for Mourners. iii . ver. 21, 22. " Wherefore is light giventohim that is inmiſery, and life tothebitter in ſoul ? Whichlong fordeath, but " it cometh not, anddig for it more than for hid treaſures :

" Which rejoice exceedingly, and are gladwhen theycan find " the grave."

That which you reckon the ſting of your affliction, others would have reckoned a favour and privilege. How many tender parents, and other relations, who loved their friends as dearly as yourſelves, have been forced to their knees, upon no other errandbut this, to beg the Lord to haften the ſeparation, and put an end to that forrow, which to them was much greater than the forrow for the dead.

Plea 7. You preſs me to moderation of forrows, and I know Iought to ſhew it; but you do not know how the caſe ſtands withme, there is a ſting in this affliction, that none feels but myſelf; and, O ! how intolerable is itnow ! I neglected proper means in ſeaſon to preſerve life, or miſcarried in the use of means.

I now fee ſuch a neglect, or ſuch a miſtake about the means, as I cannot but judge greatly to contribute to that ſad lofs which I now, too late, lament.

Omy negligence, O my raſhneſs, and inconfiderateneſs ! how doth myconfcience now ſmite me for my folly ! and by this aggravatemyburden beyond what is usually felt by others. Had

I ſeaſonably applied myself to the use of proper means, and kept ſtrictly to fuch courſes and counſels as thoſe that are able and skilful might have preſcribed, I might now have had a liv ing husband, wife, or child : whereas I am now not only be reaved, but am apt to think I have bereaved myself of them.

Surely there is no forrow like unto my forrow.

Answer 1. Though it be an evil to neglect, and flight the means ordained byGod for recovery of health, yet it is noleſs evil to aſcribe too much to them, or rely too much on them : the beſt means in the world are weak and ineffectual, without God's aſſiſtance and concurrence, and they never have that his affiftanceor concurrence, when his time iscome; andthat it was fullycome inyour friend's cafe, is manifeſted now by the event.

So that ifyour friend had had the moſt excellent helps the world affords, they would have availed nothing.

This confideration takesplace only in your cafe, who fee what the will of God is bythe iffue, and may not be pleaded by any whilft it remains dubiousanduncertain, as it generallydoth in time of fickneſs.

Answer 2. Doyou not unjustly charge, and blame yourſelves for that which is not really your fault, or neglect ! How far you are chargeable in this cafe, willbeſt appear by comparing

ATokenfor Mourners.

the circumstances you are now in, with thoſe you were inwhen your relation was only arreſted by ſickness ; and it was dubious toyou what was your duty, and beſt courſe to take.

Poſſibly you had obſerved ſo many toperiſh in phyſicians hands, and ſomany to recover without them, that you judged it fafer for your friend to be without thoſe means, than tobe hazarded by them.

Or, if divers methods and courſes were preſcribed, and perfuaded to, and you now ſee your error, in preferring thatwhich was moſt improper, and neglecting what was more ſafe, and probable: yet as longas itdid not ſoappeartoyour underſtanding at that time, but you followed the beſt light you had toguide you at that time, itwere moſt unjust tocharge the fault upon yourſelves, for chuſing that courſe that then ſeemed beſt toyou, whether it were ſo in itſelf, or not.

To be angry with yourſelves for doing, oromitting whatwas thendone, or ommitted, according toyour beſt diſcretion, and judgment, becauſe you now fee it by the light of the event, far otherwife than youdid before ; it is to be troubled that you are but men, or that you arenot asGod,who only can forſee iſſues, and events ; and that you acted as all rational creatures are bound todo, according to the light they have, at the time and ſeaſon of action .

Answer 3. Toconclude, Times of great affliction are ordinarilytimes of great temptation, and it is uſual with Satan then to charge us with more fins than we are guiltyof, and alſo make thoſe things tobe ſins, which, upon impartial examination, will not be found to be fo.

