WERE we acted by nothing but the meer Impulse of our lapsed Nature, Death, in its best Re­presentation, would be always thought the King of Terrours: for tho' the Embraces of our Mother Earth within her, will certainly free us from all the Labours of our Life upon her, so as to make the weary in her Bosome to lye at Rest; yet to Dust thou shalt return, in its finest Colours, would still be lookt upon, as an ill-favour'd, and heavy Curse to us, whose fleshly Constitu­tions [Page 2]put us always upon Desires after a longer Continuance here; and are therefore still apt to be much affrighted when they think, that Corruption is their Father, Ch. 17. v. 14. (as Job speaks) and that the Worm is their Mother, and their Sister.

Nay, what is more, tho' by the Innocency of our Lives, we enjoy the peaceable Fruit of Righteousness at the last; so as upon our Death-beds we can say, with good Hezekiah, Remember, Isa. 38. ver. 3. 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; yet when this Summons of Death comes, Set thy House in order; Ver. 1. for thou shalt Dye and not Live; with him we many times turn toward the Wall, Ver. 2, 3. and weep sore; and with good David, Water our Couch with our Tears; Ps. 39. when we imagine we shall go hence, and be no more seen; and therefore pray to be spared a little, that we may recover our Strength.

And thus the Apprehensions of our Ap­proaching Departure, being a Subject always terrible to all Men in their Natural, and for the most part a Sorrowful one to many, in a Righteous State; As a Voice of old bade the Prophet Isaiah to cry, All Flesh is Grass, [Page 3]and all the Goodliness thereof, as the Flower of the Field; thereby to denote the Impor­tance of the thing; that a frequent Premedi­tation of it is a part of the greatest Wisdom, and the best means to conquer the Suggesti­ons of Nature, and to stir us up to the per­formance of Good Works, whilst it is call'd to day: So for the same ends, and more especially to comfort the Souls of the Righ­teous; A like Voice to that, was heard in these latter times from Heaven, to bid St. John, in the words now handled, not to cry, but to write; Cry not to the Inhabitants of the Earth at present; but write, Record it to all Ages of the World: and what is thus to be written, or recorded by virtue of this Charge from on high? Blessed are the Dead that dye in the Lord, from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit; for they rest from their Labours, and their Works follow them.

Blessed are the Dead that dye in the Lord. By which Persons so pronounced Blessed, I know that ^* some Interpreters have under­stood here, in a proper Sence, only Those, [Page 4]that have Sacrificed their Lives to seal the Truth of their Religion with their Blood; or, Those that have laid them down for Christ's Name-sake, or their Faith in him: and that, by reason of some preceding part of this Chapter, which speaks of a Vision, wherein a Third Angel was seen, and heard to say with a loud Voice, Ver. 9, 10. If any Man Worship the Beast, and his Image, the same shall drink of the Wine of the Wrath of God; and after­wards, Here is the Patience of the Saints: Ver. 12. Intimating, as they would have it, that the sole intent of the Spirit, in these words, was to chear up the Hearts of the Primitive Pro­fessors of Christianity, so as to make them to bid Defiance to those Persecutions, which the Rage of the prejudiced World, and the Madness of the Idolatrous Heathen were then bringing in upon them; and in order to that to tell them, that the Persons so Dy­ing in the Lord, were those that are now pro­nounced Blessed.

Yea, Blessed, for ever Blessed, if GOD be true, are such; but that these are not the only Persons here meant, is evident from the Character given of them, in the words im­mediately before my Text; Here are they that keep the Commandments of God, and the [Page 5]Faith of Jesus; which no sooner was pro­claim'd by the Angel, but the Voice is dire­cted to St. John, Saying, write, Blessed are the dead, that dye in the Lord; that is, ac­cording to the Connexion, those that dye in the LORD, as having kept the Command­ments of GOD, and the Faith of JESUS: so that, as long as the sence of these words may properly be extended farther than Mar­tyrs, ^* to all true Disciples of our Blessed Sa­viour; who, by whatever Death they fall, have sincerely endeavour'd to keep the Com­mandments of GOD; upon their Failure been truly penitent; and by a lively Faith, in the Merits and Satisfaction of our Sa­viour's Sufferings, commended themselves to His Mercy: They may pertinently, and profitably be discoursed upon, at this Solemni­ty, whilst we are paying our last Office to this our late Dearly-beloved, and much-esteemed BROTHER; Whose sincere and hearty Re­pentance, Whose constant Piety, and fervent Devotion, and Whose chearful Resignation of Himself to GOD's Disposal (of all which I [Page 6]was a daily Witness) gives me confidence to say, In every part He fulfilled the Character.

