Missing Page •sssesmmt S E R M O N Occafioned by the DEATH OF THE REVEREND BENJAMIN GROSFENOR, D. D. Who departed this Life August 27. 1758. in the Eighty-third Year of his Age. I PREACHED AT = S B Y-SQ^UA RE, September lo. 1758. By JOHN BARKER. LONDON: Printed for J. Buckland, at the Buck, in Pater-Nof- ter-Row; and Sold by J.Waugh, \n Lombard-St7-eet ; C. Henderson, underthe Royal- Exchange; E. Owen, at Temple-Bar; and G, Woodfall, at Charing-Crofs. [Price Six-pence.] Cornell University Library The original of tliis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924104015148 t iii ] Psalm xxiii. 44 T'eay though I walk through th& valley of the Jhadow of deaths 1 will fear no evil, for thou art *voith me > thy rod and thy flaff they comfort me. IN the preceding pfalm, the royal author defcribes himfelf, as in a flate of for- row and complicated afflidion j and, whei^ ther we underftand him as reprefenting his own ftate and circumftances, orj in the fpi- rit of prophecy, foretelling and defcribing the fufferings of the Mejiah, of whom he was an eminent type, as well as a renowned progenitor, it is not to be wondered, thai he (hould fly to God for fuccour and confo- lation ; be not far from me, for trouble is near j — be not Jar from me Lord ; O myjirengthi bajie thee to help me.^ But in this pfalm, he feems to have emerged out of that gloomy A 2 flate, • PfaL xxii. II, 39* 4 ^ Funeral Sermon on the Death of ftate, in which he was before involved ; and to cxprefs, not only an unfhaken truft, but an unufual alacrity in the divine patronage and power. The Lord, (fays he,) is myjhep- herdy I pall not want , he maketh me to lye down in green pa/lures, be leadeth me befide the Jiill waters ; he rejloretb my foul, he leadeth me in the paths of righteoufnefs for his name's fake.' Here the pfalmift reprefents himfelf in a ftate of profperity and felicity, of tran- quility and enjoyment, happy in the paftor- al and parental care of his father, and his God ; and then it was no very uncommon mark, no fuch diftinguifliing evidence, of his courage or piety, that his heart fliould be lively, and make it's boajl in him} But could a man, of the pfalmift'fr know- ledge and experience, reckon upon the long continuance of this chearful fcene ? no fure! he well knew the inftability of all human felicity, and looked forward to the valley of afflidtion, to fee how he who was difpofed to rejoice in God, when he was allowed to re- cline and repofe himfelf on the vivid paf- tures, and refrefh and regale himfelf, on the enamelled borders of a gentle murmuring ftream ; to fee, I fay, how he could fupport himfelf, «Pfal.xxiii. I, z, 3. \Vi.xxxiv,z. . the Reverend Dr. Grofvenor, 5 liimfelf, and maintain his fortitude and his truft in God, in cafe he Ihould be carried into the dark and dreary valley 'of afflidlion. Tea, (adds he,) though I walk through the •ualley of the Jhadow of deaths I will fear no ■evil, for thou art with me ; thy rod and thy flaff they comjort me. This was fuppofing the worft, according to an eye of fenfe j for the edge and fting of moft other afflic- tions is, that they are likely to end in death. He, therefore, who can look death in the face without difmay, who can walk among the monuments of the dead, who can take the king of terrors by the cold hand j he, who can pafsa ferious hour of contempla- tion, in the valley of the fhadow of death, and fay, " hither I am willing to come, " whenever my father calls me,''* he is a happy man j efpecially if he can fay this, on the principles on which it is here faid by the pious pfalmift ; yea, though I walk through the valley of the Jhadow of death, I will fear no evil, jor thou art with me -, thy rod and * Some critlcks have fuppofed the words have no farther meaning, than ajiate ofaffliaion, but in the enfuing difcourfe, I have chofe to confider them as referring to the time of deatlt, to which, (at leaftj they may well be acommodated. 6 A Funeral Sermon on the Death of and tbyjiafftbey comfort me. In further dif- courfing on which words, I propofe, I. To fix your meditations, and my own, on that feafon, or period of human life, which the pfalmift here defcribes, as •walking through the •valley of the Jhadow of death. II. To examine the grounds of his fup- port and confolation, in this expedted awful feafon.. And then conclude with fome fuitable application. I. Let us take a pleafing painful view, of the valley of the fliadow of death. Death is the wages offm. It is the fen- tence pronounced on the whole human race, in confequence of our original, and univer- fal apoftacy. In Adam all die. ° Death paf- feth upon all men, becaufe all have Jinfted^ All, I fay, except they who may be alive at the day of judgment, who muft undergo a change, equivalent to dying. The pious, as well as the profane, the wealthy and in- digent, the honourable and bafe, muft all lye down in the filent grave, and be covered with "iCor.xv, 22. *Rom. T. 12. the Reverend Dr. Grofvenor. 