ON
Sunday Evening, the 15th of August, 1824,
BY J. CHURCH.
“And blessed is she that believeth, for there shall be a
performance of those things which are told her from the Lord.”
LONDON:
R. WESTON, PRINTER, CROSBY ROW, SOUTHWARK.
1824.
SERMON, &c.
John, Chap. xiv. Ver. 19.
“And because I shall Live, ye shall Live also.”
Among the many awful charges brought against backsliding Israel by the prophet Isaiah, this was reckoned not the smallest. “The righteous perisheth, (sleepeth) and no man layeth it to heart; and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous are taken away from the evil to come.” The day of life—of the world—and the professing church—is far spent—the sun is going down over the prophets—the birds are hastening home—the labourer returning—the substance of religion declining, and the shadows of it are stretching out. With these solemn reflections, well may we entreat the company and presence of the dear Redeemer, as the disciples did. Abide with us, for it is towards evening, and the day is far spent; the removal of the Lord’s people from us, although it is their salvation, and affords peculiar joy to the surviving spiritual friends and relatives that have been eye and ear witnesses of their peaceful end; yet demands attention, reflection, self-examination, and solemnity of mind. When God strikes he demands an hearing—when he knocks by his messengers, affliction and death, it is—that we may open the door, receive the message, detain the messenger, and enquire for what purpose he is sent. For the Lord’s voice crieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see thy name; hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it. I consider, therefore it is our duty to pay attention to this present affliction, for the loss of a spiritual friend, a pious and steady member of the church, an affectionate wife, a kind mother and a good neighbour. Although it is her eternal gain, it is a grief and affliction to us; but I trust that this, as well as every other appointed trial, was sanctified for us in the eternal covenant of grace, and as an evidence of it, produce in our minds its suitable effects. Death is at all times solemn and affecting in the world, in the neighbourhood, and amongst our acquaintance; but when sent more immediately into our families, to bereave us of those who are very dear to our hearts, we are the more sensibly touched with the stroke, when the Lord says to us, as he did to the prophet Ezekiel, “Son of man, behold I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes with a stroke; and at even my wife died.” [4] Such painful dispensations are most keenly felt; and while we deplore the ravages of death, we cannot help reverting to its instrumental cause—“Sin, which brought death into the world, and all our woe:” to this king of terrors, and often a terror to kings, all have submitted but two, Enoch and Elijah; and all must submit, except those of the people of God, who will be found alive at the second coming of our Lord; these will probably experience a momentary change, equivalent to the stroke of death, and be changed body and soul, in the twinkling of an eye. This great mystery was revealed to the apostle Paul; perhaps, the first that was ever led to know it. All beside, the Lord’s people as well as the world at large, must pass through the gloomy territories of this king: but, the dear Saviour has engaged to go with all his people, and conduct them safely through; and though all do not go through with the same joy, yet all are led on safely. Their enemies keep still as a stone, while the purchased people passed over. Nothing, in heaven above or the earth beneath, can possibly prevent the execution of the decreed sentence, “Dust thou art and unto dust shalt thou return.” It is the pulling down of the house,—it must come down—the leprosy is in it,—sin has entered every room in the house; and in consequence of bad tenants, which occupy it, the Almighty Landlord has ordered us to quit it; we have received, with many a pain, a writ of ejectment; but we feel reluctant to leave this house of clay, though in such a damaged state; the indescribable unity which subsists between the soul and the body, like mutual friends, renders parting painful here, although they have often been clogs to each other; but they will meet again under the most glorious and happy circumstances in the resurrection morning. And what soul can conceive the joyful meeting of the glorified spirit, and the newly-raised, beautiful, immortalized body? Each will know its own again.
—“Nor shall the conscious soul
Mistake its partner, but amidst the crowd,
Singling its other half, into its arms
Shall rush, with all the impatience of a man
That’s new come home; and having long been absent,
With haste runs over different rooms,
In pain to see the whole. Thrice happy meeting!
Nor time nor death shall ever part them more.”