Be pleas'd then in them to consider these Particulars.

• First, A Declaration of the Blessedness, or State of Happiness of All those that dye in the Lord. Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord.
• Secondly, A full Assurance or Confirma­tion of it: Yea, saith the Spirit.
• And lastly, A Twofold Reason, containing in it the Nature of that their Blessedness, or State of Happiness: That they may, or ra­ther, ^† for they rest from their labours, and their works follow them.

But that my Discourse upon these Heads may be the more Clear, and Regular; I shall invert their Order, and begin with the last; (viz.) The Twofold Reason, containing in it the Nature of their Blessedness: And when we have seen, in some measure, what their State of Happiness is, I shall speak something very briefly, to the two first, (viz.) The De­claration, and Confirmation of it both toge­ther; that thereby we may be satisfy'd of the [Page 7]full Assurance we have, that such shall be their Portion, that dye in the Lord.

And that what shall be deliver'd, may have such an Impression upon us, as to move us earnestly to endeavour to be found at the last of their number; I shall add something as an Application suitable to the present Occasion, and so conclude.

I begin then with the Nature of that Blessedness, that is said to be the Portion of those that dye in the Lord; contain'd in this, that They rest from their labours, and their works follow them.

Which evidently manifests this unto us, that the Nature of their Happiness consists,

• First, Negatively, in a Cessation, or Free­dom from all, or their not being tormented with any worldly labours, and troubles; and,
• Secondly, Positively, in the Enjoyment of inconceivably great Rewards, consequent up­on their good Works.
• And first, Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord, inasmuch as they happily enjoy a Cessa­tion, or freedom from all their worldly labors, and troubles: They rest from their labours.

And, indeed, so many are the laborious mise­ries of this vain world, that by reason of them, the Thracians of old wept at the Birth of [Page 8]those Children, who were ready to be brought under their Burden; and celebrated the Fu­nerals of those, who by Death were freed from them with Musical Entertainments: and we Christians, according to the Rules of our Church, do now-a-days, with hearty Thanks­givings to our GOD, for that it hath pleased Him to deliver them from the miseries of this sinful world: which is not a less Rational than a Religious Custom. For how sadly has Sin defaced our Souls, and made our Under­standings become so short-sighted, that we cannot penetrate into the true Nature of many things: nay, nor scarce get a thorow Apprehension of some few necessary ones, without much study; Eccles. 12.12. which (as the Wiseman speaks) is a weariness of the Flesh! The cor­ruptible Body presseth down the Soul, Wisd. 9.15, 16. — and with labour do we find out the things that are before us. How wretchedly by the same Original sin are our Wills corrupted, that when we seem to our selves most securely to sland, we are oblig'd of necessity continually to labour, lest we fall! forasmuch as we al­ways find (in the Apostle's Language) a law in our members, Rom. 7.2 [...]. warring against the law of our minds, and bringing us into captivity to the law of sin. How miserably are our Bodies [Page 9]depriv'd of their primitive welfare, and how jarring and unsociable are all their parts! so full are they of inward aches, and disturbing pains, that we are frequently compell'd to labour to preserve them in a Vital Amity, to keep them and our Souls from a dissolu­tion: forasmuch as in the midst of life we are in death. And besides all this, How diffi­cultly doth the Earth bring forth her Fruits, and with what labour do living Men enjoy them! truly with so great pains, that, according to the curse of GOD upon it, we are forced to Eat our bread in the sweat of our brows. And how many are our other outward Crosses, our suprizing Losses, and thereby our great Disappointments! Often­times truly so many, that in patience to pos­sess our Souls, we find a very laborious task. And all these in their innumerable particu­lars, are so inseparably annex'd to the Life that now is, that ^* Seneca an Heathen, as well the Spirit of GOD, has compar'd our course upon Earth, to a Journey upon a Road; in which the Traveller may as soon expect not to meet with rain, nor dirt, nor wind, nor dust; as we in our Life may not to meet [Page 10]with Labours, nor Crosses, nor Troubles. And if an Heathen could observe this of him­self as a Man, and if in the same sence our sad Experience often-times confirms this to our selves, that We are born to sorrow, as the sparks fly upward; that is, by a Natural necessity; to how far greater measure are our Labours augmented, who profess our selves the Souldiers of CHRIST our Cap­tain, as well as the Servants of Him our Ma­ster! who in our Baptismal Vow, have sworn by the Labours of a continual warfare, manfully to fight against the assaults of our Lusts, and the Wiles and Temptations of Devils: who, in the midst of the Commotions of a mad World, are oblig'd to strive for Peace with all Men, to bear Persecutions when laid upon us for Righteousness-sake, and the like.

