The checqver-work of God's providences, towards His own people, made up of blacks and whites, viz., of their abasements, and advancements, their distresses, and deliverances, their sullying tribulations, and beautifying relaxations represented in a sermon preached at the funeral of that faithful servant of the Lord, Mary the late wife of Joseph Jackson esq, alderman of the city of Bristol, on the 5 day of May, Anno Dom. 1657 / by Francis Roberts ...

To My much Honoured friend IOSEPH IACK∣SON Es{que} Alderman of the City of Bristol; As also, To all the entirely beloved CHILDREN of MARY his late Dear and Gracious Yoke-fellow, Now sleeping in IESUS, yea living with IE∣SUS; Grace, Mercy and Peace, from the Father of Mercies, and God of all Consolation.

My dear Christian friends,

WHen, upon your desires, I had Preached this ensuing Sermon at the late sad Fu∣neral of such a Wife, of such a Mother, as you not long since had, I thought my work about this Particular had been at a Period. Since which, through the importu∣nity of divers my Near and Dear Relations (whose Request is to me a virtual command) thinking better of it then I my self, I have been induced to Publish it, for

the benefit of them and other. The good LORD add his Blessing both to what was then spoken, and is now writ∣ten: for furthering of their faith, and helping of their joy. And now I present the Sermona 1.1 Revised (and where it was needful a little enlarged) unto you: Who, from her own Designation, recommended the present Text to me. The Jewel in the words deserves a richer Cabinet; yea and her sacred Dust a better Monument: But till you meet with Richer and Better, let this be favourably Accepted.

Not long since,b 1.2 my self was (by reason of a con∣tinuing Fever) not far from thec 1.3 hand of the Grave: but the living Godd 1.4 hath loved my soul from the Pit of corruption. So that in this Sermon I have Preached, mine own Experiences, and her Expe∣ctations of deliverance. The Gracious LORD, (whose methods of mercy are many) hath Released us both from our respective extremities, as from thee 1.5 Pots: Me From Death, That I might live to his Praise a while on Earth: Her, By Death, That she may live in his Praise for ever in heaven. Thrice blessed be the God and Father of Mercies, for all the Mysteries of his Mer∣cies.

May I now speak a few words of Advice to you that survive: especially to you the dear and Hopeful children of so Happy a Mother? My sincere love to her, mine ••rdent longings after your salvation, constrain me: And I cannot hold my Peace. Let me stand a while as in your late Mothers stead. O let my counsel be accepted and em∣braced.

1. Become Godly and Religious betimes.f 1.6 Know, fear, love and serve God from your very youth.g 1.7 Re∣member your Creator in the daies of your youth.

Early Christians are Happy Christians. Under the Old Testament God called for theh 1.8 First-fruits of the ground, and thei 1.9 Firstlings of the Flock; Much more he expects the firstlings of our daies, of our youth, of our strength. Think ofk 1.10 Samuel,l 1.11 David, m 1.12 Solomon,n 1.13 Obadiah,o 1.14 Josiah,p 1.15 John Baptist,q 1.16 Timothy, andr 1.17 Jesus Christ himself: how Religios they were in their very youth, and tread in their steps. Oh what sins and iniquities are prevented: What experiences of God are up-heaped: How large a seed•• time of Grace and good works is obtained: How long opportunities ofs 1.18 making our Calling and Ele∣ction sure are enjoyed, by giving up our selves to God betimes.

2. Be sincerely and entirely Religious. Hypocrisie, is a meer mockery in Religion: which occasionst 1.19 the deeper condemnation. Content not your selves with u 1.20 a name to live, but be alive indeed. Rest not in x 1.21 the Form, but look to the power of godliness. y 1.22 Serve the Lord with a perfect heart. Seek, love, and obey himz 1.23 with the whole heart. Let the whole soul be as it were Woaded in Grace. Fill your judge∣ments with knowledge and truth, your consciences with purity, your wills with ••ractableness, your hearts and affections with heavenliness, &c. Approve your selves throughout to God: that you may say as Peter;a 1.24 Lord thou knowest all things, thou knowest I love thee, I fear thee, I trust in thee, &c.

