The righteous mans death lamented. A sermon preached at St. Austins, London, Aug.23. 1662…

ISAIAH LVII. Ver. 1. The righteous perisheth and no man layeth it to heart; and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous are taken away from the evil to come.

WE are here met this Evening, to perform the last Office of Love for an eminent and ancient Servant of Jesus Christ, and excellent Minister of the Gospel, Mr. Simeon Ash, one who hath formerly performed this Office for many other Ministers; and now we are met to perform this Office for him; and it is not long before others will meet to perform the same office for us; so frail, so brittle, and so uncertain is the life of man.

Now the Text that I have chosen, is suitable for this occasion: For this Reverend Minister was first a righteous man; he was righteous in an Evangelical sense, he was one that was justified, and sanctified. Secondly, He was a merciful man, both in an active and passive sense; he was one that showed mercy to the distressed Members of Jesus ⟨p. 2⟩Christ, and he was one to whom God showed mercy; this righteous and merciful man is now perished, as to his outward condition, not as to his everlasting condition; but as to his outward bodily condition he is perished, and he is taken away; the word in the Hebrew is very emphatical; merciful men, Colligu•tur, are gathered; it is the same word that is used concerning Josiah, 2 Kings 22.10. Thou shalt be gathered to thy Fathers, and go to thy grave in peace, and shalt not see the evil that I will bring upon this Nation. This godly and righteous man is now gathered, as ripe Corn in the Barn of Heaven; he is taken away from the evil that is to come, from the beholding that evil that is coming upon the sinful World; he is taken away in mercy, that he may not be troubled with the troubles that are coming upon many; he is taken away from the evil to come.