The mourner directory, guiding him to the middle way betwixt the two extreams, defect, excess of sorrow for his dead to which is added, The mourners soliloquy / by Thomas Doolittle ...

CHAP. XII. The Remedies against Excessive Sorrow for our Dead. The First, That their Death is a sleeping in Jesus. Four Notes a∣bout it: Ten Meditations upon it.

THE third Work we have to do, is to enquire after an effectual Remedy against excessive sorrow for our dead. What is easie unto others might be hard to me in the practical part of this Inquiry. It is less La∣bour to prescribe the Cure than to feel the powerful working of it. It is hard to have a due sense of God's smarting Rod, and yet a patient submission to his Will. Man's Heart is either stony and stupid under Gods Afflicting Hand, and doth not feel it; or in the sense of it doth murmur and re∣pine: Either when God smites we do not grieve at all, or if we are sensible of the Wound, do mourn too much. Both these Extreams have been already considered; now Lord direct me to the Golden Mean, and guide me to the middle way which lies betwixt these two Extreams, that I might grieve because of thine Hand, and yet might not over-grieve be∣cause it is so heavy.

The Cure of excessive sorrow for our dead will be the better found by finding out the cause thereof. The cause of it, God by his Apostle acquaints us is Ignorance con∣cerning the state of Believers after the se∣paration of the Body and the Soul: Or if we are not wholly ignorant, yet do not well consider what we know; or if we do consider, yet do not firmly believe what we do consider of. In opposition to these as the cause of ex••essive sorrowing as those do that have no hop••; knowledge, due consideration, and an unshaken belief of the state of de∣parted Believers will come in as a Cure, Help an•• R medy of such immoderate grief. Tho ma••y things might be had out of the whole Word of God, which would much enlarge this Discourse, yet I shall (that I may Contract) pick up the Apostles Argu∣ments in the Text and following Verses of this Chapter, as Alleviations of sorrow in this Case, because therein he treats de∣signedly upon this Subject: Concerning which it is as if he had said, Those that are ig∣norant of, or do not believe the Resurrection of the D••ad, and a better Life hereafter, have ever sorrowful Thoughts of those that are taken away by Death, and mourn for them to ex∣cess. But I would not have you to cherish and

maintain such immoderate sorrows by Ignorance of their Case at present and hereafter.

The Helps against Immoderate Sorrow for our dead given in this Chapter might be reduced to these Four General Heads of Argument.

1. The consideration of the state of the Bo∣dies of departed Believers. They are fallen a∣sleep; and if they sleep in Jesus (as they do, v. 14.) they shall do well.

2. The Knowledge and Belief of the state of the separated Soul. Their Souls are with Christ Triumphant in Heaven, while their Bodies are sleeping in the Grave; and these Souls he will bring back with him when he comes.

3. The certainty of the Resurrection of the Dead by the Re-union of the same Souls with the same Bodies, and so Christ will bring the entire Man with him at the day of Judg∣ment. Thus the Hope in the Text, is the Hope of the Resurrection of the Dead, and confirmed by the next words.

4. The Antecedent, Concomitant, and conse∣quent Circumstances of the Resurrection. That

is what shall go before, what shall accom∣pany, and what shall follow after the rai∣sing of the dead; and all these are laid down in the following part of this Chap∣ter, which is a Spring and Fountain of Li∣ving, Lively Comfort against excessive sorrow for the dead: And methinks I feel it already to begin to work: It warms my Heart, it doth begin to burn within my Breast: My Affections move, and it seems to me that my sorrow is turning into joy, and my hea∣viness into rejoicing, and am put to a stand, whether now I shall call my Tears for my dead, Tears of Sorrow or of Joy. Have we been sorrowing because she is dead? Me∣thinks I cannot but joy that she sleeps in Je∣sus: Have we been mourning because the Body is in the Grave? Oh how delightful is it to me to think upon such good grounds, that the Precious and Immortal Soul is above in yonder glorious Heaven, in the presence of the Father, and Redeemer, and Comforter, and in the innumerable company of Angels and saved Souls, perfectly Holy and Happy for ever? Have we been so much troubled because the Body did fall at the parting stroke of death; methinks my trouble is allayed when I am considering and cer∣tainly sure that it shall rise and fall no more; Is it an aggravating sorrow to look back up∣on