3. Maintain sweet Communion with God in Jesus Christ. Walk closely with God every day, asb 1.25 Enoch, c 1.26 Noah,d 1.27 Abraham,e 1.28 David, &c. Think of him frequently; Desire him vehemently; Love him en∣tirely; Be never well but in his Presence. Accept all stir∣rings

of his Spirit, glimpses of his face, tasts of his love. Open with him every morning, shut with him (like the Sun-flower) every night, Turn towards him, and pant after him all the day long. Sayf 1.29 Whom have we in heaven but thee? &c. Thus you shall recover the lost Paradise, Thus you shall live as in an Heaven on earth: and when you come to die, you shall but exchange one Hea∣ven for another and a better; A Spiritual Heaven of grace for an Eternal Heaven of Glory.

4. Let JESUS CHRIST be your All: yourg 1.30 Wisdom, to guide you: your Righteousness, to justifie you: your Sanctification, to cleanse you: your Redemption, to save you. If you hunger, he ish 1.31 Man∣nah: If you thirst, he givesi 1.32 living water: If you faint, he isk 1.33 the consolation of Israel: If you pray, he isl 1.34 an Advocate with the Father: If you conflict with spiritual enemies, he is yourm 1.35 Victory and Tri∣umph,: If you live, he is yourn 1.36 hope: If you die, be is youro 1.37 gain: If you be buried also, he is your p 1.38 Life and Resurrection. O let him be theq 1.39 Al∣pha and Omega, The Center and Circumference, yea the veryr 1.40 All in All, your Desires, Loves, Ioyes, Delights, Endeavours and Undertakings. If you want Christ, you want all things: If you have Christ, you want nothing. In all your joyes, Christ is the highest Exulta∣tion: In all your sorrows, Christ is the sweetest Conso∣lation: In all your Gains, Christ is the chief Remune∣ration: In all your losses, Christ is the richest Compen∣sation. In him make up the loss of Wife and Mother. All Sweetness, Dearness, Tenderness, Fulness, Content∣ment, Satisfaction, Consolation and Happiness is a thou∣sand fold in him more then in these, or all the Relations of the world. These are but glimmering Lamps, He is

the glorious Sun; These are but broken Cisterns, he is the living Fountain; These are but little drops, he is the boundless Ocean. Now therefore turn all your desires and a••fections towards him, and be fully satisfied. One Christ, is beyond ten thousand worlds.

5. Strive after well-grounded Assurance of a good spiritual state. Labour not only, That God, Christ, Grace, and Glory may be yours: but also, That ye may know as∣suredly they are yours. Assurance is possible; Fors 1.41 Gods Spirit is given to help us to it, &c.t 1.42 Many have attain∣ed it. Assurance is necessary: for God hath charged us to endeavour after it;u 1.43 Give diligence to make your calling and election sure, &c. And Assurance is very comfortable, and advantagious to ourx 1.44 Perseverance. This held upy 1.45 Job under all his misery. This cheared upz 1.46 Paul against approaching death.

6. Contend exceedingly, Thata 1.47 Grace may still be growing; and sin be dying. The more Grace, and the less Sin: the less like Satan, the more like God; ••he further from Hell, the nearer to Heaven. The b 1.48 Abolition of sin, and the Perfection of Grace, are the suburbs of Glory.

7. Live to God, and upon God in Christ, that you may live with God and with Christ.c 1.49 Live to God, in all holy, heavenly, and blameless conversation;d 1.50 live upon God, in all constant faithful dependance: That you maye 1.51 live with God and Christ in immediate eternal enjoyments.

8. Live inf 1.52 love one to another, and towards all Gods People. Love entirely, love affectionately, love Christianly in order chiefly to Spirituals and Eternals. Sincere love is theg 1.53 Badge and Character of Christs Disciples on earth; andh 1.54 Love will be part of the

Crown of Christs Members in Heaven. Oh ye dear chil∣dren that tumbled in the same bowels, still retain the i 1.55 same Mind, Heart and Affection one towards ano∣ther. You shall have adversaries enough in the world: and therefore never be one anothers adversaries. So live in love together on E••rth, as those that look to live in ra∣vishments together in Heaven.

9 Highly prize and frequent All the Means of Grace in Publick and Private Gods Ordinances are his Sacred Channels wherein alone in ordinary, his streams of grace do flow. Haw did Davidk 1.56 exult in the en∣joyment of them! How did hel 1.57 lament in the want of them! Christians ought tom 1.58 observe all Christs Com∣mandments and Ordinances. Theyn 1.59 must not for∣sake the Assembling of themselves together, as the manner of some is, ••o 1.60 blessed is that people that know the joyful sound! Thep 1.61 New Covenant, and the Administrations thereof are to continue till the end of this world: and therefore they ought still to be attended upon by all Gods New Covenant Peo∣ple.

