THAT man is arbor inversa; that the parts of human bodies carry some proportion and resem­blance to an inverted tree, is a known Saying, and bears the re­flection of sundry natural and mo­ral Truths: That the Proverb is as old as Solomon, I dare not at­test, though it may seem not un­becoming his Wisdom, nor is unlike his sententious Say­ings; and his knowledge in that kind (who spake of [Page 2] trees (as Scripture tells us) from the Cedar-tree that is 1 Kings 4. 33. in Lebanon, even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall; and wrote of their several Natures, Qualities and Virtues (is th [...] Jewish Rabbins comment) might admi­nister fair occasion to the similitude; however that be, yet we have here in his own words some important Truths, couch'd under a like Metaphor or Resemblance, if not to a growing, yet to a falling tree: And as Trees have been made vocal by way of Parable, and brought in as speaking not only amongst prophane, but Sacred Authors (witness that of Jotham) so shall we hear this Judges 9. tree speak the instructions of wisdom, when we have unfolded the import of the Similitude in a short Para­phrase and plain Interpretation.

The words are part of the Wise Man's exhortation to Charity and Liberality; which Argument is the Subject of the six first verses of this Chapter, and is enforced in this verse from a twofold Similitude. (1.) Of clouds; If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the Earth; an imperfect Argument, and to be supplied with such a like inference as this, so they that do abound, are to dispense their liberality equally and freely. A second resemblance is from the fall of a tree, which some thus paraphrase agreeably to the Argument; As the tree which way so e're it falls, remains to the use and benefit of the owner; so a good Man's charity, howsoever dispens'd, turns to his good and benefit.

But this seems not to reach the import of the Simili­tude, and therefore othe [...]s extend it further, and thus gloss it; As the tree whilst it stands may be moved this way or the other, yet when 'tis once fall'n, it keeps the same place and posture, such is the state and condi­tion of man at his death, his works follow him, and suitable to them, shall he receive his reward; whether [Page 3] he has done good, or not; he shall receive according to the things done in his body, whether they be good or bad; and thus they contain a forcible perswasive to Charity and doing good whilst we live, since death deprives us of all capacity and opportunity of doing it afterwards; so that the duty here inculcated runs parallel with that of St. Paul, As we have opportuni­ty Gal. 6. 10. let us do good unto all men; and the reason to en­force it couch'd in the Similitude, is drawn from the consideration of our unalterable state and condi­tion after death, thus express'd in the words, If the tree fall towards the South, or toward the North, where the tree falleth, there it shall be.

This being the common and obvious sense of the words, I shall discourse of them in that Notion, in which they speak the same in general with that known truth, that as Death leaves us, so Judgment will find us; as the course of our lives hath been, and concludes to be, such will be our future condition, without hopes of change, or possibility of alteration. Which general Truth will appear at once more useful and obvious in the particular Assertions that are contain'd in it, and result from the Text, which I take to be these;

• I. That there are two different and opposite states allot­ted to men after death: The tree may fall toward the South, or toward the North.
• II. That the righteousness of mens lives hath a na­tural tendency to happiness, as their wickedness hath to misery; 'tis from a principle of nature that the tree lies where it falls; and virtue and vice have no less natural inclination and direct tendency to happiness or misery, to rewards or punishments.
• [Page 4]III. There is no middle state after death, no change of condition, or altering it for the better; the tree must fall South, or North, and where it falls, it mst lie, there it shall be.

I There are two different and opposite states allotted to men after death; the tree may fall toward the South, or toward the North; States as opposite as North and South, distant in place and scituation, different in quality and condition: the South, that denotes the Region of Light, of Rejoycing and Pleasure; the North, that implies the Land of Darkness, Sorrow and Sad­ness; so are those terms frequently used both in phophane Authors, and in Sacred Writ, and very ap­positely to denote the Distance and Opposition that is between them.

Man, who (in the Wise man's words) was made to be immortal, created to a never-ending duration, being put into being, was never to cease to be, was by the bounty and kindness of his Maker design'd for a blessed Immortality, and made capable of the enjoyment of it; but life and death being set before him, with a liberty to make his choice; by refusing the one, he made himself liable to the other, forfei­ted happiness, and became obnoxious to misery. That the first of human Race did so, we learn from un­erring Revelation; that we are all prone to make the same wrong choice, we are sensible of by sad experience; and tho Heaven and Hell, Life everlast­ing, and eternal Torments, be Articles of our Creed; yet they seem to have no more influence on the ge­nerality of men, than things of meer notion and un­certain speculation; since most men live as if born meerly for this world, and never trouble themselves [Page 5] about the Interest of the other. A fatal mistake this, and which directly tends to Atheism and Im­morality; for if men be made only for the enjoy­ments of this life, then it is natural to conclude, that they may make the best on't, and live as they list: nor can there be any effectual Remedy to this dan­gerous Error, but the firm belief and certain per­swasion of a future state, wherein men must give account of their actions, and receive according to their doings; and therefore it hath been the great de­sign of all Divine Revelation, to impress on men's minds the notions of Rewards and Punishmets here­after, as the most powerful Argument to influence their actions and behaviour here; and 'tis the great Prerogative of the Gospel, That it hath brought Life 2 Tim. 1. 10. and Immortality to light, viz. has revealed Heaven more plainly, and threatned Hell expresly, and given the greatest evidence and assurance of both, viz. the Testimony of God himself.

