A Little before Israel (after their long Wilderness-Pilgri­mage) were to pass over Jordan, Moses, that eminent Servant of the Lord (to whom he had com­mitted the conduct of his Peo­ple [Page 2] died; in the last Chapter of Deuteronomy, and at the 8th. ver. the Children of Israel wept and mourned for him 30. days; and rather than he should want a Funeral Sermon, the Great God (with reverence be it spoken) became the Preacher himself; Joshua 1.2. saying, Moses my Servant is dead.

This day (you all know) there is a Great Man fallen a­mong us, and what Terrible waters of Jordan we must pass through, who can tell? He is taken away in the fullness of his strength, and in the day of his usefulness and activity; your bitter mourning, sad coun­tenances, and weeping eyes, proclaim your sad and serious Resentment; and whiles we are grieving here upon Earth, that we have lost the Company [Page 3]of so Excellent a Person, and so Dear a Friend, we may take an easie prospect, and see how the Glorious Angels, and Glorified Spirits rejoyce and sing together in Heaven, at the approach of his refined Spirit to be of their Society.

Out of that respect and ho­nour that I bear to his Name and Memory, and from that Reverence and Holy awe that is due to such a sad and signal Providence of the Almighty, that neither He, nor It, may be slighted, or too soon forgotten, I have erected this Monument, with this Inscription, ‘ Mark the Perfect Man, behold the Upright, for the end of that man is Peace.’ As men are wont to preserve the Memory of their dear Deceased [Page 4]Friends and Relations, by draw­ing their Pictures as much to the life as they can, that so they may have some shadows by them of their unexpressible worth: So I would present you with this Character of our de­parted Friend, wherein if my Pencil fail, the Spirit of God hath done it to the life in this Text, which is both a lively de­scription of this deceased Saint, and a full breast of living Coun­sels and Comforts for us his sur­viving Friends, viz. Mark the Perfect man, and behold the Up­right, for the end of that man is Peace.

This whole Psalm is the Gol­den Key of David, that opens the Cabinet of the hidden my­steries of Providence. There are mysteries in the Works, as well as in the Word of God. The [Page 5] Psalmist undertakes a Vindicati­on of those unintelligible and a­stonishing Dispensations of Pro­vidence, when the Supream Lord and Governour of the World shall send Prosperity in­to the Houses of the Wicked, and cause the Sun-shine of out­ward Mercies to rest upon their Tabernacles, and crown their Families with an affluence of all temporal Comforts: When his dearest Saints sit solitary, their Habitations full of darkness, their Nights wearisome nights, their Days, days of trouble, and nothing but sufferings, sickness, and sorrows attend them to their Grave.

He imparts to us this Hea­venly art or skill, how to discern and understand aright these va­rious workings and dealings of God; and that he doth these two ways.

First, by shewing us the use of that Spiritual Telescope (Faith) by which we may perceive and give a right judgment of these things, and behold the purpose of God through his Providence, and be able to reconcile Provi­dences and Promises when they seem most contrary, and in the Saints most cloudy and darkest day of trouble, see the bright side of the Cloud, and appre­hend the Sun-shine of Divine fa­vour upon their Spirits, and that when he gives the Wicked their hearts desire, at the same time he sends leanness into their souls.

Secondly: By directing us to judge of men, not so much by what they have of Visibles, or things seen, as what they have of Invisibles, or things not seen, nor by what they have of this [Page 7]World in their present possessi­on, as by what they have of a­nother World in futurition, nor by what they are, but what they shall be; not according to the occurrences of Life, but their happiness in Death, which he thus demonstrates from his own observation and experience in the Text and context.

In the 35. v. of this Psalm, he shews us the Wicked in all their pomp and grandeur; I have seen the Wicked in great power, and spread­ing himself as a green Bay tree, or as in the Margin, a green Tree that groweth in his own Soil: And what is this goodly shew? in the 36. verse he saith, Yet he passeth away, and loe, he was not; yea, I sought him, but he could not be found. And why could he see no more of him? He gives a reason in the 38. verse, The [Page 8]Transgressors shall be destroyed toge­ther, the end of the Wicked shall be cut off.

But is it so with the Saints? No: Though they be like a dry Tree, yet mark the Perfect man, trace him through all the trou­bles of life, Behold the Upright, for the end of that man is Peace.

The Text is a description of the Life and Death of a Pious man.

• First his Life; that is Perfect and Upright.
• Secondly, his Death; and that is Peace: The conclusion a­rises out of the Premises.

Mark the Perfect man, and be­hold the Upright, &c.

From the doubling of the terms, we may learn these three things, as intended thereby.

First, to mark him with a curious eye of observation, and serious consideration; to mark [Page 9]how he carries it toward God, & towards man; how he is at home and abroad; how he deports himself in every condition of Life; mark him exactly in all his Natural, Civil, and Spiri­tual actions; observe him In­side and Outside; the more you know him, the better you will love him; and the better you love him, the more you will look upon him: Behold his Life, and if there be no com­liness in the outward appea­rance, yet there is comfort e­nough in his Death. The end of that Man is Peace. Even Balaam did wish, Oh that I might die the death of the Righteous, that my latter end may be like his.

Secondly; Mark him, and behold him with an eye of imi­tation; let the Upright man be the Copy, after which you write: [Page 10]Though we cannot safely fol­low Man in all things, because the best Lights out of Heaven are but Moon-lights at best, and have their blemishes, yet we may safely follow them in their Uprightness; and 'tis our duty to follow them, as they are fol­lowers of Christ Jesus, especi­ally in these three Specimens of their Uprightness.

First, the Purity and Sin­gleness of their heart, having the testimony of a good Conscience, that there is no way of Wicked­ness in them; but they are like the followers of the Lamb, in Rev. 14.5. In whose mouth was found no Guile, for they are without fault before the Throne of God.

Secondly, in the Beauty and Purity of a spotless life, whose Conversation as well as Conscience is without spot and [Page 11]blame, abstaining from all ap­pearance of evil, according to that Exhortation in Phil. 2.15. That ye may be blameless and harmless, the Sons of God without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the World.