Indeed, had your neglect or miſcarriage beenknownorvoluntary, or had you really preferred a little money (being able togive it) before the life of your relation, anddiddeliberately chuſe to hazard this, rather than part with that ; no doubt, then, but there had been much evil of fin mixed with your affliction ; andyour confciencemayjuſtlyſmiteyou for it, as your fin; but in the other cafe, which is more common, and I prefume yours; it is a falſe charge, and you ought not toabet the deſign of Satan in it.

Judge by the forrowyou now feel byyour friend, in what degree he was dear to you, and what you could now willingly give toranſomhis life if itcould be done with money. Judge,

I fay, by this. how groundless the charge is that Satan now draws up against you, and you are but too ready to yield to the truthof it.

Plea 8. But my troubles are uponahigherſcore, and account;

A Token for Mourners. my child or friend is paſſed intoeternity, and I know not how it is with his foul : were I ſure myrelation were with Chrift, I ſhould be quiet; but my fears of the contrary are overwhelming; O it is terrible tothink of thedamnation of one todear tome.

Answer 1. Admitwhat the objection ſuppoſes, thatyouhave real grounds to fear the eternal condition of yourdear relation; yet it is utterly unbeſeeming you, even in ſuch a cafe as this, to diſputewith, orrepineagainst the Lord Ido confeſs it isafore andheavytrial, and that there is no cauſe more ſad, and ſinking to the ſpirit of a gracious perfon: their death is but a trifle to this; but yet if you be fuchas feat the Lord, methinks his indiſputable ſovereigntyover them, and his diftinguiſhing love and mercyto you, ſhould at least filence you inthis matter.

First, His indiſputable ſovereignty over them, Rom. ix. 20.

" Whoart thou,Oman, who diſputeſt withGod ?" He speaks inthe mattersofeternalelection, andreprobation. What if the Lordwill not be gracious to thoſethat areſodear tous ?

Is there anywrong done to them or us thereby ?

Aaron's two fonswere cut off in the act of fin, by the Lord's immediate hand, andyet he held his peace, Lev. x. 3. God told Abra ham plainly, that the covenant ſhould not be eſtabliſhed with Ishmael, for whom he ſo earnestly prayed, O let Ishmael live before thee! andhe knew that there was no falvation out of the covenant, and yet he ſitsdown filentunder the word ofthe

Lord.

Secondly, But if thisdo not quiet you, yet methinks his diftinguiſhing love and mercy to you ſhould do it. Owhatdo you owe toGod, that rootand branchhath not been caſt toge ther into the fire ! that the Lord had given you goodhope, through grace that it ſhallbe wellwithyou for ever.

Letthis ſtopyour mouth, and quiet your ſpirit, though you would havegrounds for this fear.

Answer 2. But prayexamine the groundsofyour fear, whe ther itmay not proceedfromthe ſtrength of your affections to theeternal welfare of your friend, or from the fubtilty ofSatan, deſigninghereby to overwhelm and ſwallow youup in ſuppoſed, as well as from juſt grounds and cauſes ? Intwo caſes it isvery probable your fearmayproceedonly from your ownaffection, orSatan's temptation.

First, If your relationdiedyoung, before itdidanything to deſtroy your hopes .

Or, Secondly, If grown, andin fomegooddegreehopeful; only

A Token for Mourners.

hedidnotinlife, oratdeath, manifeft, and give evidence of grace, with that clearness as you defired.

Asto the care of infants in general, it is none of our concernto judgetheir condition ; andas for those that ſprang from covenanted parents, it becomes us to exercife charity towards them; the fcripture ſpeaks very favourably of them.

Andas for themore adult, who have efcaped the pollutions of the world, and made confcience of fin and duty, albeit they never manifeſted what you coulddefire they had; yet inthem, as in youngAbijah, " may be foundfome good things towards

** the Lord," which you never took notice of.

Reverence of yourauthority, bashfulness, and thame-facedneſs, reſervedneſs ofdifpofition, and many other things, may hide thoſe ſmall andweak beginnings of grace that are in children, fromtheobfervations of the parents God might fee that inthem thatyou never faw; he deſpiſeth notthe day of ſmall things .

