Oration at the Grave of The Rev. Samuel Pearce

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Substance of an Oration Delivered
at the Grave of The Rev. Samuel Pearce, A. M.
Early British Baptist Minister
By Rev. J. Brewer, 1799

      WE are called together to day upon a most solemn and affecting occasion. Our business here is, to convey the precious remains of a dear departed brother to his long home, to the house appointed for all living. The subject of our present contemplation is of no ordinary kind; it is that which ought to come home to every man's bosom, because it is that in which we are all interested. It is not like many other subjects, which while some are materially affected by them, to others they are articles of total indifferency: but death speaks in an imperious tone, and demands the attention of all.
      DEATH! solemn sound! the bare annunciation of which, should arrest the mind of every individual in this numerous assembly. Where is the man that liveth and shall not see death? When Xerxes viewed his incalculable army, it is said, he wept, from the consideration that in a
few years, not one of that prodigious host would be living. Whether the Persian really wept, or not, I am not sure; but when I consider, that in a few, comparatively a very few years, not one of all whom I am now addressing but must be laid as low as the breathless corpse of our dear departed brother, I feel my mind deeply affected. And, O that I could but awaken a due concern in every bosom about this truly momentous subject!
      Thus stands the irrevocable decree of the immutable God - IT IS APPOINTED UNTO ALL MEN ONCE TO DIE. The wise and unwise, the, patrician and plebean, the monarch and the beggar, must submit alike, to the strong arm of this universal conqueror, the king of terrors. A consideration like this, should sink deep into every man's heart; but alas! man is a strange being, loath to learn what most intimately belongs to him. The most awful things lose their effect by their frequency; and hence it is, that the death of a fellow-creature is, in general, no more regarded than "the fall of an autumnal leaf in the pathless desart." Wretched apathy! Fatal insensibility!
      Let us for a moment meditate upon the effects subsequent to the triumph of the last enemy. What melancholy ravages does he make, even in this world! He causes the fairest flower to wither,
often in the morning; he stains the pride of all sublunary glory; and casts the noblest work of God into the dust. When he takes to himself his great power, none can stay his hand. Fixed in his purpose, and irresistible in the execution of the same, he stalks, untouched by the pangs of agonizing nature, the distress of helpless infancy; the poignant grief of paternal affection; or the bitterest sorrows of connubial love. Relentlessly he breaks in upon domestic happiness; frustrates the most benevolent designs; and casts a dark shade upon the brightest prospects. In fine, cruelty marks his footsteps; and desolation and anguish are his common attendants.
      If we look beyond the scene which presents itself to our view in this life; and by the aid of revelation, endeavour to substantiate the serious realities of death, beyond "that bourne from whence no traveller returns!" If we look into the eternal world, and there behold what follows death, surely we cannot remain unmoved.
      Man is immortal; it is the flesh only that dies: the spirit is incorruptible. Hence death is the most eventful period. The body returns to dust; but the spirit ascends to God; and enters then upon its eternal state. But the state of all men is not alike beyond the grave - The wicked
is driven away in his wickedness. The guilty sinner then knows, that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Guilt subjects him to the divine displeasure; and moral depravity unfits him for that place, into which nothing that defileth can possibly enter. Fearful moment! All his hopes are now like a spider's web; his imaginary refuges fail; and the wrath of God 'beats upon his naked soul, in one eternal storm.' The rich man, (Luke xvi.) can tell us all about it. He died, and was buried; and in hell he lift up his eyes being in torment. And thus will it happen to all who know not God. He that made them will have no mercy on them; whatever their respective situation may have been in this life. Death, that mighty leveller, will reduce them all to a sad equality. He that fared sumptuously every day, had not a drop of water to cool his burning tongue, when once he had passed the tremendous gulph.
      How different the state of a good man! The righteous hath hope in his death. The day of his death is infinitely better than the day of his birth: it is his coronation day; the final close of all his troubles. He shall sorrow no more. Whatever he underwent in passing through this vale of tears; however numerous and severe his trials, they are all over. The Lamb in the midst of the throne shall feed him. He shall eat of the tree of
life which is in the midst of the paradise of God. He enters upon his rest, and shall go no more out for ever. He is happy, as God is happy; and saved with an everlasting salvation.