Thirdly, In a faithful perse­verance in the ways of God, to the end, as in Prov. 4.25, 26, 27. Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eye-lids look straight before thee: Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established: Turn not to the right hand, nor to the left; which implies these two things especially;

First, That there must be no decays nor faintings in the way, and work of Holiness, but a con­tinual increase, as in Prov. 4.18. The path of the Just is as the shining light, that shineth more and [Page 12]more unto the perfect day; lest it be with us, as it was charged upon Ephesus, as in Rev. 2.4. Never­theless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love: As some understand, she had left Christ, who was the Object of her love; or as others, She left that degree and measure of love, wherewith she at first loved him. We must not only keep up the same heat of love, and heighth of affections to Christ, but love to Christ, being a Divine fire, must increase more and more, till the Soul ascend in a holy flame into his Bosom.

Secondly, There must be no diversion, or turning from the ways of God, neither to the right hand, nor to the left, (i. e.) either to avoid the frowns on the one hand, or to enjoy the smiles [Page 13]of the world on the other hand: Or else

First, Not turn to the right hand by any excesses, or doing more than God hath comman­ded; for God will say to men [...]hat do so, Who hath required these things at your hands? Or charge us as he did the People, Jer. 7.81. That they did that which came not into his heart: Their hearts can never be right with God, that is only right in their own eyes.

Secondly, Turn not to the left hand, by any defects or neg­lect of what God hath comman­ded, but go straight on, as the Kine that carried the Ark, 1 Sam. 6.12. They went straight on, and turned not as they went. Let it be your aim to be thorow-pac'd in Religion; throughout with God, that though you cannot do all [Page 14]the good, and shun all the evil you would, yet you may be a­ble to say, as in Psal. 18.21. I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God; and in the shutting up o [...] our days, appeal with good Hezekiah, Isa. 38.3. Remember now O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart.

Thirdly, It implies, To be­hold the Upright man, till he comes to the Grave; Mark the Perfect man, observe his Life, behold him till ye see his latter end, till ye see how he comes off the Stage; the end of that man is to be considered, as well as his beginning; see him in Life, see him in Death. Death is said to be a mans End in several respects.

1. As it puts an end to all the actions of his life, when death appears, it shuts the Windows, binds up or breaks the Working-instruments, Eccles. 9.10. Solo­mon tells us, Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave, whither thou goest.

2. 'Tis the end of man, be­cause it brings man to the end of his Journey; therefore when man dyeth, he is said to go to his Long home, Eccles. 12.5. the Grave is said to be his Long home, not his last home, for the body must not lodge there for ever; nor is it said to be his long home, because he is long going thither, for many times we step from the Womb into the Tomb, or in the midst of our days, drop into the Grave; but 'tis called [Page 16]our Long home, because of our long stay there.

3. Death is called the end of man, because it puts an end to all the troubles, temptations, fears, and pains of life; it is the Out-let of all Misery, and the In-let to all Happiness. When Death cometh to put an end to the days of the Upright, he then begins his Triumphs, and may go away with Colours fly­ing, and Trumpets sounding, O Death, where is thy Sting? O Grave, where is thy Victory?

From the whole, Observ. I shall give you this Doctrinal point; That

He that is Perfect and Upright in his Life, shall certainly have Peace in his Death.

When the Question is asked, Who shall be admitted into the Mount Zion below, or enter into the new Jerusalem above? [Page 17]the Answer from Heaven is, Psal. 15.1, 2. as you may see, Lord, who shall abide in thy Taber­nacle? Who shall dwell in thy holy Hill? He that walketh Uprightly, and worketh Righteousness, and speaketh the Truth in his heart.

That great Gospel-promise, Isa. 26.2, 3. Open ye the Gates, that the Righteous Nation, which keepeth the Truth, may enter in. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee. It is also promised in Isa. 57.1, 2. The Righteous perisheth, and no man laies it to heart; and Merciful men are taken away, none considering that the Righteous is taken away from the evil to come. He shall en­ter into peace; they shall rest in their Beds, each one walking in his Uprightness.

In opening and confirming this Doctrine, I shall shew you three things,

First, What is meant by these terms, Perfect, and Upright, as they are understood sometimes in the same, and sometimes in a different sense; sometimes they are taken Conjunctim, and as Synonymous, signifying one and the same thing; and some­times divisim, severally.

First, As they are taken di­visim, so the word Perfect here, seems to relate to the Upright mans Inside, and to the pure frame of his heart especially, and the regular motions of all the faculties of the soul: In this sense it is taken chiefly in that command of God to Abraham, Gen. 17.1. I am the Almighty God, walk before me, and be thou perfect: And in that holy Profession of David, Psal. 101.2. I will walk in the mid'st of my House with a perfect heart. There are two other re­spects [Page 19]also, in which men are said to be perfect.

First, In respect of their Justi­fication by the compleat Righ­teousness of Christ, every true Believer in this respect may be said to be Perfect, having all his imperfections covered, and done away by him, whose Name is the Lord our Righteousness: As in Heb. 10.14. For by one offering, he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

Secondly, Men may be said to be Perfect with respect unto their Sanctification, though the work it self be yet Imperfect.

First, In respect of the Spirit of God, the Author of that Glo­rious work, who will certainly perfect what he hath begun, ac­cording to that Prayer of the A­postle, 1 Thes. 5.23. And the ve­ry God of peace sanctifie you wholly; [Page 20]and I pray God your whole spirit, and soul, and body be preserved blameless, unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Secondly, In respect of the work it self, which is a tendency unto perfection, a direct ten­dency to the future perfect state of Saints in Glory: Where ever it is begun, the gracious heart is always breathing, longing, and working in continual motion towards that perfection; and content with no state, measures, or degrees short of it: As we may see in that Blessed Apostle Paul, Phil. 3.13, 14, 15. Bre­thren, I count not my self to have ap­prehended; but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are be­hind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press to­ward the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. [Page 21]Let us therefore, as many as be Per­fect, be thus minded.

Secondly, When these terms are severally understood, this word Upright seems more spe­cially to relate to the regularity of a mans outward deportment, in a just, exact, and holy Con­versation, according to the rules of Righteousness, prescribed in that Royal Law, the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ, when he is holy in all manner of Con­versation, without Deceit and Guile, in all his commerce and dealing with men, both in Commutative and Distribu­tive Justice, in his private and publick capacity.

They that Defraud and Cheat, and deal Unjustly with their Brother, are strangers to Up­rightness, the Shame and Re­proach of their Holy profession.