7 with the clods of the valley. This path is continually trodden, but the footfteps of the paffengers are all one way. Jojhua fays, be- hold ! this day, 1 am going the way of all the earth.'' And Job defcribes it, as the -way from whence hejhouldnot return.'' The world by this means, (it is true,) is delivered from the impious and unjuft, from the difturbers of the peace and repofe of families, from the tyrants and oppreflbrs of mankind, from thofe whofe breath fills the air with blafphe- my, or whofe hands ftain the earth with blood J but then, by this means likewife, it is bereaved of the ingenious and learned, of the virtuous and benevolent, of the pious and publick-fpirited, of thofe, who in pri- vate life, are the fuccourers and friends of the diftreffed, and the encouragers of modeft vir-r tue ; or, who in publicklife, are the aven- gers of the wrongs, or the defenders of the rights of mankind; whofe lives biefs and confecrate the cities and countries where they refide, and who are the ornaments and bul- warks of fociety. And what is this road which is fo much frequented ? Is it fafe and pleafant ? is it fil- led with no doleful cries ? is it annoyed with a Joih, xxiii. 14. e Job X. 21 . 8 A Funeral Sermon on the Death of with no ghaftly fpedades ? alas, no ! It is a gloomy and a noiforae valley, a land of darknefsy and the JJiadova of death ; a land cf darknefi itfelf, without any order ^ and where the light is as darknefs} And thofe who pafs through it, at the fame time with us, are able to afford us no fuccour. The human body is compofed of very de- licate, and very frail materials. When we are in perfect ftrength, and in the vigour of life, we are fometimes apt to fuppofe, that death is no fuch fevere conflidt and ftruggle, as it is generally reprefented ; but when the conftitution is impaired by ficknefs, or be- come feeble through age, the thoughts of death, of the mortal dew hanging on our countenances, of the dim and funken eye, of the trembling limbs, and faultering fpeech, and dying groan ; thefe harbingers of death flrike us with an univerfal chill, and make us dread the tyrant's nearer approach. I acknowledge fome men have more con- ftitutional firmnefsand fortitude, than others. Thofe ftorms and hurricanes in life, which are neceflary to make fome men thoughtful and confiderate, Oiall fill others with terror, and almofl drive them to defperation. One man ' Job X. 21, 22. the Reverend Dr. Grofvenor. 9 man fhall fuffer more on the death of an old acquaintance, than another does on the lofs of an only fon. One unfortunate or imprudent branch or member of a family, fhall fometimes make one parent miferable, when another fliall bear up, under the in- gratitude and diffolutenefs, of a whole race of prodigals. So likewife, on the approach towards the dark valley. One (hall ftart at the mention of it, (hall be apprehenfive that the flighteft indifpofition which feizes him, that the leaft pain or numbnefs he feels in any member of the body, or, that every occafional lownefs of the animal fpirits, is the certain prefage, and immediate fore-run- ner of death ; whilfl; others ihaWpofefs months and years of vanity, and fhall have isjeari" fime nights ° in a long fucceffion appointed them, and yet betray no remarkable dejec- tion. Neverthelefs, certain it is, that with all th& allowances which we are obliged to make for difference of conflitutions, the thoughts of paffing through the dark valley, muft be a fubjecl of fome concern to every confiderate man, when this event approach- B '. es. ° Job vii. 3. JO A Funeral Sermon on the Death of es. All the world then feems to be dying to us. — All the beauties of the creation lan- guish in our fight. — The corporeal and in- tellectual eye grow dark. — Our clothes hang heavy on us. — Our food lofes its relilh. — The grajhopper is a burden^ and yet our bed is a bed of thorns. — Friendftiip has no more charms to revive us. — Our projedls and purpofes of enjoyment or ufefulncfs are blafted. — The clofeft ties and bonds of natural affedion are diflblving. — There is a total wreck of nature, and according to the beft difcernment of an eye of fenfe, we are fwiftly to pafs through a narrow gulph, and plunge into a fathomlefs ocean. And is there no pain in fuch an expedation \ does a ftately building, fallen to decay, caufe an uneafy fenfation in every beholder ? Is the fight of a country or city laid wafte, an awful and moving fpedlacle ? Does a folemn gloom hang upon our minds, when we walk amongft the tombs of the dead ? Can't we behold the dying pang, or hear the expir- ing groan, or furvey the breathlefs corpfe, of a once endeared and beloved friend, with- out turning pale and trembling ? I fay, do fuch • £cclef. xii. 5. the Reverend Dr. Grofvenor. 