Imprimatur,

Aug. 18. 1676.
G. Jane, R.P.D. Hen. Episc. Lond. à Sacr. Dom.

Two Sermons Preach'd at the FUNERALS Of the Right Honourable ROBERT LORD LEXINGTON, AND THE LADY MARY his WIFE.

By Samuel Holden A.M. late of Lincoln Colledge in Oxford and Chaplain to his Lordship, Deceased.

LONDON, Printed for J. Edwyn, at the Three Roses in Ludgate-street. 1676.

A FUNERAL SERMON Upon the Right Honourable ROBERT Lord LEXINGTON, Who dyed Octob. 11. 1668. The SERMON being defer'd till Decemb. 21. Being the Day of his Birth.

ECCLES. Chap. VII. Ver. 1.

A good Name is better than precious Oyntment: And the day of Death, than the day of ones Birth.

THese words of Consolation call for the perusal of Mourners; of Eyes, from which Tears must be wip'd away, e'r they can read them. Solo­mon designs the confutation of sighs (especially when inordinate) for good Men deceas'd, and to unlearn Survivors that obstinate Grief, which Nature or the Fashion may either feel or imitate.

This Spectacle of Death seems to bid Mourn; and in the words of David to enquire, Know you not that there is a Great Man dead in Israel? But then the recellection of his life past, and the apprehension of his life present, counsel to refrain, and in the words of David's Lord advise, Weep not for me, but weep for your selves. Which counsel I designing to enforce, selected this Position of David's Son, A good Name is better than precious Oyntment, &c.

Still, still methinks the words do whisper me, that there's no reason we should be perplex'd with long deploring of the Good; But then methinks the Audi­ence whispers me, that there's no reason I should per­plex my self with long insisting upon that Advice; for shortness of Concern to some, and length of time to others, have already Preach'd my Introduction. I shall therefore address my self to the words, A good Name is better than Oyntment, &c.

A Bad Name, there is none so Bad to covet, though many design the Actions that deserve it. A great Name most Men wish, though few attain success so great as may atchieve it. The first of these the wicked have, Wisd. 2.4. and the foolish deserve, whil'st they by op­pression add field to field, and call their Lands after their own names, Psal. 49.11. The second, (viz. A Great Name) the Babel-builders desir'd, Gen. 11.4. Let us get us a Name; the Jews were promis'd, Zeph. 3.19. I will get them praise and [...] in every Land; and the Gyants enjoy'd, being [...] Men of Renown, Gen. 6.4. Hero [...] who burnt Diana's Temple, design'd this [...]esses the first; be­ing the proud C [...]nt [...]ed memory.

And [...]ny more still hunt for? [Page 3]what thousands strive to fill the World with noise? and studiously expose their breath to dangers, to live in the surviving breath of others? This Name, when once grown guilty of decay, how boldly do Men struggle to regain? making too oft a balsam of their own hearts blood, to cure a bleeding estimation. This Name how many Heathens have acquir'd? for Curtius, that his Name might find no Funeral, leap'd living in­to one; and Hippo­botus, quoted by Diog. Laert. in vita Empe­doc is. Empedocles became a voluntary Loser in his Person, to be a Gainer in his Memory; casting himself alive into the flames of Aetna, to be talk'd on after Death; and dying the prey of fire, that he might live a life of smoke.

But alas! what imports such a Name to the Dead, which (besides their want of fruition) is vary'd at the discretion of the living? How many Men have made their lives give light to others seeking Virtue in the dark, and left (when dead) bright beams of Fame to guide them? In which beams some Men ad­mire much lustre; others find strange alloyes of dark­ness and of shade. Thus Life is succeeded by dubious reputation, as Daylights room's inherited by Moon­shine; in which some kind Spectators see a Man; some idle heads a Bush; and some a Dog. The breath which often makes up Mans repute, obtains the fate of common Air, returning what wholsome or infected lungs shall make it. Concerning the Apostles (even alive) some in amazement cry Acts. 1.12., What meaneth this? But others in derision, They are fall of new Wine.

But could the world be so little the world, as to be uniform and constant in its opinions; yet what's a Name that's only Great? It is a Monument built, like [Page 4]stupendious Pyramids, more for Mens wonder, than their approbation. Fame is a noise resembling that of Thunder, which rattles in our ears, and makes no Musick; 'Tis Goodness gives the relish.

A Good Name.

Now ev'ry Name that's Great, is not still Good; nay, a Great Name is very often Bad; whil'st a Mans sense of his own power and glory enclines him to act by pre­sumption, conceiving himself secure from controul: As Heathens in Lawrels defi'd Thunder. Herod had a Name as great, as he had Virtue little. The Chimney is the highest part of the House, and 'tis the foulest too. Good Names are the acquisitions of Goodness, not of Power; of Triumphs over Vices, not over Kingdoms. 'Tis Moderation, not Titles, must be known unto all men Phil. 4.5.. Those make Menlive the Slaves of Epithites, and dye perhaps the Martyrs of Orations, and slattering Inscriptions.

'Tis true [...] in the Text, only imports a Name, and the Hebrew omits this Attribute of Good, it being the addition of the Septuagint, or vulgar Latin, or else (as Lorinus sayes) of the Chaldee.

But though the word's not in the Original, the Sense is there. It is the Good, Ecclesiastes means; for Names no more than Great, are not so useful as to outvalue precious Oyntment; they seldom live before the Owners dye; and then each enjoyes them but the Men that should. But a Good Name, though it survive the Man, and though himself be sensless of the rumor; yet he possesses the result of all those Actions that ac­quir'd it, being happy by them; and what though [Page 5]other Men alone discern the clinking, if I enjoy the treasure?

Besides, Solomon must needs mean a Good Name, be­cause none but of Power and Eminence gain Great Ones; But even the mean and poor may reach to that repute, which is (to them) better than Oyntment; and which way may that be, but by being good? That's not the atchievement of the brawny arm alone, the feeble knees may have it? 'Tis not a thing so proud, as ever to inclose it self in Cedar; but is oft the Tenant to low Roofs and Cottages; whil'st Lazarus is a Name better than Julius Caesar.

A Great Name so differs from a Good Name, as a Great Man does from a Good Man; and whatsoever Virtue Man may discern in Man, proportionably enti­tles him to that Appellative of Good. Now that stile, that title, should be all Mens Avarice Negli­gere quid de se quisque sen­tiat, non so­lummodo arro­gantis est, sed omnino disso­luti. Cic., though it proves few Mens Riches; 'tis all Mens love, though it be few Mens study; 'tis Warmth in the Winter; Sunshine in the Grave; the Emulation of the Wise; and the Envy of Fools. A Good Name is

Better than Oyntment,

Now by Oyntment, some (with Olympiodorus) un­derstand,

I. To flow in Riches and Delights; reflecting upon that of David, Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than when their Wine and Oyl increased, as 'tis in our Service-Translation of Psal. 4.8. This the Psalmist elsewhere expresses by Rivers of Oyl; the same word being there render'd, Oyl, which is here, Oyntment. [Page 6]Nay, the very word [...] is in this very place Tran­slated by the Septuagint [...], good Oyl; which we (with Symmachus) teach to speak as much as [...] precious oyntment, or rather indeed, oynt­ment of a good savour; which some (as I said) ex­pound, Riches, &c.

These indeed are oyls or oyntments; but (like that of the Eccl. 10.1. Apothecary) full of drown'd Flies: In­fatuated men (the sons of Ease and Sunshine) perish here. Here indeed (according to holy David's lan­guage) Rivers of oyl may be; and such as flow, like Pactolus, upon golden Sands. Here you may survey the prosperous rich man's state; upon those Rivers Banks we have a Landtschape of Elms tall and fair, and without fruit; of Tantalus his Apples, glorious to the eye, to raise a distant expectation, and deceive approach; our Saviour's Fig-tree, of a tempting shew, and curs'd; Job's Vine, which shakes its Grapes off, yet unripe; his Olive too, miscarrying in its flowers Job 15.33.; and Jonah's Gourd, for shade without duration: And here sleeps wealthy man, and here he dies; and oft unfortunately dies amidst delights: like an unweildy body, which sinks deep where the ground's soft.

The Greeks perhaps might have their wealth more literally term'd oyntment; who, by expensive unction of their heads, at once betray'd their riches, and laid them out; which practice was derided by Diogenes, anointing his own feet, and crying out, That [...] Diog. Laert. in vita Diog. oynt­ment on the head lost all its virtue in the Air, but from the feet sent up its sweets into the Nostrils. But alas! this made them sweet beneath the sex of men, wasting their reputation with their unguents; whil'st, grown effeminate, they often left their names the sacrifices to [Page 7] perfumes and sweet consistencies. Besides, what kind­ness could this do them in the Land of Moles and Pismires, where all their odors found a Grave with them?

But a good Name perfumes the breath of Children, and Childrens Children. The wealthy may awhile blaze in the world with much shew, and some heat; and in a while, like dying Coals, cover themselves with Ashes, when Death (their universal Night) approa­ches; But a good Name survives in gleams of light, and glows to long posterity. A good Name is better than riches, Prov. 22.1. That's one sort of oyl or oyntment; but a good Name is better than that, and better also

Than Oyntment, which

II. Is us'd in the anointing Kings; for in this place the Chalde Paraphrase understands, by Oyntment, Supe­riority and Rule. Saul was thus anointed 1 Sam. 10.: And his Successors had it, in a manner, as the Sacrament of their Authority.

Superiority and Rule? This, this is Ambition's gay encouragement; when Plutarch. in vitâ Marii. Marius thinks that GREATEST is a style much better than BEST; when men fill splendid outsides, with black and hor­rid insides; (not much unlike those odd Intruders into Mysteries, that place Hell in the Body of the Sun) when men regard not how much Devils they prove, so that each man may stand on a high Moun­tain, and cry, All this is mine.