Whereas now the Dead that dye in the Lord, are not perplex'd with any of these, or the like troublesome tasks; but are freed from all their hardships, their tiresome jour­neyings, their tedious warfare, their fret­ting cares, their vexatious crosses, their grie­vous persecutions; and in a word, all other their worldly afflictions: which is in one Expression now spoken to, They rest from their labours. Yea, they rest from their labours.

For certainly there is no striving after Knowledge, no Labour under Ignorance to them, who are made partakers of GODS Wisdom, and Glory in Heaven. No labour to them of preserving themselves in their state of Holiness, who, like those Angels that never sinned, are confirm'd in their station, and put out of a possibility of falling. No pains, no aches of Body to them, whose Bo­dies lye senceless in the dust, until the Re­surrection, and at, and after that time are transform'd into, and remain glorify'd ones. No difficulty to them of supporting them­selves with provisions, who perpetually are feasting upon the Bread of Heaven, being actual possessours of ineffable pleasures at Gods right hand for evermore. No surprizing losses, no vexing disappointments to them in that state, which GOD has made as unalter­able as Himelf is, who is the same yesterday, today, and for ever, and changeth not. No labour against temptations to them, who lye not within the reach of any enemies, and whom neither lusts, nor Devils can assault. No strivings after peace to them, whose place hath known no wars, nor commotions, since the Devil and his Angels thence were beaten. And they of necessity must be freed [Page 12]from persecutions; since they have fought their Good Fight, obtain'd their Victory by Faith, and are made Members of a Church eternally triumphant.

And this is the First Part of that Blessed­ness, The Dead enjoy, who dye in the Lord they rest from their labours.

But alas! a meer resting from their la­bours, falls infinitely short of half their Hap­piness; as will be clearly manifested, now [...] come to treat of the Second positive part of their state, which was said to consist in the enjoyment of inconceivably great Rewards consequent upon their good works; contain'd in these words, Their works follow them.

GOD'S gracious Rewards of their good works accompany them: Not that we are to think, that these their good works were the Meritorious cause of their enjoyment of them; so as by reason of them we may (with the Romanists) affirm that they deserv'd them or in strict justice might have challeng'd them, as their due from GOD: but only that they were the necessary means appointed by GOD, for the obtainment of the Blessing, a [...] being those without which they never would have had their joys. Joys, that no Man upon Earth can pretend to set forth in their pro­per [Page 13]colours; forasmuch as whatever plea­sures there arise to our Rational Natures made perfect, from the Vision, and Fruition of that All-glorious Spirit, who is the in­comprehensible Fountain of all perfection, and happiness; forasmuch as whatever plea­sures there arise from the unspeakable har­mony of Celestial Hallelujahs; from the so­ciety, and love of holy Angels, and the Spi­rits of Just Men made like unto, and as pure as them: and lastly forasmuch as whatever advantages there arise to these our Corrup­tible, dishonourable, weak, and Natural Bo­dies, by being raised, and glorify'd in Incor­ruption, in Honour, in Power, and Spiritua­lity, are pleasures, and advantages truly, that the Mind of Man cannot apprehend any so agreeable to the dignity of our Constitu­tions; and as touching the excellency of them, what they are in themselves; the highest strains of Humane Oratory can ne­ver represent, nor our loftiest imaginations mount unto.