1 1 fuch awful and venerable ruins ftrike us with a damp, and fill our minds with horror ? And can we calmly think of being the prin- cipal figure and charafter in fuch a fad tra- gedy, and not feel our blood creep through our veins, and be in fome pain for the iffue ? Well, this is the dark fide of the fub- je<3: 1 to be infirm and fickly, to be old and die,^ to be ftretched out a breathlefs and a fenfelefs corpfe, and be {hut up in a narrow tomb, and be thruft out of the fight of the living, that we may not offend and annoy, thofe whom we were wont to inftrud: and delight} fure I am, this is a very fad and hum- bling confideration : and this is the feafon, and thefe are the circumftances, the pfalmift had in view, when he faid, yea, though I walk through the valley ofthejhadow of death, 1 will fear no evil. But this is not the laft end of man. It is not fealing us up in eternal oblivion ; it is not configning us to abfolute annihilation. It breaks all our prefent relations and connex- ions, it is true ; It cuts afunder all the liga- ments, by which we are faftened to this ma- terial and momentary fyftem ; but there is one relation which it does not affedt, wljich B 2 it 12 A Funeral Sermon on the "Death of it cannot change, or reach, or diflblve ; 1 mean, our relation to God, to the Lord and Sovereign of the univerfe, the fupreme Fa- ther of men and angels. And what rela- tion is that ? It is the relation of creatures to their Creator, of fubjedts to their fo- vereign, aye, and of criminals to their judge. And how does our pafling through the val- ley of the fhadow of death, afFedt us in thefe relations ? Why, it is our tranfition and tranf- lation from a ftate of trial, to a flate of re- compence ; it is calling us to pafs our ac- counts ; it is remanding us back from this diftant country, where we have been ftation* cd for a time, in order that we may be placed at the footftool of the throne of the Majefty of heaven and earth, and at the bar of the eternal Judge. And where is that man, where is that fon of Adam, who dares to fay he is not a finner ? And where is that finner who dares to fay, he has no- thing to fear ? The writer to the Hebrews obferves, ice know bim who hath [aid, ven- geance behngeth unto me, I will recompence, Jaith the Lord. And again, the Lord fhall judge his people. It is therefore, adds he, a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the liv- ing the Reverend Dr. Grofvenor. 1 3 ing God.'- It is impoffible, that any thought- ful man, fbould take a view of the failings, and mifcarriages, and willful tranfgreflions, of his paft life, and have no kind or degree of concern, in the near approach of that awful period, when he muftgive an account of himfelf unto God j efpecially, if he is firmly perfuaded of the confequences of the decifion of that important day ; i. e. that it will fubjedt him to a fentence from which there is no appeal, and fix him in a ftate of blifs or woe, inconceivable and unchange- able. And is it poffible then the pfalmift fliould fay, yea, though I walk through the valley of the Jhadoiv of death I -will fear no evil? — How could he or any man, with fuch a val- ley, with fuch a dark and lowring profpeci before him, fay this without great and un- warrantable prefumption ? Did he expedl a tranflation ? Did he expeft his fpirit would take its flight out of the body at once, with- out flaying till the harbingers of death pul- led or tore down this earthly tabernacle ? On what then was this courage and refolution founded^ ' Heb, X. 30, 31. 14 A Funeral Sermon on the Death of founded, and how far did it extend ? And this leads me to the W. General head ; namely, to enquire and examine on what grounds this good man's fupport and confolation was founded. And 1 do not apprehend the pfalmifl:, by faying, I will fear no evil, defigned us to un- derftand, that he vaunted of a Jloical apathy or infenfibility, — that he confidered death as no evil. — He knew it was the curfe God denounced agairjft fin, and as fuch, he was too pious a man to defpife it ; and he had all the foft and tender feelings of humanity j nay, he was a man, (if we may judge from his hiftory, and from his writings,) of a very delicate compofition, he was a lover of mu- fick, fufceptible of the gentlefl: impreflions, aduated by the ftrongeft affedlions, anden- riched and diftingui(hed by a very fine and beautiful imagination j the diftreflfes he met with in his family, and in his kingdom, at times deeply affefted him, and no man ever lamented with greater bitternefs and an- guifli of foul, his perfonal guilt and wicked- nefs, or feems to have been driven, in the fenfe of it, nearer to the borders of defpair. We the Reverend Dr. Grofvenof . 1 5 We cannot fuppofe therefore, that he did not fee death in all the folemn fable in which I have before reprefented it^ or that he did not contemplate it, as a very awfuLand afFeding crifis ; neverthelefs, I apprehend, he fpake in this paflage as a penitent finner, who had 'deeply humbled himfelf before God, and who had taken refuge in thofe promifes of divine mercy and forgivenefs, which were afforded to the church of Ifrael. His laft words are a plain evidence of this : Although my houfe (fays he) be not fo with God, yet he bath made with me an everlajling cove- nant, ordered in all things and fare, for this is all my falvatitn and all my dejire,' When he fays therefore, / will fear no evil ; it is as if he had faid, ; — " Although "I do riot expedt to be favoured with a " tr-anflation as was 'Enoch, although I am " fenfible that to defcend from my throne •' and be laid in a tomb, and from receiving " the homage of my fubjedls, and the fpoils *' of my enemies, is a great ftoop of ma- " jefty ; although I know the ftroke of death *' may be violent or lingering, and that the «' reparation of ibul and body is often at- ^' tended c 2 Sam. xxiii. 