But, though even harmlesly acquir'd, what's Dig­nity? It makes men wonder, and it makes men envy; [Page 8]whil'st they look up to wish the Owner lower. By this men swell into a Power publick enough to have whole Kingdoms curse them. Men in mean garments may perhaps be slain; but 'tis, like Ahab 1 Kings 22. ver. 34., with a Bow drawn at adventure: But men in Robes are shot at with design; and all, like Syrians, level all their darts at gay Jehoshaphat 1 Kings 22. ver. 32. O Dignity! if right­ly weigh'd, an odious Priviledge! By this men have a right to ride before, like Postillions of the world, for all the Beasts that follow to bespatter: So that it well may be unwish'd in life; but 'twill at Death be surely unenjoy'd. Man shall carry nothing with him when he dyeth, neither shall his pomp follow him Psal. 49.17. . I have said ye are gods, but ye shall dye like men, &c, Psal. 82. ver. 6,7.. Or else perhaps dye like the god in the Fable, which every Frog dares trample and disdain, when he per­ceives him to lie still.

But a good Name (the poor man's sole felicity) makes even the poor a Prince; and so much more a Prince, by how much more belov'd than fear'd; and even interr'd he is obey'd by good men (if not in par­ticular commands, yet) in his publick example; for imi­tation may be one sort of obedience. And so lying still; Gloriosa satis requiescit urna. A good Name is better

Than Oyntment, which

III. Is us'd in Funerals. Mos antiquitùs suit ut Nobi­lium Corpora sepelienda ungerentur, & cum aro­matibus sepe­lirentur Eucherius Lugdu­nensis tells us, 'Twas an ancient custom to anoint Bodies to be buried, and to interr them with perfumes. And this the Jews (as Casaubon Casaub. Exerc. in Bar. Annal. observes) deriv'd from the Egyptians. Some think this Solemnity atten­ded with exenteration, or embowelling for keeping; [Page 9]But although this was customary in Egyptian Pollin­ctures; yet have we not ground to conclude the Jews their Scholars in the practice; the Septuagint, skill'd in the Jewish customs, using for anointing (not so much [...], as) [...], which meerly does im­port an unction: so that, amongst the Jews, the un­guents seem not so much intended for the conserva­tion of the dead, as to intimate the kind regards of the living; to which, in all probability, our Saviour refers, in saying, She has beforehand anointed my body to the burial Mark 14.8..

But what's this to a good Name? What was this practice, but a fond employment, to deck the Body up in gaudy garments, when 'twas to take a journy in the dark; to go hence and be no more seen. They seem'd to take great care, lest they should prove annoyance to the Worms, or bring a savor which might be offen­sive to the curiousness of some Neighbor carkass. But (which abates the value of this oyntment) Fools might buy it, and Knaves sell it; Survivers frequent­ly bestow'd it upon those in Death, whose Lives (of all the world) they would the least desire should be repeated. The Ignorant might dye supply'd of this; and, when they lay down in the Bed of dust, might sleep as sweet as Socrates.

But it is one good quality of a good Name, that 'tis the wise man's purchase; and vouchsafed in his death, only to those whose lives men lov'd. This is an Oynt­ment, which, when the waters are come in, almost unto our Souls, still floats above; and makes the wise esteem himself out of the reach of drowning; like Oyl, it heals the wounds bad times inflict; like Oyl, 'twill keep us safe, although perhaps repute may be attempt­ed [Page 10]to be venom'd with the poyson of Asps which lies under some lips. A good Name is better than precious Oyntment, and

The day of Death, better than the day of one's Birth.

Zeno thought Life and Death in themselves [...], things indifferent; because whatever in it self is bad, can by no circumstance be render'd good; and whatsoever in it self is good [...]. Diog. Laert. in vita Zen., he thought it was not in our power to use, either ill or well at plea­sure. But be they things indifferent in themselves, or be they not; this is most certain, that there is no such felicity in Life, as may justifie our customary fondness in it; or horror in Death (I mean abstracted from sin and its consequences) as may countenance our gene­ral aversion from it [...]. Menand. Nay, when compar'd with Life, Death may look temptingly; surely a great and aged Judge of Beauty informs us, that it has the bet­ter features, Death is better than Birth, better there­fore than Life. 'Tis of more friendship too; or if in Death be ought of enmity (since 'tis said, the last Enemy that shall be destroyed is 1 Cor. 15. Death) we may defeat it by dying ere it comes; though living in Christ by Faith, yet dying to Sin by Repentance; which may be much improv'd, even by contemplation upon Death; thus conquering Death, by minding Death; killing it self, with it self; like the Athenians, who (before defenceless) made themselves walls of Tombs and Gravestones.

Now Deaths Priviledges lie,

I. In what it ends.

II. In what it begins.

I. In what it ends.

S t Jerom instances in the imprisonment in the Body from which Death delivers the Soul: Although per­haps the posture of the Soul, in state of separation, may not so properly be reputed freedom, since 'tis a property fix'd to its essence, to be (in such a state) desirous of reunion. Insomuch that some (in that place of S t Peter 1 Pet. 3.19. concerning Christ's Preach­ing to the Spirits in Prison) have render'd [...], expectation; making the separated state of humane Spirits a Prison, because they are debar'd the satisfa­ction of their so natural inclinations. But however, with S t Jerom,

1. Death puts a period to uncertainty and doubt; to which our Birth entitles us, making the wise unsure what we may prove; and Fools misread the Alpha­bet of Heaven, to find what Letters make our future Fortunes. By Birth we enter into Life so dubious, that Pyrrho and the Scepticks doubted not to doubt of every thing, and to resolve all knowledge into scruple and conjecture.

Through all the parts of time, with Solomon, we live uncertain of our time, and know not what a day may bring forth. We all are strong Idolaters of to morrow; neglecting well to manage present time, by our too great anxiety for the future, for hours which we presume shall come, but which (for ought we know) the Sun shall never live to make; For who can tell but ev'ry Night may close his eye, and hang the world in mourning for his death?

Ʋncertain are we in our Friends, like Amasa 2 Sam. 20.9., or Julius Caesar, we well may perish the deluded Sacri­fices of pretended Brothers, or adopted Sons; For Na­tures do not ever answer Names; nor is it alwayes Truth which tempts our eye-sight with the fairest Print.

Ʋncertain are we in Enjoyments. Riches make themselves wings, wings (like the Butterfly's) gilded and flutt'ring, and unresolv'd how to bestow them­selves: They, from the good, oft travel to the bad; oft do they quit a Rose, hover awhile, then light up­on a Thistle.

Ʋncertain is our Health; the slave of weather; va­ry'd with Heat and Cold; it shakes at a Frost, and sickens at a Sun-beam; whil'st poor Physicians, mor­tal as our selves, (the real Sons of our Infirmities, though the pretended Fathers of our Healths) offer at Reasons to protract Man's life; and then themselves dye to confute them.

Ʋncertain are our Joyes, which (like Belshazer's) appear upon our faces, soon to be dash'd with some surprize, some hand upon a wall; nay, Joy is so un­certain, that it is uncertain if such a thing exist on this side Heaven.

Nay more, Ʋncertain are even our selves, when we cannot confide, no not in our own dispositions; but teach to morrow to repel those Acts which yesterday allow'd, and make this hour correct what seem'd dis­cretion in the last; and that with some new wisdom to be controll'd the next. All these, and more Ʋn­certainties our Birth begins.

But then comes certain Death, (for what man is he that lives, and shall not see Psal. 89.48. Death?) and shuts [Page 13]out all Contingencies. Man then enjoyes a blessed se­curity; But then it must be one, who (by a second Birth) has gain'd exemption from a second Death, for else his Certainty is dismaller than Doubt. Man being dead, no more consults the variable Moon; nor studies Heaven, to mistake his Fortunes upon Earth; no more regards the wind; for him, it still may blow, and where it lists may blow; no more, by doubting Friends, shall he deserve to find them what he suspects them; he then no more shall fear the wings of riches, nor clog them with his cares to stay their flight; no Mene Tekel then shall startle him; nor shall he abate his pleasures whil'st he has them, with dread lest he too soon should be without them; no more shall he di­strust his constitution, nor ask his trembling pulses how he does; nor shall he any more have reason to dif­fide in his own resolves.

2. Birth begins temporal misery, Death ends that. Although the good are never truly wretched, yet few there are that make themselves such Monsters, as (in the common crowd) not to complain. 'Tis not alone at others Funerals that we contend to be in mourning; but each Man in his own losses pursues the fashion, and, what he wants in woe, makes out in noise; he puts his Fortunes into black, to court his Neighbors pity; so that whil'st he cloaths his complaint with sables (much above the quality and true estate of his exigence) he makes his misery as it were his boast, and it appears more like the daughter of his pride, than his misfor­tune; as if Jerusalem's sad exclamation became his mouth, Is there any sorrow like unto my sorrow Lam. 1.12.? Each mans particular unhappiness is to his own eyes magnifi'd beyond the proportion of anothers suffer­ings. [Page 14]What Man in pain, deems not his own distem­per most insupportable? How many does misfortune urge to wish that to themselves, which Hezekiah de­plores in others, That when they being Children came to the Birth, there had not been strength to bring forth 2 Kings 19.3., even, with Job, unwishing their Nativities?

When we contemplate humane misery, and add (to that) the infirmity of our constitutions; Birth seems to render us as capable of wishing Death, as se­cure of meeting it. Nor seems Death only the design of Birth, but its near Kinsman too; for Death is Sleeps Brother, sayes the Philosopher; and Life's a Dream, sayes the Preacher Eccles. 6. : A Dream (like Pharaohs) wherein Men (like Beasts) devour each other, and the worse the better; for bad Men prosper by defraud­ing good Men, yet stile they this detestable success by the beloved name of good fortune; yet ev'n in this good fortune (besides the guilt) what great unhap­piness lies hid? what tortures, and what agonies of thought? what nips of conscience, and what keen re­flections? The splendid condition of evil Men, holy David Psal. 37. resembles to a flourishing green Tree; and in another Psalm he stiles Man Grass: Now rich Men grow, like Grass under that Tree, much higher and much greener than the rest; and sowrer too by much, considering their sins and cares; and oft too, shorter-liv'd by much, their too large growth inviting (as it were) Deaths fatal Sythe. Nor does Job mend the character of Life, when he compares it to a Poast; soon ends the Stage, after a restless journey full of haste and dirt.

