A Sermon Occasioned By The Death Of Benjamin Seward, Esq
A Sermon Occasioned By The Death Of Benjamin Seward, Esq
Preached April 8, 1753
Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright; for the end of that man is peace—Psalm 37:37.
THE occasion of my reading these words to you, at this time, is the decease of BENJAMIN SEWARD, Esq; late of Bengworth in Worcestershire. The last Lord’s day he worshipped in public with saints below, was in this place; just five weeks ago. It is at the request of his surviving relations that I preach on this solemn occasion: no passage of scripture being left by the deceased for this purpose, and none given me by his friends; but this being suggested to me by a relation; and no other more proper to the occasion, or more suitable to the character of the deceased, occurring to my mind; I determined to make use of it, and improve it in the best manner I can to your profit and edification.
The general view of the Psalmist in this psalm is to dissuade men truly good from envy, fretfulness, and impatience at the prosperity of the wicked; and to exhort them to be still and quiet; to wait patiently on the Lord, and trust in him; showing the care God takes of such, and the good things he does, or will bestow upon them; and also the sure and sudden destruction of the wicked: a beautiful contrast between the righteous and the wicked may be observed throughout the whole psalm, and particularly in the text and context. I have seen the wicked in great power, says the Psalmist; having in his mind, it is highly probable, some particular person, as Saul, or Doeg the Edomite, or Ahitophel, or some such one, in great authority, in an exalted station of life, when he was in low circumstances: such an one s preading himself like a green bay-tree; in a very flourishing condition, in a seemingly settled state of outward felicity, and glorying in it, and striking terror into all around him: yet he passed away, and lo he was not; either his power, and riches, and honor, were suddenly taken from him; or he was taken by death from them, and was no more the man he had been; or was no more in the land of the living: yea I sought him, but he could not be found; in the place where he formerly was, that knowing him no more; he could not be found on earth, from whence he was taken; nor in heaven, where there is no place for such persons: he was gone to his own place, as is said of Judas, of whom Jerom, an ancient writer, interprets the whole passage: but, on the other hand, mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace: observe the truly sincere and gracious man, in his character, principles, and practices; trace him throughout the whole of his conversation; view him in every light, in life, and at death; and you will find the issue of all to be solid peace, prosperity and happiness. In the words may be observed,
I. The character of a real good man, described as perfect and upright.