Now if we consult his Sacred Oracles, we cannot doubt of the Truth, nor be ignorant of the nature of that State, with relation to the different portions therein allotted to good and bad men: for Scripture every where tells us in general, That Glory and Happiness is prepared for Good Men, and Hell and Tor­ments are reserved for the wicked; more particular­ly, (1.) It describes the nature of both states in most Emphatical Charactars. (2.) Heaven is expresly pro­mised to the Righteous. (3.) Woe and Misery are po­sitively threatned to the reprobate and impenitent.

1. The nature of both states is plainly described; Under the Old Testament indeed in more dark Cha­racters, and more general Expressions; yet such as [Page 6] all centre in the notion of two opposite States, the one of Happiness, the other of Misery; and tho we should grant that Heaven, tho frequently mention'd in the Old Testament, yet is generally (tho not al­ways) to be understood of the upper Region of the Clouds, the Firmament, or the starry Skie; and that Hell there usually imports no more than the grave or state of the dead; yet in the New Testament, Heaven is the Name of a state and place of happi­ness; and Hell is the seat of Torments, prepared in­deed for the Devil and his Angels, but assign'd in common with them, as the portion of hypocrites and unbelievers.

On this account, the Revelations of our Blessed Sa­viour are call'd the Gospel of the Kingdom, and the St. Mat. 4. 23. Doctrine of the Gospel is stiled the Kingdom of Hea­ven, as that which most fully discovers, and direct­ly leads to it; and all the Characters there given of it, are such as tend not only to rectify men's no­tions, and raise their conceptions of that Blessed State; but also to excite their Affections, and invi­gorate their Endeavours after the attainment of it; 'Tis Life and Glory, Light and Joy, a Kingdom and a Crown, Pleasure for evermore, an Inheritance that fa­deth not away; and in one word, everlasting Life; which includes all that can conduce to make man hap­py for ever both in Soul and Body.

Opposite to this there is another place as distant in situation (there being a great Gulph fixed between them) as different in quality; being the place of Torment, everlasting chains of Darkness, where there is weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth; where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched; where there is eve­ry thing that speaks horror to humane Nature; no­thing [Page 7] wanting that can torture the Body or afflict the Soul of Man. I need not mention all the pla­ces, which are so many that you cannot miss of them; so plain, that you cannot be ignorant of the meaning of them: And lest any should surmise, that they are only Legends of a state we know not, the Gospel gives us the greatest certainty and assurance of the reality of them; For,

2. Heaven is expresly promised to the Righteous; and greater assurance we cannot have of any thing than the word of God himself, who cannot be deceived, and will not impose on us; and as we cannot with­out injury to the Divine Wisdom, imagine, That the Son of God was sent to purchase with his pre­cious Blood any thing less than Happiness and Im­mortality; so can we not without the highest affront to his Goodness and Truth, doubt of his readiness to confer it on those for whom it is prepared: No, his Word is faithful and true, his Promises certain and unalterable; and that there are Rewards for Good and Righteous Men, is as evident as any Object of Faith, as certain as the Being of God; For he Heb. 11. 6. that comes to God, must believe that God is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him; doubt­less he is so, himself having said it, and all his promises are yea and amen. Now to us are given exceed­ing 2 Ep. 1. 4. great and precious Promises, (as St. Peter speaks) and the New Covenant is said by St. Paul to be esta­blished Heb. 8. 6. upon better Promises, in respect of the clearer dicoveries, and greater assurances that the Gospel gives of a Future state of Life and Glory. Our Bles­sed Saviour has assured his followers, that in his Fa­ther's St. John 14. 2. V. 2, 3. house are many Mansions, and that he is gone be­fore [Page 8] to prepare a place for them; and his Apostle St. Paul (who in a Vision was caught up into, and had a prospect of those beatifick Mansions) has assured us, That when he shall come again with crowds of 1 Thes. 4. 17. Angels, we shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the Air, and so shall we be ever with the Lord. Assuredly, they that die in him, shall ever live with him; yea, reign with him in his Kingdom, be encircled with Rays of Light, and wear Crowns of Glory.