the Circumstances of the Funeral: The Bearers carrying the Corps upon their Shoul∣ders, the Mourning Relations following, and many sorrowful sympathizing Friends coming after to see the dead Body lodged in its long Home? Methinks another Affection is ready to take its turn, and to act its part, even Delight and Joy, when I look forward and foresee the Lord a coming, and all his Holy Angels with him, calling the dead to rise; they hear and come forth from their sleeping places, and after Judgment go with their Lord into the highest Heavens, in Body and Soul, not only to their long, but last, yea, Everlasting Home, to Live, and Love, and Joy in God to all Eternity. Oh what difference is there between be∣lieving Thoughts of these great and glori∣ous certain things, and those that have been daily running to the Grave, looking upon a consuming Body? What wrong have I done my self in hastening to this part no more, and coming to it no sooner? Why have we been looking so long in the Grave, in which as such we can see nothing but death, and cry out, as the Men to Elisha concerning their deadly Pottage, O thou Man of God, there is death in the Pot, 2 Kings 4.40. So we, there is death in the Grave. But when Elisha said, Then bring Meal, and

he cast it into the Pot, and he said, pour out for the people that they may eat; and there was no harm in the Pot. So we should have looked upon the Grave as a place where Christ before had been laid, and as a Bed for the Bodies of Believers to sleep in till the Lord shall come, and we should have seen no such great harm in the Grave to fill us with excessive sorrow.

Concerning this representation of death by sleeping, four things may be premised as to this manner of Scripture expression.

1. Tho Beasts do die, yet their death in Scripture (that I know of) is never called a Sleep; for they die to live no more. Death puts an end to their Life without a Resur∣rection to it any more. They are only in this World, and not to have Life in that World that Men are hastening too. They are not capable here of Moral Government, of Sin or Grace, and so shall not be raised to undergo Eternal Punishments, or to re∣ceive Eternal Rewards hereafter. Tho they do sleep while they live, yet their death is not a sleep, because they shall die, but ne∣ver wake.

2. The death of ungodly Men is sometimes in Scripture called a sleep, tho more seldom. The worst as well as the best, all Mankind in gene∣ral, shall be raised at the last day. As death is common to all, so shall the Resurrection of the dead also be: Tho as there is a difference in their death, so shall there also be in their Re∣surrection; but because they shall awake, there∣fore to them death also is a sleep. Tho they had better to sleep on, than to awake and rise to be tormented. Dan. 12.2. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the Earth shall awake, some to ••verlasting Life, and some to Shame and Everlasting Contempt; Expressed by Christ in these words, John 5.28. All that are in their Graves shall hear his voice. 29. And shall come forth, they that have done good unto the Resur∣rection of Life, and they that have done evil to the Resurrection of Damnation.

3. It is most frequently used concerning the death of holy and believing persons, that they may familiarize it to themsel••es, and get as great a willingness to die, as to go to Bed and sleep. So God said to Moses, he should sleep with his Fathers, Deut. 31.16. So of David, 2 Sam. 7.12. So Mat. 9.24. When Christ said our Friend Lazarus sleepeth; the Disciples thought he spake of his taking natural rest in sleep, but after explained his meaning, saying,

he is dead, John 11.11, 12, 13. So Acts 13.36.

4. The Expression of sleeping in Jesus is to be understood peculiarly of the death of true Believers that shall be awaked to live with him in Eternal Glory, 1 Thes. 4.15. Impeni∣tent Persons go night after night to their Beds, and sleep in their Sin, and at last die in their Sin. But it is peculiar to san∣ctified Persons to die in the Lord, and sleep in Jesus.

Carnal unbelieving Men might laugh this Doctrine to Scorn, as they did Jesus that taught it, and say, We know that they are dead. And death is death whatsoever name you call it by; and what Comfort can we have from Words and Names against such a real Evil as death is. Luke 8.49. Thy daughter is dead, trouble not the Master. 52. And all wept and bewailed her, but he said weep not, she is not dead but sleepeth. 53. And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead. But since the most Wise and Ever-living God hath called death so often by such a Name, there is some sup∣porting Comfort in it against the fears of our o••n, and excessive sorrow for the death of ot••ers. Let's search and try.