But tho' Eye hath not seen, nor Ear heard, nor Heart conceived the things that God hath prepared for those that love him, for those that by keeping his Commandments, and the Faith of Jesus dye in Him; yet as we [Page 14]can look upon them ( as thro' a Glass darkly) at present, thus much we know in part, that their Bodies after the Resurrection will re­main as the brightness of the Firmament, Ch. 12. ver. 3. (as the Prophet Daniel assures us) and shine as the Stars for ever and ever. And, as touching their Souls; Before that glorious manifestation of God's Power, and Promises in raising their corrupted Bodies from the Dust; we are assured they shall be with Abra­ham in Comfort, and with Christ in Paradise; and After, their Minds will be fill'd with as much Light, and their Wills with as much Love, as ever they are capable of; their Faith being heighten'd into an Eternal Visi­on of God, and thereby their Hopes and De­sires swallowed up in the fruition of immu­table Bliss.

And being assured of this, we need not trouble our selves with those vain Disputes of some Ages before us, concerning the sepa­rate State of Departed Souls; nor with the Idle Notions of those various Limbus's, whereinto some have fancied them to have been received: but having these Revelations it is matter of infinite Importance to us all, to use our utmost Endeavours after Purity, and Holiness, and a stedfast and lively Faith [Page 15]in Christ our Saviour; that thereby we may be found among those that Dye in the Lord, who by the Voice from Heaven are declared Blessed from henceforth, or from the Mo­ment of their Departure. So See [...] several good Expositors understand those words, and our Church confirms the Interpretation, when She acknowledgeth to Almighty God, that with him do live the Spirits of them that de­part hence in the Lord; and with him the Souls of the Faithful, after they are delivered from the burthen of the Flesh, are in Joy and Felicity.

For which Discovery of these Spiritual Joys, should I now offer to speak the due Praises of our Christian Religion, I know not when I should end the Panegyrick, or finish the Task; as being those that eminent­ly display its Excellency above all other In­stitutions whatever. The Gentiles, by the Light of Nature, could never reach them: The Jews of Old never had them in their written Law, unless in Types; See [...] and the Turks at present expect the quite contrary in their Sensual Paradise. And indeed, God intended these express Revelations of the Life to come, together with some Descriptions of the true Nature of its Bliss; for the Busi­ness, [Page 16]and the Glory of the Gospel, by which, and which alone, Life Eternal in a Blessed Im­mortality is brought to light: Yea, brought to Light for this very purpose, that all such as endeavour to Dye in the Lord, might in their Labours be encouraged with the Hopes of the Enjoyment of so great a recompence of Reward: For tho' the intrinsick Beauty of Holiness be very great, and excellent; yet, thro' the Degeneracy of Mankind, that pro­ving not a sufficient Allurement to the Exer­cise thereof, God in the Scriptures hath an­nexed his Promises to the Commands he hath given; and confirm'd those Promises by his Oath: that by two immutable things (a [...] the Author to the Hebrews speaks) in which it is impossible for God to lye, Ch. 6. ver. 18. we might have a strong Consolation to lay hold upon the hope that is set before us. And in like manne [...] here, for our Consolation, He not only de­clares those Persons Blessed that dye in Him but Emphatically confirms it by his Yea, i [...] his own Name, and by himself; and by greater it could not be done.

Which brings me to speak a word or tw [...] to the Declaration and Confirmation of [...] both together, that thereby I may satisf [...] you of the full Assurance we have, that suc [...] [Page 17]a Blessedness, as I have in some measure re­presented to you, shall be the Portion of those that Dye in the Lord.

Blessed then are the 'Dead that dye in the Lord, Yea saith the Spirit.