This is at once the great Privilege of His Religi­on, and the main purport of the Gospel, to con­vince Mankind that he was not made meerly for this life, but design'd for an Inhabitant of a better world; thereby to raise his Affections, and invigorate his En­deavours after such a Blessed Attainment; and where­ever this has met with a firm Belief, it has given men the Victory o're the world; it has taught them to overlook its transitory Enjoyments, and disesteem the Evils and Miseries of it; yea, even life it self: knowing they shall obtain a better Resurrection, and be made happy in the fruition of God himself; in whose presence is the fulness of Joy, and at whose right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

But lest we we should not be drawn with these Cords of a man, and refuse the Happiness offer'd to us, God has been pleased to alarm men's fears with a dismal prospect of Woe and Misery, that awaits sin­ners hereafter, and the terrible denunciation of never-ending Punishments.

3. Hell is positively threatned to the Reprobate and Im­penitent. If men will despise the tenders of God's Grace and Mercy, they shall feel the effects of his Se­verity [Page 9] and Justice; they that will not be happy, shall lie down in sorrow: For he that promised Heaven as a reward, has provided Hell too as a place of ven­geance and punishment. It was indeed prepared for St. Mat. 25. 41. the devil and his angels, being the first of God's Crea­tures that revolted from their obedience to him, and were punished with an everlasting separation from him; tumbled from the highest Heavens, and reserved in Chains under the blackness of penal darkness; but man by sin joining in the same Rebellion, involved himself in the same guilt; and became liable to share in the same condemnation; and the portion of Hypo­crites and Unbelievers is declared to be with the De­vil and his Angels.

We are not only told in general, That the wages of sin is death; and we being Sinners, Except we repent, we shall perish; That indignation and wrath, tribulation and St. Luke 13. 5. anguish, is upon every soul of man that doth evil: But to Rom. 2. 9. strike the greater terror, the very form of that doleful doom of Condemnation is denounced, Go ye cursed in­to everlasting fire; fire, and therefore terrible and tor­menting; everlasting fire, and therefore intolerable; and more dismal still, with the wretched Society of Apostate Angels and damn'd Spirits: And that nothing may be wanting to convince Sinners that there is an Hell for the ungodly, we have the whole judicial Process de­scribed, the Judge assign'd, and the manner of his ap­pearance, terrible indeed to read, but more fearful to behold, when he shall be reveal'd from heaven with his 2 Thes. 1. 8, 9. mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the gospel of our Lord Je­sus Christ; who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power. We have the Books opened, the Witnesses pro­duced, [Page 10] the Sentence pronounced, and the Punishment described, which is named the second Death, and consists in the loss of God's Presence, and all other Comforts, and in enduring the sting of Conscience, and the torments of Hell-fire for ever.

Thus are the two States after Death represented in Scripture, vastly different from each other, as opposite as North and South: And how naturally consequent they are upon mens Tempers and Dispositions, upon their carriage and behaviour in this life, we shall see in the next deduction from the Text.

II That the righteousness of mens lives hath a natural tendency to happiness, as their wickedness hath to misery. 'Tis from a principle of Nature that the Tree lies where it falls; and Vertue and Vice have no less natural in­clination and tendency to Happiness or Misery, to Re­wards or Punishments. Which if so, and it follows from the nature of the thing; then we need not doubt but all men must necessarily be either happy or mise­rable hereafter, since all are either good or bad here. Now that this Life is the state of trial, and the other of retribution, we all know and believe; and that ac­cording to mens behaviour here, they are qualified for that state and condition they shall be put into hereafter, we shall as readily grant, if we consider what I take to be an undoubted truth, namely, That when we leave this world, and go away into eternity, we carry nothing with us, but only the good or bad dispositions of our Souls; so that we go into the other World either disposed for the en­joyment of all that is good, or prepar'd for the parti­cipation of all that is opposite thereunto.

If our Affections are wholly set on things below, and our desires carnal and sinful; we are altogether [Page 11] unfit for the unmixt Joys and Spiritual Delights of Heaven; and our sensual Inclinations, and filthy pro­pensities will sink us among the herd of wicked and impure spirits: But if our Affections have been set on things above, if our Souls have centred on Happi­ness, and unweariedly pursued it in those ways and methods which God has chalk'd out for the attain­ment of it; we shall naturally arrive at the Rest of Holy Souls, and be meet to be made partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light. All Heaven is not hereafter, nor Hell only in the infernal Regions; but there is something of Heaven upon earth, some fore­taste of its Happiness, and the first fruits of its Joys, in the pleasant relishes and ravishing Sense of Virtue, and the blessed Effects of an Holy Life: and there are that carry with them an Hell upon earth, that are tormented before the time, and have kindled a fire which will never cease to burn them; that are pricked with the sting of an evil Conscience, and bitten with that worm which will never cease to gnaw them.

