5 72 i4mbrof. ad panit. agend. caber. rem. yr oY,ÿWonrÿ 5Tù, rirìr. +e 7420,10-nip ¡Mn rt>íne. Hippoaatrr in juramento Strigel Yhil, t 16. Mat. mil. í8 The rrseAccountant: tbyfn,tbou Fiala not die. Qsanturit valet tresfyllaba, Peceavi P Hoyt, prevalent area three fyllables,prónounced by a penitent heart, I báve finid, to móve the Godof mercy to mercy ? And here 1 hope I thall feafonably call in avvord ofadvice tomy Brethren of the Clergy, that dejefted fsnners may vvith fafety lodg their grievances in their breafts; let me define them, That astheLavvyer and the Phyflcian are true to their Profe . lion, fo they vvould be faithful in theirMiniftry, that poor fouls may fly to them vvith confidence for comfört in their factconflicts for fin and vvith fin.. This makes fo many Chriftians to carry their fin vvith them to their graves, rather than they vvill difclofe ir, bccaufe they dare notrepofe any truft in thofe that ought to be as true to them as theirovvn hearts. If vve find a man truly penitent for his fins,let us cover them vvith thevail ofCharity, andonly declare his repentance to the vvorld, that Godmay beglorified, andgoodChrlftians on Barth, as the Angels inHeaven, rejoyce in the converfion ofa(inner. I hwe much tdfpeak,but am vvillingtocontraa my felf,as knovving you are fully fatisfied in that faithful Teftimony 1 have already given you. Re not fo -unchari- table,as to thinkI might be miftaken in thisgood Gentleman; I was often vvith him andhad frequent converfe vvith him, and the freedom'to fpeak, and I found him al- vvays in thefame humble frame and temper offpirit ; and I mpft profefsthis, Ihave notoftenreceived morefatisfa&ion. fromany man inrefraof the finkand comfort' ' of my endeavour, than from him. I metvvith an humble and tractable fpirit, mil- ling to hear of the vvrath ofGod dueto (inners, and carefull and follìcitous hovv he might avoid it ; truly fenfible of thevveight of his fins, much dejeaed vvith the thought ofthem ; and fo far the fenfeof his fins had humbledhim,as that' may fay, Malice it feltcould not judge vvorfeofhim,thanhe did of himfelf. And thatvvhich made me believe thetruthofhis humiliation for fin, vvasthis, That I found nopre- fumptuous thoughts aging in his heart ofGodsmercy ; but vvhen Ìfought to chear him vviththe hopeofGodsmercy to penitent finners,he toldme,Hewadnotyet bum- bled enough topartake of it. I vvas much fatisfied in this anfvver, as knovving the deeper the foundation islaid,the furer is the building; the morehumblevve are, the firmer will our confidencebe in Chrift. And from that time I strove toComforthim with the precious Promifesofthe Gofpel, and toldhim hemight upon the word of Chrift challenge an intend}inthem, Comeunto me allye that labour, andare heavy laden, and I will giveyou refl. Such as ere truly penitent, and only lush, might claim a fpecial Title to the Promifes ofChrift.This didrevive hisfainting fpirit,and the thought of Gods mercy inChrift did as much cheat him, as ever thefenfe of fin had dejeftedhim. Then he began to feel the comfort ofGods love glowing in his 1, breaft; foonafter hefelt the heat of it, and hisaffe&ions were foenflamed with the loveofGod, as that his thoughts were reftlefs, till he enjoyedhim whomhis Soul loved ; and thismade him to count every minutetoo long to be parted frortn Chrift his Saviour. Therefore being now fit for heaven, and weary of the world, and defirous to enjoy God ina better place, the loft words I heardhim utterwere their, Even fo , come Lord ;jefeu, come quickly. Chrift cannot come too loon for that heart that is ready toreceive him, TheLord make us fit for his coming, and we thallbe happy whenfoever he comes. And now after all this thatI havefpoken, you will fay, I have Paid nothing for thehonourof this good Knight, I have not buried him like himfelf ; I have ftrew'd j no flowersofCommendation upon hisHerfe, befitting his quality and Degree, and the Houlehe came from. I confefs allthis. As he definedall vainpomp andoften Cation fhould be laid afide at hisFunerals ; ( For what have I done, Paid he, that I fhould deferve it ? fo have I declined all pomp andvanityofwords in the Pulpit, which is no place to Phew our quaint and lofty (trains of Oratory, but ourzeal to Godsglory, and the edificationofhis people. I came not fo far to fawnand flatter, but to teftifie my pious refpeSls to thememory ofthe Dead, and my unfeigned af- fection to the Souls ofthe Living. But what? Isnot this, that he died a good Chrillian; that heloathedhis former Vanities; that he was truly humbled for his ftns,and refted upon the Mercy ofGod` in>
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=