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
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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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    2. That tho’ compaffion towards an infirm creature, under bodily diftemper, was not the principal indncement unto this cure, it was a real one. Our Lord doth really compaflionate th^ frailties of thofe that relate to him, while they dwell in mortal flefli. He himfelf hears oar Jicknefes, He has a tendernefs towards them, even while he doth not think it fit actually to releafe, and fet them free ; which makes way to what was propofed in the laft place to be infilled on, as preparatory to the intended ufe. 4. That in what way foever our Lord Jefm works a releafe for them that are moft fpedally his own^ from their bodily diftempers^ doth it in mercy to them. He lets their affliction continue upon them in mercy greater mercy, indeed, than would be in an un- feafonable deliverance. But when he fees it a fit feafon to give them a releafe, that is an unqueftionable mercy too 5 tho’ it be not in fuch a way, as appears fuch to vulgar eyes. It is more cafily apprehenfible to be from compaffion, if he relieve^^a poor, pained, weak, languilliing, fickly creature, by giving renewed flrength, and eafe, and health in this world. But when the releafe is by death, as in the cafe we have under our farther prefent confideration, it is hard to perfwade that this is done in mercy; that there is compaffion in this cafe.There is ’tis true in this a manifeft difparity, but not a difadvantageous one. Is it a lefs thing, to releafe an holy foul from the body xhm from bodily diftempers?lt can only be fo in the opinion of fuch blind moles of the earth, as the children of men are nov/ generally become. But let the cafe be confidered according to it s true andi real import. Why ! a recovery from fchpefs is but an adjournment of death 3 ’tis but death defer’d a while. When there is a releafe wrought in fuch a way as this, in which hers was wrought, whom God hath lately taken from amongft us 5 here is a cure, not only of one bodily diflemper, but of all 3 not only of ahbual difeafednefsy but of the poffihility of ever being difeafed more •y here is a cure wrought, not only of infirmity, but of death .* for the Saints conquer death by fuffering it; Yea a cure, not of death only, but of mortality^ of any liablenefs to death, fo as it can never touch them more 3 Yea further, not only oibodily difeafesy but of Spiritual too, far worfe, and more grievous than all bodily difeafes whatfoever3 acureofblindnefsof mind, deadnefs, and hardnefs of heart, of all indifpofitions towards God, his ways, and prefence, towards the moft fpiritual duties, and the beft, and