Occasioned by the Death of Gerardus Wynkoop.
November 20th 1813] - Handwritten note - chw.
A SERMON,
OCCASIONED BY THE DEATH OF
GERARDUS WYNKOOP, ESQ.
PREACHED IN THE REFORMED DUTCH CHURCH AT NORTH-
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BY THE REV. JACOB LARZELERE, A.M.MINISTER OF THE REFORMED DUTCH CHURCH IN NORTH ANDSOUTHAMPTON, BUCKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA. ___________
PUBLISHED BY REQUEST.
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TRENTON:
PRINTED BY WILLIAM AND DAVID ROBINSON.
The following discourse was put into my hands in manuscript, not by the author, but by some persons, who wished, as I understood, to see it in print, in order to obtain my opinion whether it contained any thing improper for publication.--My opinion is that it teaches the leading doctrines of the Gospel--the depravity of human nature--the way of recovery through a Redeemer--and justification by the imputed righteousnes of Jesus Christ; and that the publication of it may not only be gratifying to the friends of the deceased, but may, in the perusal, promote the instruction and edification of religious and reflecting readers, and excite them to that holy living, which, through divine grace, may give hope and peace, and joy in their latter end.
JAMES F. ARMSTRONG, Minister of the
A SERMON, &c.___________
ISAIAH LVII. 1, 2.
The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart; and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.
IN the time of the prophet Isaiah, when good men were removed by death from among the people of Israel, such was their stupidity and senselessness that they did not lay it to heart, nor duly consider it; they did not make a proper improvement of such afflictive providential dispensations. They did not lament the removal of good men as a public loss, nor take notice of it as a public warning.
it? is not the carelessness and thoughtlessness of many too visible? is it not high time that we should awake to consideration? is it not time that we should awake to righteousness and sin not? is it not high time that we should consider our ways, and our latter end? should we not meditate now on the dealings of divine Providence, and lay to heart the melancholy events that frequently happen? although our countenances may thereby be made sad, yet our hearts will be made better.
Others there are, who account themselves righteous, who are of the temper of the Pharisee. They attend to religious things, but they do all to be seen of men. They make clean the outside of the cup, and the platter, but the inside is uncleansed. "They love the praise of men more than the praise of God." Such are haughty and insolent, and puffed up with spiritual pride, and say to others who in the sight of God are better than they, "Stand by yourselves, for we are holier than you." We have the picture of such a person drawn by our Saviour with inimitable strength. He spake it to certain, who trusted in themselves, that they were righteous and despised others. "Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a Publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself: God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this Publican; I fast twice in the week, I give tythes of all that I possess." * * Luke, 18. 9. 12.
planted righteousness or holiness. It is evident, my bearers, from the word of God, that "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. That by the deeds of the law no flesh living can be justified." It was on this account that David uttered that fervent, humble supplication; "Enter not into judgment with thy servant, O Lord." How then can sinful man be just with God? how shall he become righteous in his sight, in whose sight the very heavens are unclean, and who chargeth his angels with comparative folly? only through the righteousness of Christ, "who is the end of the law for righteousness, to every one that believeth! By the obedience of one shall many be made righteous." It is the righteousness of Christ received by faith that it constitutes the sinner righteous. It acquits him from guilt, it delivers him from condemnation, and it bestows on him a title to everlasting life. "In Christ shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory. Surely shall one say in the Lord, have I righteousness and strength." Jesus was made sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." This answers to the description of the Messiah, given by Jeremiah the Prophet. "Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous branch, and a king shall reign, and prosper, and shall execute judgment, and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely, and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS." �
* Isaiah, 45. 2.
clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bride-groom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels." *
* Isaiah, 61. 10.