Thirdly, Here in this place (I conceive) both Perfect and Up­right signifie the same thing, and are exegetical, as if one Epi­thete had been too little to ex­press the worth of such an excel­lent and incomparable Person. That you may see the excellen­cy of that perfect Man,

First, we will hear what the Scripture saith of him; not to say any thing of Noah, Lot, Job, and others, who were perfect and upright in their Generation, who were the glory of the places and days in which they lived, Gen. 25.27. there is a description of the Righteous and the Wicked, the Perfect and the Profane, as Learned Au­thors observe: Esau was a cun­ning Hunter, a Man of the Field; and Jacob was a plain Man, dwelling in Tents: Esau was [Page 23]like Nimrod, a mighty Hunter before the Lord, like the Hectors of our times, a man of a rugged, ranting spirit: But Jacob was Ish Tam, a plain Man, sine fuco, & fallaciâ, without Welt or Guard, as we are wont to say; non acutus ad fallendum, not cunning to deceive, though once he did supplant his Bro­ther, which was more his Mo­thers contrivance, than his own; and another time which was more his Brothers folly, than his own fraud: There is so much excellency in a Perfect and Up­right man, that the Lord com­mands Moses, Exod. 28.30. Thou shalt put on the Breast-plate of Judg­ment, the Urim and the Thummim, and they shall be upon Aarons heart, when he goeth in before the Lord: And Aaron shall bear the Judgment of the Children of Israel upon his [Page 24]heart before the Lord continually. That the words Urim and Thum­mim were ingraven on the pre­tious Stones of the Breast-plate, is agreed upon by the most; and some are of opinion, that they were done by the Finger of God himself: Urim signifieth Lights; Thummim, which comes from the same root, with that word, by which Jacob was expressed, is rendered Perfections, both in the Plural number; to imply, that abundance of Knowledge, and Holiness that should be in the Priests of the Lord. Up­rightness, (i. e.) upright towards God, and upright towards Man, and to teach the Spiritual Priests of God, if they will enter into the Holy of Holies, and ask Coun­sel of God, they must have this Urim and Thummim, this light of Knowledge and Perfection. Up­rightness [Page 25]is called Perfection, because the perfection of a Saint is his uprightness.

I shall now give you a few Lines or Characters of a Perfect and Upright man, and you will easily observe how they suit both the Original and the Copy, (this worthy Friend, and pre­cious Saint, for whose sake they were drawn.)

First, A Perfect and Upright man is one, of a sound and single heart: A single-hearted Christian, his heart is never more divided in him, than when he cannot keep his heart undi­vided from God; he is inside and outside the same; he pro­fesses the true God to be his God, and is like the God whom he doth profess; he owns the truth, and is like the truth which he owns, which is said to be [Page 26] Una, semper sui similis, his tongue is always the Index of his heart, and his heart doth never give his tongue the lie: As they that search into the Veins of the Earth for Silver and Gold, the deeper they dig (they say) the purer is the Ore: The more you know of his heart, and the more you see him in his private Chamber, and secret Closet, the more pure, and the more refi­ned will you observe him to be; he may indeed (as a Man) have some blemishes in his face, but his heart in the mean time, cries out with the Apostle, Rom. 7.15. That which I do, I allow not; for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.

He dares not indeed come to be weighed in the Ballance with a God of infinite Holiness, yet is content, and humbly desires to [Page 27]be tried by the Touch-stone of the Spirit of the Holy God: As in Psal. 139.23, 24. Search one, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts, and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way ever­lasting.

Secondly, He is One, all whose motions are guided and directed by the will of God, to which he is so fixed, that no­thing can make him warp from it: As they said of Fabritius a­mongst the Heathens, That he was so true to his principles, that it was as easie to persuade the Sun from his Ecliptick Line, as to hope that he should leave them. So this Perfect and Up­right Saint regards not Traditi­ons and Opinions of Men, with­out God, but exactly observes his Sacred and Divine Precepts. [Page 28]And when he sees how some men lose themselves by leaving the Word; as a wise Pilot, he Steers his course by Card and Compass, having Oculos ad Coe­lum, Manus ad Clavum, his eye to the Star, and his hand to the Helm; and as the Pin of a well­set Dial casts shadow according to the Suns motion, so he moves according to the conduct and direction of the Word and Spi­rit; that he may be according to the Apostles exhortation, 1 Phil. 27. Only let your Conversa­tion be as it becometh the Gospel of Christ.

Thirdly, A Perfect and Up­right man is one, whose thoughts, words, and actions, do all tend to, and terminate in the Glory and Honour of God; as in 1 Cor. 10.13. Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all [Page 29] [...]o the glory of God. As in the well-disciplin'd Army of Israel, [...]he Ark of God was always car­ [...]ied in the midst of the Host: So in all the well-order'd affairs of his life, the Honour of God [...]s still in the midst of all his [...]houghts, he knoweth that he [...]s not his own: as in 1 Cor. 6. [...]0. But is bought with a price, [...]herefore must glorifie God in body, and in spirit, which are Gods.

Fourthly, The Perfect and Upright man is One, who is the same at all times, in all compa­nies and conditions.

First, at all times: In the time of the Gospels prosperity, he leads the Van in all the duties of Religious Worship: In the time of Religions Wane, he is Religions Champion: In days of the greatest Defection, he keeps himself from the polluti­on [Page 30]of the times; like Noah in Gen. 6.9. When all flesh had cor­rupted their way, he had this testi­mony, Noah was a just man, an [...] perfect in his generation, and Noah walked with God. He is another Nehemiah, Baruch, Jeremiah, o [...] Ebedmelech, or one of those few names in Sardis.

Secondly, In all Companie [...] he is the same: He remembers he is one of Gods Witnesses, and therefore out of a meal-mouth'd baseness will not betray the truth.

Thirdly, He is the same in every condition, Rich, or Poor, he is [...], Homo quadra­tus, a square man; cast him where you will, what ever he lose, he will not make Shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience.

Secondly, I must shew you what Peace that is, which is [Page 31]the end of a Perfect and Upright man.

First, what it is not: Second­ly, what it is.