10. Beq 1.62 constant, stedfast, persevering, and abounding in Faith, Obedience, and all goodness unto the End. Be faithful to the Death: Thenr 1.63 you shall receive a Crown of life; thens 1.64 you shall re∣ceive a full reward.t 1.65 Be not weary of well-doing, for in due time ye shall reap if ye faint not. How con∣stant and stedfast to the end was your gracious Mother in Faith, Patience and Godliness, although no small Tem∣pest of Pain and Trouble lay upon her. The best of Saints may be exercised with the worst of sorrows here: But the Lord isu 1.66 with them in the furnace of their Tryals, yea, was with her to uphold her in the valley of the shadow

of Death. Hence, though she wasx 1.67 Troubled on every side, yet was she not distressed, though perplex∣ed, yet not in despair; though cast down, yet not de∣stroyed. y 1.68 We count them happy that endure. O let not sharpest tryals or troubles ever make you faint or flag at any time. They thatz 1.69 put their hands to Gods plough, and look back, render themselves unfit for the Kingdom of God.

11. Lastly, Mourn moderately in the loss of her, and other earthly comforts. When holy Iacob dyed in Egypt,a 1.70 The Israelites the children of Jacob mourn∣ed seven daies, but theb 1.71 Egyptians seventy daies: This was not because the Egyptians had more love to Ja∣cob then the Israelites; but because the Israelites had more Grace, and Hope, and Moderation, then the Egypti∣ans. Natural affection is commended:c 1.72 excess in mourning is condemned.d 1.73 Jesus himself wept at La∣zarus his Grave: and yet Christs memberse 1.74 must not mourn as others that have no hope for them that sleep in Jesus. Were she still lying among the sullying pots, in midst of her sighs, groans, dolours and extremities, you might well bleed over her and lament her; but that she is delivered from all her sins and sorrows; is as the wings of a Dove, covered with silver, &c. hath laid aside her earthly sables, and is cloathed in heavenly white: Is in f 1.75 Abraham's bosom, ing 1.76 Paradise,h 1.77 with Saints, Angels, and with God in Iesus Christ, which is far best of all, &c. Now rejoyce in her joyes, triumph in her triumphs,i 1.78 she is not so much dead, as deli∣vered by death: she hath (as Hierom said of Nepo∣tianus) not so much lost her friends; as changed them, and changed them for better: she is not so much k 1.79 uncloathed, as cloathed upon, her mortality being

swallowed up of life. Let her have your Imitations, rather then your Lamentations. Her graces and gracious deportments towards God and Man, and more especially towards you, In her health and sickness, in her life, and at her death were very Christian and exemplary. In all, l 1.80 do ye follow her, as she followed Christ. Let her vertues still live in you: so shall she in some sense still live with you. And inasmuch as,m 1.81 The Resurrection of the dead, is the peculiar Hope and Consolation of Christians, consider; shen 1.82 sleeps in Jesus, she shall at last awake and be Raised again by Iesus: And ye shall meet again; meet, and never part; meet, not to sigh and mourn together, but to sing and triumph together. Ye shall be caught up with her and with all the Elect to∣gether, to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall ye be ever with the LORD. Amen. So prayeth.

Your affectionate friend, and brother in the Lord, for the furtherance of your Faith and joy, Fran: Roberts.

Wrington Iune 12. 1657.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Revised, with the help of two distinct coples thereof taken in short-hand when I preached it lest any useful passages should be omitted; there being a diffe∣rent Gift in Writing and Preaching.
• b 1.2

