The church's triumph over death a funeral-sermon preached upon the decease of blessed Mr. Robert Fleming, late pastor of a church in Rotterdam / by Daniel Burgess.

§. 1. To such of you as have not yet sung Triumph over Death.

If now you believe the Truth which hath been irrefragably proved, I ex∣hort as follows:

First; Acknowledg your selves to have no Saving-Faith, if you have no stirring

Desires to attain a joying Faith. It hath been said by what Means a Child of God may be kept, it may be all his Days, from the Joy of Faith; but it cannot be said, whereby he should be so kept from desiring it and from pur∣suing it. Nothing but a reigning and damning Presumption, or Despair, is able to keep a Soul from these. Re∣view my seven Arguments, which I may not repeat; and assure you, it is no Child of Light that sits unconcern∣edly in the dark, as if nothing ailed him; and unto whom it is not as Death it self, that he cannot triumph over Death: who travels not from Or∣dinance to Ordinance for the Power and the Act; and follows not Heaven with unutterable Sighs and Groans un∣til he gains them. Comfortless Belie∣vers are represented so doing; Cant. 3.1, 2, 3. and Cant. 5.6, 7.

Secondly; When you bestir your selves for the Joy of Faith, be not impatient if it doth not presently become triumphant. To be using the Means appointed for getting it, is your unquestionable Du∣ty;

but to fret against God, as though he wronged you if he made you wait long for it, is your certain Sin and Fol∣ly. Doubt not but God will give it as soon as he sees you fit for it: And no∣thing save Ignorance and Pride can make that wild Question, Why should I wait on the Lord any longer? In a word; Let him not go till he bless you with it; but let him take his own time to bless you with his richest Gift. It is Unbelief that makes Haste, and that Haste makes Woe.

Thirdly; When you are waiting for the Joy of Faith, be praising and blessing God for putting you upon the Pursuit of it, and enabling of you to wait therein. This Grace well deserveth your best Thanks. Had you ever ran after it, if Grace had not drawn you? or had not you laid violent Hands on your selves, as others have done under their Terrors, if Grace had not restrained you? Thanks are Sacrifices with which God is well pleased. And who was ever known to be thankful for Twi∣light, but he had e're long a shining

Noon-day? On the contrary; from him who is unthankful, Sun, Moon, and Star-light is full often removed, and he is left as without Hope.

Fourthly; When you are blessing God for drawing you to seek the Joy of Faith, fail not to multiply the two first Acts of Faith. That which prepareth for U∣nion to Christ, and that which uniteth unto him. Plainly thus; Night and Day tell your Souls, that God, propi∣tiated by Christ, will surely save them if they truly repent, and believe on him. Proceed also, and perpetually be saying to your God, that, as far as the Holy Spirit doth and shall assist, you do, and you ever will commit you to his Saving-Mercy, and submit you to his ruling Authority in Christ. Mul∣tiply Direct Acts if you would have the Comfort of Reflex, say all our Di∣vines. This is the only way wherein a trembling Faith may be expected to be made a triumphing one.

Fifthly; When you act holy Faith at∣tend upon God in all holy Ordinances. It is at Wisdom's Gates that the Hearts

of the Poor and Sorrowful are made to sing for Joy. Be you constantly found at every one of them; for you know not whether your waiting at this or that shall best prosper: But you may be certain your Neglect of any one will provoke God to send you away empty from all the other. Sometimes it is in Reading and Hearing that Joy is in∣fused: Sometimes it is in Prayer, that, as Peter's Bonds, ours be loosed: Some∣times it is with Sacramental Wine that Hearts are cheered: Sometimes it is the Conference of holy Friends that sharpneth a Man, as Iron sharpneth Iron: Many times singing of Psalms, and Hymns, and spiritual Songs, doth together make glad the Heart of God and Man. Try all, and continue in them, and fear not but you shall have Beauty given you for Ashes, and the Oil of Joy for Mourning.

Sixthly; When you attend on holy Or∣dinances, cast away all your Transgressi∣ons. As soon shall heavenly Joy en∣ter Hell, as a presumptuous Sinner's Heart. It is only the Conqueror that

is capable of Triumph; the Conque∣ror of all wilful Sin: he that being made free from all such, hath now his Fruit unto Holiness. We lie, saith St. John, if we say we have Fellowship with him, and do not the Truth. They who, like Devils, are ever in the Fire, and be never refined; be ever using holy things, but are not made holy by them; they are, as certainly as De∣vils, held in Chains of Darkness. Old and New Testament say, There is no Peace to the Wicked. Allow then no Sin, if you would attain any Peace.