د However it be, it is now out of your reach ; your concernmentrather is toimprove the affliction toyour own good, than judge and determine their condition, which belongs not to you but toGod.

Plea 9. O but I have finned in this relation, and God hathpunishedmy fin in diffolving it. O, faith one, my heart was let toomuch upon it, I even idolized it, that was my fin : and, faith another, I wanted due affections, anddid not love my relation, at leaſt not ſo ſpiritually as I ought; that was my fin. NowGod is viſiting me for all the neglects and defects thathath been in me towards iny relation.

Anfwer 1. There is noman ſo thoroughly fanctified, asnot to fail, andcome ſhort inmany things pertaining to his relative duties and to ſpeak, as the thing is, the corruptions of the holieſt perfons are as muchdiscoveredinthis, asanyotherthing whatfoever; and it is a very common thing for confcience, not onlyto charge theſe failures uponus, but to aggravate them to theutmoſt whenGod hath made the ſeparation. So that this is nomore than what is usual, and verycommon, with perſons in your cafe.

Answer 2. Admit that which the objection ſuppoſes, that Godhad afflicted you for your fin, and removed that comfort from you, which you idolized, and too much doted on; vet thereis no reasonyou shouldbe fo caſt down under your affiction: For all this may be, and probably is the fruit of his love to, and care of your foul, Rev. iii. 19. He tells the afflicted, for theircomfort, "Whom I love, Irebuke and chaften." How

VOL. VII.

A Token for Mourners. much better is it tohave an idolized enjoyment takenfrom you, in mercy, than if God ſhould fayconcerning you, as he did of Ephraim, Hofea iv. 17. " He is joined to idols, let himalone."

O it is better for you that your Father now reckons with you for your follies withthe rod in his hand, than to ſay ashe doth tofome, let them goon, I will not hinder them in, or rebuke them for their ſinful courſes ; but will reckon with them for all together in hell at laſt .

Answer 3. Andas to what you now charge upon yourſelf, thatthe neglect of duty did ſpring from the want of love to your relation ; your forrow at parting may evidence that your relation was rooted deep in your affection ; but ifyour love was not ſo ſpiritual and pure, to loveand enjoy them inGod; that was undoubtedly your fin, and is the fin ofmoſtChriſtians, for which both you, and all others, ought to be humbled.

Plea 10. God hath bleffed me with an eſtate, and outward comforts inthe world, which I reckoned tohave left to my po ſterity; and now I have none to leave it with, nor have I any comfort tothink of it; the purpoſes of my heart are broken off, and thecomfort of all my other enjoyments blaſtedby this ſtroke in an hour. Howare the pains and cares of many years periſhed.

Answer 1. How many are there in the world, yea, of our own acquaintance, whomGod hath either denied, or deprived both of the comforts of children and eſtates too ?

If he have left you thoſe outward comforts, you ought to acknowledge his goodness therein, and not to flight theſe becauſe he hath de prived you of the other.

Answer 2. Though your children are gone, yet God hath many children left in the world, whoſe bowels you may refreſh with whathe hath beſtowed upon you ; and your charity to them willdoubtleſs turn toa more confiderable account, than if you had left a large eftate to your ownpoſterity.

Surely we are not ſentinto this world toheap upgreat eſtates for our children : and if youhave beentooeager in thisdeſign, you maynow readGod's juſt rebuke of your folly.

Bless God you have yet an opportunity to ſerve him eminently by your charity, and God deny you other executors, let your own hands be your executors, to diſtribute to the neceffity of the faints, that the bleſſings of them that are ready to periſh may come upon you .

Plea 11. O but the remembranceof its wittywords, and pretty actions, is wounding.

Answer 1. Let it rather lift up your hearts toGod in praife,

A Token for Mourners.

that gave you ſo defirable a child, than fill your heart with diſcontent athis hand inremoving it. How many parents are there in the world, whoſe childrenGod hath deprived of reaſon and underſtanding, ſo that they only differ from the beasts in external ſhape and figure ?