First, It is not meant that they shall have no pains in their Death; for sometimes they that have the most inward purity and peace, have the most out­ward pain; and they that have no purity nor peace within, have little or no pain without; but they go off (as they are wont to say) like Lambs, that were fil­thy Swine and cruel Lions in their Lives. These things the Lord doth variously dispense, as seems best in his own Wisdom, and most for his own Glory, Psal. 73.4. It is said of the Wicked, There are no bands in their death, but their strength is firm, and so sail smoothly to their Eternal torment.

Secondly, Neither is this the Peace here meant, which is men­tioned in Luk. 11.21. When a strong man armed keepeth his Pa­lace, his good are in peace: That is, the peace of the Wicked a­rising from the Devils possession of their hearts, or from their carnal security; not that their case is good, but they see not their own danger, and think all is well: either

• 1. From a blind Conscience that cannot see; or,
• 2. From a brib'd Conscience (by some formal duties, or good works) which must not see; or,
• 3. From a sleepy Conscience that cannot foresee; or,
• 4. From a seared Conscience that will not see.

But by Peace here is meant, all Good, the highest Good, [Page 33]Joy, Rest, and Glory; as in that Prayer of the Apostle, Rom. 15.13. Now the God of hope, (the God that worketh hope in you, the God who is the object of your hope) fill you with all joy and peace in believing; a peace that is founded in Faith, perfected in Vision, of which the Saints have some fore-tasts in this life, the fulness in the life to come, when they shall enter into peace, a true, spiritual, internal, and e­ternal peace; a peace arising from satisfaction; the Lord Jesus Christ having born the Wrath, and satisfi'd the Justice of God, that they may have full peace: Therefore in Joh. 14.2. it is called his peace: Peace I leave with you, my peace I give un­to you; not as the world giveth, give I unto you: Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Secondly, This Peace is the fruit of Victory, the absolute Conquest of Jesus Christ over Principalities and Powers, and triumph over the world, Joh. 16.33. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have Peace: In the World ye shall have Tribulation; but be of good chear, I have overcome the World.

Thirdly, It is a peace that springs up from Purity and San­ctification; the heart being pur­ged, the Conscience refined, the Soul is full of peace within, by the help of the testimony of a good Conscience, goeth trium­phant into his Eternal rest.

Thirdly, Reason Reasons. I shall give you some grounds or Reasons why they that are Perfect and Up­right in their life, shall certain­ly have peace in their death.

Reason 1 Reas. 1. Because the God of peace [Page 35]hath an infinite, intimate and everlasting love for his upright ones, he loves them and they love him above all the world, Cant. i. 4. We will be glad, and re­joice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee. And he loves them as in Psal. xi. 7. The righteous Lord loveth righteousness, his countenance doth behold the upright. He bids us behold the upright, yea he beholds them with delight him­self. And in Psalm iv. 3. He hath set apart him that is godly for himself, he hath made a Cove­nant with them, a Covenant of Peace, and because he loves them, he will lodge them in his Bosom. Though Death can break the Knot of all human love and friendship, yet it can never loosen the Bond of Divine Love; as the Apostle says in [Page 36] Rom. viii. 37, 38. Nay, in all these things we are more than Con­querors, through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither Death, nor Life, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor things present, nor things to come. Nor heigth, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Secondly, Reason 2 Reas. 2. Because he hath proclaimed and promised Peace, Rest and Glory to such, Isa. lvii. 2. He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness. And Rev. xiv. 13. And I heard a voice from Heaven, saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord, from henceforth, yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours, and their works do follow them. And Psalm lxxxiv. 11. The Lord God is a Sun and Shield: the [Page 37]Lord will give Grace and Glory: no good thing will be withhold from them that walk uprightly: His time of Life is his time of War, at the instant of Death the Warfare is ended, and everlasting peace proclaimed, his life is his Seed­time, his end is the beginning of Harvest, a full Harvest of peace and joy. Psalm xcvii. 11. Light is sown for the Righteous, and gladness for the Upright in heart. When the body and soul of the Upright do part asunder, the body betakes it self to rest in the Grave, the soul flies into the regions of peace, in the Di­vine Presence.

Thirdly, Reason 3 Reas. 3. Because God is righ­teous, and he will recompence his Saints, 2 Thess. i. 6, 7. It is a righteous thing with God, to recom­pence tribulation to them that trouble you. And to you that are troubled, [Page 38]rest with us. And thus you shall see Christ leading them into a land of peace, Rev. vii. 14, 15, 16, 17. These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the bloud of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his Temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more, neither shall the Sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne, shall feed them and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. It is great trouble that Saints undergo, and a hard matter for a man to maintain his integrity amidst so many snares, frowns and flat­teries of the world. This is their [Page 39]great comfort and encourage­ment, and shall be their reward, to inherit peace at the last. As Lamech said, Gen. v. 29. When the Lord gave him his Son Noah, whose name signifies Rest, and whose person was a type of Christ, This same shall comfort us concerning our work, and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed. Which the Apostle also intimates, 1 Cor. xv. 19. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. Implying,

• 1. That Saints are not alto­gether hopeless in this life.
• 2. That all their hope is not here.

Fourthly, Reason 4 Reas. 4. Because when a Perfect and Upright man dieth, he is gone out of the reach of all those things that might annoy his peace, where the wicked cease [Page 40]from troubling, and the weary be at rest, Job. iii 17. and are waft­ed over into Emmanuel's Land, where they have all those glo­rious enjoyments in which they shall eternally acquiesce.

1. He is totally freed from all evil, sin cannot be there, Rev. 21.27. And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that de­fileth. Here he is full of com­plaints, Rom. 7.24. O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? But when he dies, he sings this Epi­nikion, I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

2. When the Perfect and Up­right man dies, he and his Por­tion, and Inheritance are brought together; the Heir is restless in his expectations, till he comes to the Inheritance; but here the Por­tion is God himself, which the [Page 41]Saint hath many times with much pleasure survey'd, and hath had thereof many a de­lightful prospect of Faith re­joycing in it, as sweet, and full, and satisfying; and now doth pos­sess that Inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved for him in Heaven, 1 Pet. 2.4. and shall ever be with the Lord, 1 Thes. 3.17.

3. He comes to enjoy his Be­loved in Glory, of whom he said, when he saw him by Faith, Cant. 5.10. My Beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousands; and in the 16. verse, Yea, he is altogether lovely: What will he say when he shall see him, and be with him in his highest Exaltations in Glory?

