In Testimony of my unfeigned love, I present you with this brief discourse, which was conceived in your Pulpit, and through the importunity of several of you, brought forth to the Press. The occasion of it (as is well known to you) was the Death of your Neighbour and my dear Relation, Master Caleb Swinnock, (who was interred May, 21. 1662) whose Father and Grand-father had three or four times enjoyed the highest honour, and exercised the highest Office in your Corporation. I am much of his mind, who saith, That Funeral Encomiasticks of the dead, are often confections of poison to the living; for many whose lives speak nothing for them, will draw the example into consequence, and be thereby led into hope, that they may press an Hackney Funeral Sermon, to carry them to Heaven when they dye; and therefore am always sparing my self, though I condemn not the custom in others, where they do it with prudence, and upon good cause. My Friends holy carriage in his sickness (besides his inoffensiveness for ought I ever heard in his health) commandeth me to hope that his soul is in Heaven. I had the happiness some time to be brought up with him, in his Fathers Mr. Robert Swinnocks Family, whose House (I cannot but speak it to the glory of God) had Holiness to the Lord written upon it. His manner was to pray twice a day by himself, once or twice a day with his Wife, and twice a day with ⟨image 9⟩his Family, besides singing Psalms, Reading and Expounding Scriptures, which morning and evening were minded. The Sabbath he dedicated wholly to Gods service, and did not only himself, but took care that all within his Gate should spend the day in secret, and private duties, and in attendance on public Ordinances; of their proficiency by the last, he would take an account upon their return from the Assembly. His house indeed was as Tremellius saith of Cramners, Palaestra Pietatis, a School of Religion. I Write this not so much for the Honour of him (of whose industry for the good of the souls committed to him, I was a frequent eye witness, and whose memory is blessed) but chiefly for your good, that as some of you do already, so others also may be provoked to follow such gracious patterns.
In Testimony of my unfeigned love, I present you with this brief discourse, which was conceived in your Pulpit, and through the importunity of several of you, brought forth to the Press. The occasion of it (as is well known to you) was the Death of your Neighbour and my dear Relation, Master Caleb Swinnock, (who was interred May, 21. 1662) whose Father and Grand-father had three or four times enjoyed the highest honour, and exercised the highest Office in your Corporation. I am much of his mind, who saith, That Funeral Encomiasticks of the dead, are often confections of poison to the living; for many whose lives speak nothing for them, will draw the example into consequence, and be thereby led into hope, that they may press an Hackny Funeral Sermon, to carry them to Heaven when they dye; and therefore am always sparing my self, though I condemn not the custome in others, where they do it with prudence, and upon good cause. My Friends holy carriage in his sickness (besides his inoffensiveness for ought I ever heard in his health) commandeth me to hope that his soul is in Heaven. I had the happiness some time to be brought up with him, in his Fathers Mr. Robert Swinnocks Family, whose House (I cannot but speak it to the glory of God) had Holiness to the Lord written upon it. His manner was to pray twice a day by himself, once or twice a day with his Wife, and twice a day with ⟨image 9⟩his Family, besides singing Psalms, Reading and Expounding Scriptures, which morning and evening were minded. The Sabbath he dedicated wholly to Gods service, and did not onely himself, but took care that all within his Gate should spend the day in secret, and private duties, and in attendance on publique Ordinances; of their proficiency by the last, he would take an account upon their return from the Assembly. His house indeed was as Tremellius saith of Cramners, Palaestra Pietatis, a Scool of Religion. I Write this not so much for the Honour of him (of whose industry for the good of the souls committed to him, I was a frequent eye witness, and whose memory is blessed) but chiefly for your good, that as some of you do already, so others also may be provoked to follow such gracious patterns.