5. 1 6 A Funeral Sermon on the Death of " tended with ftrong convulfions of animal " nature, and that through the gates of " death, I muft pafs to the tribunal of my " Almighty Judge ; yet I am not fo alarmed " and diftrefled at thefe events, as to be " thrown inio any agony or confternation." And allowing for the difference of the two difpenfations, we may take his meaning to be fimilar to that of St. Paul, death where is thy /iing, O grave where is thy viSlory ? the jling of death is Jin, and the ftrength of Jin is the law, but thanks be to God who giv' eth us the viSlory through our Lord Jefus Chriji. ' But there are two particular grounds of fupport and confolation mentioned in the text, which deferve our particular attention. And the firfl: is, I. For thou art with me. To have the pre- fence of God with us in any feafon of life, is highly valuable and defirable. A ftate of xht higheft worldly profperity without this, would be no joy to a good man, and with it every fcene and ftate of adverfity may be endured and fupported ; but in no feafon is it of (o much importance to have God with us, as when we are to enter and pafs through the i I Cor XV, 55. "the ReiWend Dr. Grofvcnbf. i f the valley of the fhadovv of death. No^ thing is more encouraging and animating to a man who has any confiderable enterprize to execute, or any conflidt to endure, thaa to have a wife and powerful friend near him, to afford him counfel and affiftance, as occa- fion may require. But no earthly friend can afford us much fuccour or afliflance when we come to die ; we muft enter the lifl:s alone with the king of terrors. The valley of death is often fo dark, that we lofe the fight of every earthly friend and objedl of con- folation, and to all the real evils we then fuf- fer, we are often haunted with imaginary terrors j to borrow the language of Eliphaz,. fear comes upon us, and trembling., which makes all our bones Jkake, then a fpirit pajfes before us, which makes the hair of our flejh to Jland up. ° No man can be fure to what -low flate of fpirits he may be reduced, when he pafles through this gloomy valley. But though the eye of fenfe may be totally ex- tinguifhed and abforbed, yet if by an eye of faitH we can fee God, if we can fee him not as made known in the dark fayings, and doubtful. conjedtures, of the Heathen Mora" C lip » Jobiv. 14, 15. 1 8 A Funeral Sermon on the Death of I'tjli and Philofophersy but as made known ta us in his Word and in his Son, as declared by the only begotten of the Father^ full of grace and truth j if we can fee him in the glory of his attributes, and in the grace of his promifes, and in the immutability of his covenant ; if we can fee him as the God and Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, and through him our reconciled Friend, and Fa- ther, and God. If in this fenfe we can fay, thou art with me, we may alfo add, yea, though I walk through the valley of the Jha- dow of death, I will fear no evil. We who live under the chriftian difpenfa- tion, are undoubtedly favoured with clearer and more exprefs difcoveries of the grace and mercy of God in the falvation of the apoftate world, than they who lived under the Old Teftament difpenfation ; neverthe- lefs, I am fully perfuaded, David and othe*? good men, under that difpenfation, had fuf- ficient difcoveries to inlighten the dark val- ley, and to enable them to fay, thou art with me, and thou wilt be with me as a merciful, and faithful God, and Friend, in the laft Pfal. Ixxi. g. the Reverend Dr. Grofvenor. 23 in the mtnijiry of the gofpel, I could deny nothing I was able to grant. Dr. Benjamin Grofvenor was born the ift of January, 1675. His father was an upholfterer -of confiderable bufinefs in the city of London. Both his parents were pious, and this fon difcovered, very early, both a fprightly genius, and a great concern about religion. When he was only ten years of age, he had a moft awful fenfe of God on . his mind, ftrong and terrifying convidions of the power and danger of fin, remained upon him for a confiderable time, till at length, he heard a fermon at what was then called Mr. Shallef^ meeting place, in Gravel- lane, Southwark, from a minifter whofe name he never knew, which brought him to a truer knowledge of God, his Saviour, himfelf, and of genuine religion. After this his foul found its true reft, and he perceived the*difFerence between being awed by terror, and conftrained by rational convidlion. He remained in this happy ftate for feveral years, performing the duties and exercifes of re- ligion, not as a tafk, but a pleafure. After he had acquired this ferious and manly turn of mind, he no longer reli(bed the «4 A Funeral Sermon on the Death of the diverfions common to youth. But aftef the fchool hours, retired to his clofet, fpend- ing many hours in