But what a pleasant place the Journey ends in? Why dread ye Death, the Begetter of Ease? sayes Me­nander [Page 15] [...]. Men. . What is Death? the laying down a heavy Burden, sayes St Austin Quid est Mors? Depo­sitio Sarcin [...] gravis. Aug. . Blessed are the Dead, which dye in the Lord; from henceforth they rest from their labours, sayes the Spirit Rev. 14.13.. This great advan­tage of Death, prompted Isidorus Pelusiota to con­ceive that our Saviour wept not for the decease of Lazarus; but because (for the belief of the Jews) he was to reduce him to that Life (that vexatious Life) from which Death had absolv'd him.

The Grave at once shuts up Mans Corps, and Cares. Hid in the dark, there no misfortune finds him: The Drum shall beat, and yet his pulse not strike a stroke the faster. The earth shall blush in her own childrens blood, for her own childrens spilling it; and yet his visage suffer the complexion neither of shame nor fear. Sickness shall come, and mingle Fevers with warm Sun­shine; till each Neighbor dyes, at once his Neighbors wonder and example; till weary Graves implore the aid of more capacious Pits; yet the Dead shall ne're molest himself with seeking Sanctuary in some distant dwelling, where he may live a Coward to each stran­gers face, or dye the business of Deaths further tra­vel. Poverty shall come, and Want as an armed Man, and Friends (astonish'd at the sight) withdraw like fearful Women; yet still shall he lie void of want and care, amidst the quiet company of his old Relations; in the embraces of corruption, to which he may say, Thou art my Mother; and of the Worms, to whom, Thou art my Sister and Brother Job 17.4.. And this per­haps might be some reason why the Muscovites (if we believe Obser­vantur Dies obitus, quem anniversariis cele brant epu­lis. Sabel.Enn. 10. lib. 3. Sabellicus) do annually solemnize the Funerals of Friends, with no less pomp than some of us our Nuptials. And now, so kind is Death, so cruel, [Page 16]Life; that he who covets this, deserves not that; es­pecially if we consider with Olympiodorus, that

3. By Birth we enter into a capacity of actual sin, which (in the good) Death puts an end to. And could it but oblige the wicked so; the Learn'd sup­pose, that even to the Damn'd, Death would be better than Life; For penal Evil, viz. Suffering, is a less Evil than the moral, viz. Sinning, by how much less it op­poses the Supreme Good; Sin, in the act, has no co­lours but what desie God, but Suff'ring wears the Li­very of his Justice. So that, were but the Damn'd exempt from Sinning, their posture were much better than this Life (which still involves us in it) in spight of all their Suffering. But even as the Damn'd now are, or ever shall be, their Birth has nought to boast of over Death; for to whom e're it is not good to dye, it had been better he had ne're been born.

But however, with the good the case is indisputa­ble. His Death outdoes his Birth, by undoing Sin; Sin! Lifes Concubine (for it ne're lies from it) and Deaths Mother (for, the Apostle sayes, it brings it forth) This Mother dyes in bringing forth the Daughter. The Viper makes her own Nativity her Dams Funeral, revenging on her the harm she did the world, in the production of so dire an off-spring: Just so does Death destroy the cause of dying: The good, by suffering it, desist to merit it; for they desist to sin.

Hitherto we have consider'd the Obligations of Death, in those ills it determines; and Birth is swal­low'd up in Victory; now we must view,

II. That great Good which it introduces.

Like night, it blots out one day, to begin another; For Dying makes a Man immortal; and that great Argument, which proves him but a Man, promotes him to society of Angels: But then, still Death must be what Balaam wish'd, O that I might dye the Death of the Righteous! Man, by his Birth, assumes a Life, by which he lives in daily likelihood of no longer liv­ing; but he dyes into an incapacity of Dying. We know that we have a House, not made with hands, eter­nal in the Heavens. WE KNOW, sayes the Apo­stle 2 Cor. 5.1..

But why then is it said, WHO KNOWS, &c? Eccles. 3.21. Quaer. Our Translation is somewhat more fa­vourable than either the Greek or Latin, or indeed our ancient English Translations; for, that which we read, Who knows the Spirit of Man that ascendeth up­wards; They render, Who knows the Spirit of Man, if it ascendeth upwards [...]; &c. Septuag. Si Spiritus, &c. vul. lat..

Does then the learned Apostle contradict the wise King? Or was his knowledge improv'd beyond the reach of Solomons? One demands (and demanding, denies) Who knows? The other seems to reply, We know.

To reconcile these places, the Scotists distinguish betwixt Knowledge by Divine Revelation, viz. Faith; and Knowledge by Natural Deduction, viz. Reason: And then they reply, that Ecclesiastes only demands this, Who knows BY REASON whether the Soul be immortal? And the Apostle tells us, That (although we may not attain the assurance of our Souls Ever­lastingness [Page 18]by Reason, yet) We know it by FAITH. But this Reply falls short of satisfaction; nor can these Texts refer to the Souls Immortality alone; for of that even Socrates and Plato were sufficiently se­cure, even by rational Collections: Nay, 'twas the general persuasion of Heathens; for who amongst them apprehended not something of bliss, or pain, on the other side the Grave? And 'tis indeed very de­monstrable (were it, at present, so convenient) that Humane Spirits are all Deathless. So that Lorinus con­ceives it only an Article of Faith to shallower Intel­lects, whose weakness craves the assistance of Divine Discoveries, to make them apprehend it. But never­theless, Dependance on Gods Word for the firm cre­dence of the Truth, is a practice more secure and com­mendable, even in the most acute capacities.

But in Answer to this doubt, Solomon here (by as­cending upward) means but the same with that in his 12 th Chapter of Ecclesiastes, Ver. 7. And the Spirit as­cendeth unto God who gave it; which imports, not on­ly the humane Spirits eternity, but also (if of the pi­ous) its felicity; not only its perpetuity, but also its place of abode in that perpetuity. And here indeed REASON falls short, and FAITH flies home. The Heathens knew that their Souls should not die; but how, or where they should live, how ignorant were they? how unsatisfi'd? We may well ask with Solomon, Who knows, by REASON, the place and posture of our Souls surviving? But yet we may an­swer with the Apostle, By FAITH we know, that, when this earthly Tabernacle shall be dissolv'd; we have a House, not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens.

This, with the rest, are Deaths Priviledges. So that, although it be the rich and bad Mans Fury, yet 'tis the poor and good Mans Mistriss. The good Man courts her to advance his Fortune; I desire to be dis­solv'd, and to be with Christ, which is far better: The other, for his Sanctuary, and in his own defence. To both the Grave is advantageous, and to dye is gain. Better is their Death, than any natural thing that at­tended their Lives, and better than Birth that began them.

But, though the Text be full of Consolation to the dying Man, or his surviving Friends; though Death exceeds either our Birth or Life; Yet we must wear this Caution in our Bosomes, not wilfully and violently to exchange our Life for Death. We all must study to provide for Death, not to procure it. The encourage­ment will never justifie some bold Pretenders, who furiously lay hands upon themselves; and court not Death, but ravish her. 'Twas once indeed a Learned Mans Dr Donn. persuasion (though alter'd afterwards) That Self-murther did not any thing intrench on the Divine Authority, nor violate that great Command, Thou shalt not kill: presuming that Injunction only re­lated to the Lives of others.

But if to theirs, then also to our own; though not in Precept, yet in Presupposal. Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self, is our Saviours Summary of the last Six Commandments: So that in our own Bosomes, we bear directions for our deportment towards others. Our Nature then being presum'd averse from wishing that we might be rob'd our selves, we are commanded therefore Not to Steal: So likewise in False Witness and Defamation: and as in other Precepts, so in this; [Page 20]it being presuppos'd, that none would willingly anti­cipate his End, by engaging himself in his own Death; it follows therefore, Thou shalt not kill thy Neighbour. And how can that Command which presupposes the Negative, permit the Positive? But what if mur­dering our selves, we murder others too? Examples oft contract a guilt by others imitation: And who can pronounce Brutus innocent of Portia's blood, when she learnt death of him, and dy'd enamor'd on the fatal President Plutach. in vita Bruti. in fine.. Nay, what if I (in my own private fall) become a general Assassinate? For he that kills himself, does what he can to kill Mankind; and were the World as docile in sins of pain and hor­ror (for horrid enough Death seems, though 'tis not so) as in guilt of other complexions, Killing might grow infections, till the Universe became but one Aceldama; one Man would dye his Neighbors de­struction, and become a Rule for the next Man to ex­pire by; he to the next, and so throughout the specìes, till ne're a vein were left in Humane Nature, to bleed the sin over again.

But though (as some may think) there should be no intrenchment upon Gods Command, in Self-destru­ction; yet stands not his Veracity inviolate. For on what grounds could he assert, That Man remains un­certain of his latter end [ man knoweth not his time Eccles. 9.12.;] if it be subject to his own disposure? He that may be his own Executioner, may be his own Prophet too; and readily foretell that Fate, which he has liberty and power to make. Nor is this kind of Death (as Cato and others, fancy'd) the strong result of generous spi­rits; but the offspring of timorous dispositions: For, though those Tyrants over their own flesh relented [Page 21]not at those Black Guards, which still stood ready muster'd in the vale of Death; yet dreaded they those bloody Colours, which they saw display'd against them on the Plains of Life; proclaiming to the world that they durst dye, because they were afraid to live. If this be Bravery and Courage, each Fool may be a Hero, with the assistance of misfortune, and a lit­tle peevishness; and though he lives, like Nabal, and folly with him, he may depart the world like a Coun­sellor, and lie down in the dust as wisely as Achito­phel.