4. All his Graces shall be then compleated, and there shall be no more place for desire, for he [Page 42]shall sit down at that Fountain­head, where is fulness of joy, and pleasures for evermore.

Verse 1 Ʋse. Informs, that if the Per­fect and Upright mans end be Peace, then his life is full of trouble; he hath trouble with­in, and trouble without, as the Apostle says of himself, 2 Cor. 7.5. That he had no rest in the flesh, but was troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears. Saints in this life, sail (as it were) upon a Sea of glass, mingled with fire, the Persecu­tions of men, the Buffetings of Satan, the Law in their Mem­bers, make their present state unquiet. How did he deal with that holy and upright Man Job? read the History of his Patience, and you shall see: If the Devil be at any time silent, the World will make an out-cry: If the [Page 43]World with-hold its rage for a little space, the Devil will in­vade their spirits.

It is said of him, that when he accosted the Lord Jesus Christ himself, and had spent all his Arrows against him, Luk. 4.13. When the Devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season. If he left him but for a little while, in whom he could find nothing to fasten one temptation upon, as Christ says in John 14.30. The Prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me: Will he ever leave his Saints, who have too much matter in them for his temptations to work upon? He will not suffer them to be a mo­ment quiet.

1. He is continually striving against the very Being of Grace; this Abaddon would ut­terly [Page 44]destroy it, and maintains a War against it; the Flesh lust­ing against the Spirit, but that greater is he that is in us, than he that is in the world.

2. He is disturbing the exer­cise of Grace, his posture you shall see in Zach. 3.1. And he shewed me Joshua the High Priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand, to resist him. I have often thought in my solemn re­tirements, of Anselms Bird, fast­ned to a stone by a thread, often striving to flie up, but the weight of the stone, as often pull'd him down again: A true Emblem of a gratious Soul, who many times endeavours to get up into the Divine Presence, but as oft as he attempts it, the Devil is at hand, to hinder and pluck him down again.

Verse 2 Ʋse 2. If the Perfect and Upright mans end shall be Peace, then the days of the Upright man shall have an end, the Psalmist says, Psal. 39.5, 6. Verily, every man at his best state is altogether Va­nity: Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: There is an Empha­sis in every word, Man is Vanity; every man is Vanity; every man at his best state is Vanity; he is altoge­ther Vanity; verily it is a certain truth, surely every man walks in a vain shew, his life is but the shew or shadow of a life: That Sen­tence is unto all, Dust thou art, and unto Dust shalt thou return; and there is no exemption from that general Statute-law, Heb. 9.27. It is appointed to all men once to die, and after death, the judgment. Heretofore to the Fa­thers of old, their Lives were like a long Summers day; but [Page 46]as sin at first brought in death, so as sin multiplied, it shortned mens days; and now our Lives are like a Winters day in all re­spects, cold, cloudy, dark, and short, 'tis no sooner Morning, but the Night approacheth, Jer. 6.4. I may allude to that place, The day goeth away, the shadows of the Evening are stretched out.

Two things may be deduced from hence.

First, Here is comfort for the Perfect and Upright man, though his life be trouble, yet his end will come and bring him peace; the great Devourer, the Grave, that swallows up others, shall give him meat; and the strong Lion (Death) that feeds on others, shall yield him sweet­ness: When Abraham had fought hard, till the going down of the Sun, and rescued Lot, that was [Page 47]taken Captive, Melchizedeck met him with Bread and Wine for his refreshment, who was King of the City of Peace: So when the upright Saint hath been in his hot disputes, to deliver his soul from his Spiritual Enemies, our Melchizedeck, the Lord Jesus Christ, will refresh him with Bread and Wine; for his Flesh is Meat indeed, and his Blood is Drink indeed; and will lead him into the City of Salem, a Land of Peace, as the Apostle, 2 Tim. 4.7, 8. I have fought a good fight, I have finish'd my course, I have kept the Faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness, which the Lord, the Righteous Judge, shall give me at that day; and after many a terri­ble shock, and dangerous storm, the perfect and upright Saint (through the wise conduct of [Page 48]his Pilot) shall arrive safely at his desired Port of peace; For there remaineth a rest to the People of God, Heb. 4.9.

Secondly, If the Perfect and Upright man doth die, then here is matter of serious considera­tion and lamentation for the living; the life of Saints is to be desired, and their death to be la­mented, unless we will incur that censure, Isa. 57.1. The Righ­teous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart; and merciful men are ta­ken away, none considering that the Righteous is taken away from the evil to come.

1. Consider what resentment the people of God had of old of the death of the Saints; how they mourned and wept for them, when they left their So­ciety; Jacob died, and Israel wept; Moses died, and all the [Page 49]People mourned for him thirty days; and when Stephen died, Act. 8.2. Devout men carried him to his Burial, and made great la­mentation over him.

2. Consider the great useful­ness of living Saints, especially in these three respects:

First, As they are Supports, Props, and Pillars; for so they are called, Psal. 75.3. The Earth and all the Inhabitants thereof are dissolved, I bear up the Pillars of it: They that take this to be the Psalm of Asaph, do understand these words to be the words of God, that he preserves and up­holds his Saints, which are the Pillars of the Earth. They that take the Psalm to be a Psalm of David for Asaph, do understand them as the words of David, that he would countenance and en­courage the people of God, who [Page 50]were the Pillars to uphold a shaking Kingdom. If a Moses be removed out of the gap, what should hinder, why the Judg­ment should not break in upon the people, Isa. 1.9. The Prophet tells us that the people acknow­ledge, Except the Lord of Hosts had left unto us a very small Rem­nant, we should have been as So­dom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah. If God gather up his Jewels, and takes them away, he seems to be removing Himself, that is a great truth; Isa. 57.1. Merciful men are ta­ken away from the evil to come; and an old saying, many times true, That they are taken away, that evil may come. Thus the Lord is said in Psal. 78.50. He made a way to his anger: When he had secured Lot, he let down the fire upon Sodom, and when he had [Page 51]Hous'd Noah in the Ark, what could the wicked World expect, but an over-whelming Deluge? Thus they observed of old, that the death of eminent Saints, was the forerunner of some great Calamity; as that long-liv'd Methuselah (whose name doth signifie a Messenger of death) died the year before the Flood came upon the whole World. Augustine the year before Hippo was Sack'd: Pareus a little be­fore Heidleberg was taken: Lu­ther a little time before the Wars in Germany: Ambrose a little be­fore the Ruin of Italy. What the taking away of so many Worthies of the Lord, eminent Lights in the Church, and excel­lent Instruments, both here and elsewhere, may portend, I can­not tell.

