SERMON XXXI

The Sorrows of the Bereaved spread before Jesus.

MATTHEW xiv. 12.

AND HIS DISCIPLES CAME AND TOOK UP THE BODY AND BURIED IT, AND WENT AND TOLD JESUS.

CONCERNING these words I would observe

three things.

1. On what occasion that was, that we have an account of in the text....It was on occasion of the death of John the Baptist, who was a person whose business it had been to preach the gospel of the kingdom of God. He was a minister of Jesus Christ, and had been improved to do great service, was an instrument of much good to many in Judea and Jerusalem, in his life time. He was cruelly murthered by Herod, at the instigation of Herodias, having exposed himself to her malice by faithfully reproving them for their incestuous wicked

ness.

Preached at Hatfield, September 2, 1741, being the day of the inter ment of the Rev. Mr. William Williams.

2. We may observe who the persons were spoken of in the text; they were those that had been the disciples of John the Baptist, that had sat at his feet to hear him preach the gospel, that were his constant followers, that were with him as those that received great benefit by his ministry, and were as it were his children.

3. We may observe their behavior on this occasion, consisting in two things.

(1.) That whereby they shewed their regard to the remains of the deceased, They took up the body and buried it : It had been used in a barbarous manner by others, that had also been his hearers, and were under special obligations to have treated him with honor. They cruelly murdered him, by severing his head from his body; and his head was carried in a charger to Herodias, that she, instead of paying that res pect that was due to the remains of so venerable a person, might have her malice and cruelty gratified by such a specta cle, and that she might thence take occasion to insult the dead. While that part of the dead body was thus used by Herodias, his disciples out of respect and honor to their mas ter and teacher, decently interred the rest.

2. That which they did, consequent on this, for God's glory and their own good, They went and told Jesus. Him they knew to be one that their master John, while he lived, had testified a great regard to. Jesus was he whose forerunner John was; whom he had preached, and of whom he had said, "Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world:" And, "This is he, of whom I said, after me cometh one that is preferred before me;" and whom he saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. And probably they knew that hrist was one that had put great honor upon John their teacher in his life time. For he, though he was the Son of God, and John's Maker and Saviour, yet came to him to be baptized of him, and had said of him, that " among those that were born of women, there had not risen a greater than John the Baptist.

It was now a sorrowful time with John's disciples; when they were thus bereaved of him whose teachings they had sat under. And the manner of his death was doubtless very grievous to them. They were like a company of sorrowful, distressed, bereaved children; and what do they do in their sorrows, but go to Jesus with their complaint. The first thing that they do, after paying proper regards to the remains of their dear master, is to go to Christ, to spread their case before him, seeking comfort and help from him. Thus they sought their own benefit.

And probably one end of their immediately going and telling Jesus was, that he being informed of it, might conduct himself accordingly, as his wisdom should direct, for the interest of his own kingdom. When so great a person as John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, was thus martyred, it was a great event, in which the common cause, in which both Christ and he were engaged, was greatly concerned: It was therefore fit that he that was at the head of the whole affair should be informed of it, for his future conduct in the affairs of his kingdom. And accordingly we find that Jesus seems immediately to be influenced in his conduct by these tidings; as you may see in the next verse: "When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart." Thus John's disciples sought God's glory.

The observation from the words that I would make the subject of my discourse at this time is this:

When any one is taken away by death, that has been eminent in the work of the gospel ministry, such as are thereby bereaved, should go and spread their calamity before Jesus.

Though in handling this subject I might particularly speak to several propositions that are contained in this observation, and many things might profitably be insisted on under it, if there were room for it within the compass of a sermon ; yet I shall only give the reasons of the doctrine, and then haster to the application.

The following reasons may be given why, in case of such an awful dispensation of Providence, those that are concerned in it, and bereaved by it, should go and spread their sorrows before Jesus.

1. Christ is one that is ready to pity the afflicted. It is natural for persons that are bereaved of any that are dear to them, and for all under deep sorrow, to seek some that they may declare and lay open their griefs to, that they have good reason to think will pity them, and have a fellow feeling with them of their distress. The heart that is full of grief wants vent, and desires to pour out its complaint; but it seeks a compassionate friend to pour it out before.

Christ is such an one, above all others. He of old, before. his incarnation, manifested himself full of compassion towards his people; for that is Jesus that is spoken of, Isai. Ixiii. 9. "In all their affliction he was afflicted; and the angel of his presence saved them; in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old." And when he was upon earth in his state of humiliation, he was the most wonderful instance of a tender, pitiful, compassionate spirit that ever appeared in the world. How often are we told of his having compassion on one and another? So Matth. xv. 32. "Then Jesus called his disciples, and said unto then, I have compassion on the multitude." So he had compassion on the man possessed with devils, Mark v. 19. "Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done to thee, and hath had compassion on thee." So we read of his pitying the mother, that was bereaved of her son, Luke vii. 13. There we have an account, when Christ went into the city of Nain, and met the people carrying out & dead man, the only son of his mother, that was a widow, that when he saw her he had compassion on her. So when the two blind men that sat by the way side, cried to Jesus, as he passed by, saying, "Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David," we read that Jesus had compassion on them, Matth.. xx. 39. So we read of his being moved with compassion,

Matth. xiv. 14. "And Jesus went forth, and saw a great mulá titude, and when he saw them he was moved with compassion." His speeches to his disciples were full of compassion; especially those that he uttered a little before his death, of which we have an account in the 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th.. chapters of John. His miracles were almost universally

deeds of pity to persons under affliction.

And seeing such a pitiful heart appeared in him on all occasions, no wonder that John's disciples, when bereaved of their dear guide and teacher, and their hearts were full of sorrow, came to him for pity: Which likewise induced Mary and Martha to come and fall down, pouring out their tears at Jesus' feet, when their dear brother Lazarus was dead: Oth: ér Jews came to comfort them, before Jesus came, whom they little regarded, but when they heard that Jesus was come, they soon go and spread their sorrows before him; they were assured that he would pity them; and their expectation was hot frustrated; for he was most tenderly affected and moved at their tears: We are told that on that occasion he groaned in spirit and was troubled, John xi. 33. And when he came to the grave, it is observed, and a special note seems to be set upon it, that he wept, verse 35.

"He was one that wept with those that wept: And indeed it was mere pity that brought him into the world, and induced. him not only to shed tears but to shed his blood: He poured out his blood as water on the earth, out of compassion to the poor, miserable children of men. And when do we ever read of any one person coming to him when on earth, with an heavy heart, or under any kind of sorrow or distress for pity or help, but what met with a kind and compassionate reception?

And he has the same compassion now he is ascended into glory: There is still the same encouragement for bereaved ones to go and spread their sorrows before him. ...“

Afflicted persons love to speak of their sorrows to them that have had EXPERIENCE of affliction, and know what sorrow is: But there is none on earth or in heaven that ever had so