The Sum is, They that keep close to the rules of Virtue and Purity of life, and unweariedly pursue the paths of Piety, they also at the same time pursue their own Happiness, and are in the certain road that leads to Bliss; as they that persist in Vice, and run on headlong in their own evil Courses, are hasting on their own ruin, and posting on the broad way which leads to destruction. For that which is the prevailing temper of Souls in this life, will doubt­less be so in the other too; and they grosly mistake who imagine otherwise, as they seem to do who trust to a late Repentance, and commence Religious only [Page 12] in their last sickness; as if a change of Mind and Manners could be wrought all at once, and men could in one moment divest themselves of old accu­stomed habits, and put on new and contrary tempers and dispositions. Death I know makes a great change, but it is more in respect of the outward, than the inner man, and is a change of condition rather than of complexion: And tho the putting off these mortal bodies will leave the Soul and its faculties much more free, and exalt its powers, and better its operations, and thereby heighten and improve those minds which were before disposed to Virtue and Goodness; yet I cannot conceive how it should possibly effect so great an alteration, as in one moment to change the whole temper of the Soul, and superinduce new habits of Virtue, and strong dispositions to Goodness where there were none before.

Now if men carry their good or bad dispositions with them into the other world, suitable to these must their portion there be; since there must be like­ness and correspondence between the Object and the Faculty before Happiness can result from them; Hap­piness consisting in the agreeableness of the one to the other, which unites the Soul to the Object of Bliss, and endears the Enjoyment of it: So that we may presume to say, That a wicked man cannot be happy even in Heaven it self; and were such an one caught up with St. Paul into the Third Heavens, he would find himself uneasy amidst all the satisfaction of those blissful Regions, as being wholly a Stranger to such pure and spiritual Joys; and should God forbear to punish wicked men in the other World, yet they cannot be happy there with the Joys of good men, because their minds are altogether indisposed for them, and even the delights [Page 13] of Paradise would afford no relish to their vitiated and depraved Appetites. As all true happiness and satis­faction of mind springs more from an inward than an outward cause, so is the happiness of Heaven to be esti­mated not so much from the place, as the temper and disposition of its blessed Inhabitants, and their fitness to be received into, and made partakers of its ravish­ing Glories; but they that have never accustomed themselves to the divine relish of true Goodness, can­not taste the delights of the heavenly Manna: they only that have been nourished with the true Bread of Life here, are fit Guests to sit down with Christ, and eat and drink with him in his Kingdom. St. Paul says of the vital energy and life of Christianity, Our Con­versation Phil. 3. 20. is in Heaven. And so must ours be, before we can be in a capacity to be received into those glo­rious Mansions, and welcomed into the blessed Society of Angels and Saints.

Let not any then that retain their Sins, talk of go­ing to Heaven; No, 'tis too heavy a Clog for any to ascend with thither: or suppose they could, alas! poor Souls, how would they stay, what would they do there? there's nothing to gratify their sensual Appetites, no­thing agreeable to their carnal Desires; all the Enjoy­ments there are chaste and pure; all the Delights spi­ritual, and cannot be relished by unhallowed minds: And if ever we hope to enter there, we must predis­pose our Souls for it, by an holy, that is, an heavenly Conversation; and then we have trimm'd our Lamps, and are ready to enter in with the Bridegroom, and are cloathed in the Wedding Garment, and shall be made acceptable Guests at the Table of the Lord, and taste the Dainties that are there prepared.

Now if these things be so, (as the Wise-man says) Righteousness tendeth to life, but he that pursueth evil, Prov. 11. 19. pursueth it to his own death: If the paths of Piety cer­tainly lead men to Bliss, but Sin by its own fatal ten­dency plunges men into Misery; then we see how rea­sonable it is to conclude, That there are two opposite states of Rewards and Punishments hereafter, wherein mens condition shall be correspondent to their Conver­sation here; besides the express Revelations of God's Word that so it shall be.