And how many thew betimes fo perverſe a temper, that little comfort can be expected from them.

Answer 2. Theſe are but ſmall circumſtances, and trivial things in themselves ; butby theſe little things Satan manages a great deſign against your foul, to deject or exaſperate it : And furely this is not your buſineſs at this time; you have greater things than the words and actions of children to mind; to ſearch out God's ends in the affliction, to mortify the corruption it is ſenttorebuke, toquiet yourhearts inthewillofGod; this is your work.

Plea 12. Lastly, It is objected, ObutGod hides his face from me in my affliction ; it is dark within, as well as without, and this makes mycafe moredeplorable, greatly afflicted, and EX ſadlydeferted.

T Answer 1. Though you wantat preſent ſenſiblecomfort, yet you have reaſon to be thankful for gracious ſupports. Though the light of God's countenance ſhine not upon you, yet you find the everlasting arms are underneath you ; the care of God worketh for you, whenthe confolations ofGod are withdrawn from you.

Answer 2. TohaveGodhidehisfaceinthe time of trouble, is no new or unusual thing ; God's dearest ſaints, yea, his own

Son, hath experienced it, who in the deeps of inward and outward trouble, when wave called untowave, felt not thoſe ſweet,

* ſenſible influences of comfort from God, which had always filledhis foul formerly.

If Chriſt cry in extremity, " MyGod, " myGod, why haſt thou forſaken me !"

Then fure we need not wonder, as if ſome ſtrange thing hadhappened tous.

Answer 3. May not your ſubmiſſive carriage under the rod provokeGod to hide his face from you.

Pray conſider it well, nothing is more probable than for this to be the cauſe of God's withdrawment from you.

Could you, in meekneſs and quietneſs, receive that cup your Fatherhath givenyou to drink : acceptthe punishment of your iniquities ; ſay, Good is the word of the Lord, It isthe Lord, let him do what he will : You would foon findthe cafe altered with you ; but the comforting fpirit finds no delight, or reſt, ina turbulent and tumultuous breaft.

AToken for Mourners.

Andthus Ihave fatisfied the moſt confiderable pleasurged, in justificationof our exceffes 4. Icome now to the last thing propoſed namelythe means of curing and preventing theſe finful exceſſes of forrow for the death of our dear relations .

And although much hath been ſaid already to diffuade from this evil, and I have enlarged already much beyond my firſt in tention ; yet I shall caſt in ſome farther heip and aſſiſtancetowards the healing of this diſtemper, by preſcribing the following rules :

Rule 1. Ifyou would not mourn exceſſively for the loss of creature-comforts, then beware that you let not yourdelight and love exceffively, or inordinately, upon them, whilst you do enjoy them.

Strong affections make ſtrong afflictions ; the higher the tide, the lower theebb.

According to the meaſure of our delight in the enjoyment, is our grief in the loss of theſe things. The apoſtleknits theſe two graces, temperance and patience, toge ther, in the precept, 2 Pet. i. 16. and it is veryobfervable how intemperance and impatience are inſeparably linked in experi ence, yea, the experience of the beſt men

You read, Gen. xxxvii. 3. " Now Ifrael lovedJoſeph more than all his children, " because he was the fon ofhis old age; and madehim a coat

" of many colours ."

Thiswas the darling; Jacob's heart was ſo exceedingly fet uponhim, his very life was bound up in the life of the lad.

Now when the ſuppoſeddeath of his child was brought tohim, how did he carry it ? See ver. 34, 35. " And Jacob rent his

" clothes, and put fackcloth upon his loins ; and mourned for " his ſon manydays : And all his fons, and all hisdaughters,

"roſeup to comfort him, but he refuſedtobe comforted. And " he ſaid, for I will go down into the grave to myfon mourn

*" ing. Thus his father wept for him."