Secondly: Consider their [Page 52]usefulness in being examples of Holiness in the places where God hath set them; the exam­ples of Saints are of great use in their generation: Justin Martyr was Converted by reading the Lives of dead Saints. The ex­amples of Men, whether good or bad, have a mighty influence upon the minds and manners of others. Theodosius owning Re­ligion, made all his Courtiers to become Religious.

Thirdly: The Lives of Per­fect and Upright men are great­ly useful and desirable, for their Counsels and Instructions to propagate and promote Religi­on, Prov. 10.21. The Lips of the Righteous feed many: A few words the Woman of Samaria spake to the people, brought many to seek after Christ, John 4.29. How useful this our Deceased [Page 53]worthy Friend in all these re­spects was, you all know; as a Prop and Pillar to the Family, to the place where he lived; and by his Example and Coun­sels, that scarce any that con­versed with him, but was the better for him; let us then la­ment and cry out with David, Help Lord, for the Godly man ceas­eth, for the Faithful fail from among the Children of men, Psal. 12.1.

I need not tell you of his emi­nency in Religion, his Love to Christ, his Zeal for the Gospel, and for the House of God; his free and generous mind to the faithful Ministers and Members of Jesus Christ, which you know better than I: I shall say only this of him, He liv'd a pious life, he died full of gracious breath­ings after God, and is entered into his glorious, never-ending [Page 54]enjoyments; only my heart moves me to send up this af­fectionate expression after him, which was Davids for his Be­loved Jonathan, 2 Sam. 1.26. I am distressed for thee my Brother Jonathan; very pleasant hast thou been unto me.

There be two Uses of Exhor­tation:

First; To live the life of the Perfect and Upright man.

Secondly; So to prepare for the Perfect and Upright mans end, that we may have peace.

First: 1. Ʋse of Exhort. Imitate the Perfect and Upright man, or rather take your measure from Heaven; let this be your Ambition, to strive who may write most exactly after this Copy, or the Original, Matth. 5.48. Be you perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect; sincere and upright, compleat in [Page 55]all parts of piety: Be you like him, though you cannot be e­qual to him.

1 Cons. The Wisdom of man is to approve himself to God, who judges of men according to the integrity of the heart: Though David had great fail­ings, and foul miscarryings, yet he hath this remark put on him, that he was a man after Gods own heart; and he is a man af­ter the heart of God, whose heart comports with the heart of God, and in whose heart God is, who dwells with the Up­right in their hearts, as on his lit­tle Throne or lower Heaven. He that is every where, per mo­dum vestigii, is with the Upright, per modum imaginis, they bear his Image; it is no matter if men commend us, who are very free and prodigal of their praises, or [Page 56]what we think of our selves; but as the Apostle says in 2 Cor. 10.18. Not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.

2. Cons. It's our work to keep our hearts upright, and it is Gods promise to give us peace: He that will have the Beatifical Vision, must be pure in heart, Matth. 5.8. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God; and he that will ascend to the spirits of just men made per­fect in Heaven, must be perfect and upright, and of a refined spirit on Earth, Heb. 12.23. There is no comfort like this in a dying hour; to be able to say as Hezekiah, Isa. 38.3. Remember O Lord, how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight; which made [Page 57] Paul make it the business of his life, Act. 24.16. Herein do I exercise my self, to have always a Conscience void of offence toward God and toward men, having a true and firm hope of the Resurrection; as in v. 15. and that he might have peace at the last. It is a remark­able story I have sometimes read, of an ancient Servant, when Age and Infirmity had thrown him upon his Death­bed, in a kind of soliloquy thus he discourseth; I am now a dying man, and am going to the Judge of all the World, What Friend have I to stand by me in this day? His Riches, Gold and Silver, Houses, Lands, tell him they will bear the ex­pence of his Sickness, buy his Coffin and Winding-sheet, &c. His Acquaintants and Relations tell him, they could Weep and Pray for him, and attend him to [Page 58]the Grave: But his good Con­science says, He would go through Death, and to the Judg with him: O says he, This is a Friend indeed, farewell Estate, fare­well Relations, I and my good Con­science will go together.

3. Cons. Without a perfect and upright heart all your Profession is but one continued act of pro­vocation; your duties, like the Beauty-spots (as they call them) upon their painted faces, they account them their Beauty, but they are their Deformity; and such are all Religious duties without a perfect heart.

This Integrity and Upright­ness is the Golden thread that must run through all the actions of our life. An Hypocrit may do as much or more than others, but a perfect man (though he may not do so much) yet he [Page 59]does better than others: The Devil may put on Samuels Man­tle, but that cannot change his nature, he is the Devil still. The Apostle tells us, That out of the dregs of time, both the Gloworm-Formalist, and such like Vermin should arise, 2 Tim. 3.1. to the 10. v.

4. Cons. Mark and consider the end of the Partial, Formal, and Hypocritical Professors, like Co­mets that blaze for a time, yet go off with an ill savour; so the hope of the Hypocrit fails; or, as the New Moon that shines briskly and clearly at first, until it come to the Wane, and then leaves the World under an uni­versal darkness. They are ha­ted of God and Man; of God, because they be not as they seem to be; of Men, because they seem to be what they are not; and at last, Isa. 33.14. The Sinners [Page 60]in Zion are afraid, fearfulness hath suprized the Hypocrite; who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? Direct.

1. If you would be Perfect and Upright in your lives;

First: Look to your heart at all times, which is the seat of affe­ctions, & the fountain of actions:

1. And especially; In your Spiritual duties observe how the Upright man carries it with God, let your heart and God be together in all your duties: If your heart be perfect in duty, there will be peace in the duty; but the prayers of the Wicked are abomination; and in Psal. 66.18. If I regard Iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.