he realized Christ as the Lord his righteousness. * It is the same righteousness that is the joy of private dying Christians. It is this that beautifies their souls and renders them meet for the inheritance of the saints in light. Gerardus Wynkoop, esq. whose death we this day lament, entertained the doctrine inculcated to his latest moments. I speak what I know: on the bed of languishing, as he drew nigh to the gates of death, he said, that he renounced all dependance on his own righteousness, and relied wholly on the righteousness of the Lord Redeemer. In this he trusted, and in this he gloried. It was this that supported him during the pains and distresses of a long and tedious illness."Their beauty this, their glorious dress, From what has been said, does it not appear that it is the righteousness of Christ that constitutes a person righteous, and this is with propriety termed imputed righteousness: nor will any person object to the term, when it is a scriptural one. But besides this imputed righteousness, there is an implanted righteousness or holiness. Those who are justified will also be sanctified. They will have their fruit unto holiness. A good tree will bring forth good fruit. Those who have believed in God, will be careful to maintain good works. It is the nature of a true, justifying faith, to work by love, to purify the heart, and to overcome the world. That grace of God which bringeth salvation will teach believers to "deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. To add to their faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge * Doctor William Tennent, of Abington, who died in the lively hope of a blessed immortality.
temperance, to temperance patience, to patience godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness charity." It will stimulate them to bring forth all those fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.
* Rom. 6. 1, 2.
witness to me; because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him. The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widows heart to sing for joy. I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame. I was a father to the poor; and the cause which I knew not I searched out. *
* Job, 29. from 11-17.
times cut off in the midst of their days. They burn brightly for a while, emit a pleasing, a salutary, an edifying light in the sanctuary of God, but alas! it is soon extinguished. The wind passes over them and they are gone. Strange mysterious Providence! The fruitful trees in God's vineyard, even those who bring forth fruit in old age, are cut down by death, while the barren are left to cumber the ground. Merciful men are taken away, while the worthless and the vile, those briers and thorns of society are left standing. Merciful God! how unsearchable are thy judgments! Why are those who are planted in the courts of the Lord's house, cut down by the hand of death, while the wicked flourish like a green bay tree, have grown old, yea, mighty in power! Is it in mercy to them, or in judgment to us? "Righteous art thou, O Lord, when I plead with thee; yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments." *
* Jer. 12. 1.
ranks are thinned by the grim tyrant death? Oh, no! Son of man! Child of mortality! Is thy heart harder than the nether millstone? hast thou made some secret covenant with death, and agreement with the grave? Impossible! thou canst not do it. Thy breath is in thy nostrils, ever ready to depart. Thy pulse beats mortality and death. Thy feet are carrying thee to the mansions of the dead. Thy curtain of time will soon be dropt, and eternity will open upon thy departing spirit. Thy soul will ascend to the bosom of Abraham, or sink down to the regions of eternal despair.
Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain upon you, nor fields of offerings. Ye daughters of Israel weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights; who put ornaments of gold upon your apparel. I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan; very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women." * Jesus the merciful Messiah, wept at the grave of Lazarus. But these Israelites referred to in our text, did not lay it to heart, when merciful men were taken away: thus it frequently happens. How inconsiderate are the multitude at the sad solemnities of a funeral; employed in discoursing about the news of the day, or the common affairs of life. Even heirs sometimes look upon one another with jealous eyes, and already begin to quarrel about the division of the substance. Oh that mortal men could be convinced of the folly of such inconsideration! O that they would lay to heart the death of the righteous! O, that they were wise, that they understood these things, that they would consider their latter end! That they would number their days, and apply their hearts unto wisdom. * 2 Sam. Chap. 1.
in which they have tribulation. The godly by death are removed from this valley of tears, from the persecutions of the wicked, from domestic afflictions, from the temptations of Satan, from the influence of indwelling sin. They enter into peace, or as it is in the marginal reading, they go in peace: being justified by faith, they have peace in the hour of death. "Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace." The peace of God which passeth all understanding, keeps their heart and mind through Christ Jesus. Witness the venerable Simeon, who was just and devout, and who waited for the consolation of Israel. He took the infant Redeemer in his arms, "He blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation." * The righteous with respect to their souls, enter into peace. A peace that is everlasting; ruffled by no storm of trouble, agitated by no blast of adversity, interrupted by no pang of guilt: a peace more serene than the sky in a summer's eve, when the atmosphere is untroubled, more peaceful than the water, when not a breeze skims over its surface. A peace untroubled as the throne of God, the everlasting king. But who in mortal flesh can conceive of this heavenly peace? who can estimate the joys of the better country above? who can delineate the glories of the heavenly city? It would require the colours of heaven. It would require a pencil divine. "It is written, eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." With respect to the bodies of believers after death, they rest in their beds. What bed? the dark and lonely grave? can this be a bed of rest? It is not * Luke, 2. 29, 30.