Here, as in a glaſs, are the effects ofexceſſive love toa child repreſented : Here you may fee what work immoderate lovewill make, even in a fanctified heart.

O therefore let your moderation be known to all men, in your delights and forrows about earthly things ; for ordinarily the proportion of the one is anſwerable to the other.

Rule 2. Ifyou wouldnot be overwhelmed with grief for the lofs of your relations, be exact and careful in difcharging your duties tothem while you have them The teftimony of your confcience, that you have laboured in all things todiſchargethe duties you owed to yourrelations,

A Token for Mourners.

whilfttheywerewithyou, will prove an excellentallay toyour forrows for them when they are no longeryours.

It isnot fo much the ſingle affliction, as the guilt charged uponus intimes of affliction, that makes our load toheavy.

Owhata terrible thing is ittolook uponourdead friends, whilst confcience isaccuſingandupbraidingus for our dutiesneglected, and fuch or fuch fins committed ? O you little think how dreadful a ſpectacle this will make the dead body of thy friend to thee !

Conſcience, if notquite ſtupid ordead, will speak atfuch a time. O therefore, as ever you would provide for a comfortable parting at death, or meet again atjudgment ; be exact, punctual, and circumſpect, inall your relative duties.

Rule 3. If you would not be overwhelmed by trouble for the lofs of dear relations, then turn to God under your trouble, and pour out your forrows, by prayer, into his bosom.

This will eaſe and allay your troubles.

Bleſſed beGod for the ordinanceof prayer ; how much are all the faints beholden to it, at alltimes, but eſpecially inheart-ſinking and diſtreſsful times It is fome relief, when in diſtreſs, wecanpour out our trouble into the boſom of awife, or faithful friend; how much more when we leave our complaint before the gracious, wife, and faithfulGod ?

I told you before of that holy man, whohaving loft bis dear and only fon, got to his clofet, there poured out his ſoul freely tothe Lord, and when he camedown tohis friends, that were waiting below tocomfort him, and fearinghow he wouldbear that ſtroke, he came from hisduty with a chearful countenance, telling them he would be content. to bury a fon, if it were poſſible, every day, provided he might enjoy fuch comfort as his foul hadfoundinthat private hour.

Gothy way, Chriſtian, tothyGod, get thee tothyknees in the cloudyand dark day ; retire from all creatures, that thou mayeſt have thy fall liberty with thyGod, and there pour out thy heart before him, in free, full, and broken-hearted confeffions of fin: Judge thyself worthy of hell, as well asof this trouble: justifyGod in all his finarteſt ſtrokes ; beg him, in this diſtreſs , to put underthee everlasting arms; intreat one

-i ſmile, one gracious look, to enlighten thy darkness, and chear thy drooping ſpirit.

Say, with the prophet, Jer. xvii. 17.

" Be thou not a terror to me, thou art my hope in theday of " evil."

And trywhat relief fuch a courte will afford thee.

Surely, if thyheart be fincere inthiscourſe, thou ſhaltbe able to ſay with that holy man, Piaim xciv. 29. " In the multitude

AToken for Mourners.

" of mythoughts which I had within me, thy comforts have "delighted my soul."

Rule 4. If you wouldbear the loss ofyourdear relations with moderation, eye God inthewhole process of the affliction more, andfecondary causes and circumstances of the matter leſs- " I was dumb, Iopened not mymouth, becauſe thou didſt

" it," Pfal. xxxix. 9.

Confider the handof the Lord in the whole matter : And that, First, As a ſovereign hand, which hath right to diſpoſe of thee, and all thy comforts, without thy leaveor confent, Job xxxiii. 13.

Secondly, As a father's hand correcting thee in love and faithfulness.

Prov. iii. 11. " Whom the Lord loveth he cor- " recteth, as a father the ſon inwhom he delighteth." O if onceyou could but ſee affliction as a rod in a father's hand, proceeding from his love, and intendedfor your eternal good ; how quiet would you then be ?

