A42350:94
The Christians labour and reward, or, A sermon, part of which was preached at…
The Christians labour and reward, or, A sermon, part of which was preached at the funeral of the Right Honourable the Lady Mary Vere, relict of Sir Horace Vere, Baron of Tilbury, on the 10th of January, 1671, at Castle Heviningham in Essex by William Gurnall ...
London: printed by J.M. for Ralph Smith, 1672
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.
Look upon it, as the uncovering of the Ark of thy body, wherein thou hast been tossed and tumbled sorely upon the ⟨p. 122⟩waves of a restless life, to set thee on shore on Heavens firm and peaceable Land. Is the betrothed Spouse afraid of her Marriage day? or a Prince loth to cross a narrow Sea, to take possession of a wide Kingdom, and a rich Crown, that wait only for his coming? No (Christian) fear not thou death, but rather let thy heart revive with old Jacobs, at the sight of this Wagon or Chariot, which is sent to bring thee over to thy Heavenly Fathers house.
Fifthly, Let it moderate your sorrow, for the death of your Pious Friends, and useful Instruments in their Generations. Indeed, the loss of such is great, to those that are left behind; and therefore God allows us to mourn, when such breaches are made upon us; but withal, he sets bounds to our sorrow, that we sorrow not even as others, which have no hope, nor mourn so as to refuse to be comforted; to take our own loss so to heart, as not to rejoice in their gain: Is this thy kindness to thy Friends? wouldst thou have them ⟨p. 123⟩labour, and never rest? work, and never receive their reward? They could not have had these here, but they have them where they are gone. Oh be not unkind to them, by being over-kind to your selves. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, (saith our Saviour to his Disciples) because I said I go to the Father, Joh. 16.28. As if he had said to them, you are indeed (my Disciples) too selfish. You think what you shall lose if I depart hence, but you do not consider, what I should lose, by my staying here: You see the poor condition I live in here on Earth, and know the Royalty and Glory I am going to be possessed of in Heaven; and are you unwilling I should be advanced to my Throne there; and that after I shall have finished the work of your Redemption here? Truly you are unkind, and show but little love, in this, to me, your dear Lord and Saviour. Nor do we express much love to our deceased Friends, of whose happy change we have no reason to doubt,