And there is nothing can shake this Belief, or make men doubt the certainty of it, unless they can ima­gine (what some have fancied) that there is a third state after Death wherein men may repair and better themselves, and so after some time recover their lost estate. To remove this Scruple, I add

III That there is no middle state after Death, no change of Condition, or altering it for the better; the Tree must fall South or North, and where it falls it must lie, there it shall be. Perhaps it may be thought that this Consequence is not necessarily enforced from the words, and it may be said, that possibly the Tree may fall some other way; for though only South and North are mentioned, yet there are more Points in the Com­pass: And I know the Romish Commentators are very jealous of interpreting this place of a future state, lest it should seem to thwart their darling Doctrine of Purgatory; and Lorinus craftily endeavours thus to shuffle it off, That if it should be understood in that sense, it would not consist with the Notion of Limbus Patrum, the place wherein they suppose the Souls of the Patriarchs to be detained, till Christ by his Suffer­ings had overcome Death, and first opened the gate of [Page 15] Heaven to all Believers: And we cannot help it, if the place be as repugnant to the Notion of the one as it is to the other; and since both of them are uncertain, and want proof themselves, neither of them can be evidence for the other, nor evade the force of the Ar­gument drawn from these words against the being of any such middle state or place as these men fondly ima­gine. For the force of the proof lies not in the former part, its falling South, or North, but in the relation that its lying has to its fall; which way so e're that be di­rected, there it remains fixed and unmoveable: And though I will not insist on that as a sufficient Argu­ment, that there being only two opposite extremes na­med, therefore there cannot be a third (a negative Argument from Scripture being not always conclu­sive) yet in matters of Doctrine, and Objects of Faith, where the Scriptures are silent, there they are not to be urged as necessary Points, since Scripture is the Rule of Faith, and contains every thing necessary to be be­lieved. Suffice it then to say, That since Scripture mentions but two states, the one of the faithful in Heaven, the other of the unrighteous and impeni­tent in Hell, we acknowledge no other, we believe no more.

I have already accounted to you how emphatically the Scripture represents, how particularly it describes the nature of both: I shall here only add to it, that had we no other evidence than what this Book of Eccle­siastes affords, we may safely infer, that all Notion of a third or middle state is utterly excluded. We are told that at our dissolution, The dust shall return to the Chap. 12. 7. earth as it was, and the Spirit to God that gave it: there's a different place assigned for each part of our Composi­tum. And of the state of the dead we are informed, [Page 16] that there is no wisdom, nor work, nor device, nor know­ledge Chap. 9. 10. in the grave: and if there be no work, nor know­ledge how to act, there can be no change or altera­tion; and the Text adds to this, the assurance of two opposite states allotted to the Souls of men, suitable to their different temper and disposition here, wherein they shall remain without fear of losing the one, or hopes to escape out of the other.

Besides, since the Church of Christ has never been represented under other Titles than these two, of Mi­litant and Triumphant, they do necessarily exclude this third subterraneous Church, which is neither Militant, because ascertain'd of Salvation, and freed from the conflicts and oppositions of this world; nor Trium­phant, because scorched and afflicted with the most ex­quisite Pains and Torments. Leave we then that ima­ginary Church to its Ʋtopian Mansions, the sooty region of Purgatory, a place no where described in Scripture, never mentioned in the discoveries of Divine Revela­tion, but created by the heat of Fancy and abused Imagination, and its flames when once kindled kept up out of design, and by deluding Arts, the Dreams of waking men, and feign'd Relations of Spectres and Apparitions. But let us to the Law, and to the Testimo­ny, firmly believe what he has there discovered of a future state, not seek to be wise beyond what he has revealed: for we can know no more than he will let us of what is future, and we cannot be more certain of any thing than what he hath told us.

Certain it is that there is a place of rest provided for holy Souls, and that there are winged Messengers ap­pointed to attend their dissolution, and transport them (as they did that of Lazarus) into Abraham's bosom. And were we but allowed to behold the Transactions of [Page 17] that invisible Polity, the intercourse between Angels and the spirits of just men made perfect; could we but discern the glorious entrance and admission of a de­parted Soul into the Church Triumphant, it would exhi­bit to us a Scene of the most Ravishing Glory, far outvying the greatness of Solomon, or that united pro­spect of Worldly Glory wherewith the Devil tempted the Son of God. But what we are not permitted to be­hold with our bodily Organs, we may discern with the eye of faith, and therewith follow them as high as the great Apostle was wrapt, and with St. Stephen, see Heaven opened, and its blessed Inhabitants rejoy­cing at the arrival of the Faithful, and welcoming them into those glorious Mansions.

But I leave these delightful Raptures to the enlarge­ment of your private Meditations; and having rais'd them where Faith carries them, call back your present thoughts to more pensive reflections, since Providence has administred an Occasion of sorrowful remem­brance. For alas! the Tree is fall'n (as indeed what can withstand Death's inevitable stroak) a Tree, which, had God so pleased, might have stood and flourished much longer; but now, like that in Nebuchadnezzar's Dream, has received the Sentence of the Watcher, and of the Holy One from Heaven, who cried, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches; shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit.