1. Our Dead are sleeping, therefore they are at rest from all Troubles from men. Those that would not suffer them to rest in Life, can∣not hinder their rest in Death: They that would not let them rest in their Beds in their Houses upon Earth, will let them rest in the Bed of the Grave, the house appointed for all the living, in the Bowels of the Earth; or if they should dig up their dry Bones, yet they cannot hereby disturb their rest, for they are not sensible of any more trouble. To go to Bed and sleep, and to go to Bed and take our rest, are words importing the same thing. Isa. 57. 1.—The Righteous are taken away from the evil to come. 2. He shall enter into peace, they shall rest in their Beds. Job 3.11. Why dyed I not from the Womb? 13. For now should I have lain still, and been qui••t, I should have slept: then had I been at rest. 17. There the wicked cease from troubling, and there the weary be at rest. 18. There the Prisoners rest to∣gether, they hear not the voice of the Oppressor. 19. The small and great are there, and the Ser∣vant is free from his Master.

2. Death as a Sleep affords us the meditati••n of that freedom that our Dead have from those pains, and sense of them which they had before they fell Asleep: Then they did complain of pain in one part, and sometimes in another, and another while that their pain was all over in every part: Are not the sound of their

words yet in our Ears, You do not know what we do feel. All their wearisome days are now over, and their tedious nights are past and gone; there is no more wishing in the Even∣ing, O that it were Morning; nor in the Morn∣ing, O that it were Evening: There is no more complaining, This Night is a long Night, be∣cause it is a painful Night; and this Day is a te∣dious Day, because it is a Day of so great and sharp Affliction: Their Life is gone, and all their Sickness, Pain and bodily Griefs are all gone. As when a Person in his Sickness hath something given him to cause him to sleep, in his sleep he is not sensible of his Sickness; so those that are fallen asleep, in that sleep are no more sensible of such Pains that with us they complained of.

3. Death as a Sleep, yields us these Thoughts, that our Dead are freed from all worldly Cares, and piercing Sorrows those Cares did bring along with them. If Persons have had their Heads full of worldly Thoughts all the Day, and have busied them in buying, and selling, and trading, in contriving and projecting for their worldly Interest and Advantage, yet when fast asleep in their Beds, they mind none of all these things; they matter not, nor do they regard what others awake are doing, nor whither they are going; nor the Plea∣sures they are taking, nor the Evil they are suffering, nor the Sin they are committing.

All these things that took up their Thoughts when alive, they are freed from when fallen asleep. 2 Kings 22.20. Behold I will gather thee to thy Fathers, and thou shalt be gathered in∣to thy Grave in peace, and thine eyes shall not see all the Evil that I will bring upon this place: In this Sleep they are so quiet, that they do not so much as dream of any of these things.

4. Death as a sleep, tho it be a deep sleep, helps us to the Thoughts how easie it will be for God to awaken them: They sleep so fast, that no crea∣ted power can raise them out of their sleep, but it is more easie to Almighty Power to awaken those that are sleeping in their Graves, than for you to awaken one that is sleeping in his Bed. Lazarus was sleeping in his Grave, Christ gave a call, spoke the word, Lazarus come forth, and he that was dead, came forth; and tho' he was bound hand and foot with Grave-cloaths, yet he came forth, Joh. 11.43, 44. So Christ with a word, with a call, waked Jai∣rus his Daughter out of the sleep of Death, Jesus called, saying, Maid arise, and her Spirit came again, and she arose straightway, Luke 8.54, 55. So also the Son of the Widow of Naim, dead and carried out to be Buried, Christ did but touch the Bier, or Coffin, and say, Young man, I say to thee, arise, and he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. Luk 7.14, 15. If Death be a sleep, this is our Comfort, it is easie for God to awaken them.

