will be like the arrest of a traitor; a hurry out of | vant, you are not enough acquainted with that glory, the world, like the surprise of that wretched world- you know but in part, and prophesy but in part; ling, Thou fool, this night shall thy soul be required come up and see what it is; and leave your congreof thee. Let it, therefore, be our daily care, as we gation to conclude what it is by the removal of one observed it was his frequent prayer, to be ready for thither that was such a jewel in this lower world." that which will come certainly, and may come sud-We may make some faint guesses at heaven's denly.b Lastly. He being dead, yet speaks,-comfort and encouragement to those of you who belong to Christ, and are faithful to him. Is there any honey in the carcass of a lion? Any sweetness to be extracted out of so sad a providence? Yes, there is. If Christ's leaving his disciples was (though then sorrow filled their hearts) matter of rejoicing to them, John xiv. 28. why may not the removal of a faithful minister furnish us with some comfortable thoughts? He is gone before, as it were, to show you the way. His inheriting the promises is an engagement to those who (though they stay behind yet) have made those promises their heritage for ever. You that were his joy in this world, shall be his crown in the other. | You know in his monthly lecture in this place, he was preaching over the four last things, viz. death, judgment, hell, and heaven: the three first of which he had spoken very largely and excellently to; and, in the course of his ministry, he was next to have preached concerning heaven; and, it is likely, if God had continued him a while longer among you, you might have heard many good words and comfortable words from him on that subject. But, as if the great God should say,-"Come, my dear ser b See the Fading of the Flesh, &c. by the Rev. George Swinnock, pp. 34, 36. 4to. 1662. c See a like record in the Life and Death of the Rev. R. Bolton, p. 30. ut supra. glory, when we consider that it is both the perfection and recompence of the holiness of the saints. That is certainly a blessed and glorious place, that is the receptacle of all those who were the blessings and glories of this earth. Being dead, he yet speaketh to you; that he is gone before, and is arrived, at last, into a safe and quiet harbour, and you shall not be long at sea. Though now we have parted with him in a melancholy shower of tears, yet, blessed be God, we sorrow not as those who have no hope: for we have good hope through grace, of meeting him again, and being for ever with him, and with all the saints,-and, which is best of all, with the Lord. Those who live up to these hopes in close walking, may live upon these hopes in comfortable walking. They who now sow in tears shall shortly reap in joy; and those who, by patient continuance in well-doing, seek for glory, honour, and immortality, shall shortly return, as other the ransomed of the Lord, to the heavenly Sion, with songs of praise and triumph; and everlasting joy shall fill their hearts and crown their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. With which words let all who mourn in Zion comfort themselves, and one another.d A SERMON, PREACHED AT BROAD OAK, JUNE 4, 1707, ON OCCASION OF THE DEATH OF MRS. KATHARINE HENRY, RELICT OF MR. PHILIP HENRY, WHO FELL ASLEEP IN THE LORD, MAY 25, 1707, IN THE 79TH YEAR OF HER AGE. BY HER SON, THE REV. MATTHEW HENRY, V. D. M. PROVERBS xxxi. 28. Her children shall arise up, and call her blessed. THIS is part of the just debt owing to the virtuous woman, that answers the characters laid down in the foregoing verses; and part of the reward promised and secured to her by him, who, in both worlds, is, and will be, the Rewarder of them that diligently seek and serve him. which Phil. iv. 8. virtue, saith the apostle, if there be any praise; recompences of obedience in obedience. In keeping of them there is this great reward. It is, indeed, enough to make them truly and eter-likewise to attend virtue, and is one of the present nally happy, that virtuous people are blessed of God; that the Lord Jesus'is raised up in his gospel to bless them, will arise up at the great day to call them blessed,―come ye blessed of my Father; of him they are sure to be blessed. He that sows righteousness, has that sure reward; and those whom he blesseth they are blessed indeed; his pronouncing them happy makes them so. This is enough to engage us all to, and encourage us all in, the study and practice of virtue and piety, that the praise of it, whether it be of men or no, is of God. If men should be unrighteous, yet God will not, to forget the work and labour of love; though men should put slights, God will put honours, upon those that fear his name. It follows here, verse 30.—A woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised; which is, (1.) A promise to those who are virtuous, that they shall have not only the comfort of it in their own bosoms, living and dying, but the credit of it also among their relations, friends, and neighbours, of whom they shall be had in honour, both present and absent. (2.) It is a precept to those that are about them, that they give them the praise of it. That of Solomon the Jews read as a precept, Proverbs x. 7. Let the memory of the just be blessed; and, therefore, when they make mention of any eminent saint, they add, Sit memoria ejus benedicta, Let his memory be blessed. We call the burying of our dead friends, the last office of our love to them, but it is not so, there is a further office of love owing to them, a debt to their memories, which we must always be paying, and must not, while we live, think ourselves discharged from. |