Now, though there be somev/hat in this case extraordinary'-, and peculiar, for few or none that carry their dead children to the grave, may expect to receive them again from the dead immediately, by a special resurrection, as she did ; I say, this is not to be expected by any that now lose their relations ; the occasion and reason of such miraculous, special resurrections, being removed, by a sufficient and full evidence, and confirmation of Christ's divincpower and Godhead ;
A TOKEN FOR MOUIINERS. 611
yet those that now bury their relations, if they be such as die in Christ, have as good and sufficient reason to moderate their passions, as this mourner had, and do as truly come within the reach and com- pass of this Christ's comfortable, and supporting counsel. Weep not, as she did : For do but consider, what of support or comfort can a particular and present resurrection from the dead give us, more than that it is, and as it is, a specimen, handsel, or pledge of the general resurrection ? It is not the returning of the soul to its body, to live an animal life again, in this world of sin and sorrow, and shortlv after to undergo the agonies, and pains of death again, that is in itself any such privilege as may afford much comfort to the person raised, or his relations: It is no privilege to the person raised, for it returns him from rest to trouble, froin the harbour back again into the ocean. It is matter of trouble to many dying saints, to hear of the likelihood of their returning again, when they are got so nigh to heaven.
It was once the case of a godly minister of this nation, who was rauch troubled at his return, and said, I am like a sheep driven out of the storm almost to the fold, and then driven back into the storm again; or a weary traveller that is come near his home, and then must go back to fetch somewhat he had forgotten ; or an apprentice, whose time is almost expired, and then must begin a new term.
But to die, and then return again from the dead, hath less of privilege, than to return only from the brink of the grave ; for the sick hath not yet felt the agonies and last struggles, or pangs of death ; but such have felt them once, and must feel them again, they must die twice, before they can be happy once ; and, besides, during the little time they spend on earth betwixt the first and second dissolu- tion, there is a perfect a/xvi^stu, forge tfulness, and insensibleness, of all that which they saw, or enjoyed, in their estate of separation : It being necessary both for them and others, that it should be so. For themselves it is necessary, that they may be content to live, and endure the time of separation from that blessed and ineffable state, quietly and patiently ;* and for others, that they may live by faith, and not by sense ; and build upon divine, and not human authority and report.
So that here you see, their agonies and pangs are doubled, and yet their lives not sweetened by any sense of their happiness, which returns and remains with them ; and therefore it can be no such pri- vilege to them.
And for their relations: Though it be some comfort to receive them again from the dead; yet the consideration that they are returned to them into the stormy sea, to partake of new sorrows and troubles^ from which they were lately free : And in a short time they must
* Victurosque dii cclnnt, ut vivere dvrent.
How long or short men live is kept a mystery, To make us both live well and less afraid to die.
612 A TOKEN Foil MOURNERS.
part with tliem again, and feel tlie double sorrows of a parting pullj which others feel but once ; surely such a particular resurrection, considered in itself, is no such ground of comfort as at first we might imagine it to be.
It remains, then, that the ground of all solid comfort and relief, against the death of our I'elations, lies in the general and last resur- rection, and what is in a particular one, is but, as it were, a specimen* and evidence of the general : and there the apostle places our relief, 1 Thes. iv. 17. that we shall see and enjoy them again, at the Lord's coming. And surely this is more than if (with this mother in the text) we should presently receive them from the dead, as she did her son: And if we judge not so, it is because our hearts are carnal, and measure things rather by time and sense, than by faith and eternity. Thus you see the counsel, with its ground, which, for the most part, is common to other Christian mourners with her ; the difference being but inconsiderable, and of little advantage.
Here, then, you find many aggravations of sorrow meeting toge- ther ; a son, an only son, is carrying to the grave ; yet Christ com- mands the pensive mother not to mourn.
Hence we note, Doct. That Christians ought to moderate their sorrows Jhr their dead relations, how many ajjiicting circumstances, and aggra- vations soever meet together in their death. It is as common with men, yea, with good men, to exceed in their sorrows for dead relations -j*, as it is to exceed in their love and de- lights to living relations ; and both of the one, and the other, we may say, as they say of waters. It is hard to confine them within their bounds. It is therefore grave advice which the apostle delivers in this case, 1 Cor. vii. 29, -30. "But this I say, brethren, the " time is short ; it remaineth that both they that have wives, be as " though they had none ; and they that Aveep, as though they wept " not ; and those that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not."" As if he had said, the floating world is near its port ; :j: God hath con- tracted the sails of man's life ; it is but a point of time we have to live, and shortly it will not be a point to choose whether we had wives or not, children or not. All these are time-eaten things, and be- fore the expected fruit of these comforts be ripe, we ourselves may be rotten. It is therefore an high point of wisdom to look upon things which shortly will not be, as if already they were not, and to behave ourselves in the loss of these carnal enjoyments, as the natural man behaves himself in the use of spiritual ordinances ; he hears as if he heard not, and we should weep as if we wept not ; their affections are a little moved, sometimes by spiritual things, but they never lay
* ITierein we have a noble specimen of the future resurrection. Calvin on the place. \ Whatever we love ardently while we have it, we lament bitterly when we lose it. Greg- mart
X Ka/Pogcvvs^uXfJt>svo{, i. e, the time is contracted.
A TOKEN FOR MOUJtNERSv 61/5
them SO to heart, as to be broken-hearted for the sin they hear of, or deeply affected with the glory revealed. We also ought to be sensible of the stroke of God upon our dear relations ; but yet still we must weep, as if we wept not ; that is, we must keep due bounds, and moderation in our sorrows, and not to be too deeply concerned for these dying, short-lived things.