N00686:13
David serving his generation. Or, A sermon showing what is to be done in…David serving his generation. Or, A sermon shewing what is to be done in…
David serving his generation. Or, A sermon showing what is to be done in order to our so serving our generation, as that when we die, we shall enter into a blessed rest. (Wherein some account is given concerning many eminent ministers of Christ at London, as well as in N.E. lastly gone to their rest.) Occasioned by the death, of the Reverend Mr. John Baily, who deceased at Boston in New-England. December 12th 1697. / By Increase Mather, president of Harvard College. ; [Three lines from Numbers]David serving his generation. Or, A sermon shewing what is to be done in order to our so serving our generation, as that when we dy, we shall enter into a blessed rest. (Wherein some assount is given concerning many eminent ministers of Christ at London, as well as in N.E. lastly gone to their rest.) Occasioned by the death, of the Reverend Mr. John Baily, who deceased at Boston in New-England. December 12th 1697. / By Increase Mather, president of Harvard College. ; [Three lines from Numbers]
Boston: printed by B. Green, 1698
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.
2. We have a description of the Death of this Faithful Servant of God, and of his People. (1.) He fell Asleep. That Expression and Description of Death when applied to Holy men, intimates an happy Death: In this World (as 'tis said of Judah) they find no rest; but Death puts an end to all their hard Service and Sufferings. (2.) He was Laid unto his Fathers. This is true both in respect of his Body which was Laid in the Grave, as his Fore fathers who ⟨p. 6⟩were Dead had been. And in respect of his Soul, which which was carried to that Heaven, where his good Father Jesse (whom the Jews are wont to call Jessai the Righteous) and his Fore-fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were gone before. Often in the Scripture when men die, they are said to be Gathered unto their People; which Expression implies the Immortality of the Soul. At the Hour of Death men pass out of this World into the World of Souls. (3.) David saw Corruption; which is to be understood not of his Spirit, but of his Body only. That Corruption is in order to a Resurrection unto a Glorious Incorruption. As Grain, it may chance or Wheat or some other Grain, is sown under the Earth, and then it corrupts, but after that riseth again with a great addition of beauty; so it is as to the Dead Bodies of Saints, they are sown in Corruption, but raised in Incorruption. This may serve for the opening of the words.
2. We have a description of the Death of this Faithful Servant of God, and of his People. (1.) He fell Asleep. That Expression and Description of Death when applied to Holy men, intimates an happy Death: In this World (as 'tis said of Judah) they find no rest; but Death puts an end to all their hard Service and Sufferings. (2.) He was Laid unto his Fathers. This is true both in respect of his Body which was Laid in the Grave, as his Fore fathers who ⟨p. 6⟩were Dead had been. And in respect of his Soul, which which was carried to that Heaven, where his good Father Jesse (whom the Jews are wont to call Jessai the Righteous) and his Fore-fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were gone before. Often in the Scripture when men dy, they are said to be Gathered unto their People; which Expression implies the Immortality of the Soul. At the Hour of Death men pass out of this World into the World of Souls. (3.) David saw Corruption; which is to be understood not of his Spirit, but of his Body only. That Corruption is in order to a Resurrection unto a Glorious Incorruption. As Grain, it may chance or Wheat or some other Grain, is sown under the Earth, and then it corrupts, but after that riseth again with a great addition of beauty; so it is as to the Dead Bodies of Saints, they are sown in Corruption, but raised in Incorruption. This may serve for the opening of the words.