5. Death as a Sleep administers this comforta∣ble matter to our minds, that it will not be a per∣petual sleep: For being but a sleep, they can be awakened, and because it is a Sleep, they shall be awakened; for if your Child, or Father, or Mother, or your self at Night go to Bed and sleep, do not you reckon and suppose you shall wake in the Morning? And you are not troubled to lay your Child asleep, when you have hopes and expectation it will wake again: When did you go to sleep, without waking after sleep? This Comfort, this re∣presentation of Death doth bring unto us, that as we saw the time when ours fell asleep, so there will be a Day when they shall a∣wake.

6. Death as a Sleep suggests to our Thoughts, that the Bodies of th••se that Sleep in Jesus shall be much altered for the best, when they awake out of their sleep. If you are weary with Working or Travelling all the Day, you go to sleep at Night, and in the Morning you say, tho you went weary to Bed, yet by Sleep you are greatly refreshed, and as fit to Work or Travel as you were the Day before. When your Child complains he is not well, you ha∣sten to have him to Bed, and say, go to sleep, You will be better after you have slept. Sure I am, these Bodies that are sick, and weak, and weary, when they fall Asleep in Jesus will be wonderfully refreshed, and be

much better, when after this Sleep they shall awake.

7. Death as a Sleep teacheth us, that it is no trouble to them that are in their Graves, that they do not know when they shall awake. Is this any trouble to a living Man fast asleep in his Bed, that he knows not when the day will dawn, and the Morning-light appear, and he awake? he sleeps on, and concerns him∣self with no such Thoughts. We that are alive think, when shall our Dead arise? how long must they sleep there? That which troubles us is no trouble unto them.

8. Death it self, as a Sleep, ch••cks our Im∣moderate Sorrow for those that are fallen asleep. They sleep, and you take on as if you had no hope that they would ever wake. What saith the Text, they are fallen asleep; do not ye sorrow as those that have no hope. When did you mourn, because your Relation in due season went to sleep? If they have been Sick, and could not sleep, it grieve your Heart, and so it also would, if your nearest Friends lay sick, and full of pain, torment∣ed day and night, with sighs and groans piercing your Ears and Hearts, should they long lie thus, and could not recover, nor yet dye, it would grieve you that they could not dye, insomuch that by such sights and hearings of the Sick and pained, whom they loved with entire Love, some have gone to

their knees, and begg'd of God to give them a release by Death; and were better satis∣fied when they were fallen asleep, and there∣by delivered.

9. Death as a Sleep, thô it be a long sleep, teacheth us, that it seems not long to them that sleep. A M••n that is fast asleep, and sleepeth long, he doth not tell the Clock, nor num∣ber the Hours, nor thinks it long that he doth sleep, and when he wakes, he thinks the time was not long, but quickly gone; when to one that watcheth while he sleepeth, it seems to be a tedious time. When they that live and wake, while others in their Graves do sleep, reckon the days, then the weeks, next the months, at last the years that our Father, or Mother, Husband or Wife, or Child hath been dead; and say, so long, so many years they have been sleeping in their Graves: It is long to you but not to them, they know no Nights or Days, no Weeks, or Months, or Years to reckon by, a thousand years is no longer to them than an hour seems to you. Adams Body hath been sleeping some thou∣sands of years already, and yet all those years, and what are yet to come till he shall awake, but like one hour unto him. Why should we discompose our Minds with the thoughts of their long Sleep, when they themselves are not concerned at it, nor to them doth it seem long?

10. Death as a Sleep, because it is a sleep that is Death, brings us these tydings of Comfort, that they are sleeping their last Sleep, and when they a∣wake shall sleep no more: For when they live a∣gain, they shall dye no more; therefore now let us moderate our Sorrow for those that are asleep in Jesus, for they are at rest from pains and cares, God can easily awaken them, and he will, after their Sleep they shall be refresh∣ed; tho it be a long Sleep it seems not so to them: it is indeed their last, but not an ever∣lasting sleep; they sleep quietly, let not us sorrow excessively, but every Night when we put off our Cloaths, think we must put off this Body, and lie down in our Graves as we do in our Beds, and shall our selves sleep in the Dust with them that are gone to sleep before us.