A funeral sermon for Mrs. Esther Sampson, the late wife of Henry Sampson, Dr. of Physick, who died Nov. 24. M.DCLxxxix / by John Howe ... Published principally for the use of such as languish under painful and chronical diseases.

  • Howe, John, 1630-1705.
Date:
1690
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A funeral sermon for Mrs. Esther Sampson, the late wife of Henry Sampson, Dr. of Physick, who died Nov. 24. M.DCLxxxix / by John Howe ... Published principally for the use of such as languish under painful and chronical diseases. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    ■Cm3 fort, been their Mottoat their firft coming on^dt together, Emmanmly God with US. vvcdding ring. 8. I iliall only add one inftruftion more, to fluit up all > that fince our Lord Jefiis hath fuchan agency, and even with compaffion in the releafe of thofe, that do belong to him, from their affllding infirmities, we fldould all of us laboor, with a due and right frame, and difpofition offpirit to behold any fuch releafinent. It is a great matter to be able to behold inffances of that kind, with a right frame of mind, aadfpirit. If one be releafed by recovery, into eafe, health, and firength in this world, 'tis eafily and readily made matter of joy. Is one recovered out of a long and languilhing fickoefs, friends and relations behold it with great complacency and gladneis of heart. -But if a Godly ^ friend be releas'd by dying, truly we can hardly make our felves believe, that this is a releafe or fo valuable a releafe fo much are we under the govern¬ ment of fenfe, fo little doth that faith fignifie with us, or do it S p^rt, that is the fubflarjce of what we hope -foic^ and the^ evidence of what we fee not- No ! This is to go vvith US for no releafe. VVe look , only upon the fenfible,/. e. upon the gloomy part of fuch a difpenfation, when fuch a one is gone, releaft, fet at liberty, (as a bird out of the cage, or the fnare) We can hardly tell how toconfider it as a releafe. Wewili not be induc’d to apprehend itfo. There are no difpofitions no deportments commonly that fuit fuch an appreheafion. And Oh! how unbecoming and incongruous a thing, v/hea Chrift is, in that way, about releafing fuch a one, to have an holy foul juft upon the confines of a glorious blefled ecer* nity, compafted about with fighs, fobs, tears, and lamentations. Hfow great an incongruity ! I have many times thought with my felf, the loye and kindnefs of friends and relations is very pleafant in life, but grievous at death. It is indeed h fome refpe^Sy a very -defirable thing, (if God fhail vouchfafe it, ) to die with ones friends about one.* It nmy be one may need foine little bodily relief, in thofe laft hours f befides that, fon^e proper thoughts may be fuggefted by them, to mingle with ones own. And, if God afford^ die ufe of reafon, aiid fpeech, aad the fupply of his own fpirit, one may pofiibly, io this kfi juncture, be a meaus of fome good to them. One ' ■ ^ may,