Trees, however durable in themselves, are yet liable to the stroak of the Axe, and oft-times the tallest Cedar, or strong-built Oak is cut down sooner than the useless Shrub: We have it frequently exemplified, and see them tumble down, who, whilst they stood, not only graced the Forest, but gave shade and shelter to others: Would to God we had not had the Occasion of meet­ing [Page 18] here to day to bewail the fall of the most flourish­ing Plant that enriched our Soyl.

It were easy to pursue the Metaphor, did I design to detain you with a Narrative of what might be said, and is justly due to the Memory of this Noble and Right Honourable Person, who, though now the Spoils of Mortality, yet is not to be laid in the dust like com­mon Mold, nor deposited in the shades with silence.

For the part he acted on the Stage was so eminent, as would not allow him to be unknown and unobserved, or pass off unregarded; and the Scene of his Life was attended with such variety, as made his Name well known, and his Person remarkable.

But for his publick Actions and Behaviour under the various turns and successions of Government, I shall chuse rather to leave them to be recorded by Fame, or read in our Annals and Chronicles, than attempt an im­perfect account of them, or make my self liable to the Censures of Detraction and Envy.

True worth is, or ought to be most valued where it is best known; and they that were most intimately ac­quainted with him, had the truest estimate of his worth, and doubtless have the greatest share as well as most passionate sense of his loss: give me leave to say, with­out suspicion of flattery, that he adorn'd that high Sta­tion which he had merited, and graced that Honour which he had advanced his Family to.

For his Honour was the Jewel he most highly prized, and could not be tempted to forfeit or prostitute it; and I doubt not to affirm, that his Conscience was the rule and measure of it, which two, when join'd together, ren­der a man truly great, honourable and noble: For men to pretend Honour without Conscience, is to sacrifice to an Idol of their own setting up; but when Honour is [Page 19] guided by Conscience, it becomes sacred and venera­ble: Such I am confident was this Noble Lord's sense and estimate of his Honour, which spirited him with that freedom of endeavouring Equity and Justice, as well in matters of Lesser concern among Equals and In­feriors, as in that Higher Station, where Persons of No­ble Rank give Counsel and Sentence in matters of mo­ment, and cases of grand importance.

It is well known how he acted in such Capacities; not as a careless Spectator, not as one indifferent which way the Scales of Justice were turn'd, but as one actua­ted with a sense of Honour and Justice, not afraid to de­clare his Opinion, not willing to conceal his Senti­ments, which he seldom found reason to alter, after he had given his judgment, having founded it upon the best reason, and most certain information: And in this he was so sedulous and curious, that if it was not his, it was our unhappiness that his over-earnest diligence this way is reckoned the Occasion of his last fatal Distem­per, which is judged to be brought upon him by a Cold contracted in the Middle-Temple Hall, where he thought it necessary to be present at a Case between two Honoura­ble Lords, there argued by Learned Counsel before the Lord Keeper, that he might be better able to judge of the Merits of the Cause, when brought before the Great Judicature of the most Honourable Peers.

Nor did this first Item of his Ilness discourage his En­deavours to serve the Publick, or prevent his atten­dance on the House some days after, being the hearing of another business of moment, wherein (as he said) the Law was much concern'd, though he had much more reason to have consulted his own safety by a sea­sonable absence, than to have added to his Indisposition by bringing it with him to the House, and there wrest­ling [Page 20] with it, tho fasting and empty, and would not leave it when afresh seiz'd with it, till his Strength, though not his Spirit and Courage fail'd: And when he could no longer resist the Attacks of his Disease (which proved a Fever of the Spirits, which is dange­rous to most, and was to him fatal) he then, but not before, left off what he had all along pursued, the Ho­nour of Justice, the Vindication of the Laws, and the Good of his Countrey; and whoever does so, is a Pa­triot while he lives, and will survive in the memory of good men when he dies.

His behaviour in his last Sickness I wish I were so happy as to be able to account to you, from the know­ledge and observation of those that were Witnesses of it, especially from that Reverend Person, the Pious and Learned Dr. Horneck, who was called to administer the last Office of Ghostly Counsel and Comfort to him; but doubt not but it was suitable to the Religion he pro­fest, becoming his Profession, and worthy of his Cha­racter.

For he had a true Value for Religion, and such No­tions of it as became a Great Mind informed by God's Word, and assisted by his Spirit. His Zeal against Po­pery was far from being without Knowledge; and his Love and Charity for all Protestants, with his warm Endeavours for their common good and safety, were conspicuous to the World: Yet this I cannot but say for the Honour of our Church as well as in his Praise, that notwithstanding the Liberty for Protestants of dif­ferent Persuasions given by an Act of Parliament (in the making and advising of which he had no inconside­rable share) yet he kept constant to our Communion, frequenting the Publick Ordinances and Administrati­ons, and using in his Family the Publick Offices, and Service appointed by the Church.