And furely if itdraws your heart nearer toGod, and mortifies it more to this vainworld, it is a rod in the hand of ſpecial love: If it end in your love to God, doubt not but it comes fromGod's love to you.

Thirdly, As a juſt andrighteous hand.

Haſt not thou procuredthis to thyself by thy own folly ?

Yea, the Lord is just inall that iscomeupon thee; whatever he hath done, yet he hath done thee no wrong.

Fourthly, Laſtly, As a moderate and merciful hand that hath puniſhedthee leſs than thine iniquities deſerve: He that hath caſt thee into affliction, might juſtly have caſt thee intohell. It is of the Lord's mercythat thouartnotconfumed. Why doth the livingman complain ?

J Rule 5. If you would bear your affliction with moderation, compare it with the afflictions of other men, and that willgreat. lyquiet your spirits.

Youhave no cauſe to ſayGod hath dealt bitterly with you, and that there is no forrow likeyour forrow : Look round about you, and impartially confiderthe conditionthat others are in; and theynothing inferior toyou in any reſpect. You had one deadchild, Aarenhadtwo ata ſtroke,Job allatone ſtroke ; and both theſeby an immediate ſtroke from the hand ofGod. Some godly parents have lived to fee their children die in their finby thehandof justice; others have ſeen them live to the diſhonour ofGod, and breaking of their own ſpirits, and would have eſteemed it a mercy if they had died from the womb, and

AToken for Mourners.

given up the ghofſt when they came out of the belly, as Job ſpeaks, In what mifery have ſome parents ſeen their children die !

Godholding them as ſo many terrible ſpectacles of miſery before their eyes ; ſo that they have begged the Lord, with importunity, to let looſe his hands, and cut them off; deathbeing, intheir eſteem, nothing tothoſe continual agonies inwhich theyhave ſeen them lie weltering from day today. O you little know what a bitter cup others have had given them to drink ?

Surely, if you compare, you muſt ſay, the Lord hath dealt gently and graciouſly with me.

Rule 6. Carefully ſhun, andavoidwhatsoevermay renewyour forrow, arprovoke you to impatience.

Increaſe not your forrowby the ſight of, or difcourſes about ſad objects ; and labour to avoid them, as occaſions preſented by the enemy of your fouls, to draw forth the corruptions of your heart.

I told you before, why Jacob would not have the child of which Rachel died, called after the name his wife had given,

Benoni, the ſon of my forrow; leſt it ſhould prove a daily oс- ✔caſion of renewing his trouble for the lofs ofhis dearwife ; but he called his name Benjamin.

Your impatience is like tinder,or gun powder, ſo long as you canprevent the ſparks from falling on it, there is no great danger; but you that carry fuchdangerous prepared matter in your own hearts, cannot be too careful toprevent them. Do by murmuring, as you do by blafphemous thoughts ; think quite another way, and give no occafion.

Rule7. In the day ofyour mourning for the death ofyour friends,feriously confider yourown death as approaching, and that you, andyourdeadfriendare distinguiſbed by a small intervalandpoint of time.

2 Sam. xi . 13. Ishallgo to him.

Surely the thoughts of your owndeath, as approaching alſo, will greatly allay your forrows for thedead that are gone before you.We are apt to fancya long life in the world, and then the lofs of thoſe comforts which we promiſed ourſelves ſo much of the ſweetneſs and comforts of our lives from, ſeems an intolerable thing.

Butwould you realize your own deaths more, you would Could notbe ſodeeplyconcerned for their deaths as you are. youbut look into your owngraves more ſerioufly, you would be able to look into your friend's grave more compoſedly.

Preparationsfor Sufferings.

Andthus I have finiſhed what I deſigned from this ſcripture.

The Father of mercies, and God of all comforts, whoſe fole prerogative it is to comfort them that are caſtdown, write all his truths upon yourhearts, thatthey may abide there, and reduce your difordered affections to that frame which beſt ſuits the will of God, andthe profeffionyou make ofſubjectionand refignation thereunto.