  Viz From Jun. 22. till al∣most July 20. 1656.
• c 1.3

  Psa. 49. 15.
• d 1.4

  Isa. 38. 17.
• e 1.5

  Psalm 68. 13.
• f 1.6

  1 Chron. 289 1 King. 18. 3, 12.
• g 1.7

  Eccles. 12. 1.
• h 1.8

  Exod. 34. 22, 26.
• i 1.9

  Deut. 12. 6. 17.
• k 1.10

  1 Sam. 3. 4. to the end.
• l 1.11

  1 Sam 16. 7, 11, 13. & 17. 33, &c.
• m 1.12

  1 Chron. 22. 5. & 29▪ 1. •• ••am. 12. 24. 1 King. 3. 3.
• n 1.13

  1 King. 18. 3. 12
• o 1.14

  2. Chron. 34. 1, 3.
• p 1.15

  Luk. 1. 15.
• q 1.16

  2 lim. 3. 15.
• r 1.17

  Luke 2. 40, 42, 46, 47, 52.
• s 1.18

  2 Pet. 1. 10.
• t 1.19

  Mat. 23. 14. & 24. 51.
• u 1.20

  Rev. 3. 1.
• x 1.21

  2 Tim. 3, 5.
• y 1.22

  1 Chron. 28. 9.
• z 1.23

  Psalm 119. 10.
• a 1.24

  ••oh 21. 17.
• b 1.25

  Gen. 5▪ 22, 24.
• c 1.26

  Gen. 6. 9.
• d 1.27

  Gen. 17. 2. & 48. 15.
• e 1.28

  Psal. 101. 2▪ &c. 1 King. 15, 5. Psal. 18. 22. Acts 13. 22▪
• f 1.29

  Psal. 73. 25.
• g 1.30

  1 Cor. 1. 30.
• h 1.31

  Iohn 6. 48▪ 51.
• i 1.32

  Iohn 4. 10, 14.
• k 1.33

  Luke 2. 25.
• l 1.34

  1 Iohn 2. 1, 2.
• m 1.35

  1 Iohn 5. 4, 5. 1▪ Cor. 15. 57. Rom. 8. 37.
• n 1.36

  1 Tim. 1. 1.
• o 1.37

  Phil. 1. 21.
• p 1.38

  I••hu 11. 25.
• q 1.39

  Rev. 1. 8, 11.
• r 1.40

  Col. 3. 11.
• s 1.41

  1 Cor. 2. 12.
• t 1.42

  Iob 19. 25, 26, 27. Heb. 10. 34. 1 Tim. 1. 16. 2 Tim. 1. 12.
• u 1.43

  2 Pet. 1. 10.
• x 1.44

  2 Pet. 1. 10.
• y 1.45

  Iob 19. 25. &c.
• z 1.46

  2 Tim. 4. 6, 7, 8.
• a 1.47

  2 Pet. 3. 18. Col. 3. 5, &c.
• b 1.48

  Eph. 5. 27. & 4. 12, 13.
• c 1.49

  Rom. 14. 8.
• d 1.50

  Habak. 2. 4.
• e 1.51

  Iohn 14. 3, 19.
• f 1.52

  1 Iohn 4. 7, 8.
• g 1.53

  Iohn 13. 34, 35.
• h 1.54

  1 Cor. 13. 13.
• i 1.55

  Phil. 2▪ 1, 2.
• k 1.56

  Psal. 84. 1, &c. & 122. 1, &c.
• l 1.57

  Psalm 12. 1. to 5. & 63. 1, 2.
• m 1.58

  Mat. 28. 19, 2••.
• n 1.59

  H••b. 10. 25.
• o 1.60

  Psalm 89. 15.
• p 1.61

  Heb. 1••. 20. Mat. 28. 19, 20. 1 Cor. 11. 26.
• q 1.62

  1 Cor. 15. 58.
• r 1.63

  Rev. 2. 10.
• s 1.64

  2 Ioh. 8.
• t 1.65

  2 Thes. 3. 13. Gal. 6. 9.
• u 1.66

  Dan. ••. 25. Exod. 3. 2. Isa. 43. 2. Psal. 23. 4.
• x 1.67

  2 Cor. 4▪ 8, 9••
• y 1.68

  Iam. 5. 11.
• z 1.69

  Luke 9. 62.
• a 1.70

  Gen. 50. 10.
• b 1.71

  Gen. 50. 3.
• c 1.72

  1 Thes. 4. 13.
• d 1.73

  Iohn 11. 35.
• e 1.74

  1 Thes. 4. 13.
• f 1.75

  Luk. 16. 22.
• g 1.76

  Luke 23. 43.
• h 1.77

  Heb. 12. 22, 23. Phil. 1. 23.
• i 1.78

  Intelligeres ••llum non emori, sedemigrare; & mu∣tare amicos, nonrelinquere. Hicr••nym. in Epitaph. Nepo∣tian. p. 25. Tom. 1. Basil. 1553.
• k 1.79

  2 Cor. 5. 4.
• l 1.80

  1 Cor. 11. 1.
• m 1.81

  Fiducla Christiano rum, Resurre∣ctio mortuo∣rum. Tertul. de Resurrect. c. 1. p. 31••.
• n 1.82

  1 Thes. 4. 14. 15, 16, 17.