prayer and devout medi- tation, and in reading books on divine ivk>- jeds with unfpeakable delight j and was fo frequent and fervent in thefe exercifes, and carried them to fo great a length, that his good parents, who rejoiced at the eminent piety of their fon, were yet, at length, very apprehenfive, that he would impair his health, and hazard his conftitution. He obferves, (in a diary now before me ,° ) that " his heart was glad at the approach " of a Lord's-day, that he might do nothing •• but worfliip, learn, praife, and enjoy God. " Speak Lord, for thy Jervant hears, was the " language of my foul ; 1 was ready to " put in pradice every thing, which was " made known to me as my duty." And then he adds thefe remarkable words, (well worthy the attention of us efpecially, who are called to the miniftry of the gofpel.) •' If the preac];!er, that day, had been fliew- " ing • This diary, (which did not come to hand till I had fi- niilied the difcourfe, as I delivered it from the pulpit,) has Iioth obliged, and enabled me, to make fome alterations and iud.tions, ;h:.t I might do juftice to the Doflor's charafler. the Revefend Dr. Grofvenor. 25 " ing tricks in divinity, either metaphyfical, " fcholaftical, or critical j if he had been " inflaming the paffions of his audience, '• inftead of delivering the plain things of " life and godlinefs, 1 had then miffed my *' aim, at leaft for that time." " Barbarous' " practice ! (adds he,) of thofe minifters, " who have opportunities of fpeaking vsreek- " ly to great numbers, with all the advan- " tage of publick countenance, authorityi " and fupport, and confequendy of doing " extenfive good ; and who yet retail trafti " and wrath ; inflame the paffions they " fliould allay ; and abufe to the difturbance *' of the world, the day which is appropri- " ated to the preaching of the gofpel ; or " who employ it in any other way, which " has not a tendency to make men truly good, " wifer, and better." " In the midft of thefe enjoyments, (fays " he,) it came into my mind ho w I might con- " tinue andfecure them; I could not bear the " thought of exchanging thefe delights, for " the bufinefs or gains of the world. A life " of chriftian duty and enjoyment was what *' I wanted to fecure. Upon that, I re- *' folved to be a minifler, and then my whole D " life z& A Funeral Sermon on the Death of *' life and bufinefs would lie in the things " I moft delighted in." At this feafon his mind was fo deeply im- prefled with the truth and importance of religion, that he thought he could convert every body, he thought he could make them feel as well as hear ; that he could fay fo much concerning the love of God to man- kind, the condefcenfion and compaflion of the Redeemer, the worth of the foul, the excellence and evidence of the gofpel, the glory and dignity of heavenly things, and the vanity and infignificance of thofe trifles which commonly feduce men's affedlions from God, together with the glorious or tremendous confequences of a timely accep- tance, or total refufal of the gofpel falvation, as would certainly faften the arrow of con- vidlion fo deep in the heart of a finner, that hefhould not be abletodraw it out. Being at length, with the approbation of his parents, determined for the miniftry, he purfued fuch ftudies as he thought moft likely to qualify him for that important fervice ; but although he had a great ef- teem for learning, yet he declares, that the drynefs of the fchool exercifes, and the fweetnefs the Reverend Dr. Grofvenor. 27 fweetnefs he tafted in pradlical religion, kept him backward in literature for fome time, but afterwards he purfued it with more in- duftry and pleafure, though he always de- lighted moft in the ftudy of the holy fcrip- tures. In the year 1693 he went from London^ to profecute his ftudies under the Reverend Mr. Jollie, at AttercVtffe in Tork/hire^ of whom he gives this amiable and inftrudlive accountj which from my own knowledge I am able to atteft as true ; " that he was a " man of an excellent fpirit, of great fpiri- ** tuality and fweetnefs of temper. The or- " ders of his houfe were ftrict and re- <* gular J and few tutors maintained them "better, and with fo little feverity. Every '* thing here was fyftematical. But the de- " fedts in his inftitution, as to claflical learn- •* ing, free philofophy, and the catholic di- *' vinity, were made amends for to thofe *' who were defigned for the pulpit, by " fomething thofe pupils who had -any tafte, " took from him in his publick perform- " ances. He had a charming voice, flow- '* ing, and of a mufical found ; a natural e- *• loquence j his elocution and gefture were D 2 " fuch 28 A Tuner al Sermon on the Death of *' fuch as would adorn an orator. The " pathetic was fometimes fo heightened " with that divine enthufiafni, which is pe- " culiar to true devotion, that he would " make our hearts glow with a fervour, '* which he kindled in the breafts even of ** thofe, who endeavoured all they could not " to be moved by him." " There have been tutors, (adds he,) of " greater learning, who have been capable " of laying out a greater compafs of educa- " tion J but at the fame time it muft be ac- " knowledged, that the relifli for pradical " religion j that devotional fpirit which was " fo improved by his example ; that fweet- " nefs of temper and benevolent turn of •' mind, which a foul, of any thing the " the fame make, infenfibly catches from " fuch an example ; are things not every " where to be met with, and yet have fuch f' an influence towards our ufefulnefs and •' acceptance as minifters, as cannot eafily " be fupplied by any other qualities." I may obferve, that no man appears to have been more formed after his tutor's mo- del, than was our deceafed friend. Dr. Grojvencr. In the Reverend Dr. Grofvenor. 