Seventhly; When you cast away all your Sins, be ye Doers of all Christ's Word. Negative Goodness is a very Chimera. Christ loves and manifests himself to them only who have his Com∣mands, and keep them. Though Du∣ties be not the Merits, they are the Means, and commonly the Measures of Peace and Joy; and of all Duties, those arduous ones that do most cross the Grain of corrupt Nature, and most thwart our secular Interest. Would you have your Light to rise in Obscu∣rity,

and your Darkness be made as Noon-day? Draw out your Soul to the Hungry, satisfy the Afflicted. Would you be made appear to be the Chil∣dren of God and Coheirs of Christ? Love your Enemies, bless them that curse you. Would you have your Consci∣ences, and all the World, be made to know that God is not ashamed to be called your God? Be not you ashamed then of the Gospel of Christ at any time, but couragiously own and confess Him and It, in the midst of Gainsayers. Would you be most certain you are not Reprobates? Keep under your Bodies, and bring them into Subjection. By rare Duties you may rise up to as rare Joys.

Eightly; When you are Doers of the Word, give not way to such Scruples as have no bottom on the Word. Unrea∣sonable Fears are the Sins of our Hearts as truly as they be Thorns in our Sides: they grieve the Holy Spi∣rit; and they together deny and im∣pair, and tend to destroy his Work in us. Thieves they are that do waste the Candle of the Lord; and Worms

that eat up the hidden Manna.

As many as are liable to these Di∣stempers would do well to take to heart these and like Antidotes.

God accepteth Mites, though his Due be ten thousand Talents: Else what would become of the richest in Faith and Works?

Holiness is less than Sinlesness. The Field which hath Millions of Weeds in it is a Corn-field for all that: There were none upon this Earth else.

Damning Sins be somewhat more than terrifying Falls: Yea, we receive the least Hurt by the Sins that put us into the greatest Fright. He that exclaims, I am dead, expresseth a Conceit which he confuteth. David's Fall, and Pe∣ter's were terrible, but were not, mor∣tal. It is keeping under Water drowns a Man; it is not his falling into it that kills him.

Smoaking Flax hath more Fire in it than is thought of. No doubt but He∣man was stored with God's Graces while he was distracted with his Ter∣rors.

Travellers be not out of their way as oft as they be out of sight of the City they would be at: No, but they are as truly moving towards it when they are in the Vale, and do but think of it, as when they are on the top of a Hill, and do pleasantly behold it. The Way to Heaven is through great Changes and many Vicissitudes, up-hill and down-hill: But in the Deep as truly as on the Mount, in Temptation as truly as out of it, a Saint makes way to∣ward Heaven. The Will and Work of his God he very profitably suffers, when he knows not what he does. And on he goes toward Heaven, as Sinners do toward Hell, not knowing whither they go.

Trees do grow downward when they have scarce Sap enough to show that they be alive upward. Wondrously gainful are many spiritual Losses themselves: Good Words and Works are a Christi∣an's Leaves and Fruits. Self-denial and Faith in Christ are his Root. By the Winter-Season, which doth deaden him to those former, he is enlivened

and strengthned in these lattter. And the Temptations and temporary Deser∣tions, which take from him his Acti∣vity, do make him amends by notable Additions unto his Humility, even all Days of his Life. Most true are ju∣dicious Hooker's Words; Happier a great deal is he whose Soul by inward De∣solation is humbled, than he whose Heart, through abundance of spiritual Delight, is lifted up above-measure. Remember, troubled Soul, remember it well, bit∣terly humbling Winters do make sweet and fruitful Summers. And know thou,

If the Corn upon the Ground be good, it matters not how little deep the Plough went. Do not torment thy self, as the manner of some is, with Fears that thou art not of the good Ground, up∣on a Surmise that God hath not broken thee up with Convictions and Humi∣liations sufficiently deep. Examine more thy Corn, and be less concerned about the Plough. If thy Reliance on Christ's Righteousness be entire, and thy Imitation of his Holiness be con∣stant

and cordial, the Plough hath done its Part upon thee. Consider on the other Hand too, that

There are valuable things kept in Brine as well as in Sugar. Dream not, that because thy Life is made sorrowful, God intends not ever to advance thee to his Fulness of Joy. The Fruits which are preserved in Sweetness that exceedeth Honey, be not more intend∣ed for the Table of the Lord, than the Meats that are buried in Salt and Bit∣terness.