Touching the former part whereof, (viz.) the Declaration; The Voice that St. John heard from Heaven spake it unto him, Say­ing, Blessed are the Dead that dye in the Lord; which words he affirms he heard in a clear and articulate Sound, and therefore could not mistake it for any other than what it really was; as One we know to have been that came before to our Blessed Saviour, Joh. 12.29. which some that stood by thought was thun­der, and others the speech of an Angel. And lest this Voice should be capable of any mis­construction as to its Author, and thereby the Authority of Him who utter'd it be any way question'd; It confirms to the World the Truth of what had been said with a [...]: Yea, (or of a Truth) saith the Spirit. [...], The Spirit emi­nently above All; in himself an Author essentially Infallible; as being THE SPIRIT whose Knowledge extendeth to the true Na­ture of all things, and therefore not capable of being deceived Himself about the Matter; [Page 18]and whose Justice and Holiness is not inferi­our unto, but equally Infinite with His Knowledg, and his Wisdom; and therefore not capable of affirming what he knows to be false, and thereby of deceiving any o­ther. As being THE SPIRIT who by His Omnipotent Power call'd the whole World into its Being out of Nothing, and therefore of Ability to dispose of those Mansions he himself has made. And lastly, as being THE SPIRIT whose Goodness is equal to, nay, if his Divine Attributes would admit degrees, I should say greater than Omnipotence it self; since the first Characters of his Glori­ous Name are The Lord God, Exod. 34.6, 7. merciful and gracious, keeping Mercy for Thousands; and therefore as he delights to manifest himself, by nothing so much as Acts of Beneficence; so will he more especially make himself known, by fulfilling his Declarations and Promises, in receiving those that Dye in him into a Rest from their Labours, and an ever­lasting Reward of their good Works. And now if in Matters of far less Evidence, a meer [...], So saith the Philosopher, was thought a sufficient ground for Heathen's Sa­tisfaction; certainly in Matters of so great moment, and such agreeableness to our Na­tures, [Page 19]a [...], So saith the Spirit, ought to be a sufficient foundation for a Christian's Faith.

Wherefore instead of suspending our Be­lief, or doubting of God's Veracity, let us call to Mind the great Advantages We re­ceive by those Declarations, Confirmations, and Promises HE hath given unto us to strengthen our Hopes, to comfort us in Af­fliction, and to encourage us in the Perfor­mance of good Works: and then, so much matter of Praise and Admiration will offer it self unto us, that we shall think we can never sufficiently bless and adore his Goodness towards us; for should he have left us to our selves without such Revelations, tho' we have natural Desires after Immortality, and Blessedness implanted us, yet our narrow­limited Knowledge could never have dis­covered unto us the Certainty of Heavenly Joys, to be possessed by the Righteous, who are said to Dye in the Lord. Under our heaviest Pressures, or amidst our greatest Troubles, we might, and should often have said indeed, Blessed are the dead, for they rest from their labours: But even in our high­est Speculations, or our most exalted Raptures we could never have known, or said, that [Page 20] Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord, for their works follow them, that is, according to the Context, follow them in the presence of GOD, the Lamb, and the Holy Angels, and so instead of a clear Assurance of a real Hea­ven in Spiritual Joys, we might have been still led on as the Old Heathen World was, with the blind hopes of a feign'd Elysium in Shades and Groves. And therefore as long as we enjoy the Powers of Thinking by being Living Men, let us not forget this great and weighty Truth, that the Voice from Heaven for our Comfort and Salvation declared and confirmed by the Seal of GOD, that so we may not faint in our Travels, whilst we are labouring to abound in the work of the Lord, to obtain that Blessedness, that is the sure Reward prepared for those that dye in Him.

In a brief Application then of all. The Persons that dye in the Lord, are all those that depart this Life, having sincerely en­deavoured to the end to keep the Command­ments of GOD, upon their failure been truly Penitent, and by a lively Faith in CHRIST committed themselves to his Mercy. And that there are incomprehensible Degrees of Blessedness in the Mansions Above, prepared [Page 21]for all such Persons; I believe no well-dis­posed Reason of Man can after this remain unconvinced: and if he has any Faith in JESUS, must, I am sure, be fully satisfied; since that is the Substance of this Blessedness hoped for in him, and the evidence of Joyful things to come hereafter, and as yet not seen.