29 In 1695 he returned from Atterdiffe to London, and continued his ftudies under le- veral mafters, and particularly the Hebrew language under IVTonfieur Capell, who had formerly been ^ profeiTor of the Oriental languages at Saumur, in France, and was then an illuftrious refugee, having fled with his wife atnd children, and a few books, (and that was all ! ) out of the reach of po- pijh cruelty. About this time, he obferves, that he had doubts arofe in his mind about being a mi- nifter, which he afcribes partly to the dif- putes amongft chriftians. He fays, " he " had a natural averfion to conteft, he " thought it equally ridiculous to fide with " any party. And yet if he did not, he " knew it was the way to be dropt by both. " He faw likewife a very ill tafte amongft *' >the people, crying up fome minifters, and " crying down others fo very ftrangely. *' However, he bleffes God he at length " got the better of thefe difcouragements, *' though they coft him many anxious hours, " many prayers and tears." Would to God too much of this tafte did not ftill remain amongft us ! 30 A Funeral Sermon on the Death of In 1699 he pafled his tryals for the mi- niftry, before the Reverend Mr. ^ick, Mr. Spademan, Mr. Thomas Rowe, Mr Robert Fleming, Mr. Oldfield, Mr. Neprtt, -and Mr. Harris, and the fame year he was in- vited by Mr. Oldfield'i congregation in South- wark, to be their afliftant Preacher. He ac- cepted this call, but he flione with too con- fpicuous a luftre to be long confined to this ftation. His fingular acumen, and lively ima- gination, and graceful utterance, and the warm devotion of his heart, which appeared in all his difcourfes, quickly brought him into London; firft to a ledlure at the Old* yeivry, fet up by fome young citizens of con- fiderable rank ; and very handfomely fupport- ed; where he and his amiable friend, the Rev. Mr. Samuel Rofewell, fhone withdiflinguifhed luftre; although the fuccefs and renown they acquired, few are now left alive either to re- member or relate. One common friend of myfelf and the deceafed, a member and manager of that ledture, and afterwards an honourable and worthy member of this con- gregation, thanks be to God, is yet alive, and has often mentioned his part in that fervice with no fmall pleafure. Mr. the Reverend Dr. Grofvcnor. 3 r Mr. Grofcemr went into this ledture in the year 1702, and after the death of the Rev. Mr. Slater minifter at Crojby- Square, which happened May 24. 1704." was chofen to fucceed him. He accepted this call, and was ordained July 1 1 . the fame year, and foon raifed the congregation into a flourifh- ing church, and a crouded auditory, which continued for many years without any con- fiderable declenfion. In the year 1703. he married Mrs. Mary Souths daughter of Captain Humphrey Souths of Bethnal- green ; a family of eminence a- 'inongft the Proteftant Diffenters. The " There is this remarkable pafTage in the Doflor's diary concerning Mr. Stater. The laft Sacrament he adminiftered, I received with him. He looked upon himfelf as near his end. At the clofe he took a folemn leave of the Congregation, and ended with thefe words, which were delivered, on his part, with the fo- lemnity of a dying Patriarch bleffing his children, :and with the authority of an Apoftle. " I charge you before God, " that yon prepare to meet me at the day of judgment, as " my croiun and my joy, and that not one of you be found want- " ing to meet me there at the right hand of God. a Of whom the Doftor gives this charadkr in his diary, " boitie datis, melioris forma, et opti/nte indolisi'' of a handfome fortune, a comelier perfon, and of the moft excellent difpofition. 32 A Funeral Sermon on the Death of The increafe of the church and auditory, made it proper for him to have an afliftant. Accordingly, in the year 1705. the congre- gation made choice of Mr. (afterwards Dr.) SannieJ JVright for this purpofej whofe piety and whofe ufeful preaching, and popular ta- lents,are well known in this city. — On his be- ing called to the paftoral office in the congre- gation at Black-friars, on the death of Mr. Syhejier, in the year 1709. I was chofen to fucceed him; and my having flood in that re- lation to Dr. Grofvenor, and to this church for four years and upwards, with whom I lived in perfed: harmony, I ftill review with pleafure, and account an honour. After my removal to Hackney, the Dodlor was affifled firft by the Reverend Mr. Old/worth, and afterwards by the worthy and learned Ed- mund Calamy, B. D. lately deceafed. In 1707. he loft his wife, who was in- cxpreflibly dear to him,' by a fudden and unexpected « How deeply and how devoutly his foul was affefted on this occafion, I cannot exprefs fo well as by tranfcribing a few of his meditations from his diar)', on the firft Sacrament he adminiflered after this melancholy providence. " Our Lord (fays he,) having his own death in view, " greatly defired to eat the paffover -.vith his difciples. I have " fever al the Reverend Dr. Grofvenor. 