All the Fruits of Christ's Garden be not of a size, not equally Ratheripe. Con∣clude not, that thou art none of his Plants, because others do vastly excel thee in all Christian Vertues, and out∣do thee in all the Works of Righteous∣ness. One Rose upon a Bush, though but a little one, and though not yet blown, proveth that which bears it to be a true Rose-tree. Look well to thy Sincerity, and to thy sincere Labour for Proficiency: Then know, that neither God or Men do cut down good Trees, because small; or de∣spise

unripe Flowers and Fruits, if they be ripening.

A sorry Speaker may be a most excel∣lent Wrestler. Milo had not the Tongue of Cicero. Moses, that greater Pre∣vailer with God, was a Man of a very slow Utterance. Do not say, you can∣not pray because you cannot speak much, or well, or long. Praying is Wrestling with God. The Heart is the Wrestler: Holy Faith is the Strength of it. If by Means of this Strength thy Heart be a good Wrestler, though thou art ever so Tongue-tied, thou wilt be a Prevailer. Rhetorick goes for little in the heavenly Court; but sincere Groans have a kind of Om∣nipotence.

A Mine of Gold may be a long time un∣known. The Heat of the Sun may make it many a Year before the Light of the Sun doth discover it. It is long before the Spirit doth witness to some what he works in them.

A King is not the less a King for dreaming himself a Beggar. Suppositio nil ponit in esse. Victorious Believers

are most truly so, when they are not sensibly so.

The most bruised Reed maketh no little Melody to the Lord. Our compassionate Saviour tells his affrighted Dove, when driven into the Clefts of the Rock, that her Voice was sweet; Cant. 2.14.

The little Specks in the milky way be as real Stars as the Sun. We must not ar∣gue that we are Darkness it self, be∣cause we are not the most burning and shining Lights.

The crying Child is alive as sure as the laughing one. If whatever stole away our Joy, did steal away our Faith also, where would Faith be found upon Earth? The World and Church will be soon at an end, when all shall kill that maketh to cry.

It doth often rain and shine together in the Heart of a Believer. His Soul hath the Joy that is his Duty, and shines with Grace acted in Desires and Endeavours to triumph: When as yet it hath not the Joy that is the Largess of God's Bounty, by which its Clouds must be chased away; no, but is la∣menting

after the Lord for it: Dolet, & de dolore gaudet. Joyfully it laments after him for it, singing our renowned Gataker's most delectable Lamentations.

I thirst for Thirstiness, I weep for Tears; Well pleas'd I am to be displeased thus: The only thing I fear, is want of Fears; Suspecting I am not Suspicious! I cannot chuse but live, because I die; And when I am not dead, how glad am I?

Yet, when I am thus glad for sense of Pain, And careful am, lest careless I should be; Then do I grieve for being glad again; And fear, lest Carelessness take care from me! Amidst these restless Thoughts, this Rest I find, For those that rest not here, there's Rest behind.

And as for sinful Sorrow it self, be it observed, A Believer may gloriously conquer, even when he is miserably con∣quered. And he doth so, when, tho Sin strikes him down, it cannot make him yield. Positive Nolition is Conquest of Sin. Of the unconsenting and out∣crying Virgin, over-powred by the Strength of a Ruffian, God did pro∣nounce that there was no Sin in her wor∣thy

of Death. By resisting she made the Destroyer flee, even then when she could not make the Defiler flee. The Believer that resists, is not struck down under the Wrath of God, when he is struck down into the Mire of Sin. Glory be to God in the highest. Fight against Sin, though it be upon our Knees, is Conquest.

And therefore, Lastly, Rahab is in Heaven as sure as Abraham. St. James saith, that Dwarf in Faith was justified by it as well as this Giant. And it's sure, if justified, is glorifi∣ed. Now,

Whoso is wise and will observe these things, they shall to their Joy understand the Loving Kindness of the Lord.

My next Exhortation is;