Wherefore having this satisfaction by this Voice from Heaven, I as also by many other Declarations of our Saviour and his Apostles (who all confirm'd the Truth of what they taught by frequent and unparallel'd Mi­racles.) Be the Labours, the Cares, the Crosses, the Persecutions and Afflictions of this Life never so numerous, or so grievous to Flesh and Blood; let not the sence of such momentary Afflictions ever so far vex, or de­press our Souls, as to make us either murmur at GOD's Providence, or despair of his Mercy, or be unmindful of the Eternal weight of Glory, Act. 14. ver. 22. whereinto through much Tribulation we are foretold, we must expect to enter; and where, the Angel proclaim'd, is the patience of the Saints. Saints, who, tho' once were sailing in these troubled waters, yet because they made not Shipwrack of a good Consci­ence, but by Faith bore themselves up from sinking in the Waves, are now arrived at [Page 22]their ever-quiet Haven: whose Number, (my Hope, yea Confidence is) the Soul of this our Deceased Brother has encreased; who in time of his Affliction, yea amidst his great­est Pains, submitted himself to God's Visi­tation with a wonderful Calmness, and Se­renity of Spirit; much like unto His, who said, Not my Will, O Father, but thine be done. Who, having purged his Conscience from dead and sinful Works, to serve the liv­ing God, and thereby being filled with the well-grounded hopes of a blessed Immortality thro' Jesus Christ; Faced his approaching Hour with that truly Christian Fortitude, that he shew'd himself as Unconcern'd at the sence of its usual Terrours, as the Apostle did when he sang Triumphantly this Epi­nichion; O Death where is thy Sting? O Grave where is thy Victory?

But Secondly, II Since Labours and Afflicti­ons by an unavoidable Necessity accompany all living; and since inconceivable Pleasures in an infinitely blessed State are the everlast­ing Portion of those that Dye in the Lord; Let us always remember the great Advan­tage they have by their Change, who dye the Death of the Righteous; and thence learn not over-much to lament our Loss by their Departure.

GOD, for many wise Reasons, more than the Wisest of us can discern, takes the Righ­teous to himself from the Evil that is, and is to come; and 'tis, or at least it should be our Prayer, that He would be pleas'd shortly to accomplish the Number of his Elect, and hasten his Kingdome: and therefore as well in submission to the unsearchable Methods of Divine Providence, as in compliance with other Christian Duties, we should check those Passions that are apt to exceed the Bounds allowable to natural Affection, when­ever they arise to an high Degree upon the sence of our Loss by the Departure of our Friends. By Death they are freed from the Labours and Miseries of this World, and if their last End were like his whose Funeral we are now attending, they are Rejoycing in the Ease and Pleasures of the Other; and therefore tho' Lamentation and Mourning may plead very strongly for themselves up­on this Occasion; when GOD has Deprived a most tenderly Affectionate Wife of an Hus­band, who never in any thing Contended with her, unless it were to exceed her in Kindness: When he has been pleased to take from a Family, a Father rather than a Bro­ther; from the Neighbourhood, a Composer [Page 24]of their Differences, and a Guardian of their Rights; from the Poor, a Reliever of their Necessities; and from all his Acquaintance, from the highest to the lowest, an Affable, Courteous and True-hearted Friend; One, who was always an Enemy to PAGEANTRY, ☞ HYPOCRISY, and PRIDE; and, tho' abound­ing with this World's Good, could never by any One be charged (as the Prince of Tyre is by the Prophet) that his Heart was lifted up because of his Riches: Eze. 28. ver. 5. Tho', I say, the sence of these Losses by so Worthy a Gentle­man's Death (which I should more largely insist upon, were it not my Design to allay your Sorrows) may very strongly incline us over-much to Lament and Grieve; yet when in one Minute we look upon our selves, and his just Character, and Sigh upon the sence of our Loss; let us, in the Next, consider his happy State, and Comfort our selves upon the Thoughts of his infinite Gain: for should his Spirit return to us, he Himself would Advise us not to Weep for him, but t [...] Weep for our selves, who now are in the midst of our labours whilst he rests from them, who now are working, whilst he is re­warded.