So that, although kind Death does make us Presents richer than Life, yet we may not snatch at them. All the dayes of my appointed time will I wait till my change come. The great felicity we would atchieve, is lost by eager and too hot pursuit. Death catches back its benefits (like Tantalus's waters) from hasty and too violent endeavours. Thus we may make our Angel prove our Fiend. Sufferings have oft, Sin has some­times instructed pensive and dejected men to seek ease in the Grave; but they have lost it, by thus seeking it: nay, they have hastened desolation, and lengthned it to everlastingness. When Sins reduc'd to memory have wrought despair, and arm'd Men to their proper ruine; their streams of grief have drown'd, where they should but have wash'd; their blood has then unsanctify'd their tears, and blotted out in fury what­ever good Lines Remorse had written.

Though Death be pleasing, when 'tis well conside­red; yet patient submission to Divine Decrees, is one great feature, which presents her lovely. Whereof our memories may soon relapse into a fresh example, and these Garments hang, like Phylacteries, to mind us of him.

Shall I say, his Name is better than Oyntment? than Oyl? And yet my Language shew not like the worst of Oyls, the Oyl of Flattery. Shall I attempt the de­scription of his Life? His Cheeks now cannot blush: How say you then? Shall I present you now, after his Death, with Catalogues of Epithites and Praises, which (though the virtues of his life deserv'd, yet) one great virtue of his life, his modesty, would not (in his life) have endur'd to hear? It is the custom too; but be it so, too common therefore for desert so singular. And it perhaps might blemish that great worth, should I de­scribe it; for it might be said, He liv'd beyond others, but was bury'd like them. Besides, in publick to display his Name, were to disprove it rather; for by pretend­ing to give you a description of his worth, I should but seem to say, It was so little, that you before were un­acquainted with it.

But I'le take leave to recommend to you some Worthies, to whose Renown most here perhaps are strangers.

You knew not Sempronius Densus, Plutarch. whom (in a ge­neral defection from the Roman Emperor) nothing in Life could invite unto inconstancy; and Death it self (which most Men repute something) could nothing scare from Loyalty.

You knew not Aristides, stil'd the Just, whom the Athenians Love furnish'd with that name; that name, the true begotten of his own disposition, though also the begetter of their envy: his meekness was so sig­nal, that his breath was noted to perfume the names of many, but to blast the estimation of none.

You knew not Philopoemenes, whose Humility high Fortune found impregnable. He thought Content a [Page 23]glorious Heaven; of which to take a prospect, he sup­press'd all his own lustre; and in the bottom of Hu­mility (like Men in Pits) saw that Heaven to best advantage, permitting not his sight to be divided with scatter'd beams of his own glory.

Nor yet knew you Pelopidas; of whose friendship no weather ever vary'd the complexion. He still per­sisting towards all (to whom he ere pretended Ami­ty) an unalter'd Friend, made all the world his own Friend.

You knew not that Aratus, who then conceiv'd he study'd most Self-interest, when most he did expend his industry and thoughts to his Countries publick benefit; he liv'd the gain of all Men, and he died their loss.

Nor knew you Marcus Brutus, signally observed for kindness to his Wife and Family; whom scarce a Vir­tue left unfrequented, and scarce any Mans Love unat­tended.

Now will you have the Sum of all? We read that these were brave — and that they dy'd; That they dy'd worthy of much longer living, had life been worthy to defer their dying.

If still you are desirous to know more of them— be pleas'd to read it there, and then cast up how much a precious Name enjoyes of fragrancy above all Oynt­ment. And whil'st your thoughts are there employ'd, you'll find (what all these wanted) true Religion too. What words of life made up his dying breath? How did he draw in common Air, to return it odours? His languishing being full of pious, fervent, and of fre­quent Prayers and Ejaculations; with which his choice [Page 24]had furnish'd well his memory out of our Liturgy; by his dying practice, approving his living judgment [...] ex­piring (as much as Man can guess) in great submission to the Father, consolation in the Spirit, Faith in the Son, and Duty to the Sons Spouse, the Church. Now when these things have met your observation, you'll think he justifi'd the close of the Text; and that his latest hour, did surmount his earliest.

Living, we all enjoy'd him; now we see what a small spot of ground he (being dead) possesses. But his Name lives, and fills up room enough; and I have room enough to live upon his Name, but that I've liv'd too long upon your patience. You knew him; I know, you knew him: You lov'd him; knowing him, you must love him: You remember him; you have rea­son to remember him: (O that we could all conspire to imitate him!) confiding in your memory, my Dis­course may now (as he did) bid you all Farewell. It has liv'd, like him, to more than an ordinary Age; though not, like him, in extraordinary value. Conve­nience now will prompt you to conceive the minute of the Sermons Death, to be better than those of its Life; As the Conversation of the Sermons Subject has in­structed us to conclude the Day of his Death, better than that of his Birth.

Now to that God, with whom he is; to whom the issues of Life and Death belong, Be all Honour and Glory, henceforth, and for evermore. AMEN.

ANOTHER Upon the Right Honourable THE Lady MARY his WIFE, Who was Buried in his GRAVE, September 25. 1669.

JOB XIV. Ver. 12.

So man lieth down, and riseth not, till the Heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.

THe Flesh, whose Livery these Walls are dress'd in, has slept almost a Year; and hither now retires the other part of that one Flesh, to share in his repose. Vexatious Life is oft compar'd, and well, to Thorns and Bry [...]rs; and of some Bryars no end appears above ground: Now such a Bryar was our last years Life, having both ends in the earth. When [Page 26] the first Corps of these lay down in peace, and these black Curtains first were drawn about his Bed of dust, that Text of Ecclesiastes Eccles. 7.1., A good Name is better than Oyntment, &c. became the Subject of our Medita­tions. In the first words of that Verse, the Wise man applauds (what indeed all Men wish) a good Name; and in the last he gives no small Encomium to that which all Men fear, viz. Death. Death is said to be wedded to our humane Natures: And though to ti­morous dispositions (who view her at a distance) she seem a Bride but of a ghastly hew; yet Solomon, who had more thoroughly perus'd her features, seems to dress her in the character he gave the spiritual Spouse in the Canticles, Thou art black, but comely, &c.

And since that Text applauded so her Counte­nance, what throngs has her distended Arms embra­ced? as if Mens deaths were the result of fondness, rather than force; and she had vanquish'd them more by Attraction, than Constraint; and as if they had not expir'd so much her Captives, as her Lovers. Nor is their stay, unlike the stay of kindness; 'tis long, 'tis very long. Man fails from off the face of earth, as the The Verse preceding the Text. Waters fail from the Sea, and as the Tydes in Rivers decay and are dry'd up. And as those Waters do again return into the Sea, and Tydes into the Ri­vers; so shall Man find the effects of Renovation, but not, alas! with equal expedition, to what the Sea and Floods enjoy. The Heathen Poets much delight them­selves with Fables of their Jove, fancying (amongst the rest) that visiting Al [...]mena, he stretch'd out the night unto the length of three; but his three nights, to this of Death, were but a twinkling. Man being once laid down to sleep in the Pavilion of Death, Ʋn­til [Page 27]the Heavens be no more, he shall not awake, nor be raised out of his sleep.

How obvious in the words are these Collections.

  • I. That Death's a sleep.
  • II. That 'tis a long sleep; Till the Heavens be no more.
  • III. That the Heavens shall, once, be no more; for Death is but a sleep, and sleep imports awa­king.
  • IV. That when the time is come, wherein the Hea­vens shall be no more, then Man shall be again; he shall be raised out of his sleep.

I. Then, Death is a sleep.

For Death, Job apprehends by lying down. But Death is fourfold.

  • 1. There's a Death to Sin, and that's the Death of Grace. When Men being dead to Sin, live no lon­ger therein
    Rom. 6.2.
    . But mortifie the deeds of the flesh
    Rom. 8.13.
    . Hence the Philosopher tells us, it is one way of dying, by our contempt of pleasure, restraint of passion
    Morietiam dicitur, cum anima, adhuc in corpore constituta, cor­poreas illece­bras (Philoso­phiâ docente) contemnit; & cupiditatum dulces insidi­as, reliquasque omnes exuit passiones. Ma­crob. lib. 1. in Somn. Scip. cap. 13.
    .
  • 2. There's a Death to Grace; and that's the death of sin, or rather in sin. Hence some are said to be dead in trespasses and sins; some to have a name that they live, and yet they are dead; for to be carnally minded, is Death
    Rom. 8.6.
    .
  • [Page 28]3. There's a Death to the Actions of the Body. 'Tis the dissolution of the Compositum, and that's the Death of Nature. So first, God said to Adam, In the day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely dye
    Gen 2.17.
    , (i.e.) be liable to Death. And secondly, because he eat himself into Mortality, 'tis said of all his Successors,
    Psal. 89.48.
    What Man is he that liveth, and shall not see Death? The second sort of Death, and this, are join'd together, Mat. 8.22. Let the dead bury their dead; i. e. sayes St Austin De Civit. Dei. lib. 10. cap. 6. , Let the dead in sin, bury the dead in nature.
  • 4. There's a Death to Ʋnhappiness, and that's the Death in Hell, a Death of Soul and Body, being their separation from felicity; and this is call'd the second Death, Rev. 20.14.

The first Death, is the separation of the Soul from sin: But this is far from sleep, 'tis a continual watch­ing.

The second, is the separation of the Soul from Grace. This is a sleep we must avoid; from this we must not only wake, before the Heavens cease to be the Heavens that they are; but also, before we return to the earth that we were, or else we must be dead in this sin for ever; for the Damn'd protract their sinning, with their suffering.

The fourth, is the separation of both Soul and Body from glory, rest, and hope; so far is this from being rest or sleep: therefore

The third, the Death of Nature, or rather Death ac­cording to Nature, viz. the separation of the Body and Soul, must be this sleep. But yet, because the Body (not the Soul) in that disjunction, desists to live and act; the sleep we speak of, appertains to that: nor (in propriety of speech) can that, or lying down, be attributed to any other thing.