PREPARATIONS

FOR

SUFFERINGS

OR, The beſt WORK in the worſt TIMES .

Wherein the Neceſſity, Excellency, andMeans of our readi neſs for Sufferings are evinced and preſcribed ; our Call to Suffering cleared, andthe great unreadineſs of manyProfeffors bewailed.

THE EPISTLE TO

THE READER.

Twas the obfervation ofthe learnedGerfon(whentheworld I was not fo old, by many years, as now it is) that mundus

Jenescens patitur phantafias : The aged world, like aged per fous, dotes, andgrows whimſical, in its oldage; the truthof which obfervation isconfirmedbynoone thing more, thanthe fond andgroundleſs dreams, andphantasms of tranquillity, and continuing profperity, wherewith the multitude pleaſe them. ſelves, evenwhilit the ſins of the times are ſo great, and the ſigns of the times ſoſad andlowringas theyare.

It is not the defign of this Manual to ſcare, and affrightany man, with imaginarydangers, much leſs to ſow jealoufies, and foment thediſcontents of the times; it being ajuſt matter of lamentation, that all the tokens ofGod's anger produce with manyof us no better fruitbut bold cenſures, and loud cla mours, insteadof humiliation for our own fins, and due pre

The Epiffle to the Reader.

parationtotakeupourown croſs, and followChriſt in a fuffering path, which is the only mark and aim of this tract.

We read the hiſtories of the primitive ſufferers,butnotwith aſpirit prepared to follow them. Some cenfure them as too prodigal of their blood, and others commend their courage, and conſtancy ; but where are they that fincerely refolve, and prepare to be followers of them, who through faith and pa. tience inherit the promises ? Heb. vi. 12. or take them for an - " example of fuffering, affliction, and of patience," Jam. v.

10.

It is as much our intereſt, as it is our duty, tobe ſeaſonably awakened out of our pleasant, but moſt pernicious drowzineſs.

Troubles will be ſo much the more ſinking, and intolerable, by how much they ſteal uponus by way of ſurprizal.

For look, as expectation deflowers any temporal comfort, by fucking -out much of the ſweetness thereof before-hand, and ſo we find the leſs in it when we come to the actual enjoyment : So the expectation of evils abates much of the dread and terror, by accuſtoming our thoughts before-hand to them, and making preparation for them: So thatwe findthem not ſogrievous, amazing, and intolerable, when they are come indeed.

This was exemplified to us very lively by holy Mr. Bradford the martyr, when the keeper's wife came running into his chamber, ſaying, 'O, Mr Bradford, I bringyou heavytidings,

' for to-morrowyou must be burned, your chain isnowbuying, *and preſentlyyou mustgo toNewgate.' He put off his hat, andlooking up toheaven, faid, O Lord, I thankthee for it; I have looked for this a long time: Itcomes not ſuddenly to me, the Lord make me worthy of it.

See in this example the fingular advantageof a prepared andready foul.

Reader, The cup of fufferings is a very bitter cup, and it is but needful that we provide fomewhat to ſweeten it, that we maybe able to receive it with thanksgiving ; and what thoſe fweetening ingredients are, and how to prepare them, you will have ſome direction andhelp in the following diſcourſe; which hathonce already been preſented to the public view; and that itmayat this time alſo(wherein nothingcanbemoreſeaſonable) become farther useful, and affifting, to the people ofGod in their preſentduties, is thehearty defire of Thine, and the church's fervant in Christ,

JOHN FLAVEL

VOL. VII.

Preparations for Sufferings : Or, Acts xxi . 13 .

Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep, and to break my heart ?

For I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerufalem for the name of the Lord Jejus.

CHAP.

Wherein the text is opened, andthe doctrinepropounded.

THE Divine providence is not more ſignally diſcovered in governing the motions of the clouds, than it is in dil poing and ordering the ſpirits and motions of the miniſters of the goſpel, who, in a mystical ſenſe, are fruitful clouds, todif penfe the ſhowers of goſpel-bleſſings to the world.