2. In your civil commerce, take heed to your spirit, that you may be Perfect, Just, and Righ­teous [Page 61]in all your dealings; shall Religion suffer among them that seem to love, and own it? Shall Piety be accounted a piece of Pageantry? and Profession be esteemed no better than a Re­ligious Cheat by the world, through your unjust practices? and so Religion have cause to say under all her Reproaches, These be the wounds that I have re­ceived in the House of my Friends.

To Lie, Dissemble, violate Faith, to break Promise, and to break in Trade, with design to defraud others, and raise their own Families; shut up Shops to shut out Creditors from their just dues, is become a most pro­digious practice, a common and Epidemical sin both in City and Country, the more is the pity, if any such be concern'd that should have a better regard to [Page 62]the honour of Religion. He that will be a compleat Christian, must observe Second-table-du­ties as well as First-table-duties, lest the World say of us, that we are like Gods in our Meetings, and Devils in the Market; Saints at Church, and Cheats in the Shop and on the Exchange. These loose and unjust dealings of Professors, are the things that hurry the World into Atheism; this is one of those great Evils of our times, that makes God an­gry, and Men Atheists.

2. Direct. Principle your hearts with a true love to, and fear of God.

1. A true love to God, and then you will serve God for God; not as poor Tenants serve their Rich Landlords, out of force, or servile fear; or as Lactantius said of the Graecians, That they did worship their [Page 63]Gods, alios, ne noceant; alios, ut prosint, their black Devils or mischievous Gods, that they might not hurt them, as well as their white Devils, or more fa­vourable gods, that they might receive good from them.

2. With a true fear of God, without which we can never be true to God or Man: As Con­stantius once tried his Courtiers, when he publickly declared that those of them that would not forsake Christianity, and the Worship of the true God, and turn to the Idol-worship, should be Banish'd his Court; and when he found that many for Court-honours forsook their Re­ligion, he discarded them, and entertain'd those only that did adhere to the true God; saying, They that will not be true to God, will never be true to Man.

3. Let Love and Fear go to­gether; Love will make us serve God willingly, and true Fear will make us perform our duty to God and Man faithfully. Let these two be as Aaron and Hur, that held up Moses hands steddy, to keep our hearts sted­fast and upright with God.

Thirdly: Direct. Remember the Eye of the Lord is upon all your ways, a, Deus videt, Angeli testan­tur; God beholds, and his An­gels bear witness, is enough to make any man cautelous and upright in his walking. He sees us, whose Eys are ten-thousand times brighter than the Sun; in Heb. 4.13. Neither is there any Creature that is not manifest in his sight; but all things are naked, and opened unto the eyes of him, with whom we have to do, Psal. 11.4. The Lord is in his holy Temple; i [...] [Page 65]Lords Throne is in Heaven; his eyes behold, his eye-lids try the Chil­dren of men, as a Judge who tries the cause and matter by the ear, and observes by his eye the Ma­lefactors countenance. I have often told you, and now tell you again, Man may deceive Men, but he cannot deceive God, 1 King. 22.34. Though Ahab disguis'd himself, and girt on his Harness never so close, yet could he not keep off the fatal [...]: So, though the Hypocrite disguise himself, he cannot hide from the eyes of God, nor escape his Righteous hand.

Lastly: Mind seriously Death, 4 Direct. and Judgment to come Jeroms, Sive edo, &c. Semper vox illa ter­ribilis sonat in auribus meis, Surgite mortui & venite ad judicium: Rise ye Dead, and come to Judg­ment; would be a dreadful and [Page 66]awaking peal in the Ears of all sleepy and careless Sinners, 2 Cor. 5.10. For we must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad; and in Eccles. 12.14. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. When Death comes, it draws aside the Curtain, then all your false and vain pretences will be exposed to publick view. Death plucks off the Sinners Vizor, and un­masks the Hypocrit; and then, though he lived in honour and esteem in the world, comes off the Stage, like a Fool, and dies with shame.

The second Use of Exhorta­tion is to prepare for the Perfect and Upright mans end; 2 Ʋse of Exhort. there [Page 67]must be an habitual and actual preparation.

First consider, 1 Consid. no man knows how soon he may die, Death is a slie and impartial Messenger, who is deaf to all intreaties and arguments, and cannot be bri­bed; 'tis not greatness, nor good­ness, nor youth, nor age, nor riches, nor interest can supersede it; wherefore, as Christ saith, Luk. 12.35, 36. Let your loins be girded about you, and your lights burning, and ye your selves like unto men that wait for their Lord. If Death delay its coming, it is the Bridegrooms favour that the Bride may make her self ready. But when God cuts down the sound and fruitful Trees, that are all spine, 'tis a wonder he spares the rotten, unsound, and barren Trees, that cumber the ground. There be three things, [Page 68]one of which we shall never e­scape.

First, There be sudden, unseen Occurrences or Providences of God, by which men are taken off, and of these they say, Casus nunciat mortem latentem; these ac­cidental strokes of providence do shew us that death lies in am­bush: Some men die at Land, sometimes at Sea, sometimes they go forth well in the Mor­ning, and in a moment are dead.

Secondly, There be Sicknesses and Diseases, of which they say Morbus nunciat mortem appropin­quantem; every pain and distem­per in the body, is a real war­ning of deaths approach; if we should escape both these, there is▪

Thirdly, That which will cer­tainly take men off (Old age) of which 'tis said, Senectus nuncia [...] [Page 69]mortem praesentem; Decrepit, in­firm Old age, is Death begun in the body, so that Nil habet, quod speret senectus, Old age can hope for nothing but Death.

Secondly: Consider, 2 Cons. He that is prepared for Death before it comes, shall not be afraid of the King of Terrors, when he comes: Though Death be in it self terrible, yet I may allude to that in Isa. 11.8. The prepared Saint shall play on the hole of this Asp, and put his hand on the Cocka­trice-den, and not be afraid. What Agag proudly and presumptu­ously said, he may truly and comfortably say, Surely the bitter­ness of death is past; while others say of Death and the Grave, as Jacob said of Luz at first, How ter­rible is this place? He may say of them, This is none other than the House of God.