This is that sleep, which he must be asleep, who does not frequently perceive express'd in Sacred Writ:

She is not dead, but sleepeth
Matth. 9.24.
.

We shall not prevent them which are asleep
1 Thes. 4.15.
.

Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth, shall awake, some to everlasting life
Dan. 12.2.
, &c.

Our friend Lazarus sleepeth
Joh. 11.11.
.

When Stephen had said this, he fell asleep
Acts 7.6.
.

Thus generally departed Kings (in Scripture) are said to have slept with their fathers.

And thus the Poet, Sleeps are the little Mysteries of Death (p) [...] Menand..

Now it resembles, or rather is a sleep; in that it cor­responds with the definition and properties of sleep.

1. Sleep binds the Senses up Arist. de Vigil. & Som.; so the Philoso­pher, It is the Ligament of Sense, and such is Death. Where's then the eye which dotes on specious objects, and is it self esteem'd one; which never is well satis­fi'd with seeing, nor ever satisfies with being seen? Up­on the sleeping and the dead, the Sun (or whatsoever [Page 30] glories of the Skies) layes out his light in vain; Midnight and Noon are equal shades to them. Where's then the Ear, through which Trumpets convey life to the hands, and Tabrets to the feet; whil'st holy David at the sound of the one fights for the Ark, and at the noise of the other dances before it? To Sleep and Death, these are no more than Silence. Midnight and the Grave are two Exceptions against Noise. Awake you may ye Lute and Harp; but to what purpose, when 'tis not, I my self awake right early? Where's then the Scent? And where's the difference betwixt the Dormant, and the Dead? The one perceives no sweet­ness in a Bed of Roses, nor yet the other in his Apart­ment strow'd with Flowers. Corruption shall make this last (as the Sister concluded of Lazarus) yield an ill savour; but neither last, nor first, discern a good one, nor yet disdain a bad one. Where's then the sense of Tasting? Then sweet and sowr fall into indi­stinction: Then nought is palatable nor disgustful: No rarity contended for in meats, nor property in saw­ces; no relish vaunted of in fruits, nor gusto in the wines: No, no, there is no other Epicure in sleep, than Fleas; nor in the Grave, than Worms. Where's then the sense of Feeling? To those that soundly sleep, and to the dead, Good English Broad-cloth may contend with Sattin: And (were not Men alive as reasonless, as Men asleep and dead are sensless) an Act for Fune­rals in home-made Woollen, might be embrac'd with less reluctancy. What feels the living sleeper? what the dead? The one perceiving not the Thief which robs his Purse, nor the other the Sexton which strips his Carkass.

Then what is Sleep, but Death Quid est som [...]m, gelidae n [...]s;i mortis imago? abbreviated? Or Death, but Sleep protracted?

2. As to Anxiety and Care, their Natures much accord. In Sleep they dye, in Death they fall asleep. Farewell, in both, to doubts and jealousies, to fear and grief. When weary'd with distraction, how welcome does Man entertain repose, in Bed or in the Grave? Man goeth forth unto his labour until the Evening, and then, the sleep of a labouring Man is sweet (s) Eccles. 5.12.; so much for Sleep. In the world ye shall have tribulation John 16.33., yet proceed to work out your salvation Phil. 2.12.: That when the night of Death approaches, and none can work, you may be happy with those that dye in the Lord, for they rest from their labours Rev. 14.13.. So much for Death; in both conditions, Trouble finds a Grave.

What though the world be lost in horrid fears, like to benighted Men? And in that night, what although Groans (like Screams of Owls) grow loud; and Joyes (like dying Swans) have sung their last? Yet what's all this, to those that are at rest? 'Tis to the waking, to the living 'tis, that the Winds roar, and that the Billows foam; that the Masts crack, and that the Cordage bursts; that Clouds hide Heaven, and the Waves the Clouds: But it disturbs not Jonas, for he sleeps: Nor yet his Ancestors, for they are dead. This is that water of Lethe, which the Heathens conceiv'd powerful to convey oblivion to the memory. Thou Vanquisher of Ills; Thou Calmness to the Mind! &c. sayes Seneca to Sleep Tuque O Domitor somne malorum, re­quies animi, &c. Sen. Her [...]. Fur. . And such a Sleep is Death. For, O Death! acceptable is thy sentence to the Needy; to him whose strength faileth, and is vex'd with all things; [Page 32]to him that despaireth, and hath lost his patience, sayes the son of Syrach, Chap. 41. ver. 2.

3. As to the desisting of motion and action, how well may they be Twins? In each of them there's a defect of these. The Body being ty'd in bonds of sleep, it lies as buried; in the interim, the Soul (whose power is independant on the Body) perpetuates her action: so when the term of mortal life is come, down lies the Body all torpid and unactive; but the Soul, the invisi­ble part, does still retain possession of life in the behalf of the whole Man. And in both cases too, the Body shall again assume its former vigor, to shew it was not lost, but intermitted; but of that more, in a more pro­per place.

4. Sleeping and dying are of one necessity, and equal­ly to nature indispensable. Many men wake with cove­ting to sleep; and their too eager hopes of some re­pose, keeps them in long frustration. Just so, some live, spite of themselves, subsisting in opposition to their sierce desires of Expiration; such was perplex'd Job, Jeremy, and Elias. And others sleep, whil'st they con­tend to wake, such were the Apostles Mark 14.37.: Just so, some Men embrace their Deaths, whil'st they conceive they oppose it; and meet it, where they think they travel from it. Yet all (some time or other) must partake of either; unless Death prevent sleep at the first, and Doomsday prevent Death at the last. In vain's the study to evade them; 'tis of a nature like the in­dustry expended to procure the Philosophers stone; they labour to convert what'ere they have into Gold, [Page 33]and convert that little Gold they have into Nothing. So we, sollicitous to improve that little health we have into a treasure of inexhaustible life, reduce that little life we have into death. Like him, who should con­trive to watch long, and drops asleep with the contri­vance. Not that I would men should neglect their lives, or be indifferent in their conservation; but that they should be careful of them, with an assurance once to forego them, and still be ready with alacrity to resign them: For who is he that lives, and shall not see death?

5. Sleep equals all men, of what age soever, what strength, or what degree; and so does Death. None in their dark Dominions, can discern a Throne from a Pedestall. The Corps of sleeping Bartimaeus, has equal bliss with sleeping Herod; and much more than Herod, when awake: So is dead Diogenes, as happy as dead Alexander; and much more than Alexander, when alive. Various wayes, and different postures there may be of both in lying down; but being laid, their State is undistinguish'd Mista Senum ac Ju­venum deflen­tur Corpora. Horat. Nulla distinctio inter Cadavera mortuorum, nisi for [...]è graviùs saetent Divitum Corpora, luxuriâ distenta. Amb. Hexamer., and promis­cuous.

Some die distracted, harass'd with wandring and benighted thoughts; and these sleep like Ezekiel's Jews, in the Woods Ezek. 34.25..

Some men expire in the pursuit of Fame, oppress'd with Titles, and voluminous Inscriptions; and these sleep like Isaiah's Idolaters, in Monuments Isa 65.4..

Some have short winter-lives; a little day-light in them, but much tempest; these men expiring in the midst of cares, seem to have troubled themselves to death; and these, like Jonah, sleep in a storm Jon. 1.5..

Some are prescrib'd to death, pursuing the directi­ons of Physicians, (Deaths great Acquaintances) and ty'd to their Receipts; these sleep, like S t Peter, among Soldiers, and in Chains Acts 12.6..

Some are misguided by a flying fire (by seeming honour) into the Graves great precipice, and dye of a disease call'd Valor; these sleep, like Sampson, in Ga­za Judg. 16.3., which (being interpreted) is strength.

Fulness of bread sometimes may send another to the Grave; and he sleeps, like Boaz, at a heap of Corn Ruth 3 7.. Whil'st Indigence perhaps destroys his Neighbours; and they, like Ruth, sleep at his feet Ver. 14..

Others dye of Promotion, and (like smoke) are taught to vanish by their exaltation; and these sleep, like Saul, on the top of the House 1 Sam. 9.26..

Others dye weary'd out with Expectation; and they sleep, like Ʋriah, at the Gate of the Kings house 2 Sam. 1.9..

Now, though the method of Expiring varies, the state of the Expir'd is all equality. The low and weak can be but empty then: And even the Proud, when they have slept their sleep, and those (whose hands were mighty) have found nothing.

Now therefore, since that which we in rigorous Expression term Death, in mild construction is but Sleep;

(1.) Thrice happy they, whom it defers not long! Quick sleeps discover regular Constitutions. 'Tis much [Page 35]advantage to be early happy; and to prevent the rest­lessness and tumbli [...]gs of weary Age, with undelay'd repose; For thus God giveth his beloved sleep, sayes the Prophet Psal. 127.2.. And those, whom the Gods affect, dye young, sayes the Poet [...]. Menand.

(2.) That really in Death we may have rest, as in sound sleep; we must contend, whil'st yet we are awake, to perfect all our task in God our Masters most important service, and work out our salvation whil'st we may. Sleep, we know, seals up at once our industry and eyes, no working then; we in the morning there­fore should contrive to make night no surprize: That when it once grows heavy on our eye-lids, we may not leave our duties unattempted, or our attempts un­accomplished: like interrupted and abortive struc­tures, which shew what Architects presum'd, not what they did.

And so much more should we be sedulous to have our task determin'd, ere we sleep, by how much less we shall be capable to fill up its perfection, when we wake. For here indeed Death varies from the method of ordinary sleep; in that, what ere to day ( i. e. in our lives) lies uneffected, must be perpetuated so. As the Tree falls, so it must lie Eccles. 11.3. . There is no borrow­ing of to morrows Sun, to pay the arrears of this. No, no, we shall not open once our eyes to wake, till the Heavens close all their eyes, and fall asleep; nor shall our morning ere begin to be, till the place, where morning dwells, shall be no more. When once our drowsie temples, are bound up with Deaths swarthy Night-cloaths, Farewell to Spring, which is our growth in grace; Farewell to Summer, and fruits meet for re­pentance; [Page 36]Farewell to Sunshine, being the light of grace; And Farewell showres, the droppings of the Sanctuary: For man lieth down, and riseth not, till the Heavens be no more, &c.