Thirdly, and lastly, III Since all those that dye in the Lord are Blest with Eternal Joys, that none can comprehend, but that GREAT GOD that gives them; and those Happy Souls, that by His Favour do now possess them: notwithstanding the wonderful and unspeakable Greatness of them, and their Eternity; Shall we ever be so seduc'd as by Apostacy from our Faith in CHRIST, and Obedience to His Precepts, to forfeit our Title to them, either for the hope of Tem­poral Profits, and Honours? or the sake of sensual Pleasures? or the Fear of worldly Afflictions? Alas! all Temporal Advan­tages, even the greatest of all earthly Feli­cities, had they a Sufficiency in themselves to satisfy our Desires; and could we be se­cure of their Duration, or Continuance with us; yet at best, can attend us no farther than this present Life, which is as a vapour, and a Shadow, and passeth away like a tale that is told. When we please our selves most in the Thoughts of enjoying them; GOD many times is pleas'd to interpose Him­self, and cut us off: And to say to our Souls, Luke 12.19. take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry, be­cause, as we think, there is much goods laid up for many years; is so sandy a foundation to [Page 26]build upon, that our Lord hath faid, THOU FOOL, Ver. 20. to him that doth it; For this night our Souls may be required of us. Let us therefore, Phil. 3.14. press towards the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Je­sus, and set our affections on things above, and not on things on the earth; Col. 3.2. always remem­bring the Wise-man's Words, Prov. 11.4. that Riches profit not in the day of wrath, but Righte­ousness delivereth from death. And what­ever fair Offers, or Enticing promises of this World's Treasures be made, or given unto us, upon our compliance with sinful terms; As Moses refus'd to be call'd the son of Pharaoh's Daughter, Heb. 11.24. because he had a respect unto the recompence of reward; so let us contemn the like Proposals, for the same reason, choosing rather (as he did) to suffer affliction with the people of God, Ver. 25. than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.

And indeed, as the pleasures of sin are but for a season, or of a short continuance; so are they base in themselves, and end in bit­terness. Be they in appearance never so spe­cious, yet, (in the Wise-man's Language) they bite like a serpent, Prov. 23.32. and sling like an adder; they lead down to the Chambers of Death, and their way is the way to Hell. Ch. 7.27. Wherefore [Page 27]let us consider the dignity of our Nature, and the Excellency of our Religion, and let not brutish Sence lead Us so basely captive; to whom GOD has given Reason to be our Guide, and of whom He now requires Faith, as our Support against Temptations, and our Glory in our Conquest of them: And that it may not, let us (following these Exhorta­tions) mortify our members that are upon earth, Col. 3.5. and (as the Apostle himself infers) ha­ving these promises, 2 Cor. 7.1. let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit, perfect­ing Holiness in the fear of God. For as all our future, and everlasting Happiness pro­ceedeth from the Vision of Him, so are we certain that without Holiness, no Man shall ever see Him.

And as thus we should be upon our guard, lest either the Hopes of this World's profits, and honours, or the enticements of its plea­sures should so far prevail, as to seduce us out of those paths that lead to Blessedness; so should we also, lest the fears of affliction should drive us from them. Wherefore rather than do any ill Action, let us suffer every ill thing, The Powers, and the Rage of this World can lay upon us; reckoning, with the Apostle, Rom. 8.18. That the sufferings of this present life are not [Page 28]worthy to be compar'd with the glory that shall be revealed in us. So shall we be prepar'd for all conditions of Life, and every thing that can beset us; and thereby approve our selves as true Sons of our CHURCH as this our De­ceased Brother was; Whose Faith in JESUS, and Whose stedfastness to our Religion I need not tell many Persons here to have been truly such, as the changes of the World could ne­ver alter.

In the close of all; Hold fast (as He did) the profession of your faith without wavering, Heb. 10.23. for he is faithful that has promised; and be ye stedfast, 1 Cor. 15.58. unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as you know that your labour will not be in vain in the Lord. For since He, who 'tis impossible should act any thing in vain, or be disappointed of His Ends, did condescend to a most painful, and shameful Death, that all such as dye in the Lord, might be advanc'd to an Everlasting Life of Pleasure and Glory, Certainly when he had overcome the sharpness of that Death, He opened the Kingdom of Heaven to all Be­lievers. And Now,

To God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, Three Persons and One God, be as­cribed all Dominion, Power, and Glory, both now, and for ever. Amen.