The mo tion of the clouds is not ſpontaneous, but they move as they are moved by the winds; neither can goſpel-miniſters chufe their own ſtations, and govern their own motions, but mustgo when and where the Spirit and providence ofGod directs and guides them ; as will evidently appear in that dangerous voyage to Jerufalem in which the apostle was at this time engaged.

Acts xx. 22. " And now, behold, Igobound inthe Spiritto " Jerufalem," [bound in the Spirit :) Alluding tothewateryva pours which are bound up in clouds, and conveyed according to the motions of the winds. This journey was full of danger;

Paul foreſaw his buſineſs was not only to plant the gospel al Jerufalem with his doctrine, but to water it alſo with his blood; but ſo effectually was his willdetermined by the will ofGod, that he chearfully complies with his duty therein, whatsoever difficulties anddangers did attend it.

And indeed itwas his great advantage, that the will ofGod was ſo plainly, and convincingly revealed to him touching this matter ; for no fooner did he employ himself to obey this call ofGod, but he is preſently affaulted by many ſtrong temptations to decline it .

The firſt rub he met in his way, was from thediſciples of Tyre, who pretending to ſpeak by the Spirit, ſaid unto Paul, thathe ſhould not go up toJerufalem, Acts xxi. 4.

The Lord by this trying the ſpirit of his apoſtle much, as he didthe youngprophetcoming fromJudea to Bethel, 1 Kings xiii. 18. but not with like ſucceſs.

His next diſcouragement was at Caeſarea, where Agabus (whom Dorotheus affirms to be of the ſeventy-two diſciples, and hadbefore prophefiedof the famine inthe reign of Claudius,

The best Work in the worst Times.

which accordinglycame to paſs) takes Paul's girdle, and binding his own hands and feet with it, faid, " Thus faith the Holy

" Ghoſt, ſo ſhall the Jewsat Jerufalem bind the manthat own- " eth this girdle, and ſhalldeliver him into the hands of the " Gentiles," Acts xxi. 11.

And furely he was not ignorant what he muſt expect whenever he ſhould fall into their hands ; yet neither could this affright him from his duty.

But then, laſt of all, he meeteth with the foreft trial from hisdearest friends, whofell uponhim with paſſionate intreaties, and many tears, beſeeching him to decline that journey : O they could not give up ſuch a miniſter as Paul was ! this even melted himdown, and almoſt broke his heart, which yet was eafier todo, than to turn him out of the path of obedience :

Where, by the way, we may note two things :

First, That divine precept, not providence, is to rule out our wayof duty.

Secondly, That no hindrances, or diſcouragements, whatfoever, will justify our neglect of a knownduty.

All theſe rubs he paſſes over ; all theſe diſcouragements he overcame, with this heroic and truly Chriſtian reſolution in the text; " What meanye toweep, and to break my heart ?

For " I am readynot tobe bound only, but alſo to die at Jerufalem, " for the name of the Lord Jeſus."

In which words we have, 1. Aloving and gentle rebuke.

2. Aquieting and calming argument.

First, He lovingly and gently rebukes their fond and inordinate forrow for his departure, in theſe words, What mean ye to weep, and to break my heart ?

As if he ſhould ſay, What mean theſe paſſionate intreaties, andtempting tears ?

To what purpoſe is all this a-do ? They are but fomany ſnares of Satan, to turn myheart out of the way of obedience : You do as much as in you lies to break my heart; let there be no more of this, I beſeech you.

Secondly, He labours to charm their unruly paſſions with a veryquieting and calming argument ; For I am ready, &c. ετοίμως εχω, parate habeo.

I am prepared, and fitted for the greateſt ſufferings which ſhall befal me inthe pursuit of my duty; be it a priſon, or be it death, I am provided for either :

Liberty is dear, and life much dearer, but Chriſt is dearer than either.

Butwhat was there in all this, to fatisfy themwhoſe trouble itwas to fee him ſo forward ?

Let the words be conſidered, Pp2

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