II. 'Tis then a long Sleep.

Till the Heavens be no more. A time of tedious distance for ought we know. But yet, how near so­ever (if we reflect on those who went before us) how much soever Death resembled Sleep in quality, 'tis much beyond it in the quantity.

The grand distinction of these sleeps, consists in their duration. A Sand participates the essential proper­ties of Earth. But ah! when their dimensions come in competition, that nature of the Earth, which the Sand possesses, is but enough to priviledge it from be­ing nothing: So Sleep, though constituted of the calm and gentle qualities of Death, when we peruse them in their just extent, appears (in the comparison) to have but so much ease, as does but just exempt it from be­ing labour. Here we soon sleep, and strait as quick­ly wake. Our lives are but successive, and short fits of darkness and of light. And if the night protract itself beyond our slumbers, how restless grow we, tor­tur'd with repose, and making our ease our anguish? But Bodies, once asleep beneath the Coverlets of Turfs, find not themselves so hasty to be stirring.

We shall remove no Curtains with our hands; nor, with our eyes, seek day-light in a Window; nor, with our vain enquiries, look for glimmerings in the East. No, no, we shall not hunt for day, till we shall miss [Page 37]the Heavens, from which it us'd to start. We now lay not our selves to sleep, until our selves (or servants, those Deputy selves) have put out the Candle; but being laid down in Death, we shall not wake, till he that never sleeps, puts out the Sun: For the Sun shall be turn'd into darkness Joel 2.31. , and be no more our light Isa. 60.19.. The Sun and Darkness shall at once for­sake us; nor shall the one (I mean Death) withdraw its drowsie shades, till the other wraps his Sun-beams up in Sables; and (instead of bidding Good-Morrow, like a Bridegroom Psal. 19.5.) shall bid Good-Night like a Mourner.

But, as soundly as we shall sleep in Body, so surely was Lactantius in a Dream, who (with the other Chiliasts) would humble Christs celestial Sovereignty, into an earthly Throne, to be erected at Jerusalem, and be establish'd for 1000 years; for which space also he presum'd, the Martyrs should be empowred with sub­lunary dominion, and enjoy pleasures, equally terrestri­al with their jurisdiction. Now the foundation of this phantastick building, they lay upon a ground, which will not bear it; they instance in Rev. 20. and from these expressions ( The Devil is bound for a thou­sand years, ver. 2. And the Souls of the Witnesses (or Martyrs) liv'd and reign'd with Christ for a thousand years, ver. 4.) They conclude, That Satan shall lite­rally and temporally be bound, and the Martyrs tem­porally rule.

And lest we should conceive, they understood this their Supremacy to be only in Spirit, they not on­ly insist upon ver. 4. where 'tis said, The Souls of the Witnesses liv'd and reign'd: But introduce the fifth [Page 38]verse, where 'tis said, The rest of the dead lived not again, till the thousand years were finish'd i. e. Those that are dead in Body and in Gra [...]e shall have no Resur­rection at all, till all things are accomplished, and then they shall arise to a second Death; But these that had part in the first Resurrection, (i. e.) from Sin, the second Death (which is of Soul and Body) shall have n [...] power [...]n.: From hence concluding, That the Martyrs Souls should all this while be reunited to their Bodies, which only can be suppos'd to live again For the Soul lives not again, but continues to live..

And lest Error should be too narrow to expatiate in, their Fancies rove yet further, and recur to 2 Pet. 3.8. where one day, is said, to be with God as a thou­sand years, and a thousand years as one day. Inferring hence, That the Worlds Glass shall be 7000 years in running out, in proportion to the seven dayes which make up every Week; and since the seventh day had a Prescription of Repose and Piety, the six preceding being lights to guide men into toyle and sweat; they fancy the last thousand years must supply the room of a continued Sabbath to the Saints, after the first 6000 years being spent in industry and expectation. But this opinion does directly thwart that Text Matth. 24.36., But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no not the An­gels, &c. And the other opinion contradicts that other Text John 18.36., My Kingdom is not of this world. But both oppose our present Text, which sayes, Man ( i. e. all Mankind, except those which rose with Christ to attend him their first-fruits, and to whom they limit not their fancy'd Empire) awakes not till the Heavens be no more.

Yet even S t Austin Nam eti­am nos haec epinati fuimus aliquando. Aug. de Civ. Dei. lib. 20. ch. 7. once indulg'd this miscon­ception, although with an opinion more refin'd, and [Page 39]which alotted not such carnal pleasures to this domi­nion of the Saints, as other Patrons of this Error did. But on review, and better thoughts, he tells us, That by a thousand years (being a perfect number) is meant the latter Age, begun by the Messias in the fulness of time; in which the Devil is bound, i. e. he does not, with his old more boundless power, detain the world in Er­ror, and enjoy his former usurpation of Souls Aut cer­te mille annos pro omnibus an [...]s hujus se­culi posuit, ut perf [...]cto nu­mero notare­tur ipsa temporis plenitudo. Aug. ibid.. But for the Saints, although their Bodies should remain the slaves of Sepulchres, (those only excepted which arose with Christ) yet should their spirits reign with Christ in Heaven Quamvis ergo cum su [...] dum, jam tamen corum animae regnant cum illo. Idem ibidem..

And this exactly squares with that, My Kingdom is not of this world; not but that Bodies too shall par­take his triumphs, but that will be, not till the Hea­vens be no more.

III. Why then, the Heavens shall be no more.

For should they still continue as they are, and should man ne're revive, whil'st they continue so; how could his Death be term'd a Sleep, to which no waking ever should succeed?

The Heavens now are like an open Book, full of strange Characters, which men consult (how wisely, let their effects determine) to be inform'd, when great mens Lives shall be no more; when Kingdoms, and when States shall be no more; when publick Blessings, and when publick Curses shall be no more. But there will be a season (and e're long 'twill be) when they [Page 40]themselves shall be no more; They shall perish, fayes the Psalmist: But of the critical moment, not a word in all the Book of Spheres. What Tales soe're they tell of other Beings, they will still keep their own coun­sel; and whensoe're they break (like to great Tra­ders here on earth) their breach shall be the worlds surprize: Of that day knoweth none. Their Prophecy in that, is silent as their Harmony; yet such a day there will be: But the question is,

First, What Heavens shall be no more?

Secondly, How shall they be no more?

First, What Heavens shall be no more? Besides the Empyreal, or Supreme, Philosophers compute the num­ber of the Orbs (counting the Fire and Air) to be eleven. But the great Bishop of Hippo (reflecting on the rapture of S t Paul into the third Heaven, where he had the glimpse of great, unutterable glo­ries) concludes the Empyreal (the Heaven of Gods more immediate splendor, and the receptacle of the bless'd, to see him, as 'twere, face to face) to be the third Heaven; computing none besides, excepting the Sydereum & Aereum, the Starry and the Aery.

But be they more, or be they less, the Heaven of heavens is generally exempted from dissolution: which some conclude from Thy Throne is established for ever. So that, of all the rest, although we cannot certainly determine what is their number, yet we may conclude a little of their nature; though we are insecure how many they be, yet we may well be resolute what they shall be, or rather what they shall not be, They shall be no more: But

Secondly, How no more? They shall perish Hebr. r. 11. Now what should be this perishing, but their change? For as mans death is call'd a change Job 14.14. , I will wait till my change come: So the Heavens change is call'd a death, or perishing; for, that the word (perish) im­ports no more in the forecited place to the Hebrews, is evident from the ensuing Verse, As a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed.

Nay, this very place, the Heavens shall be no more, is (in the vulgar Latin) atteratur Coelum, till the Hea­vens be worn away, not annihilated. Worn like an old Garment, Psal. 102. Man is the little world, and as his Cloaths cover him, so the Heavens cover the great world, Tegit omnia Coelum. Hence, Ovid. when we Travel, Lucretius tells us, We change the cloathing of Heaven Coeli­mutamus ami­ctum.. Conformable to this is even the Sep­tuagint, in this of Job, which renders it, Till the Hea­vens be [...]. No more be sow'd together. unsow'd. How has God cloath'd the Macrocosme, as we the Microcosme, with the best Cloaths on the outside? We all, at great Solemnities, contrive to habit our selves after the newest fashion: Lo, then shall Christ appear in Solemn Triumph; Lo, then shall be the Marriage of the Lamb; and then the world shall change its fashion too: The fashion of this world passes away 1 Cor. 7.31.. When Sunday comes, 'tis generally entertain'd with Citizens best Cloaths; Lo, then the Sabbath of the Saints shall come; then the Lords day; the day of the Sun of Righteousness; and then the Ʋniverse shall be aray'd in cleaner and more splendid Vestments.

Now Job's, shall be no more; is S t Peter's, shall pass away, whil'st the Elements melt for fervent heat 2 Pet. 3.10.. [Page 42]Now, whatsoever melts, melts not to nothing, but into substance of a purer nature; so likewise, to pass away, is not to cease to be, but to be vary'd in its place or properties. Heaven and Earth shall pass away, sayes our Saviour; and there shall be new Heavens, and a new Earth, sayes S t Peter 2 Pet. 3.13.. Both these are uni­ted, Rev. 21.5. Behold, I make all things new. Now, to make all things new, is not to make all things nothing; no more than mending is destroying. To be no more, than, is to pass into new; and 'tis not needless to ob­serve that [...] to change, is render'd Psal. 90.9. by passing away, or passing over: from whence the world is stil'd [...] a change, or passing over.

But you may ask, What change is this?