3 3 unexpefted ftroke, in the mldft of their joy, after her fuppofed happy recovery on the birth «« feiveral deaths in view. I look back on one deaths " which has taken away my deareft earthly treafure ; I look " forward upon my oiun, and I come now fo to fix my eye *' on the death ofChrift, that I may fupport the one, and pre- " pare for the other. " God has appointed I fliould eat this paffover with bitter '* herFs indeed; and yet I am come here on purpofe to abate " the bitternefs of my foul. There cannot be fo much bit- " temefs in that cup God has lately put into my hands, as " there is fweetnefs in this cup of hl^ng nvhich nve blefs. The " bread of afflidlion, and the water of affliftion, have been *' the provifion of my lonely table j I would with the more " eager appetite, iit down to the bread of Vfe that comes donun " from God! " Lor-d! to fwhom fhould nve go, but unto thee ? Thou haft the " 'words of eternal life. Words of eternal life, will come like " healing balm into a fpirit, wounded by a death, that " ftrikes as deep into me, as my own. Words of art and " eloquence won't do; I come hither for nvords of eternal life, « Thy Confolations O God, are not fmall ; all are but fmall " without thine ! " Philofophy is a dry well ; and an empty cloud. The " fine fpun reafonings, and the flourifhes of wit, ard works «' of men at eafe. They teach me how to write and fpeak, " but not to endure. No ; but the 'words of eternal life, are fpi- " rit and life. Speak fuch words to my troubled paiTionsj " and they will be affwaged; as when thou faidft, Teace, he " fill, to the obedient winds and waves. " I flee from one death, to get relief in another. From " the death of a dear Relative, to the death of an infinitely «' dearer Saviour. — And what is there, O my foul, that can E " be 34 -^ Funeral Sirmon on the Death of birth of her fecond child. But though he lofl his beloved companion, he retained the efteem of her family, who always treated him with refpedt and honour. " In 1712. he married his fecond wife, MrsJ Elizabeth Prince, by whom he had four fons, William, Samuel, George, and Richard. All of whom are dead except the youngeft. But his children inheriting neither their father's prudence nor piety, occafioned him very heavy afflidion, which he fupported with a patience and refignation, that religion alone could infpire. God grant that his only fon who now furvives, may live to repair the fa- mily's honour ! In 1716. he was chofen one of the fix Preachers at the Merchant's Ledlure, at Sal- ter s-Hall^ " be bitter in tKe death of the mod beloved upon earth, that " is not fweetened by the death of him who was mofl: be- " loved in Heaven ! " As at the firft marriage it was obferved, thzt for this " caufe Jhall a man leave father and ?nother, and dea've to his " ivife. — So in this facramental contraift, which is our " efpoufal to Chrift, mud a man leave wife and children, and " all the world, if required, that he may dea've to the Lord " luilh full furpofe of heart, &c.' ' The Doflor had only one Son by this marriage, Benja- min South Grofwenor, who lived to grow up, but who died many years before him j and a daughter who died an infant. • the Reverend Dr. G^ohtnot. 35 ter's-HalJ, which poft he filled with great reputation, till he refigned it in the year 1749- - Of how friendly a difpofition he was, and how ready to do kind offices, I can de- clare from my own experience, during the firft years 6f my publick miniftry 5 nor am I ignorant how honourably and generoufly he acquitted himfelf Jn fome tranfadions of a private nature, which refpedled his worldly intereft, and which were occafioned by fome misfortunes that happened in his father's family, where he readily gave up, what it was generally agreed, he had an unqueftion- able right to retain. And his father and mother being reduced in their advanced years, received the fulleft proof of the high re- gard their pious fon paid to the fifth com- mandment. His ftature was low, but his mien was manly and graceful ; and though his confti- tution was rather tender than robuft, yet he was feldom laid afide from his public work. His voice though fmall was fweet and melodious, efpecially until the year 1726, when he was obliged to fubmit to a painful operation of having his Uvula cut out of his E 2 mouth. 