A39658:254
The balm of the covenant applied to the bleeding wounds of afflicted saints First…
The balm of the covenant applied to the bleeding wounds of afflicted saints First composed for the relief of a pious and worthy family, mourning over the deaths of their hopeful children; and now made public for the support of all Christians, sorrowing on the same or any other account. To which is added, A sermon preached for the funeral of that excellent and religious gentleman John Upton of Lupton esq; by John Flavell, preacher of the gospel at Dartmouth in Devon.The balm of the covenant applied to the bleeding wounds of afflicted saints First composed for the relief of a pious and worthy family, mourning over the deaths of their hopeful children; and now made publick for the support of all Christians, sorrowing on the same or any other account. To which is added, A sermon preached for the funeral of that excellent and religious gentleman John Upton of Lupton esq; by John Flavell, preacher of the gospel at Dartmouth in Devon.
London: printed for J. Harris, 1688
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
O let all that love Zion, lament this day the fall of one of her true Friends and Lovers. I know Funeral Panegyrics are apt to be suspected of flattery; but as I want a Rhetorical Tongue for such a work, so if I had it, it should never ⟨p. 139⟩be saleable for so base a use and purpose. I am sure by sending the generality that die to Heaven, many are confirmed in the way to Hell. Nor can I but think of that serious Line in Chrysostom, What a poor comfort is it, to be praised where a man is not, and to be tormented where he is. But yet the righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance, Psal. 112.6. Expect nothing from me on this occasion, but what may be spoken with greatest assurance of truth, and that intended for the benefit and imitation of all that hear it. Some may think it a strain too high, to compare a private person with such a glorious King as Josiah was; but if Christ compared and preferred the very Grass of the Field, to Solomon in all his glory, I know no reason why we may not compare and parallel the precious Graces of a private person with a royal Saint, especially since the comparison is only made in the religious, not in the civil capacity.
O let all that love Sion, lament this day the fall of one of her true Friends and Lovers. I know Funeral Panegyricks are apt to be suspected of flattery; but as I want a Rhetorical Tongue for such a work, so if I had it, it should never ⟨p. 139⟩be saleable for so base a use and purpose. I am sure by sending the generality that die to Heaven, many are confirmed in the way to Hell. Nor can I but think of that serious Line in Chrysostom, What a poor comfort is it, to be praised where a man is not, and to be tormented where he is. But yet the righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance, Psal. 112.6. Expect nothing from me on this occasion, but what may be spoken with greatest assurance of truth, and that intended for the benefit and imitation of all that hear it. Some may think it a strain too high, to compare a private person with such a glorious King as Iosiah was; but if Christ compared and preferr'd the very Grass of the Field, to Solomon in all his glory, I know no reason why we may not compare and parallel the precious Graces of a private person with a royal Saint, especially since the comparison is only made in the religious, not in the civil capacity.