'Tis not a change of substance, but of accidents; Heavens shall not absolutely cease to be, but to be as they are; so also the Elements. All compound Beings (except mans Body, which must subsist with the Soul) shall lay aside their Essence. Birds, and Beasts, and Fish, so likewise Trees and Plants, which owe their Beings to their Compositions, shall bid farewell to Na­ture; when every Element shall challenge from them, what each contributed to their composure. Earth shall retreat to Earth, Water to Water; and whatso­ever Fire or Air bestow'd, for ever shall recede into its native properties.

But for more simple and unblended Natures, their change shall be but a refining. Some Greg. Bed. Gloss. have con­ceiv'd indeed, That Fire and Water should both be total­ly consum'd, whil'st Earth and Air should be no more than mended. But this the rest reject. Aquinas Aquin. in 2 Pet. 3. thinking, that Fire and Water should but lose their heat [Page 43]and cold. But that were neither to be Fire nor Wa­ter. But that Lorinus candidly expounds him, That by their losing heat and cold, he means, that heat and cold should be restrain'd from acting.

As is the change with the Elements, so with the Heavens; the variation's not of things, but qualities. Aristotle pronounced Heaven incorruptible; and so it is indeed as to its fitness for duration, (which the Schools call its internals) but not as to its power, ab­stracted from divine disposure Ab intrirse­co Coelos esse incorruptibt­l [...]s, communis Scholastico­rum est opinio. i. e. secundum sabstantiam & aptitudinem, non dispositio­nem divinam & actum. Lo [...]. in Psal. 102.19.; for whatsoe're at first results from nothing, by the same vertue, may relapse into nothing; or, as the cause of its first being plea­ses, be vary'd from its present being. Therefore THOƲ shalt change them Psal. 102.26. . By which change, sayes Lori­nus De sola nonnulla reno­vatione, per vacationem à mo [...]u & actu & ministerio in res sublu­nares, homi­nemque vitam ducentem mortalem. Ibid. , is meant some kind of renewing, by a vaca­tion from Motion and Action, and influence on Subluna­ries, and on Man leading a mortal life. And thus be­ing alter'd, they will better suit with the condition of renew'd Mankind. In which, S t Austin tells us, That at the general Conflagration, those qualities of the corrup­tible Elements (which agreed well enough with our cor­ruptible Bodies) shall utterly perish by Combustion; And the same substance shall (by miraculous change) acquire qualities convenient for immortal Bodies; to the end, that the world, being renewed for the better, may the bet­ter suit with men renew'd for the better in their flesh Conflagratione mund [...]â Elementorum corruptibilium qualitates, quae corporibus nostris corruptibi [...]ibus congruchant, ardend [...] penitus interibunt; Atque ips [...] substantia eas qualitates habebit, quae corporibus immor­talibus mirabili mutatione conventant. Ut scilicent mundus in melius inroua [...]us, apt [...] accommodetur hominibus etiam in carne meliùs innovatis. Aug. de Civ. Dei. lib. 20. cap. 16..

From these things then we may raise these Conclu­sions.

  • 1. That the Heavens shall no more measure time; For,
  • 2. Time shall be no more, Rev. 10.6. And hence indeed, in proper speech, the Heavens shall be no more. Shall, is the Future Tense; but in Eterni­ty there's no Futurity. Now when there is no time, but all Eternity, who can, without great impropriety, say the Heavens shall be; when, Shall, imports a time to come?
  • 3. If no time, then no motion; for time is the mea­sure of motion
    Tempus est mensura motus; omnis motus est in tempore.
    : and therefore
  • 4. No more action; for without motion, there is no action in Naturals.
  • 5. Therefore no more influence on Sublunaries; for without action, no influence: therefore
  • 6. No more generation nor corruption; for these are not without influence. Thus then, the Heavens shall be no more: And now

IV. Man shall awake, and be raised out of his sleep.

Methinks I see his Body now begin to be again. Methinks I see the Sea (like Jonah's Whale) surren­dring what it had long time conceal'd. Methinks I see Men bolting from the Earth, like Rabbets from their Warrens. Some from the Waves, some from the Graves I see, just waken'd by the Trump; and shaking off, ma­ny their dew, and many more their dust: For they must awake, they must be raised out of their sleep.

But it may be of use to mind the expression; 'tis they shall be rais'd, not by their vertue, but some others power. But what is his Name, if thou canst tell? 'Tis my Redeemer; I know that my Redeemer lives, and he shall raise me up at the last day Job 19.25..

  • My Redeemer] There's God's power.
  • Shall raise me up] There's Job's assurance.
  • At the last day.] There's the time prescrib'd.
  • My Redeemer lives] 1. To confute the Jews, who disown his Resurrection. 2. To prove that he also shall raise us up. Christ the first-fruits; afterwards, they that are Christs, 1 Cor. 15. For,
  • He shall raise me up] To refute those who repute our expectation of reduction from the Grave, as a Dream.
  • At the last day] To confute Hymeneus Philetus, and Hermogenes, who concluded the Resurrection [Page 46]already accomplish'd, because 'tis recorded that the Bodies of the Saints arose, Matth. 27. So holy Job (even in the Text) supposes and implies, what there he expresses, viz. That when the Hea­vens shall be no more, Man shall be raised.
  • 1. Then he shall awake, arise:
  • 2. How shall he be raised? But

1. Mans Body shall arise.

These very Numerical Bodies; these that we sin'd in, or repented in. Methinks I hear the Trumpet sound a Call; wherefore Awake, Awake! Whoe're, Where're, Howe're you are. Whoe're have been de­vour'd by Wolves, those Wolves being strait devou­red by Lyons, those Lyons dying and strait devour'd by Kites! Whoe're to Fishes have been made a Prey, which even themselves have soon become a Prey to other Fishes! Whoe're you are, that in your Bodies have perform'd the Stages (which fond Pythagoras prescrib'd to Souls) in journeys through each vari­ous kind of Beasts! Whoe're you are, have been re­duc'd to dust, and dissipated through the spacious world, till every dust has been remov'd a Mile from dust of kin to it! Awake, Awake; indeed you must awake. 'Tis a resistless power that raises you. 'Tis God shall raise the dead, Acts 26.8.

But some may ask, Query. What if a Man devour those of his own species? What if Claudius devour Sempronius, and (after time for due digesting him) Claudius him­self [Page 47]become anothers Meal? How shall Sempronius ( and others in the like capacity) be raised up in his own Nu­merical Body, unless whatsoever was eaten by Claudius, (and may be conceiv'd to have become a part of his Body) be restored? Which if it be, How then shall Claudius rise with his Numerical Body?

This is the Query which Objectors think, Solut. is of itself enough to make a Sadduce. But 'tis indeed a trivial doubt, and of no force to any but the willing. For 'tis not he shall arise, (as I observ'd before) but he shall be raised; which includes an unrestrained power to be the Agent: and 'tis the same Almighty Power which does support the living. That God shall raise Man, who now seeds Man. He needs no aid of meat to keep a Creature living. How obvious may we then conceive it (though Claudius do devour Sem­pronius) for God to strengthen Claudius, and support him, without permitting any of Sempronius to be concocted into his constitution; especially since he compos'd not Man, to be Mans food?

But now what think you, if even to Reason (for at that Weapon they must be encounter'd, who con­tradict this Doctrine) I say, what if to Reason 'tis a thing impossible, but of the self-same Body there must be infallibly a Resurrection? Not to trace all the Cau­ses back up to the first, to prove a God accomplish'd in whate're good reason ere thought good. I shall suppose the Existence of a Deity already granted, I know none deny it.

There being then a God, he must be just; but just he cannot be, without a Resurrection: For (to mans eye) the worst oft live and dye with least misfortune. Now, if no vengeance seize them after death, where's then the Justice, and where's then the God? Will any say, that (after dissolution) the Soul may suffer, and still God be just, although the Body sleeps? But if the Body shar'd in sinning, and be exempted from the suf­fering, a Malefactor escapes: then where's the Justice? and next where's the God? Or will you say (as some are very forward) that Death it self is the Bodies punishment?

But I say (1.) the Soul and Body sin'd together for each others greater satisfaction; in justice there­fore we may think, that they should suffer together for each others greater affliction. But they by death (so far does it resist their suffering together) are far remov'd asunder; if death then be the Bodies sole infliction, still where's the Justice?

(2.) Can the Body be punish'd with what it never feels? But oft great Sinners sink into the Grave, un­der a stupefaction of the senses, and dye extempore. And if the flesh do only suffer death, which brings no corporal pain for mighty corporal transgressions, still where's the Justice?

(3.) The Body sinning against an infinite Person, committed infinite sin; for (as we see in Treason) the Object gives proportion to the Crime. Infinite sin must have no finite suffering: But Death is a finite suf­fering; for that's accomplish'd when the Soul is gone. If therefore Death be all the vengeance to the Body, where's still the Justice? Will any say the Bodies be­ing [Page 49]dead, and separated from the Soul for ever, is its eternal punishment? But can there be punishment, and nothing suffer? As soon as dead, the humane Body is not; it was the humane Body when it sin'd, by death it leaves to be the humane Body: And how can that, which is not, suffer? Or will you say (with Pompo­natius) that sin is its own punishment? O strange Phi­losophy! And more strange Justice! In all Philosophy, the offence is still cause to the punishment; if sin then be the punishment to itself, 'tis its own cause, and 'tis its own effect: But others in Philosophy will tell us, That Nihil est causa sui ipsius Quis­quam ne mor­ta [...]ium idem vocat facinus & poenam? Quintil.; And in all Justice punish­ments design'd to mend the Sufferer, or to disencourage others from the like offence. But what sin ere (which had no other punishment) deter'd another from at­tempting it? And as for the Offender, I presume none will conclude that sin can much amend him. Many would wish their strength might ne're decline, that they might ne're be impotent for sin. If sin be then its proper punishment? 'Tis a most strange one, which the Offender ever would request to undergo, and prize beyond rewards Nulla­poena est nisi invito (& alibi) Suppli­cium quisquam vocat, ad quod prosilitur, quod exposcitur. Quintil.. If sin were the sole judgment on the Malefactor, O what a means had the Almighty found, to bring his Justice in contempt! And then where were his Wisdom too? And then where the God?