36 A Funeral Sermon on the Death of mouth in confequence of a violent inflamma- tion } and which ever afterwards occafioned an impediment in his pronunciation. Ne- verthelefs, he had fo great fkill in managing his voice, (owing, perhaps in fome mea- fure, to his knowledge in mufick,) that I have hardly heard any fpeaker more capable of afFeding and commanding^ an audience. He delivered ferious truths from the pulpit with uncommon freedom and energy ; and if it fhould be allowed, that occafionally, fome of his lively turns needed an apology, I am bold to fay, many of them demanded admiration. His judgment and faith, in the dodrines of the chriftian religion, v/ere fteady and un- fhaken. And though I know not that his fentiments ever much altered, on any points of controverfy, yet he detefted cenforiouf- ncfs, and abounded in candour and moder- ation. " I thank God, (fays he in his di- *' ary,) for that temper of mind and genius, " which has made it natural to me to have " an averfion to bigotry. This has improv- " ed conflandy with my knowledge. And " the enlarging my mind towards thofe who ♦' differ from me, has kept pace with my " illumi' the Reverend Dr. Grofvenor. 37 " illumination andintelledual improvements. *^ j^gree to differ, is a good motto. The " reafon and lovelinefs of fuch a friendly " difpofition would recommend it, and I " am' perfuaded,. people would almoft take " it of themfelves, if it were not for the f • feveral arts ufed to prevent it." He ufed to fay, " if he was pleafed with " any of his own compofitions, it is what *' he has entitled, The temper of Jefus j " and I do not wonder at this preference, as he habitually laboured to tranfcribe into his own heart and life, what he there fo charmingly defer ibes. But as man is born to trouble, and finds this his fureft inheritance in the prefent world, and as there is no feafon of life, in which religious truths are fo felt and relifli- ed, as a. time of afflidion, and as the piece itfelf is indeed a very mafterly performance; I am inclined to think, his Mourner bids the fairefl to perpetuate his memory. In 1730 the univerfity of Edinburgh conferred on him the degree of DoSlor in divinity^ in the moft refpedful manner, he not having the leaft knowledge of their in- tention, 38 A Funeral Sermon on the Death of tention, till the diploma was delivered into his hands. Befides the books he publiflied, to which he prefixed his name, he wrote fome fmall pieces, both political and controverfial, which are not univerfally known to be his. Notwithftanding his fevere afflidlions, and his love to devotion and retirement, he en- joyed life as much as moft men, he abound- ed in lively Tallies of wit, and few carried innocent chearfulnefs, or pleafant converfa- tion higher, amongft chofen friends, than he did ; but when paftoral duty required him to vifit the fick, or corhfort the diftref- fed, he endeavoured to open fprings of di- i-ine confolation in the foul, and was folici- tous, as a worker together with God, to turn the fevereft affliftions into ineftimable bleffings. He was a minifter, in London, of diflin- guiflied reputation upwards of fifty years; but the infinnities of age obliging him to withdraw from publick fervice ; he refign- ed the paftoral office in the year 1 749, and was foon fucceeded by your prefent worthy and excellent minifter, Mr. John Hodge. The the Reverend Dr. Grofvenor. 39 The recefs which the Dodor gained by this means, he employed in reading with fb much diligence, that hardly any new book on morals, or religion, or polite learning, efcaped him. During his retirement a painful diforder increafed upon him, and by degrees wore him out ; but though many heard him groan, none heard him murmur or repine. I ne- ver perceived him to exprefs any fear of dying, he viewed the darkfome valley with- out ar;y gloom or horror, he had long re- joiced in hope of the glory of God, firmly believing in Jefus as the refurredion and the ■ C'"^ wbo raifed up Chriji - : ige and earnejl that he r : / bodies of his faithful fervants,- by his fpirit nsohich dwelleth in them.'' To a friend at Dr. Watts's funeral, who took notice of his habitual chearfulnefs, he made this reply, " I'll fmile on death, if " God will fmile on me." And this temper of mind, owing in part to a natural fweetnefs of difpofition, but principally to the fupports of a divine faith, he preferved to the laft. I took an affeding leave of him the night he ' Rom. viii. 1 1 . 40 A Funeral Sermon on the death of, &c. he retired into his chamber, where he re- mained feven weeks j during which, his pain was very violent, but his patience had its perfedl work. In my laft vifit he told me, no body knew what he endured, but he did not murmur or complain. He loft his fpeech fome days, but not his fenfes, till he flept in Jefus, on Lord's-day morning, Augufi the 27th, in the eighty- third year of his age. Blejfed are the dead who thus die in the Lordi they Jhall reji from their labours, and their •works fsall follow them ; ' and they fhall af- furedly arife again to confummate happinefs and honour, when the returning Saviour (hall come to be glorified in his faints, and admired in all them who believe ° i Rev, xiv. 13. * z Thef. i. i o. 'msmmmtm F IN I S. T-r-'>n'y^v iiy,.H..«*ji,ijjij|Mi misr^^^w-^^im^mtmmmmf Missing Page