And his Example was not only an Argument to pre­vail with others, but a Credit to the way he profest; manifesting on all occasions a real esteem for true Good­ness, and the influence that his Religion had on his Actions and Conversation. Of which I shall mention two or three Instances, which never fail to accompany the true spirit and vital energy of sincere Religion.

1. His forwardness to discourage Vice and Immorality. And that not only among his Servants and Domesticks, but elsewhere in the Neighbourhood, where his Frowns might check, or his Authority command: The Disorders too frequently allowed in Houses of publick resort no sooner reach'd his ears, than they re­ceived a sharp rebuke from him, with a severe caution for the future to restrain their entertainment of lewd Company, or of any at unseasonable hours; the common and too fashionable Vices of Drink [...]ng and Swearing, were as much discountenanced by him in others, as they were far from his own practice: Now a Magistrate both rebukes and commands with Authority, that makes his own Patern the Copy for others to write by.

2. His desires of reconciliation and a b [...]tt [...]r corre­spondence where differences and animosities had been too much fomented, too long retained. Perhaps a prone­ness to passion may not altogether be excused yet is less blameable, where it's the effect of temper and con­stitution; nor is of so malevolent an Influence, where accompanied with a readiness to forgive and be reconci­led, to which he was so far from nanifesting an averseness, that there are some that hear me, that can name the Instances of his great Condescention and Benignity in pardoning and passing by Injuries, and being recon­ciled upon easy terms, when it was in his power to have ruined those who professed Enmity against, or mis-understood him; and greatly to have profited him­self [Page 22] by taking those advantages which the Law would have given him: Nor was this true Greatness of Mind expressed only in Relation to matters of Scandal and Calumny, but even to the most visible Attempts a­gainst his Life. That which most sensibly affected him, was the Grudges and Animosities which had so unhappily divided the Interest of this County, in which he made so great a Figure; I say affected, I will add afflicted him too; having heard him passionately bewail the ill effects of them, and heartily wish that he were able to redress them; and I think there is not any that will witness against him, that ever he made use of the Authority that this Government en­trusted him with, to widen the Breach, or heighten the Discontents; but rather endeavoured to apply Le­nitives than Causticks; and carried his Power and In­terest with so even a Balance, that none could just­ly take offence, unless such as were less disposed to Unity and Agreement than he was. 'Tis too com­mon in the world to see Power and Authority exer­cised meerly for the advantage of a Party, or to carry on the projects of Ambition and Self-design, or perhaps the worse attempts of Revenge and Malice; whereas it is designed more for the good of others, than the advantage of those that are intrusted with it; and they only act like God (the Fountain of Power) who dispence the influence of their Authority in acts of Bounty and Kindness, and to serve the ends of Peace and publick Good. Would those that survive this Great Man pursue the same methods, and hear­tily join in the Endeavours of Unity and Accomo­dation; they might hope to see what I dare say he would have rejoiced to behold, the Union of different Parties and Interests happily cemented in a kind Corre­spondence and friendly Agreement.

[Page 23] 3. His regard to the Sacred Oracles of God, the Ho­ly Scriptures (the Rule of our Duty, and Guide of our Actions) and his care in reading and consulting them, to cull out such Directions as might be useful upon all occasions, and applicable to the several emergencies of his Actions. To which end he had drawn up seve­ral Heads (above an Hundred in number) in a large Book for that purpose, and under them had noted with his own Hand, such places of Scripture as were properly reducible to them; whence he might fur­nish himself with Rules and Instructions, that he might still act agreeable to the directions of God's Holy Word. An example so much the more Commen­dable and Remarkable, as possibly more rare in per­sons of his Station and variety of Avocations: and would to God it were not too epidimical a mistake, not only in Men of Honour, but of Parts and Wit, yea, and Learning too, to lay aside the Bible as a dull insipid Book, fit only for the Clergy to consult, or melan [...]holly folks to pore on: Alas! they little know the worth of it, that slight or disesteem it; but they that diligently consult it as the Rule of life and manners, the more they read it, the more they admire it, and as David and all Good men have ex­perienced it, find it a Lanthorn to their feet, and a Light to their paths I dare say with assurance that no one that has seriously set himself to read and consider it, ever found cause to repent the loss of his time; and that whoever will take pains to note down such passa­ges as may be of most use and concern to him, (as this Right Honourable Person did) will find at once a faith­ful Adviser, a t [...]sty Monitor, and a sure Guide; which will lead him into the paths of true wisdom and good­ness, which two perfect humane nature, and are the highest attainment of this life.

