An antidote against immoderate mourning for the dead. Being a funeral sermon preached at the burial of Mr. Thomas Bewley junior, December 17th. 1658. By Sa. Clarke, pastor in Bennet Fink, London.

For the first:

What do you call a well-grounded hope?

I use this Epithite, to distinguish it from that ill-grounded hope wherewith so many do delude them∣selves. as

First, because their friends were born of Christian Parents, Baptized, and brought up in the Church.

Secondly, Because they had gotten some knowledge,

and made an outward profession of Religion.

Thirdly, because they used to attend upon the pub∣lick ordinances, and that with some seeming devotion.

Fourthly, Because they were free from grosse sins, and dealt justly with every man.

Fifthly, Because they enjoyed outward peace and prosperity, the Sun of God shining upon their Taber∣nacles.

Sixthly, Because they died quietly like lambs, and it may be, went out of the world with some good words in their mouths, Psal. 73. 4, 5. There are no bands in their death, but their strength is firm; they are not in trouble as other men. From these and such like weak grounds, they presume that their friends after death must needs go to heaven, and therefore they comfort themselves, and one another with these words: whereas the truth is, they may go to Hell after all these things. Our Sa∣viour Christ tells us, Matt. 5. 20. that except our righte∣ousnesse shall exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees, we shall in no case enter into the Kingdome of Heaven: And these men are so far from exceeding, that they come short of the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees, who were frequent in Alms-deeds, in prayer, in fasting, Mat. 6. 2. 5. 16. and yet Christ calls them hy∣pocrites. Yea, they made long prayers, Matth. 23. 14. they compassed Sea and land to make one Proselyte, v. 15. they payed even their smallest tithes, v. 23. They out∣wardly appeared righteous unto men: v. 28. they bla∣med their fathers for murthering the Prophets, and by way of compensation to free themselves from the guilt, they built Tombs for those Prophets, and garnished the Se∣pulchres of the righteous, v. 29. 30. notwithstanding all which, Christ pronounceth many woes against them.

Thus we see what are ill-grounded hopes, which

prove but like a spiders web to those that trust in them. I shall therefore in the next place shew you what is a well-grounded hope of the happinesse of our friends de∣parted, which consists in this:

When our deceased friends have in their life-time gi∣ven us some good evidence of the work of grace and sanctification wrought in their hearts, whereby we could discern that, by Gods blessing upon the means, their eyes were opened, that they were turned from darknesse to light, and from the power of Satan unto God: For then we may conclude, that they have received forgivenesse of their sins and an inheritance amongst them that are sanctified by faith that is in Christ, Act. 26. 18.

Notes

• Quest.
• Answ.