      Thus death is always a solemn and affecting event: but sometimes, circumstances render it peculiarly so: and this is now the case. We have conveyed no common mortal to the grave. Here lies the cold, the exanimated clay of a good man; of an eminently good man; a faithful, highly favoured minister of the glorious gospel of the blessed God. When a good man dies, it is a common loss; thus the Psalmist viewed it. Help, Lord, for the godly man ceaseth! The death of such a man is a national loss, for "the strength of empire is religion." Righteousness exalteth a nation. Good men are the salt of the earth. It is particularly a loss to the cause of God on earth: there is one labourer less in the vineyard; one watchman less upon the walls of Jerusalem, The death of that good man whom we are now bewailing, is a great loss to the churches of Christ. His ardent love for the whole truth; his flaming zeal; his chaste conversation will be long remembered by many.
      But you, my brethren, who compose the church and congregation in this place, you have
had a breach made upon you; a breach that can not easily be repaired. You have lost a valuable minister; a man who laboured hard for your eternal good; a man whose grand aim was to make you happy for ever. You know how frequently he has warned you to flee from the wrath to come; how plainly he has pointed you to the Lamb of God, as the only sacrifice for your sins. Yes, ye are witnesses how he has prayed for you, and wept over you. You have often heard him raise within these walls his charming voice, in publishing, glad tidings to Zion. This night twelve-months, the place that I am now occupying, was occupied by him. This very night twelve-months you heard the gospel in this very place from his mouth: But it is all over; you shall hear his voice, you shall see his face no more. There lies all that could die of a good man; a faithful minister; a tender father; and an affectionate husband. His lips are closed in silence; and a long night hangs upon his eyes. Dust is returning to dust; and corruption already commences its riot.
      Painful as the stroke has been to you, there are those on whom it has fallen with greater severity. You may be provided with another minister; but who can make up the loss to his bereaved family? Who can restore him to the deeply afflicted partner of his life? Who like him, can sooth her sorrows, and cheer her on the
rugged path of time? Who can restore the fond father to five dear helpless babes? Cruel death! Inexorable monster! What hast thou done? But the Lord reigneth, and we will be still.
      The present dispensation is not only solemn and affecting, but it is likewise alarming. It has a loud voice: not to attend to it would be highly criminal. It speaks to us all. Death always speaks loudly: but some deaths louder than others. The present speaks loud enough to be heard by THIS CHURCH AND CONGREGATION. Methinks, with strong emphasis it now saith, - UNTO YOU OH MEN OF THIS PLACE I CALL! You have had a great loss; but is there not a cause? God forbid that I should charge the death of your minister upon you! Yet I know it is possible for a people to murder their minister; and that by the most cruel means. There needs neither the poison nor the dagger; it may be done effectually without either. I hope it is quite inapplicable; but it may not be altogether useless, to ask, Are there none of you who have pierced him through with many sorrows? Has his heart never been wrung by your unkindness? Has your misbehaviour in your Christian profession, never caused him to say, - Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging-place of wayfaring men, that I might leave my people and go from them! (Jeremiah ix. 2.) Though I thus speak, I am sure it
has no general application. Few men were better beloved by their people than he was. Your many prayers for his recovery; your tender solicitude for his welfare; your present evident distress, all speak for you: your tears do you honour. But let me speak it again; should there be a cruel individual amongst you, to whom the charge applies, I would not for a world be that man: He must answer for it another day. God will avenge his own elect.
      Where this has not been the case; where nothing but kindness marked your behaviour towards your departed friend, has he had no occasion to weep in secret on your account, because though you esteemed the man, you neglected his message? Ah brethren! it is to be feared, unless your state, as a church and congregation be singular, that the word preached did not profit all of you. Some of you may yet be in your sins. God has borne long with you; but he may have been weary of forbearing; he may have been angry at your infidelity; and in judgment taken away his servant. I do not say this is the case; but if it be only a possible case, it should cause searchings of heart amongst you.