so to the wicked. It is the prison in which they are fettered, by the irons of death, until the judgment of the great day. But to the righteous it is a bed of rest. Although it is made in the land of darkness they will sleep the more sweetly. They will sleep in Jesus, each one walking in his uprightness; that is, who had walked in his uprightness while in the land of the living. O, how blessed to sleep in Jesus! In him who is the resurrection and the life! In him who is the first born from the dead! In him who hath the keys of death and the invisible world! How sweetly will they sleep in Jesus, until that sacred morning shall break from the skies, which shall usher in that voice of the archangel, and that trump of God, which shall awake the slumbering dust of the righteous, and invest them with immortality. When they will appear like "a holy throng of angels bright, of angels from the tomb."
With respect to the person whose death we lament, the pressure and cares of public life did not lead him to forget God who made him, nor lightly to esteem the rock of his salvation. He was not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. He loved the habitation of God's house, and the place where his honour dwelleth. Early in life he made a good confession before many witnesses. Although subject to many bodily infirmities, yet he had a strong and penetrating mind: God had blessed him with good natural abilities. He was simple in his manners, simple in his taste of life; altogether free from ostentation or vanity. His chief eminence was that of a follower of Christ. He shone conspicuously within the boundaries of Zion. He was a regular and attentive hearer of the word of God; a never failing communicant at the table of the Lord. He is now failed from among the children of men. The garment of mortality has dropt off, and we trust this servant of God fell asleep in the Lord.
temporaries will lay it to heart. Will they not consider their ways? will they not be warned of approaching dissolution? will they not walk solemn and thoughtful as upon the shore of that great ocean of eternity, upon which they must shortly embark? will they not set their houses in order? will they not have their loins girded about, their lamps trimmed and their lights burning? Your hoary locks, thinned by time, betoken that your days will soon be numbered. Your bending bodies are pointing to the grave. The companions of your youth have ended their race. A voice from the tomb calls you to view the ground where you must shortly be interred. A passage from the volume of inspiration emphatically says to you, "Be ye also ready, for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of man cometh." * Referring to John Krusen.
church and state. You know what Elisha said when Elijah was taken up to the world of spirits. "My father! my father! the chariot of Israel, and the horse men thereof." Now ought ye to utter sentiments similar to these. Would to God that they had left behind them a double portion of their spirit! Instead of their fathers, may the children spring up, who like them will obtain "a place and a name in the house of God, better than that of sons and daughters, even an everlasting name that shall not be cut off." The removal of the servants of God, will not only bring you to serious consideration, but also to fervent prayer. You will say, "Help Lord, for the godly man ceaseth, for the faithful fail from among the children of men." This you will do, while I, finally, say that his kindred will lay it to heart. Your deceased relative is indeed taken away from the evil to come, and you will not be insensible of the parting stroke. In this day of affliction you will lay your hand upon your heart and consider. You will be resigned to the will of God. "Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and confirm the feeble knees." Choose the Lord as your portion, his word as your rule, his Son as your Saviour, his worship as your delight, his promises as your support, and his heaven as your everlasting home.
Source: Larzelere, Jacob, and Armstrong, James Francis, A Sermon, Occasioned by the Death of Gerardus Wynkoop, Esq., Preached in the Reformed Dutch Church at Northampton, on the Twenty-sixth day of July, 1812, by the Rev. Jacob Larzelere, Trenton, N.J., Printed by William and David Robinson, 1813. From:
The Rutgers University Special Collections and Archives; Rare Books Collection
I would especially like to thank David Kuzma, [email protected], of the Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, for his help in securing a copy of this sermon for me. He was also a huge help in clearing up a textual reference on the last page of the sermon for me which would have vexed me for ages without his level-headed thinking. Thanks so much Dave. You saved me a lot of sleepless nights! I'd also like to thank Natalie Borisovets, [email protected], Head of Public Services for the John Cotton Dana Library Rutgers, at the State University of New Jersey in Newark once again for her help in contacting Dave in the first place. I wouldn't have known who to contact without your invaluable help. Natalie, thanks so much! All my best, Chris
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