Thirdly: 3. Cons. Consider, the wick­ed, ungodly, and unprepared Sinner can have no hopes in his death, Isa. 57.2. There is no peace (saith my God) to the Wicked; eve­ry pain and sickness that befals him, is like the ratling of the wheels of the fiery Chariots, and the prancing of the horses of the terrible ones, that come to fetch away his soul, and now he hath no hope nor life left in him, Job 8.13. The Hypocrites hope shall perish; he can expect no other, but that his soul and body must shortly be pluck'd asunder, ne­ver to meet together but in Hell.

That we be habitually pre­par'd; 2. Direct.

First, Let us get an interest in Christ, without him there is no peace with God; and without peace with God, there can be no peace in the latter end, Job 22.21. Acquaint now thy self with God, and [Page 71]be at peace: Whence once we have got an interest in Christ, we may die in peace. As Simeon when he had got Christ in his arms, could say, Now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace: O be perswaded to receive and em­brace Christ, to believe in him, and resign up your selves to him, as you desire to die in peace, and to be happy for ever. If you were now upon your Death­beds, and your Physician should turn Preacher, and your Doctor become a Divine, and tell you your Sickness is incurable, there is no more hopes of your life, you are not like to be men of this world, you must prepare for another world; you had best make your peace with God, and get an interest in Christ. I can do no more for you, and so the Lord have mercy upon your [Page 72]souls. Oh! what would the Blood of Christ be worth in such a day? how welcome would he be in such an hour?

Secondly, Be sure that ye be in a Regenerate and Converted state. Except a man be born again, he shall never see the Kingdom of Heaven.

And lastly, Repent of all your sins; Sin, like Jonahs Gourd, will eat up the comforts of life, and devour your peace in death; therefore said the Heathen, [...], A good and holy life prepares for an happy death. Deal with sin as the Lords of the Philistines advis'd, concerning David, 1 Sam. 29.4. Who, though he had liv'd peaceably amongst them, yet when they went down to fight against Israel, would not suffer him to go down to the [Page 73]battel along with them, lest he should turn his hand against them: So, though sin hath been a pleasant Companion with us all our life; yet when we go down to encounter death, we must take heed that sin don't go along with us, for it will certain­ly turn its hand against us, and put a sting into Death, and dead­ly teeth into that Lion.

Secondly: That you may be actually prepar'd,

First, 1 Direct. Let every day be well fill'd: Days well fill'd with the works of Righteousness, will make souls well fill'd with the fruits of Righteousness, which are Peace and Joy. Let every days work be well done; exa­mine your selves every night, whether your work be done, and what is done amiss; and ask your souls every night (upon [Page 74]doing this) whether it can wil­lingly pass from this day into E­ternity, Job 5.26. it is said con­cerning that upright man, Thou shalt come to thy Grave in thy full Age (Diu vixit qui bene vixit) like as a Shock of Corn cometh in his season; which implies two things.

First, That he shall come wil­lingly to his grave, as a man that hath done his work, goes wil­lingly to his rest, so is he a Vo­lunteer to Death, that his soul need not be forc'd out of his bo­dy, as Lot was out of Sodom; nor need he be drag'd out of the World, as the rich Fool in the Gospel.

Secondly: That when the Up­right man dies, he goes as one ready and prepar'd, as a Shock of Wheat in its season; this Saint goes like the Ox in the Emblem, that that stands betwixt the Al­tar [Page 75]and the Plough, with this Motto, Ad utrumque paratus, as ready for the Sacrifice as for the Yoke; and thus Paul saith of himself, Phil. 1.23. I am in a strait, betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ, which is far better; betwixt two, (i. e.) betwixt Life and Death. In a Strait; that is, as a City that is Besieged and straiten'd; or as I­ron between two Loadstones, loth to leave the Philippians, and loth to stay any longer from Christ; and therefore after he had stood a while in Aequilibrio, at last he inclines rather to be with Christ, who is altogether desirable.

1. His Common Presence is the preservation of the World.

2. His Spiritual Presence is the very joy and life of Saints.

3. His Glorious Presence, the [Page 76]Eternal happiness of Believers; and Oh! how did the heart of our deceased Friend breath after this highest of enjoyments?

Secondly: 2 Direct. Let your accounts be always ready: The careless Steward can't bear the news of his Lords coming, before his Ac­counts be ready and adjusted. There is a secret fearfulness in all persons negligent of their Ac­counts, to hear of Christs com­ing: Every one of us must give account of himself to God, and the sleepy soul fears to hear this Voice, Give an account of thy Stew­ardship, for thou maist be no longer Steward; and having so many Debts and Talents to account for, he knows not how to set up­on that work, yet he that will be always ready, must keep his ac­counts even, and must often ask how the case stands between [Page 77]God and his soul, and he need not be afraid, though he hath never so many Talents, Debts, and Arrears to account for be­yond his ability, having the Blood and Righteousness of Je­sus Christ to ballance the ac­count.

Thirdly, 3 Direct. take your solemn leave every day of all the World, that if God should call you, the World may not be found hang­ing on your hearts, to make you unwilling to go at his call. Eve­ry night say to your Friends, and to your Estates, farewell, as being willing to leave them: This is to die daily, and by this means you will die comfortably and willingly.

Fourthly: Let your Graces be all in a readiness, active, vi­gorous, and abounding, that when Christ comes, these Graces [Page 78]being in you, 2 Pet. 1.11. An entrance may be abundantly mini­stred unto you, into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Faith, Hope, and Love, must stand always ex­pecting the Lords coming, and be renewing Acquaintance with God, and making a fresh appli­cation of the Blood of Christ, that the soul may have a clear sight of his interest in the Righ­teousness of Christ, and his right to Divine favour.

Lastly: 5 Direct. Familiarize Death to your souls; we are afraid of Death, and remain unprepar'd for Death, because we and Death are strangers. When you lie down, let Death lie down with you; when you awake, let Death talk with you; when you walk, let Death be your Com­panion. Make a more serious [Page 79]improvement of your spectacles of Mortality, & Funeral occasi­ons, than you are wont to do; that if God bid you die, as Num. 27.12. He bad Moses go up to Mount Abarim, and die there. You may be as ready to go and die, as to go to your Beds: Only let Faith give you always the fair Pro­spect of Christ, of Heaven, and Glory, that your hearts may be possest with this assurance, 2 Cor. 5.1. We know, that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle be dissolved, we have a building of God, not made with hands, Eternal in the Heavens.