x 4 Elifha's C R Y aauated by the fame hope ofthe fame bleffed State above, as our Encouragement to perfift in what we undertake and all this by the Ç a e Redeemer. Chrilt yet abides the fame, and will take Care, that all his Faithful Minifters want not that Unaion, nor that meafureof it, which their important FaaEcion calls for. O Let this therefore fhame andCheck our immoderate Refentments of the recefs offilch as this Elijah was, though Excellent andufeful Prophets. And (rather than pour out our Tears abundantly upon the Hearfe, and Memory of retired Prophets to their Eternal home) let as rejoyce that Chrilt is gone to Heaven ; that our remo-' ved Prophets are now with him and that Chrift himfeif e're longwill bring and keep us altogether with hhnfeif, o Cor. iv. s4, s . i `IhrJ:'iv. siv, t --- 3. and, Ver.28. Wherein we findChrift pleading clofely, and reproving their immoderate Griefs for his Departure, in thefe words, Ye have beard how I faid toyou., Igo away and come again toyou. Ifyc loved me, ye wouldrejoyce becaufe I faid, Igo to the Father, for my Father is greater than I. Chrift hereby tries the tem- per of their Love, and minds them of the regular management of that Central Grace, and tacitly upbraids them with the undifcerned coarfnefs of their love to him. They were to walk by Faith; and tohe more folicitous about the future than the prefent Este of things ; and about their accommodations for their ap- proaching Work, and Tryals, than for the plcafures that refulted from a prefent friend on Earth, though it were Chrilt himfeif in flefh. And one would think, the Apoftle Paul himfeif was more than toucht with the fenfe and favour of this pnllhge, by what hehas left upon Record in ii Cor. v. 16. Where he thus Vents himfeif; Wherefore (faith he) henceforth know we no man after the Fl fh - yea though we have known Chrifl after the Flefh, yet now henceforth know we him no mare: Th n- forcementsof which Charge and Connfel you have in Per, t 7 - - -ty. 3. As this is a Providential Day fpr Funeral Thoughts and Sorroìvs,becaafe of God's heavy hand upon the Worldand Church, my Selfand You, by the Removal of Elijah's lively Image, The Reverend and Excellent Mr. Richard Baxter : So we have to evescire our prefent thoughts, (1. ) The Prophet's Charaller and Exit. ( a.) God's Voice to us thereby. ( 3.) Our Great Concern to have God's pre- fence with you, and the Prophet's Mantle with me (if fuck a thing canbe ExpeB- ed by me) to our belt benefit and advantage. (i. ) As to the Cbaral1er of that Prophet, whole Soul is gone from us to Heaven : Mr. Richard Baxter was a perfon defervedly of great Fame and Cha- rafter in his Day. He feem'd to be a Tranfcript of what is left upon Record con- cerning St. Pant, Sylvanas and Timothy in i 7he]r. ii. t. - --s a. 'Tis evident he was a Man of God, a Gafpel-Prophet. He was furaifhed for fervent in, painful about, and faithful to his Minifterial Trutt and Work : And extraordi- nary in the evident acceptance and fuccelfes of his Minifterial Labours. A Manof clear, deep, fixed thoughts ; a Man of copious and well-digefted Reading ; a Man of ready, free, and very proper Elocution; and aptly expref ,,ve of his own thoughts and fentiments. He was molt intent upon theweightieft and miff ufeful parts of Learning ; yet a great lover of all kinds and degrees thereof. He could, in Preaching, Writing, Conference, accommodate himfeif to all Capacities ; and an- fwer his Obligations to the Wife andUnwife: He had a moving waits, and ufeful Acrimony in his words.; neither did his Exprefliionswant their Emphatical Accent, as the Matter did require. And whenhe fpake of weightySoul-Concerns, you might find his very Spirit Drench'd therein, He was pleafingly converfible, fave in hisStudying-hours, wherein he could not hear with trivial difturbances. He was fparingly facetious ; but never light or frothy. His heart was warm, plain fixed ; his Life was Blamelefs, Exemplary,Uniform. He was immoveable, where apprehenfiveof his Duty ; yet Affable and Condefcending where likelihood of doing good was in his propee&. His Perfonal Abítinence, Severities and La- boars, were exceeding great:. He kept his Body at an Ender ; and always fear'd pampering his fleih too much . He diligently, and with great pleafure minded his Matter's Workwithin doors and without, whilft he was able. His Charity was very great ; greatly proportionable to his Abilities: hisPurfe was ever open to the Poor ; and, where the Cafe requir'd it, he never thought great Sums too much : he rather gave Cumulatim than Denariatim ; and fated what he gave to the Neceffities and Characters of thofe he gave to : Nor was hisCharity cort- fin'd
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=