Therefore whoe're thou art, that art possess'd with Dreams like these, Awake thou that sleepest, lest ere thou dream'st of it, it may be said, Awake, and come to judgment: But

2. How shall Men arise? And with what Bodies shall they come?

I answer with S t Paul, 1 Cor. 15. they shall rise (1) Incorruptibly; it is rais'd in incorruption, ver. 42. (2) Gloriously; it is rais'd in glory, ver. 43. (3) In agility; it is rais'd in power, ver. 43. tanta facilitas, quanta faelicitas, sayes S t Austin. (4) Very near to the nature of Angels; much more resin'd than former­ly; not only from carnal lusts, but also from the gross­ness of our substances. The natural Elements shall be resin'd, so shall our Bodies; it shall be rais'd a spiritual Body, ver. 44. Not but that we shall have flesh and bones, and integral parts, answerable to the pattern of our Saviour after his Resurrection, Luke 24.39. Handle me, and see, for a spirit has not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. But yet improv'd they shall be much.

Aquinas in Eph. 4 ver. 13. Corpus Christi fuit perd [...]ction ad plenam ae­tem virilem (scilicet 33 annorum) in quâ mertuus est; husus [...]to­di autem aeta­tis plenitudini corform [...]itur aetas sanctorum resurg [...]tium. So a so the Author of these Sermons or Homilies father'd on St Ambrose, vol. 3. pag. 44. Ibi enim nec infa [...]s nec senex, nec parvus erit, qui non impleat dies suos; utpote silius resur­rectionis & in mensuram venict plenitudinis Christi, ut nec desint ali [...]ui annorum spa­cia, nec supersint. yet goes further, and assures us, That we shall rise in the complete age of our Saviour, viz. 33 years old. For whereas we read, Till we all come in the unity of the Faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God to a perfect Man, to the measure of the STA­TƲRE of the fulness of Christ, he (as also our old Translations) reads the measure of the AGE of the fulness of Christ. But this we safely may leave undetermin'd, being assur'd that Man shall awake destitute of nothing essential to his perfection, but not so secure of what God may esteem so essential.

But this is the Resurrection of those who have part in the first Resurrection. Others shall want the glory; but yet shall be endu'd with bodies, free from corruption; to protract their torture to eternity; with bodies agile, to entitle them to the greater restlessness; for the more active the Sufferer, the more tormenting the Chains and Anguish. Nor shall he want the preju­dice of a refin'd body, that all his senses may be more acute, for entertaining each its proper torment to the most high improvement.

So now we see Men shall be raised up; and we see how. Unhappy then are they, that put far from them here the evil day; to be shut up in worst of nights here­after. Woe to him, that eats and drinks, because to morrow he shall dye; since, after that to morrow, he must rise, and be waken'd out of his sleep. But happy he, thrice happy, who being to forego his life, hid it with Christ in God; at the last day they shall know where to find it. In the mean time foolish are those that la­ment him, since they again shall see him, if yet they are not still more foolish, by their neglecting to lie down like him. How is our industry concern'd, to care that our uprise be to felicity? by death to sin, and rising again to newness of life, to furnish our selves for a Resurrection free from a second death.

And will you know how 'tis to be atchiev'd? By doing so, as did the Subject of this dayes Solemnity. If you expect her Character, consult each man his loss in her departure. None need commend an absent Friend to those, who by that absence find much detriment. Go ask the Poor, Go ask the Sick, whose Consolation and Relief are now in a great measure gone to Hea­ven with her. How have the glories of the ancient [Page 52]Heroes liv'd in Records of blackest Ink? So 'tis with her, for in our sable fortunes, in our dark wants, her worth is largely written. We need no tedious toil to prove her happy, as to her Soul, and ready for the Resurrection, as to her Body; our greatest Task will be (not to learn how she is, but) to be like her, fit for our going, and our Saeviours coming.

But you'll ask how? Let the Apostle tell you; St Peter, designing to display Christs dreadful coming in his third Chapter of his second Epistle, endeavors to prepare men for it in his first Chapter, advising dili­gence in procuring

1. Faith, which believes God true in all his promi­ses, which teaches Man to lay aside his Reason, that so he may be more than Man, and apprehend things much beyond the reach of natural capacity. Faith is the evidence of things not seen. Faith, which layes all our sins down at Christs Cross. Faith, which applies Christs merits to our selves. In short, Faith, which depends on the Fathers mercy, through the Sons suf­ferings and intercession, by the Spirits support and consolation, to evade deserved destruction, and attain most undeserved bliss: therefore to wake to happi­ness, take Faith, and add to your Faith

2. Virtue. Not Virtue in the general, because Tem­perance follows as a particular; but Virtue, i. e. Forti­tude or Valor. For so is Virtus render'd, when im­porting a single Virtue. Some Grammarians will in­forms us that it signifies Manhood, from Vir in the La­tine; and Courage, from [...], the God of War, in the Greek, from whence comes [...]. Join to thy Faith [Page 53]Fortitude. Fortitude, that nothing may enfeeble thy Resolves; That no bad Times prevail upon thy Prin­ciples, though thousands on thy left hand tumble down, and break the neck of Conscience, to preserve the lives of their Estates or Liberties; though at some other time (even in thy greatest danger) thou shalt discern the fall of a lov'd Friend, submitting to the frequent menaces and haughty looks of an outlandish Foe; yet still keep Fortitude, that thou may'st stand in the evil day; and when thou hast done all, may'st stand. But yet to this Virtue, must be added.

3. Knowledge, whereby you may discern 'twixt good and bad, and not be lead by an implicite Creed; but have a Faith according to knowledge, and be able to give a reason of the Faith that is in you. In vain is Courage, where there is no Sight; what signifies stout Hands, and ne're an Eye? Not that we should with too much eagerness pursue Speculations; nor read much, that we may know how to talk much, but study to know Christ, and him crucifi'd; For it is life eternal to know God, and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent; there­fore to wake to Happiness, take Knowledge, and to that add

4. Temperance. By Fortitude, Man overcomes an­other; by Temperance, himself. Not only in affair of Eating, of Drinking, and of things of Pleasure, but even of Passion too; still entertaining from malevo­lent spirits whatever actions of hostility, yet keeping still a temper that shall never vary with provocation. To Temperance add

[Page 54] 5. Patience, which does empow'r a man to em­brace Affliction. Patience, which overcomes by being beaten, which lives on Death, and dyes for want of danger; for where no peril is, no patience can be. What although Children (which are at once mens images and hopes) lie down in Dust, and Graves (short as their Lives) of a span long? What though they fall greater, and of nearer expectation of Manhood? What although Wives, though Husbands, (excellent Husbands) languish, groan, and dye? What although cruel and prolong'd Distempers poyson our Constituti­ons? And what though much more cruel Tongues poyson our Reputations? Yet still we must submit to Gods disposure, and gratefully receive whatever he per­mits to be inflicted; knowing that our Saviour enter'd not into joy, but first he suffer'd pain; that we, follow­ing the example of his patience, may (when the Hea­vens shall be no more) awake up after his likeness. But add to Patience

6. Godliness, which does enroll men Citizens of Heaven, whil'st they are Sojourners on earth. This does unteach remissness in Devotion, and suffers not mans Temporal Calamity to hinder or disable Spiritual Pie­ty. This renders men zealous for Prayer, and ardent in it, forward themselves, and instigating others. Above all things make supplication, sayes the Apostle; First seek the Kingdom of Heaven, sayes his Master; That when ye shall be rais'd, ye may awake to a new Heaven. Take

7. Brotherly Kindness, which teaches men not to [Page 55] exalt themselves, but clips the wings of Arrogance. It treats the lowest and the poorest affably, instructing ev'n the powerful to bow, and condescend to the necessities of the most abject. All Mankind is our Brother earth, and each man should be kind to his Brother earth; that when he shall be waken'd from his Mother earth, he may for ever live with God the Father of Heaven. But above all, take

8. Charity, which loves God above all things for his own sake, and her Neighbour as herself for Gods sake. Which doth not behave it self unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provok'd, thinketh no evil, which beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things 1 Cor. 13. vea. 5.7.. Which relieves Friends, and remits Enemies, praying for those that despitefully use her. This Virtue shall endure, when Faith and Hope are superseded by Fruition; this shall attend us, when they shall be no more, when the Heavens shall be no more, when we shall be awaken'd out of our sleep. Therefore be diligent to get these Virtues, looking for Christs coming, that you may be found of him without spot and blameless, 2 Pet. 3.14.

I have been long addressing to your Ears, now I apply my self to your Memories. Out of S t Peter, I have read you words, how you may fit you for the Resurrection; but if you'll learn by Deeds—then There's the Text, Read it, and Read it well. O make the old Rule true, which tells us how much President instructs beyond Precept. She dyed indeed, and there's our loss indeed; but being dead, she speaks, there's our advantage; yea, and still lives, there's her felicity. She [Page 56]sought for Health, Eternity she found. In a strange Countrey she went to her long home, and travel'd herself into everlasting rest. Like Israel, She went through Amalek to Canaan. We all deplor'd that her infirmi­ties would not dispense with her abode with us; we coveted that She might reside with us, but Provi­dence deny'd it: O let us then be sedulous to live with her; that, Providence invites to. But of that life we must obtain fruition, by this lifes imitation; to accompany her in Heaven, we must pursue her on earth. What shall I say? Get Faith, get Virtue, get Wisdom, get Temperance, get Patience, get Godliness, get Brother­ly Kindness, and get Charity. And these be diligent to get, and get them while 'tis call'd to day; when the night comes, farewell to diligence, to opportunity fare­well. For man lieth down, and riseth not; till the Hea­vens be no more, they shall not wake, nor be raised out of their sleep.

Now to him that then shall wake us, the Watch­man of Israel, that never slumbers nor sleeps, be Honour and Glory evermore. AMEN.

FINIS.

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