But to come closer to my Subject, with which I must hasten, lest I should injure your Patience, which I should hazard, should I trace him through all his Com­mendable Qualities, and Praise-worthy Accomplish­ments. I leave it to his Servants and Domesticks, who best know him to proclaim him the best of Ma­sters, and honour his Memory, as they ought, with a due testimony of his Freedom, Affability and Kindness to all that were Dependants, or Retainers to him. It's part of the Imperfection of this state, that we learn the value of most things more by the loss, than the en­joyment of them; it will be verified doubtless in them, who have lost an indulgent Master, a courteous Patron, an obliging Benefactor.

I appeal to all the Neighbourhood, and as many as had the honour or opportunity to resort to Dunham, for the greatness of his Hospitality, his generous Re­ception, and obliging Entertainment; a Quality, I must needs say, the less to be wondered at in him, since it has been so long hereditary to that Family, that it now pleads Prescription, and is become an usage immemo­rial: May it remain and be continued as a Mark of Ho­nour to that Noble House, and the lasting Character of its Posterity.

I appeal to his Countrey, for his Courage and Reso­lution to venture himself for the good of it, when he thought it in apparent danger; and leave the world to judge of the hazard he underwent to his Person, Estate and Family, and all that was near and dear to him.

That love to his Countrey, which was remarkable in all the parts of his Life, appeared very particularly at the time when he was to be Try'd for Imputed Trea­son: For when there seemed need of the advice of many of the best Lawyers, to help him to fence against [Page 25] the Arts of the Councel employed against him, he ab­solutely refused the assistance of any Lawyer who had been blemished with any accession to the Calamities of the Times.

Indeed his own wonderful Defence of himself su­perseded the use of any Lawyer at his Tryal, and I may appeal to written Evidence for his Ability in speaking and managing that Cause, of the highest na­ture and concern that could befal him, (which oft confounds mens Intellects) when he defended himself to the great Joy and Satisfaction of his Friends, the En­vy and Surprize of his Enemies, and the Wonder, if not Astonishment of all that heard him. Yet did he not in all this sacrifice to his own Net, or ascribe the Success of his Release and Deliverance to his own Wit and Policy, to his Parts and Management; but gave the Glory to God, and paid the Annual Tribute of Praise and Thanksgiving to him for it, setting apart that day as a day of grateful Memorial; which he solemn­ly and religiously observed with his Family every Fourteenth day of this month of January; this very day which now by the Providence of the All-wise Disposer is become the day of his Obsequies, as if Pro­phetically chosen for a remarkable Vicissitude, that what was before a day of Jubilee, must now be writ in black Letters, and made a day of Sadness and Mourning, and so become doubly observable to his Ho­nourable Posterity.

His Gratitude to God was rightly accompani'd with Charity to Men, and he solemnized that day not only with Prayers and Praises, and other offices of devotion to God, but also at the same time cloathed and fed Twenty seven poor People, according to the Number of Peers that acquitted him, that he might increase his own rejoycing and gratitude, with the joy and refresh­ment of the poor and indigent.

But his Charity was far from being confin'd to an Annual distribution, he was sensible that the Divine Bounty is repeated and continued daily, and so ought we too, to extend our Charity, which is the Quit-rent we pay for all our Receits. God needs none of our Gifts, yet has obliged us to make suitable Returns and Acknowledgments, and has withal appointed his Re­ceivers, and pass'd his Word as an Acquittance, that what is given to the Poor, is lent to the Lord. We are all but Stewards, and the more we have received, the more we have to account for. This Religion taught him, and meeting with a generous Soul and bountiful disposition, opened his hand wide, and made his Chari­ty large and extensive. Almost every day was a dole­day at his door; but particularly every Friday in the year a larger distribution was made to the poor and necessitous. I think I need not call upon them to at­test the Truth of it, which we may read in their Tears and Lamentations for him.

You have heard in these severals, that the Tree, which I said was fallen, whilst it stood and flourished brought forth choice and pleasant Fruit, and was what Eve fan­cied of the Tree in Paradise, good for Fruit, pleasant to the Eye, and a Tree to be desired. But since such desires are now become vain and unprofitable, and the Tree must lie where it is fall'n, let me refresh your de­prest Spirits with the fair blooming Hopes of a yet ten­der, but well-promising Plant out of the same Noble Stock, and sum up our hopes in affectionate wishes, That he may thrive and grow up to the same maturity of Worth and Merit, and not only flourish in the Seat, but inherit the Vertues of his Progenitors, and trans­mit them to a lasting succession of Posterity. Amen.