      It is a providence that speaks to us all, as MORTAL MEN. In a little time, according to the common course of nature, the place that now
knows us, shall know us no more. Time with rapid wing, bears us away to that place where no device nor work is found; to that state where there is no distinction, but that of just and unjust. But who can reckon upon the common extent of human life? Behold, before our eyes a young man, who had not lived out half his days, called to eternity in the thirty-fourth year of his life. Should not this awaken our concern, and excite us to make that important enquiry, WHO SHALL BE THE NEXT? He who bids the fairest for length of years, may be the first to fall. Let us then so number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
      We will now "turn to the bright reverse of this mortifying scene." We have hitherto looked at the dark side of the cloud; let us now contemplate its luminous one.
      Death we admit is a penalty - by sin came death. Death is an enemy - the last enemy; but blessed be God, he is a conquered enemy. The captain of our salvation has destroyed him who had the power of death. Influenced by the faith of God's elect; believers in all ages have triumphed over death; they have sang with their expiring breath; and exulted amidst the swellings of Jordan.
      Death is amongst the privileges of the children of God. Death is yours. He meets them as a friend, as an envoy commissioned by their heavenly Father to bring them to his throne, Our eyes have frequently beheld the victory of faith, in the dark valley. Assaulted on either hand by pale disease, and its long train of attendants, we have seen good men rising superior to all the evils of their situation; feeling a "majesty in death;" and entering the eternal world shouting; Thanks be to God who hath given us the victory.
      This is not all. The total destruction of death is laid in the irreversible counsel of the Most High. The last enemy mall be destroyed. Death himself must die. The tabernacle of God shall be with men; he will wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death. The sea shall give up its dead, and those that are in their graves shall come forth. Then the Lord Jesus will make his triumph complete, and cast death and hell into the lake of fire and brimstone. The re-animated dust of the redeemed, shall then be perfectly released from the bondage of corruption, and made like unto the 'glorious body of their great head: the whole number of the Elect, shall then be presented before the presence of the divine glory, with exceeding great joy.
      One grand indispensible inquiry yet remains. - By what means may we attain to the resurrection of the just? In search of this important subject, we are not left to wander in the maze of uncertainty and doubt; the way into the holiest is made manifest. There are three things absolutely requisite for a man to be acquainted with, before he can enter into life.
      FIRST, The pardon of our sins. The scripture proposes this unspeakable gift by the blood of Jesus. We have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of our sins. Ephesians i. 7.
      SECONDLY, The justification of our persons. Provision for which is made by the obedience of the Son of God. He is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. Romans x. 4.
      THIRDLY, The sanctification of our nature. Jesus is of God made unto us sanctification. 1 CORINTHIANS i.30. By the influence of his Spirit upon our hearts, "we are made partakers of the divine nature; sanctified in body, soul and spirit; and changed thus into the divine image, as by the Spirit of our. God." 2 Corinthians iii. 8.
      This is the only method of salvation countenanced in Scripture; and it seems a method, "just to God, and safe to man."
      To conclude. Though we sorrow to day, we do not sorrow as those who have no hope. God,
who has taken away our dear brother, will take care of his. He will be a husband to the forlorn widow, and a father to the dear tender babes. A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children. God will provide; he will surely do them good; he has the hearts of all men in his hands; he will raise up friends for them; and eventually make it appear, that even this dark dispensation, is amongst the all things that work together for good.
      He that has the government upon his shoulders will take care of you, my brethren, as a church. A pastor is provided for you; and he who knows him, will bring him amongst you in his own way, and time. Trust in the Lord, he will never forsake Zion: her walls are ever before him. Take his word for your rule; live according to the same; seek him by prayer and supplication; and you shall yet praise him.
      We now bid farewell, a long farewell, to the steeping dust of our departed brother: but blessed be God, though it be a long farewell, it will not be an everlasting one. We mall meet again. What we are to day sowing in dishonour, shall be raised in glory. The trumpet shall sound; our brother will arise; we shall meet, no more to part. When Jesus comes, he will bring all his saints with him. Comfort ye one another with these things.

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[From the Booklet by John Ryland, A Sermon Occasioned by the Death of Samuel Pearce, 1799, pp. 3-14. Document from Google Books On-line. Scanned and formatted by Jim Duvall.]

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